Unlike most radiant floor systems providing only heat, the home’s Airfloor system is also used for cooling. A series of hollow, interlocking metal channels
Unlike most radiant floor systems providing only heat, the home’s Airfloor system is also used for cooling. A series of hollow, interlocking metal channels placed on the subfloor and covered with concrete allows circulation of heated or cooled air pumped from a geothermal heating system. Supplemental electric heat is available as needed. Û www.nahb.org, www.solarcrete.com
The Post-Tensioning Institute has announced recipients of annual awards honoring individuals who have made key contributions to the post-tensioning industry in North America. Joining the PTI Hall of Fame this year are four professionals:
- Peter Reinhardt Û a 40-year veteran in the structural engineering and engineering management field with a strong background in prestressed, post-tensioned concrete design commonly used in multi-level parking deck and bridge construction Û is a PTI past president and a lifetime member, who has served as chairman of various key committees including the Tensioning Technical Committee, Committee for Unbonded Tendons and Committee for Plant Certification Program.
- David Swanson was instrumental in developing the VSL cable stay system used on numerous U.S. bridges and contributed to the formulation of 1985 PTI cable stay recommendations later adopted by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), thereby becoming the standard cable specification worldwide. His achievements also include development of the Retained Earth and MSE Plus mechanically stabilized earth systems, engineering of innovative segmental bridge construction systems and erection methods, as well as the design of post-tensioning anchorage technologies.
- Man-Chung Tang, P.E., Ph.D., the past president of the American Segmental Bridge Institute, is a founding member of the PTI cable stayed bridge committee that published Recommendations for the Design and Testing of Stay Cables used worldwide. As a structural engineer, Dr. Tang has been involved globally in the design, design review and/or construction engineering of 100-plus major bridges; and, recognized as a world authority on cable-stayed bridges, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1995 for his contribution to the advancement of cable stayed bridge technology.
- William Velzy developed a new jack design consisting of a one-piece body with a two-year warranty against breakage. He has worked to advance the quality of jack materials, as well as ensure that technologies involving jacks remain current.
The PTI Lifetime Member award was presented this year to Loris L. Gerber. Serving 40-plus years in the post-tensioning industry and 55 years overall in engineering, construction and related fields, Gerber provided inspection services for PTI’s Unbonded Tendon Certification Program from its inception until 2005. He was co-developer of the ÎGemiÌ single strand post-tensioning hydraulic stressing ram now commonly employed in the industry.
The PTI Fellow award is presented to individuals who, during at least five years of active membership, have made significant contributions to PTI committees as well as to the production or use of post-tensioning systems. This year’s five PTI Fellows include William Bailey, P.E., a past president and current chairman of the PTI Unbonded Tendon Committee; Ronald Bonomo, a past president of PTI and the American Segmental Bridge Institute, as well as an ASBI Leadership Award recipient; Cary Kopczynski, P.E., S.E., an ACI Fellow, member of ACI Committee 318 Standard Building Code as well as ACI Strategic Planning Committee, plus a member of the PTI Technical Advisory Board; Russell Price, P.E., a PTI past president, current member of the Unbonded Tendon, Slab-on-Ground and Certification committees, and principal author of the recently published PTI Construction and Maintenance Manual for Post-Tensioned Slab-on-Ground Foundations, as well as numerous technical articles; and, Douglas Schlegel, PTI immediate past president, former chairman of the Unbonded Tendon Committee, a member of the PTI Slab-on-Ground Committee, and current Monostrand Unit manager and vice president.