A successful experiment with concrete structures will allow PNK Group to expand its range of structural solutions. The new type of structural frame can be used for production facilities and will eventually be offered to the company’s clients interested in increasing the fire resistance, corrosion resistance, and durability of their buildings.
The next stage of PNK Group’s engineering and design evolution is documented by analyzing the construction of three buildings in Pennsylvania. All of them were completed in 2023.
The first facility, located in Humboldt, is approximately 317,000 square feet. Its structural frame components were produced in a plant with extreme precision. As this construction method is practiced, it will provide advantages in installation quality and assembly speed.
The building’s roof structures are made of steel joists and girders, and the trusses are made from I-beams. The roof is multi-pitched to keep the ceiling from rising above 45 feet.
The Allenwood building was constructed a bit differently. The approximately 478,000-square-foot building utilized the structural solutions used at Humboldt and new technologies. Among the latter are reinforced concrete long-span Girders in 50- and 60-foot lengths and short beams along the building’s exterior columns in 25-, 28- and 30-foot lengths. All structures were prestressed.
The narrow central columns (cross-section of only 16×16 inches) were made of reinforced concrete and are one piece with the footing. These solutions reduced the number of welded connections; only 20% remained; the rest were bolted. At the previous facility, the ratio was different—40% bolted and 60% welded. PNK Group plans to switch to bolted connections by producing more precise products and expanding its production.
In general, replacing steel columns with reinforced concrete columns improved the building’s functionality, allowing, among other things, to accommodate previously inaccessible equipment, such as cranes with a lifting capacity of up to eight tons. Along with functionality, the speed of construction has also increased.
The building was constructed with a combined facade; the designers combined concrete with PIR panels. This solution also contributes to the building’s functionality, as these panels can be used to make many technological openings, which food manufacturers especially demand.
Another facility in the exact location in Allenwood features a different facade material. The exterior wall of the approximately 255,000-square-foot building is made entirely of horizontal reinforced concrete composite triple-layer panels with insulation in the center section. The structural frame utilizes 75-foot-long steel Girders.
In addition, the facility is notable because the speed bay area was extended from 60 feet to 75 feet. This did not require stopping construction work, and PNK Group’s building assembly set got a speed bay with new characteristics.
Now, the company’s design department is improving the system of high-precision prefab structural frames. In the future, it will allow the site to completely avoid welding work, assembling the building assembly set even faster without losing quality and reliability.
As an engineering and manufacturing pioneer, PNK Group spearheads technological advancements in industrial construction. The company’s construction methodology, utilizing large-unit blocks, streamlines building assembly through precise element production, minimizing the need for extensive labor and heavy machinery.