Posted on 01/31/2012 4:59:34 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
ROCKVILLE, Md. - There are major flaws with the way the concrete was poured in the $101 million Transit Center in the heart of downtown Silver Spring.
During a news conference Monday, Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner outlined the issues, calling the situation a "serious problem." He also hinted at the possibility of legal action against the contractor.
"Specifications for the project called for there to be 10 inches of concrete. The analysis that has been done has shown that for significant portions of the second floor and the third floor, there's only eight and a half inches," Berliner said.
The three-story transit center is supposed to support Metro and MARC trains, Metro and Ride-On buses, as well as other transportation modes. Construction on the project started in 2008.
Although Montgomery County leaders aren't saying it directly, the belief is that legal action could be coming against the contractor for the project, Foulger-Pratt.
"I am a lawyer and I would say to you where there is a mistake, and a lot of money involved, that increases the chances of litigation exponentially," Berliner said.
Foulger-Pratt used a sub-contractor to pour the concrete -- La Plata based Facchina Construction.
The Silver Spring Transit Center has run into a number of delays since construction began. The transit hub is supposed to be an anchor for a mixed-use development including apartments, condominiums and a hotel.
"We are awaiting a proposal from the contractor with respect to remediation. Under the terms of the arrangement, the contractor has the right and the obligation to come forth with a remediation plan," Berliner said.
He said the county will not be on the hook for the mistake, and that the contractor will have to make up the difference.
The expected completion date had been set for early summer. A completion date is now in doubt.
Must...stifle...Mafia...jokes...
Maryland "Freak State" PING!
I’d like an explanation of how one can increase the thickness (not just the thickness, but the structural strength implied by the thickness) of poured concrete roadway/trafficway without tearing the whole freaking thing out and rebuilding it.
(Hint: I already know the answer)
I don’t think you can.
How do you pour that much mud without someone noticing its one and a half inch short.
Robert B Reiccccchhhhhhhhhh would no doubt approve of latino standards since he said something along the lines of white guys no longer need bother with construction jobs.
Are we still in the United States? This is something that happens in foreign countries...
Well a 2x8 is only 1.5x7.5
Get ready for a protracted delay.
Even if it was poured as originally planned and passed inspection...then collapsed, is the City or County on the hook for missing some specifications during inspections? Hell no.
Did it have the required amount of steel/rebar reinforcement in the pours? 1 1/2” missing in a slab means rebar must not have prescribed clearance and distance from the surface and from each other. Just minor details. Engineer/architect will say it was over designed to begin with and less concrete makes it lighter.
“”Specifications for the project called for there to be 10 inches of concrete. The analysis that has been done has shown that for significant portions of the second floor and the third floor, there’s only eight and a half inches,” Berliner said.”
Any DINGBAT paying for the work should be checking concrete depth BEFORE it’s poured. Oh, yea, it was probably an Affirmative Action person doing that.
Hard to imagine, isn’t it? In this kind of project, I am sure there are specs and guidelines as to how far beneath the surface the rebar inside the concrete has to be. Meaning, there should be a “cage” of rebar I’d reckon 7.5” top to bottom inside the concrete if the desired final thickness is to be 10.5”. And before you pour, there are dozens of inspections and there are screed lines above the pour. So how this could be “missed” without the whole thing being planned (incorrectly) from the outset is difficult to imagine.
Wanna bet? Look up “Big Dig.”
I was thinking the same thing. This ain’t gonna be easy to “remediate...”
Remediation?...remediation?...we don’t need no stinkin’ remediation!
Eight and a half is the new ten.
Hey, this project is a great job creator. What a concept. build it wrong, tear it down, build it again. Three times the jobs of just doing it right the first time.
Union got this stuff figured out a long time ago.
Eight and a half is the new ten.
Hey, this project is a great job creator. What a concept. build it wrong, tear it down, build it again. Three times the jobs of just doing it right the first time.
Union got this stuff figured out a long time ago.
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