Blog

NiCore™ Plank – Camber & Topping Thickness

It is common for precast, prestressed hollow-core slabs to exhibit camber (i.e.: upward deflection), and NiCore™ Planks from Nitterhouse Concrete Products, Inc. (NCP) are no different. Periodically we encounter construction specifications stipulating that the hollow-core slabs are to be cambered to overcome dead load deflection due to self-weight, but such specifications couldn’t be further from […]

Extended Double Tee Stem Daps

It is no surprise that the double tee is the workhorse of precast, prestressed concrete parking structures, and one of the most commonly found features is the use of dapped stems. Stem daps are typically found at exterior spandrels and interior inverted tee beams as shown in Details 1 & 2 below. Request a Plant […]

Nicore™ & Double Tee Fire Resistance

DOUBLE TEE FLANGE – FIRE RESISTANCE This is an update to a blog we previously posted in 2016 that captures what has transpired since then. As such, it provides a historical perspective along with information on contemporary practice to help explain why we are, where we are, today. High-performance, precast, prestressed double tees have been […]

Column Encroachment in Parking Spaces

A commonly encountered occurrence in parking structures is column encroachment in parking spaces. While this is perceived as problematic, or at the very least resulting in a reduced Level-of-Service (LOS), the goal of this narrative is to demonstrate that rarely should this be a concern. Nor is this a topic exclusive to precast, prestressed parking […]

Collateral Dead Loads for Hotels, Apartments, and Dormitories

When designing NiCore™ Planks by Nitterhouse Concrete Products, Inc. (NCP) for a multitude of structures such as hotels, apartments, and dormitories in Residential Group R-2 it is important not to overlook commonly encountered collateral dead loads.   Such loads are not included in the IBC-prescribed minimum live loads for these types of occupancy.   A typical 40 psf live load essentially includes […]