Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA | Higher Education
New three-story classroom building including research laboratories, office space, and conference rooms. Research activity includes applied environmental biochemistry, fluvial processes, a global laboratory for bioinspired science and technology, nanobiology, nonlinear imaging and spectroscopy, organic nanostructures, pathogen ecology, pipeline corrosion, sustainable water and a humanoid hospital. The facility was designed structurally to accommodate vibrational sensitive laboratory equipment. This lent itself to the design of a concrete structure using concrete wide module joists and concrete beams which limited vibration velocities to 2000 micro-inches per second or less. The foundations were composed of 3’-0” to 5’-0” diameter caissons bearing on disintegrated rock and grade beams supporting retaining walls.