Brief
Discover how Valley Metro’s shift to fiber-reinforced concrete for its Phoenix light-rail expansion led to significant cost reductions and improved sustainability.
Insight
Valley Metro, serving the Phoenix area, implemented value engineering to cut costs in its Northwest Extension Phase II light-rail project. One of the major innovations was substituting traditional steel-reinforced concrete with fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), which allowed for thinner slabs and less labor-intensive construction, thus reducing both time and costs. This shift resulted in a $60 million savings, cutting construction costs by 23%.
The project’s success was backed by extensive research and testing at Arizona State University, which confirmed the durability and efficiency of FRC. Tests included flexural and fatigue analyses to compare FRC with conventional concrete methods, revealing FRC’s superior performance and long-term viability. The structural benefits included reduced slab thickness and the elimination of rebar, which also lessened potential corrosion issues and the related labor.
The practical advantages of using FRC were evident in the construction phase. It required less steel, significantly reduced the carbon footprint, and cut construction time nearly in half compared to the traditional method. This was mainly due to the simplified process where fibers were mixed directly into the concrete, eliminating the need for complex rebar placement.
The financial impact was substantial as well. The cost per mile of the FRC-designed track was dramatically lower than that of the traditional reinforced-concrete track, showing a nearly 70% reduction in costs. This innovative approach not only saved money but also minimized traffic disruptions during construction, demonstrating a scalable model for future infrastructure projects.
Highlight
- One of the major innovations was substituting traditional steel-reinforced concrete with fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), which allowed for thinner slabs and less labor-intensive construction, thus reducing both time and costs.
- It required less steel, significantly reduced the carbon footprint, and cut construction time nearly in half compared to the traditional method.
- The cost per mile of the FRC-designed track was dramatically lower than that of the traditional reinforced-concrete track, showing a nearly 70% reduction in costs.
Related Questions:
- What is fiber-reinforced concrete used for?
- What are the disadvantages of fiber concrete?
- Is fiber concrete as strong as rebar?
- Is Fibre reinforced concrete better than concrete?
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