RESEARCH GRANT AWARD: RGA #03-23 - Behavior of Modular Steel Plate Floor Assemblies (FastFloor Phase 2)
The Charles Pankow Foundation (CPF) along with several Industry Partners is pleased to announce the award of a new research grant to continue investigation of a new, modular steel floor framing and diaphragm system for commercial building structures with broad applicability, including high seismic zones. The proposed system 'FastFloor' has key benefits of increasing the speed of construction, including eliminating the pouring of a concrete deck. This type of system is key to achieving the goals of the AISC Need for Speed initiative to reduce the time from conception to occupancy for steel building structures. Our Industry Partners are:
- American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC)
- Magnusson Klemencic Associates Foundation
- Nucor
- Schuff Steel
- Herrick Steel
- Cives Steel Company
- Atlas Tube
- Owen Steel Company
- Metals Fab
Phase I investigated the viability of their design using computational simulation and experimental testing. Phase II will conduct a wide range of prototype structural analyses, including gravity loading, vibration and acoustics tests, viability of the flooring’s use in existing building designs, and assessment of the new flooring’s interaction with the rest of a building’s structural systems.
Principal Investigators are: Jerome F. Hajjar, Ph.D., P.E. (Northeastern University); Benjamin W. Schafer, Ph.D., P.E. (Johns Hopkins University); Matthew Eatherton, Ph.D., P.E., S.E. (Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University); Onur Avci, Ph.D., P.E. (West Virginia University); and W. Samuel Easterling, Ph.D., P.E. (Iowa State University).
Industry Champions include: Ron Klemencic, MKA; Cori Amadon, J.F. Stearns; Daryll Bridges, J.F. Stearns; Chad Fox, Ruby + Associates; Tony Giansanti, Tate, Inc.; Devin Huber, AISC; Will Jacobs, SDL; Larry Kruth, AISC; Dave McCrary, Barton Malow; Ron Meng, Banker Steel; Josh Mouras, MKA; Bill Perry, Tate, Inc.; Jim Perry, Cerami & Associates; Pedro Sifre, SGH; Tabitha Stine, Nucor; Joseph C Windover, Sherwin-Williams; David Wright, Schuff Steel; Duff Zimmerman, Cooper Steel.