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| photographs are from KCE's & WMATA's reports for the Silver Spring Transit Center |
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| SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc. |
Needless to say, cracking like this in a brand new, yet-to-be-opened structure is not normal. The SSTC hasn't seen its first fully-loaded bus.
2. The SSTC doesn't have expansion joints (the likely source of the widespread cracking).
Standard construction practice requires expansion joints in structures exposed to temperature changes. WMATA design and construction standards, to which the SSTC was supposed to have been designed and built, require expansion joints be spaced no farther apart than every 100 feet. The 315 ft. by 580 ft. SSTC has none. Ongoing repairs to the SSTC will not fix cracking caused by its total lack of expansion joints.
3. Under-strength and overstressed concrete.
"Based on in situ sampling and testing performed, the concrete in the structural decks has lower compressive strength than required by the Contract Documents. The compressive strength is also lower than that reported by construction period sampling and testing."
SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc.
Needless to say, ongoing repairs to the SSTC will not replace all of the SSTC's under-strength and overstressed concrete.
NOTE: The point here is that even though external reinforcement can be used to strengthen under-strength and overstressed beams, reinforcing the beams externally does not rid them of the under-strength and overstressed concrete that shouldn't be there in the first place. The SSTC is a LEMON.
The same can be said of the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints. You can make an argument that the SSTC won't collapse because it doesn't have expansion joints; but, expansion joints are (1) standard construction practice, (2) a contract requirement (adherence to WMATA design and construction standards) and (3) the SSTC's total lack of expansion joints will result in higher-than-normal operations and maintenance costs.The SSTC is a LEMON that the public will be paying through the nose for for decades.
4. Deck slabs thinner than the 10 inches thick called for in the Contract Documents.
"Our survey results indicate that the slab thickness varied from approximately 7 to 12-1/4 inches. The slab thickness variations (particularly in the "thin" slab areas) impact initial and service level stresses as well as shear and moment capacities."
SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc.
5. Exposed and missing reinforcement
"Based on in situ sampling and testing performed, the concrete in the structural decks has lower compressive strength than required by the Contract Documents. The compressive strength is also lower than that reported by construction period sampling and testing."
SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc.
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| SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc. |
NOTE: The point here is that even though external reinforcement can be used to strengthen under-strength and overstressed beams, reinforcing the beams externally does not rid them of the under-strength and overstressed concrete that shouldn't be there in the first place. The SSTC is a LEMON.
The same can be said of the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints. You can make an argument that the SSTC won't collapse because it doesn't have expansion joints; but, expansion joints are (1) standard construction practice, (2) a contract requirement (adherence to WMATA design and construction standards) and (3) the SSTC's total lack of expansion joints will result in higher-than-normal operations and maintenance costs.The SSTC is a LEMON that the public will be paying through the nose for for decades.
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| Silver Spring Transit Center |
4. Deck slabs thinner than the 10 inches thick called for in the Contract Documents.
"Our survey results indicate that the slab thickness varied from approximately 7 to 12-1/4 inches. The slab thickness variations (particularly in the "thin" slab areas) impact initial and service level stresses as well as shear and moment capacities."
SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc.
5. Exposed and missing reinforcement
"... no additional cores were taken from Pour Strips due to their inherent unacceptability due to cracking and missing reinforcing ..."
SSTC Structural Evaluation Report, March 15, 2013, KCE Structural Engineers, Inc.
6. Reports that "chunks" of concrete have fallen from the SSTC.
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2014/04/panel-warns-of-falling-concrete-at-transit-center.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2014/04/panel-warns-of-falling-concrete-at-transit-center.html
7. Perhaps the biggest reason of all:
We can:
We can't:
That's why the statement "the SSTC will absolutely be safe" is absolutely absurd.
Fortunetellers can't predict the future.
Neither can David Dise nor anybody else.
NOTE: Funding for the SSTC (from your taxes and user fees) is 53% federal (administered by the Federal Transit Admnistration), 11% state (administered by the Maryland Transit Administration) and 36% local (Montgomery County). It is unclear why the news media (print, TV, radio, internet) have failed to cover the SSTC "in-depth" and to ask "probing questions" * that they so highly tout.
* such as, why did Montgomery County non-competitively select Foulger Pratt to build the SSTC, Parsons Brinkerhoff to design it and Balter Co. to inspect and test concrete and to serve as special quality inspector when contractors, engineers and materials' inspection and testing firms are selected competitively for most public works' projects? Why didn't Montgomery County hold public meetings before making "repairs" to the brand new, yet-to-be-opened LEMON SSTC where the paying public can ask their questions and make their comments on the public record? Why are "repairs" being made to the severely flawed, LEMON SSTC when those "repairs" won't fix the sources of the problems (cracking, etc.), e.g. the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints?
Once a LEMON, always a LEMON.
8. "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link."
9. Listen to Kojo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFICwt6mFwQ
Berliner: "No one should take that chance."
You're right, Mr. Berliner. No one should take that chance.
Mr. Berliner, with all due respect, you're playing fortuneteller too, just like David Dise. Let's get real and talk facts. The public are currently paying for repairs to the LEMON SSTC. Until the SSTC is fully litigated, it's "wishful thinking" to say that the public won't be stuck with costs for this LEMON. Some of us won't be happy until the full amount ($130+ million, and rising) is reimbursed to public coffers.
Furthermore, if you and some of your constituents believe that Foulger Pratt and Balter Co. are "tops in the country" (contractor and inspection/testing firm, respectively), then there's a bridge in Brooklyn that you may want to buy.
Tom Sherwood, good idea! Tear it down and build a skateboard park.
This time around, let's hope that Montgomery County selects a contractor, engineer, construction manager and materials' inspection and testing firm competitively (like most public works projects), based on qualifications and cost, rather than selecting them noncompetitively (public-private partnership), based on politics (crony capitalism).
10. Listen to the video made by Silver Spring high school students James Hall, Mario Lemus & Milton Flores:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZrmEj-Xtk
We can:
- see chunks of concrete falling from the SSTC.
- see that the SSTC doesn't have expansion joints.
- see the SSTC's cracks.
- see reinforcement sticking out of the SSTC's slabs, beams, girders and columns.
- measure the thickness (or lack thereof) of the SSTC's slabs.
- take some random samples and test the strength (or lack thereof) of the hardened concrete at that particular location.
We can't:
- see inside the SSTC's hardened concrete slabs, beams, girders, and columns.
- see what reinforcement may be missing.
- see if the reinforcement buried inside the SSTC's hardened concrete is the right grade (strength), size (diameter) and length.
- see if rebars are tied properly to other rebars around them.
- test all of the SSTC's hardened concrete, in its entirety, at all locations, to determine its strength (or lack thereof).
- retrofit the SSTC for expansion joints when the SSTC wasn't designed or built with expansion joints in the first place.
That's why the statement "the SSTC will absolutely be safe" is absolutely absurd.
Fortunetellers can't predict the future.
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* such as, why did Montgomery County non-competitively select Foulger Pratt to build the SSTC, Parsons Brinkerhoff to design it and Balter Co. to inspect and test concrete and to serve as special quality inspector when contractors, engineers and materials' inspection and testing firms are selected competitively for most public works' projects? Why didn't Montgomery County hold public meetings before making "repairs" to the brand new, yet-to-be-opened LEMON SSTC where the paying public can ask their questions and make their comments on the public record? Why are "repairs" being made to the severely flawed, LEMON SSTC when those "repairs" won't fix the sources of the problems (cracking, etc.), e.g. the SSTC's complete lack of expansion joints?
Once a LEMON, always a LEMON.
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| Silver Spring Transit Center |
8. "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link."
9. Listen to Kojo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFICwt6mFwQ
Berliner: "No one should take that chance."
You're right, Mr. Berliner. No one should take that chance.
Mr. Berliner, with all due respect, you're playing fortuneteller too, just like David Dise. Let's get real and talk facts. The public are currently paying for repairs to the LEMON SSTC. Until the SSTC is fully litigated, it's "wishful thinking" to say that the public won't be stuck with costs for this LEMON. Some of us won't be happy until the full amount ($130+ million, and rising) is reimbursed to public coffers.
Furthermore, if you and some of your constituents believe that Foulger Pratt and Balter Co. are "tops in the country" (contractor and inspection/testing firm, respectively), then there's a bridge in Brooklyn that you may want to buy.
Tom Sherwood, good idea! Tear it down and build a skateboard park.
This time around, let's hope that Montgomery County selects a contractor, engineer, construction manager and materials' inspection and testing firm competitively (like most public works projects), based on qualifications and cost, rather than selecting them noncompetitively (public-private partnership), based on politics (crony capitalism).
10. Listen to the video made by Silver Spring high school students James Hall, Mario Lemus & Milton Flores:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TZrmEj-Xtk
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| Silver Spring Transit Center |
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