Rice SST
Rice SST strengthening required coordination of FRP with joist blockouts, steelwork and the existing exterior deck finish.
Delta Structural Technology completed the Rice SST strengthening project, coordinating carbon FRP details around joist blockouts, steel interfaces and an exterior pebble-deck surface. The engineering exchanges addressed how to maintain the reinforcing intent while working around existing construction. The project illustrates the close relationship between the composite layout, nearby steelwork and the surfaces available for installation.
- Market
- Education
- Services
- Joist and slab CFRP strengthening coordination
- Location
- Rice University
Project challenge
Field review identified blockouts between joists and a desire to avoid disturbing an exterior pebble deck. Another interface involved steel plates and tubing near the FRP. These conditions affected where reinforcement could be installed and how subsequent work could proceed. Moving reinforcement from one face of a slab to another also required engineering review of both capacity and cracking behavior.
Project approach
Delta raised the field conditions with Simpson Strong-Tie’s design team and requested updated shop drawings. The engineers considered reinforcement around the blockouts and alternatives for the slab surface. They also addressed how plates and tubing could be installed in relation to the FRP. The exchange kept spacing and reinforcement location tied to the member geometry and the engineer’s requirements rather than treating field relocation as a simple substitution.
Delivery and coordination
Delta’s field team provided photographs and described the obstructions to the designer. The engineering response distinguished adequate strength from the degree of crack restraint expected at the slab’s upper surface. Owner and contractor acceptance of the proposed underside arrangement was specifically requested. The process connected installation feasibility with the behavior and approval of the revised detail.
Project significance
Rice SST demonstrates the value of early field review when composite reinforcement intersects with finishes and steelwork. A workable installation detail must account for more than the amount of fiber. The case shows how documenting obstructions and discussing structural behavior with the designer can guide a coordinated reinforcing package for an existing university facility.
