Pci Hosts International Fib Congress

The Third International fib Congress May 29-June 2, at the Gaylord National Resort in Washington, D.C.-bordering National Harbor, Md. will feature more

The Third International fib Congress Û May 29-June 2, at the Gaylord National Resort in Washington, D.C.-bordering National Harbor, Md. Û will feature more than 500 peer-reviewed papers from 45 countries, plus 100,000 square feet of exhibits. Highlighting a structural concrete technology-centered Think Globally, Build Locally theme, the Congress will be hosted by Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute in concert with its Annual Convention and Bridge Conference, typically staged in the fall.

Breaking down parochial boundaries and bringing together experts from across the globe to share methods, innovations, and ideas is particularly timely due to interest in Building Information Modeling and sustainable design concepts, which represent the next stage in the evolution of building, says PCI President James G. Toscas, P.E.

Program topics will cover bridges and transportation, building systems, engineering, design, analysis, materials, sustainability, plant and field operations, construction, and ultra-high-performance concrete, as well as marketing, sales, finance, and manufacturing. Sessions will qualify for professional development hours and other continuing education credits. In addition, fib will unveil the first draft of its 2010 Model Code for concrete structures (a follow-up to the 1978 and 1990 CEB/FIP Model Codes).

Since the International Federation for Structural Concrete, or fib, stages its International Congress only once every four years at different locations worldwide, the third conference marks its first in the U.S. Accordingly, the event has attracted extensive domestic and international interest, including co-sponsorship by the American Concrete Institute, American Segmental Bridge Institute, Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, International Concrete Repair Institute, Post-Tensioning Institute, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, Portland Cement Association, International Prestressed Hollowcore Association, and U.S. Federal Highway Administration. Û www.fib2010washington.com

BIM COMMITTEE CHARTERS

Inaugural PCI Building Information Modeling Committee meeting participants will discuss cost/benefit analysis of BIM implementation; effective incorporation of BIM within a precast/prestressed operation; communication with software providers to convey needs and optimize options; and, responding to client BIM requirements as plant and engineering staff learn the technology. Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute has scheduled the committee kick-off meeting May 28 at the Gaylord National Hotel, amid the 2010 PCI Convention and fib International Congress. Individuals interested in joining the committee are asked to contact Sid Freedman, [email protected]. The BIM Committee formation follows task group activities PCI has overseen with the three-dimensional modeling technology’s emergence as a successor to two-dimensional CAD methods.