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Posted by EDS on March 3, 2008, 11:01 am
> EDS wrote:
>>> EDS wrote:
>>>> 185' high x 16" thick post tensioned brick piers supported
>>>> at the base, with no weep holes, tied back to a concrete frame.
>>>
>>> I'm having trouble picturing this...they're freestanding? It sounds
>>> bizarre.....
>>>
>> It was bizarre! We consulted a prestressed masonry expert from
>> England who was amazed. The building was by Edward Durell Stone and
>> was to be a cutting edge design for NASA. NASA was moved to Huston
>> after Johnson became president and 120 million in buildings being
>> constructed were left empty. Eventually the Dept of transportation
>> occupied the buildings (It is a campus) and the labs were converted
>> to offices with an increased building occupancy load. After 1974 the
>> building managers cut off the dehumidifying systems to save fuel.
>> This caused a positive vapor pressure into the building walls,
>> trapping moisture behind the brick glazing. As this metro area has
>> over 500 freeze-thaw cycles per year, the brick faces began to pop, a
>> lot. Especially where the sun hit, so the falling brick slices would
>> work around the tower, with the only safe side being North. That's
>> when we got brought in. A very very interesting job. BTW we spot
>> inspected the post tensioning cables and ends and they were in great
>> shape. Major solutions were dehumidifying the building, new flashing,
>> tie backs to the concrete, drilling new weeps, and applying EFIS over
>> the upper third of the tower. This was done 14 years ago and 2 years
>> ago the EIFS was in excellent condition. I've always felt that I
>> improved Stone's building appearance a lot.
>
> So these things were like a super-tall, super-skinny collonade?
Yes, see my section above.
EDS
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