Convention Center Concrete: Fibered, Not Wired

April 22, 2002

Contact: Bob Cruso
New Nycon, Inc.
Phone: 401 596 3955
E-mail:bcruso@nycon.com

Westerly, RI

The new Washington DC Convention Center is the largest public works project in the District and the largest excavation site in the Western Hemisphere. ..and NyconRC fibers will be used as the secondary reinforcement of the center's normal-weight and lightweight concrete in its slabs-on-grade and elevated slabs.

Nycon synthetic fibers are specified in more than 25,000 cubic yards of concrete for their anticipated time, labor, and cost savings. Project specifications originally called for the more labor-intensive welded-wire fabric (WWF) reinforcement. However, after a comparative review of the benefits of synthetic fibers over WWF-like their crack-fighting capabilities, the smooth, easy-finish surfaces and more durable concrete they produce-the engineers of Clark Concrete, the ready-mix supplier, revised the specifications to Nycon-fiber-reinforced concrete.

The concrete ready-mix suppliers for the project are CTI of Washington, DC, Opportunity Concrete of Maryland (a division of U.S. Concrete), and Cardinal Concrete of North Virginia (a division of Florida Rock).

When finished in the Spring of 2003, the convention center will be the city's largest building: It will contain 2.3 million square feet of space, attract 2.5 million visitors, and bring in $1.4 billion in economic stimulus a year. The Sears Tower could comfortably fit inside, and in the main exhibit hall, four 747's could sit on two major league baseball fields.

Floor Elevations January 2001	Project Completion March 2003

Headquartered in Westerly, Rhode Island, Nycon, Inc., is a global supplier of synthetic and steel reinforcing fibers for concrete and mortar applications.

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N.B. The convention center's descriptive information and illustrations contained herein are the property of www.dcconvention.com, which contains the complete story of the center's construction project.

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