Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts
Mechanicsburg, PA
Jessica Padilla | Structural Option
Adviser: Dr. Aly Said
Construction Management Breadth
Currently, it appears that the changes proposed to the structural system will yield a decrease in cost and time. If buying and installing voided flat plate slab has an economic advantage over the current composite-steel system, the deduction in overall construction cost/time could be used to justify a more effective, and possibly costlier, method of sound-proofing Parmer Hall’s roof. The current, low-tech sound proofing solution is a 8” concrete topping on 1.5B roof deck (9.5" total thickness) that was a result of budget constraints. Rough cost analyses will be performed to allow for another means by which to compare the current structural system to the proposed design.
Acoustic Breadth
The goal of changing the main hall’s roof is to provide a lighter system, but this system must also be acoustically sound. Any changes to the roof are therefore not appropriate without understanding the ways in which it would affect the acoustics of the space. Research into the acoustic properties of the proposed structural system as well as the current system will be performed and compared to ensure the most acoustically efficient roofing system possible.
Structural Depth
The proposed alternative solution consists of two changes. First, the composite-steel framing will be replaced by a voided flat plate concrete slab system. While the new system eliminates the need for beams, the columns in the building must be changed to concrete. The definite decrease in material cost and possible decrease in time can be used to justify a more expensive roofing system for Parmer Hall. Second, to simplify the structure and possibly further decrease cost, the lateral system will be reduced from three systems to a single system – reinforced concrete shear walls. The intent is to keep the shear walls in the same locations, but additional shear walls may be needed to meet drift criteria.
Preliminary Proposal
Revised Proposal
