Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels Developments in Architectural Concrete

摘要

Architectural Concrete is again being chosen for premiere construction projects and civic buildings including the Getty Villa Museum, the Skirball Center, and the new Cathedral for the Los Angeles Archdiocese. Architect Rafael Moneo selected 650,000 square feet of light tan colored, sandblasted architectural concrete as the primary structural and architectural element for Los Angeles' new Cathedral. Cardinal Roger Mahoney wanted the structure to last 300 years. These specifications challenged consultants and contractors together to develop designs, construction methods, and materials to produce superior architectural concrete. Concrete developments, applications, and research include the following: A. Use of 3-Dimensional CAD modeling of the structure to create formwork shop drawings B. Finite element thermal modeling to optimize formwork removal periods C. Development of mix design and placing procedures to eliminate thermal cracking and improve durability D. Increased coverage for rebar, use of stainless steel rebar at horizontal surfaces E. Curing methods for colored concrete F. Application of high silane content sealers G. Selection of formwork materials H. Improved color consistency, finish, flatness The effort to design and build something perfect under tight scheduling and budget constraints forced a very high level of care and research. The experiences from the project are applicable to varying degrees on all concrete construction projects.