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Looking for a Faster, Economical Solution?

A new parking structure being constructed in Santa Clara, CA offered challenges similar to many other projects. The owner and the general contractor, Devcon Construction, were looking for ways to get the structure built more quickly and economically. One solution used was to build the 40 feet shear walls using the shotcrete method as opposed to being cast in place.

The project, Lawson Lane Commons, has shear walls spanning 310 lineal feet and 40 feet high. Foundations for the walls were poured on 5/25/2012 and three separate shotcrete pours were done with the final shoot being completed on 6/28/2012. In total, 390 cubic yards of concrete were shot and the walls were completed in only 25 working days.

In reviewing this project, our estimators projected that comparable cast-in-place walls would have taken 24% more man hours to complete. The additional man hours would have equated to higher labor costs and several more days on the schedule to complete the task. By using shotcrete provided by Conco, the general contractor was able to have the shear walls completed in less time than anticipated, saving time on the overall schedule. Furthermore, the shotcrete walls have the same structural characteristics as traditional cast-in-place walls.

Problem: Unappealing Concrete Shear-wall

Solution: Sculpted Shotcrete Mural

The City of Burien, WA sits below the Cascade Mountain range. As such, in the background of the downtown area is Mount Rainier. When building a parking garage to support the bus transit center, the city wanted to avoid having a structure with stark concrete walls. Their goal was to turn the building into a piece of art that highlighted the city’s most visible landmark and surrounding mountain ranges.

Working with the general contractor, Pankow Builders, Conco worked to create sculpted shotcrete murals that depicted views of the Cascades, Olympics, and Mount Rainier on all four sides of the building. The shear-walls were shot from the outside of the building and the area’s where the murals were going to be located were left with a scratch finish to allow the proper bonding of the mural work to the structural shotcrete wall.

As the picture shows, the shotcrete murals provide not only the structural integrity needed for the parking structure but serves as a stunning work of art that highlights the local landscape of Burien, WA.

The application of sculpted shotcrete is only limited by the imagination. It is a great way to either highlight your structure or blend it in with the local landscape.

Click the gallery images below for a closer look.

For more information on sculpted shotcrete contact Chad Watson at 925-685-6799.