We’re having some fun today. Jo-Anne’s birthday!
Steaks in the background, with a Chardonnay and Vistalba Corte B in the foreground!
Fire!
Getting the blaze under control.
Under control now ...
We were honored to host John Minton’s visit today. John is the Chief Engineer with Hanson Structural Precast, and supplied our hollow core concrete panels. John is in the L.A. area and works in Hanson’s offices in Irwindale, California.
We have a tiny project with only 48 panels. During our design and planning, John was always available to answer our questions and help resolve technical issues. He starts working early so Bryan would call him between 6:00 and 6:30 am, knowing that John would probably answer on the first ring.
John and his wife, Lynanne, and son, Brian, were to attend a family event in Hillsborough and, since they were flying into SJC, they could all stop by our project site for a few minutes.
His family was very patient while John and Bryan discussed the structural aspects ahead of us.
John Minton, and his wife, Lyanne, and son, Brian, visiting our project site.
One of the issues that we needed to understand is how and when the camber would come out of the hollow core concrete panels. John explained that, as soon as we put the 3 inches of structural concrete over the 6 inch hollow core concrete panels, one-half the camber would come out. Then, the remaining camber would come out over a couple years.
We discussed various strategies to accelerate the flattening of the panels. John explained that the fastest way to get the panels to flatten would be to put load on the panels.
The alternatives that we have include:
1. Pour the 3 inches of structural concrete then put the remaining posts/walls in place, and then the roof. This would increase the load, and then pour the final 2-1/4 inches of concrete.
or
2. Pour the 5-1/4 inches of concrete in one monolithic pour.
We’ll need to think this one through …
John Minton and Bryan.
Before pouring more concrete, we need to do the following:
Yeah, lots to do.
Bryan had spent quite a bit of time with Robert, checking on his project sites and doing other due diligence. Robert was interested in working on our project and did excellent work. Geographically, he is located in Marin and it is fair hike to Monte Sereno.
Robert arrived with his crew in the morning and started framing. He hadn’t used Simpson Titen Heavy Duty Screw Anchors before and was interesting in trying them. Our structural engineers, Innovative Structural Engineering, specified these bolts as an alternative to drilling and epoxying bolts in place. The TIten HDs were cool.
Robert arrives with materials and his crew.
Titen HD screws.
Titen HD screws.
Framing the wall under the W14x43 I-beam.
FSC certified 2x6s and 2x4s for the walls.
Framed bearing wall under the W14x43 I-beam.
Framed bearing wall by the lower Powder Room.
