PCI Gulf South Newsletter | Issue #34
St. Louis College of Pharmacy Recreation and Student Center
Precast building materials are an excellent choice on all types of school projects. One example is the new student center which serves as a gateway for a dramatic experience into the campus. This vision was achieved by adjusting the footprint of the building to allow for a more gracious entry plaza into the campus. The form relates and responds to the campus surroundings by extruding to mimic existing forms and pivoting to provide visual connections.

The architectural panels were clad with a unique Norman-style wire cut, black iron spot, thin brick, which necessitated careful coordination of the precast joints. A dark mix design was used for the mortar joints. The brick inlay panels are typically flat, vertical units featuring a stacked bond pattern and are separated by a curtain wall system. Due to large amount of trades on the project, the precaster had to ensure effective onsite coordination between curtain wall, handset masonry, and tilt-up panels.
At the recent Mississippi Society of Association Executives meeting, the major topic of discussion was the change that is coming to the work environment. I believe it's already here.

Currently, seventy-five percent of the workforce is millennials and by the year 2030, most of the workforce will be either a millennial or a Generation Z. While this may seem like a natural progression from one generation to another, the major difference this time is one of attitude and influence. It has been stated that the millennial generation and Gen Z will have a profound effect on how the work environment will be structured in the future.

As can already be seen with hybrid work becoming more popular, the millennial influence is being felt. Most want a work/life balance and want to be included in the decision-making that will dictate their work. Things such as diversity, sustainability, equity, and commitment to social issues are very important to this generation. The biggest concerns they have are the cost of living, climate change, and the pay gap between the richest and poorest of our society.

If we as an industry hope to attract this “changing” generation, we need to recognize that we have to address their concerns and share in their causes as we work to transition to a future work environment that meets the needs of everyone.
Distress in Precast Concrete Structures Webinar
Please join us for the upcoming Webinar Series on Distress in Precast Concrete Structures.

This presentation will use case histories of precast/prestressed concrete structures that have experienced poor performance to illustrate how seemingly minor details or small dimensions can end up resulting in excessive cracks, spalls, or other types of distress. Each case history will include a description of relevant design details and key factors that led to the problematic condition. Suggestions will be given for measures than can be taken during design, fabricating, erection, or occupancy to reduce the incidence of distress. The case histories will include common precast elements such as double tees and wall panels.

The featured Presenter is Michael Lee, PE
PCI Gulf South 2022 Summer Convention
In July, PCI Gulf South held its Annual Summer Convention in Lake Charles, LA at the Golden Nugget Casino & Resort. It was great to see everyone and our meetings were jam-packed.

This year’s meeting included a diverse group of speakers. We would like to thank the DOT speakers for once again being an integral part of our meeting and a particular thank you goes to Scott Westerfield for teaching us all how to kick a field goal!

We also heard from Dave Tomley about the good work the Transportation Committee is doing and Robert Taylor for giving the group a birdseye view of UHPC. Joining our group was Bob Risser, President of PCI, who gave a broad overview of PCI activities and Scott Dull from Afinitas who gave the attendees a presentation on automation within the precast manufacturing plant.

As part of the summer event, PCI Gulf South held the annual Regional Design Awards to recognize exemplary projects completed by producers in the Gulf South region. We would like to congratulate both Jackson Precast and Gate Precast for winning this year’s design awards.

If you would like to see their winning projects, please go to our YouTube site and view the videos.

Next year, we will return to Point Clear Alabama at the beautiful Grand after having been away from there for over five years.  
Pile Driving Contractors Association Meeting
The Gulf Coast Chapter of the Pile Driving Contractors Association held their 3rd quarter meeting on August 18th at the Golden Nugget in Biloxi, MS. Thanks to Dave Tomley, P.E. MSCE of Gulf Coast Pre-Stress Partners, and Dr. Mohammed Mulla with ECS Southeast, LLC for presenting on prestressed concrete piles.
Learn@Lunch - Go Virtual!
PCI Gulf South offers a variety of ways to reach the existing design community.
The Learn@Lunch program was developed to allow professionals the opportunity to learn about precast products and systems.

Get the design credits you need all without having to leave your home or office!
Guidelines for the Use of UHPC
PCI is pleased to announce the publication of TR-9-22, Guidelines for the Use of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) in Precast and Prestressed Concrete. This publication provides a practical guide for the development and qualification of UHPC mixtures based on locally available materials.
The Summer 2022 issue of Ascent Magazine is Here!
The Summer 2022 issue takes a closer look at precast parking structures. Parking structures have historically been one of the precast concrete industry’s strongest segments. Yet precast concrete producers continue to innovate, as they manufacture striking, eye-catching, and durable structures.
Attention Students!
If you are a recently graduated student and want to continue to receive emails from PCI Gulf South, please be sure to update your email address as
most school email addresses expire after 6 months!

To update, simply forward your new email address to
pcigulfsouth1@att.net and we will update it in our system.
PCI Quality Control School
PCI Quality Control Schools train to the standards defined by plant quality control manuals MNL-116, Manual for Quality Control for Plants and Production of Structural Pre­cast Concrete Products, and MNL-117, Manual for Quality Control for Plants and Production of Architectural Precast Concrete Products.

While many quality control schools remain virtual, some are returning to their in-person formats. See upcoming sessions or register at the link below.
Concrete is one of the most widely used materials for underwater structures. This is because concrete has a very high resistance to both fire and water.
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Precast FEMA Storm Shelters
As extreme weather events become increasingly common, storm shelters are becoming more crucial across the US. In particular, hailstorms, tornadoes, and dramatic temperature swings have increased in the southern part of the US over the past few years. The upcoming decades are expected to have a similar perspective. Communities are looking into long-term, affordable options like precast concrete building to protect inhabitants.