The Franklin Plant is currently the single largest ice storage facility in the
world. The second of a system of six plants connected to a subgrade water distribution
network, it will provide chilled water, from ice melt, to approximately 50 million square
feet of existing buildings.
The structural frame of the plant and ice tank is
cast-in-place reinforced concrete. The heavily reinforced 40' tall ice tank walls are 3'
thick at the base and taper to 1'-6" thick between piers Wall reinforcing as heavy as
#9 bars at 3" o.c. vertical and #9 bars at 6" o.c. horizontal at each face
resist the pressure of the chilled water in the tank. The 96' x 120' tank sits on a 4'
thick foundation mat, which is then supported by belled concrete caissons extending
approximately 65' below grade. 8,000 psi concrete was used for both the tank walls and
plant floor slabs. Columns required concrete of up to 12,000 psi in strength.
 
The use of cast-in-place concrete provided
flexibility for the accommodation of heavy equipment, and numerous pipe penetrations.
Structural steel was considered for the plant, but could not provide the same clear floor
heights required within the building height limitations, could not equal the flexibility
in addressing slab penetrations and distribution of equipment loads, and could not
accommodate the fast-track schedule. |
