Aldi Distribution - Rosenberg

While this 647,000+-square-foot building has an exorbitant amount of reveals for a warehouse, it is a single, massive 51-foot 6.5-inch radius (outside radius dimension) panel on this that makes this project interesting. This is a 230,900+ pound main entrance panel that follows a fixed radius, is recessed on multiple tiers and has thickened, turned up columns full height along each end. This panel was cast after the rest of the panels were erected so the radius had to be perfect in order to fit into the allocated opening. This panel alone was over $300,000. The main reason this panel was cast after all other panels were erected is because it was originally specified as multiple pre-cast panels that were going to be erected in pieces on site but at the last minute, the pre-caster decided he didn't want to take the risk of the radius and backed out.

The formwork was similar to building a ships hull. The formwork was built, braced and filled with dirt and graded to the rough radius. Next, both the inside and outside faces of the exact curvature of the radius were established and screed guides were set to keep the exact radius curve. Both the inside and outside radius had to be constantly maintained during forming, establishing the grade, placing the casting bed, placing the reinforcing and place/finishing the panel. If at any time one of these was off, the panel would not fit. The structural panel, formwork and erection sequence were all designed in house.