Schuff Steel, Pacific Division, a subsidiary of Schuff
International, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: SHFK), a leading family of steel
companies providing fully integrated steel construction services,
has completed the majority of steel erection on the $123 million
University of California San Francisco Institute for Regeneration
Medicine located on the Parnassus Campus. Architect Rafael Viñoly
designed the institute, Smith Group is the design-build team
architect and DPR Construction, Inc. is the general contractor on
the project.
"There is nothing typical about this building," said Steve
Carroll, project manager for Schuff Steel.
The institute is being constructed on a steep slope with an
incline. The site is extremely narrow and is wedged between a
winding road and adjacent buildings. The 46,283-square-foot
facility is a series of four elevated connected building pods that
resemble inverted pyramids with terraced grass roofs. Each of the
four building pods step up nine feet higher than the next as the
facility climbs up the slope at a slight angle. When complete the
multi-level structure will be 65 feet wide by 600 feet long.
The main entrance to the institute is 90 feet above ground level
and accessed by a freestanding elevator outside of the facility.
The building can also be accessed by a 130-foot long by 90-foot
high steel pedestrian bridge currently under construction that
connects the institute to the ninth floor of the adjacent Health
Science Building. The structure is supported by HSS steel braces,
beams and 20 steel columns that bear on concrete piers.
To ensure maximum earthquake protection, Forell/Elsesser
Engineers, Inc., the structural engineers on the project, fitted
the institute with 42 Friction Pendulum seismic isolators that are
located between the foundation and the structure at every anchor of
the building. Seismic isolators dramatically reduce impact from
seismic ground motion. They dissipate earthquake energy and
significantly reduce seismic distortions that would otherwise force
the building out of its original shape. Friction Pendulum bearings
will allow the structure to slide 26 inches in any horizontal
direction and two inches vertically to "filter" the earthquake's
movement and give the building a relatively gentle ride.
In addition to seismic isolators, Forell/Elsesser designed and
collaborated with Schuff to fabricate and install a
first-of-its-kind independent uplift restraint. Forell/Elsesser
developed the uplift restraint to keep the building from lifting
during an earthquake. The uplift restraints are positioned on the
south side of the building where they will oppose the 20-foot
cantilevers on the north side, which have no ground support. In the
event of an earthquake once the building starts to lift, the uplift
restraints will engage and hold the building down with up to 100
tons of uplift force. A prototype was tested at the University of
California San Diego's Caltrans Seismic Response Modification
Devices (SRMD) test facility.
Schuff fabricated the eight uplift restraints to exceptionally
demanding tolerances at its Gilbert, Arizona steel plant. Each
uplift restraint is six feet square by three feet tall.
According to Mason Walters, S.E., principal at Forell/Elsesser
Engineers, "We examined a number of different options to make this
facility as earthquake resistant as possible. We developed the
uplift restraint to augment the seismic isolators where the
building juts out. During an earthquake, the uplift restraints are
designed to move in the same direction as the Friction Pendulum
seismic isolators until the building starts to lift at which point
the uplift restraints act to hold the structure down, while
continuing to allow free horizontal movement."
To augment Forell/Elsesser's technical drawings and further
demonstrate how the uplift restraint would work, Walters actually
built a model of the device in his garage.
Working closely with the university, DPR Construction and
Forell/Elsesser, Schuff worked in a design-assist capacity to
fabricate and plan steel erection.
According to Steve Marusich, an associate at Forell/Elsesser
Engineers, "Design-build was the only way to cost effectively
engineer, fabricate and erect this complex facility. It allowed the
entire design and construction team the ability to arrive at
creative solutions to construct the facility within budget while
meeting the rigorous demands of the design and site location."
The Institute for Regeneration Medicine is scheduled for
completion in mid-2010.
About Schuff International
Schuff Steel is a subsidiary of Schuff International, Inc.
(PINKSHEETS: SHFK), a leading family of steel companies providing
fully integrated steel construction services. Schuff is the largest
steel fabrication and erection company in the United States. The
33-year old company constructs major projects throughout the
country. Professional services include integrated steel
construction services from a single source, design-build,
design-assist, engineering, BIM participation, 3D-steel
modeling/detailing, fabrication, advanced field erection, joist and
joist girder manufacturing, project management, and single-source
steel management systems. Major market segments include industrial,
public works, bridges, healthcare, gaming and hospitality,
convention centers, stadiums, mixed-use and retail, transportation,
and international projects. Schuff International, Inc. is
headquartered in Phoenix, AZ. The company owns and operates nine
steel fabrication plants and two steel joist-manufacturing plants.
Companies include Schuff Steel Company in Phoenix, AZ and Las
Vegas, NV; Schuff Steel - Pacific Division in San Diego, Newport
Beach and Oakland, CA; Schuff Steel - Midwest Division in Overland
Park, KS, Greenwood Village, Co and Chicago, Il; Schuff Steel -
Gulf Coast Division in Humble, TX; Schuff Steel Atlantic in
Orlando, FL and Albany and Buford, GA; Schuff Steel Management
Company in Gilbert, AZ; and Quincy Joist Company in Quincy, FL and
Buckeye, AZ. Schuff employs approximately 1,600 people throughout
the country. For more information, visit http://www.schuff.com.
About DPR Construction
DPR Construction is a forward-thinking national general
contractor and construction manager specializing in technically
complex and sustainable projects for advanced technology, life
sciences, healthcare, and corporate office markets. Founded in
1990, DPR has grown to more than $1.8 billion in annual revenue,
making it one of the largest general contractors in the nation and
a "great" story of entrepreneurial success. The privately held,
employee-owned company serves customers nationwide and has built
projects -- both large and small -- for such world-class companies
as Apple, Bayer, Digital Realty Trust, Genentech, HCA, Kaiser
Permanente, Oracle, Pixar, Rockwell International, Sun Microsystems
and Sutter Health. For more information, visit
http://www.dprinc.com.
About Forell/Elsesser Engineers, Inc.
Forell/Elsesser Engineers, Inc. is an award-winning structural
and earthquake engineering firm founded in 1960. Based in San
Francisco, the firm specializes in seismic and innovative
engineering for new and retrofitted construction of all types,
offering additional expertise in design/build, feasibility studies
and cost/benefit analyses. Major seismic isolation projects include
Caltrans Traffic Operations/CHP Center, Pasadena City Hall,
Berkeley Civic Center, Salt Lake City & County Building,
Oakland City Hall, Utah State Capitol, San Francisco Asian Art
Museum, San Francisco New Main Library, San Francisco 911 Emergency
Communications Center, and San Francisco City Hall. For more
information on Forell/Elsesser, Engineers, Inc., visit
http://www.forell.com
MEDIA CONTACT: Ann Papagalos Papagalos Strategic Communications
P) (602) 279-2933, Ext. 105 C) (602) 702-0524 E-mail: Email
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