Myriad Convention Center Floor System Reinforcement

It was determined that additional flexural strength, ductility and crack-control and shear strength were needed in the Myriad convention center unbonded post-tensioned street-level floor system. Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement was designed to correct the insufficiencies. The challenge in the project, aside from the mechanics unique to FRP reinforcement, was to present the design in such a way as to allow and encourage as many bidders as possible to bid on the construction. In particular, since there are no standardized properties for any given type of FRP, the possibility that not all bids would involve the same properties had to be accommodated--especially in the flexural design. Generally, for each strengthening location, two flexural designs were completed: one giving required FRP force level at minimum ultimate FRP strain and one required FRP force level on concrete crushing at the limit state of failure, the latter associated FRP ultimate strain termed "High Threshold" ultimate strain. Required force level for any ultimate strain could then be obtained by linear interpolation. Ability to use FRP for shear reinforcement was limited due to low available beam stem development length. Both glass, with restrictions, and carbon FRP were allowed for shear reinforcement.