Tasks & Gantt Chart

• Top Beam will meet with Dr. Robin Tuchscherer weekly to receive lessons about the design and analysis of prestressed concrete beams for 5-6 weeks. These lessons will allow Top Beam members to understand the basics necessary to design a prestressed concrete beam. Lesson notes will be recorded and posted to the Top Beam Microsoft Teams page.

Task 2.1: Gather Existing Previous Cylinder Data

• Previous year NAU Big Beam Competition team data of their cylinder data will be gathered to get a more complete comparison of concrete cylinders.

Task 2.2: Analyze Previous Concrete Mix Data

• Top Beam will analyze previous data with the purpose being to analyze the Tpac mixes used by previous teams to get a better understanding of the relationship between multiple material properties including compressive strength, tensile strength, and modulus of elasticity.

Task 3.1: Beam Design

• The team will design ten potential beams that follow all PCI Criteria. Anticipated design constraints include: 2, 3, 4 strand beams, lightweight versus normal weight concrete mixes, high strength versus normal strength concrete mixes, and different beam shapes. This task will allow for constructive development of what standard big beam shape best fits the design requirements.

Task 3.2: Preliminary Beam Analysis

• Using the data that has been obtained from the cylinders assessed, a concrete mix design will be selected that best fits with the design constraints that are determined from the competition rules and judging requirements and the strength needed will be specified for the design.

• The preliminary analysis of the beam will utilize Excel for all beam computations. Numerical Analysis will be performed and evaluated based on geometric properties, material properties, and design parameters.

Task 3.3: Beam Selection

• Top Beam will grade each preliminary beam through a decision matrix constructed of PCI requirements, ACI 318-19 codes, and ASTM standards. A discussion with Dr. Tuchscherer will follow the completion of the decision matrix to justify the evaluation of each criterion. The beams are ranked following the decided criteria following the same method used by the PCI competition rules.

Task 3.4: Design of Competition Beam

•  The shear design will be determined by using Excel and Response to compute shear calculations that will contribute and lead to the failure of the beam. Top Beam will determine an estimate of the design losses. Post applied load will help determine the critical section, what line to measure along, and measurements at multiple damage points. Top Beam will also use the Response software to predict the cracking load and deflection at maximum load and whether it fits in the PCI requirements.

• Shop drawings of the final design will be drafted using AutoCAD and must be sent to Tpac to create the beam. The drawings must show different sections of the beam as well as showing a bill of materials of the beam. The drawings must be professionally detailed with sensible directions for Tpac to follow and give feedback for possible changes.

• Top Beam will meet with Tpac again, after the shop drawings have been provided to Tpac and has been approved by them, to check their construction of the formwork, reinforcement, and strand placement. This is to ensure that the requirements of the design are correct prior to the placement of the concrete into the formwork. At this time, the logistics of shipping the beam will also be finalized.

Task 6.1: Lab Preparation

• The lab preparation will consist of creating a lab binder detailing the project plan, emergency response plan, safety training, and project activity log. The lab will also need to be cleaned which will include moving the old beam out and preparing the testing frame to receive the new concrete beam.

Task 6.2: Beam Delivery and Transportation

• The delivery and transportation of the concrete beam must begin by getting in contact with Tpac to meet with them to schedule the process of the concrete beam. The beam being delivered will be based on the shop drawings. Top Beam will coordinate with NAU Facility Services to have a forklift available to offload the beam when it arrives.

Task 6.3: Testing Setup

• The testing set up will begin by gathering the necessary supplies and equipment needed to crush the beam and identifying the proper lab space for the beam testing. This involves marking the beam location of the supports, load plates, and location for measuring deflection. The testing frame will also be configured so that the supports and loads are in the correct location set by the PCI competition rules. The beam will be moved into position, and we will hydrostone the load and support plates. The data acquisition equipment will be connected and placed in the final measurement locations. At this point a test run will occur to ensure the equipment is properly collecting data.

Task 6.4: Cylinder Testing

• To get the most accurate predictions possible cylinders that were made using the same concrete mix as the mix used with the concrete beam will be tested. Compressive testing of the concrete cylinders will be performed to determine the compressive strength of the concrete per ASTM standard C39 Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens. Tensile testing of the cylinders will be performed to determine the tensile strength of the concrete mix per ASTM standard C496 Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete. Finally, testing of the cylinders will be performed to determine the modulus of elasticity of the concrete mix per ASTM standard C469 Static Modulus of Elasticity and Poisson’s Ratio of Concrete in Compression.

Task 6.5: Final Predictions

• The final beam will undergo behavioral predictions where the team must ensure that the beam will fail at the applied loading ranges. This is to prove the deflection calculations computed in the Excel sheet which will predict cracking load, ultimate capacity, and deflection at ultimate capacity.

Task 6.6: Beam Testing

• The beam will be tested using the HULK testing machine. The testing will record the cracking loads, ultimate loads, and the deflection of the beam. Video will be taken of the test to be shown to PCI and Tpac, to ensure the accuracy of the results.

Task 6.7: Post-Testing Autopsy and Analysis

• A post-testing autopsy will be cleaning the lab bench tops and floors with returning the equipment after use. The autopsy will assess the failure mode, cracking load, ultimate load, and deflection; these will all be compared with our predictions. Any differences between results will be identified for possible causes. Top Beam will also post-process and analyze the raw testing data.

• Top Beam must provide and understand the general narrative of prestressed/precast concrete by how it impacts society and the infrastructure community. This task will evaluate how the final design contributes and influences said community.

Task 8.1: 30% Submittal

• Tasks 1-4 will be completed

• 30% Capstone Report

• 30% Capstone Presentation

• 30% PCI Report

Task 8.2: 60% Submittal

• Tasks 5-6.1 will be completed

• 60% Capstone Report

• 60% Capstone Presentation

• 60% PCI Report

Task 8.3: 90% Submittal

• Tasks 6.2-6.5 will be completed

• 90% Capstone Report

• 90% Capstone Presentation

• 90% Website

• 90% PCI Report

Task 8.4: Final Submittal

• Tasks 6.6-7 will be completed

• Final Capstone Report

• Final Capstone Presentation

• Final Website

• Final PCI Report

• PCI Video