Structures
THINKING OUTSIDE THE STEEL BOX: How the Tent Industry Is Currently Solving On-Site Construction Staging & Storage
Doug Hardin, P.E., Tamarack Grove Engineering Brian J. Sielaff, P.E., P.Eng, Tamarack Grove Engineering Cody Jones, Bledsoe Tents
speed up the overall construction start-up process and the take-down process at close of construction. And, the ultimate benefit is that this helps the store open sooner,” said TGE’s Doug Hardin, P.E. THE A, B, Cs OF TENTS IN A CONSTRUCTION SITE APPLICATION A = AESTHETICS Many retail clients undergoing a remodel or building an entirely new location often restrict construction activities to nighttime when stores are closed, allowing stores to remain open while generating revenue. Steel storage containers are often delivered onsite dirty and with failing locks and hinges making them difficult to safely access and navigate especially at night with minimal lighting available. “We found that by using the tent in lieu of shipping containers we were able to save a huge amount of time and money on our projects. We can locate and access building materials quickly and quietly in the middle of the night during a remodel. When using shipping containers it often takes a long time to locate the items needed and they always seem to be in the back of the container requiring us to unload all the product in order to access them,” said contractor Randy Whitacre, Project Executive, W.L. Butler. When using a tent, looks and function meld, providing a much more attractive appearance on active job sites in addition to these benefits: • Discourages graffiti • Available in a variety of colors to match location or business • Business appears to be open and operational not deterring shoppers B = BUILD Building the ideal job site is facilitated when using a tent. Site preparation
The modern-day engineered fabric structure, known more universally as a tent, has applications far beyond weddings, social events, and as temporary expansion space. The versatile structures have come into their own in a whole new way—appearing on the scene at large construction sites of major national grocery and retail chains including Target, Whole Foods, and many others. These megastores, who often complete renovations during off-hours, have realized the benefits of using tents for staging, materials storage, organization, equipment protection, safety and security, and providing impromptu meeting space for construction crews sheltered from the elements. Environmental benefits are making an even stronger case for opting to use tents rather than the standard steel storage container both for new builds and major renovation projects. NEW APPLICATIONS RESULT IN WIN-WIN The AEC industry constantly seeks better ways to get a job done—if a project or process isn’t evolving, it’s not growing into a better system. Innovation should always result in some combination of saving money and time, using resources wisely, improving work process and safety, and lessening impact to the environment. In the tent versus steel storage container debate every one of these boxes is checked and there isn’t much to recommend a container on construction sites once all the benefits of using a tent are considered. Tamarack Grove Engineering (TGE), a structural engineering firm located in Boise, Idaho has been recommending tents over shipping containers for many years with great response from clients. TGE is integrally involved in the process, submitting all permits and calculations for the tent install based upon local codes and ordinances making the process seamless. “Through education, we’ve been able to tout the benefits of tents to local jurisdictional authorities while helping many clients minimize steel storage containers on their job sites. Tents
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csengineermag.com
September 2023
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