CMU Building
Project:
The Pet Hospitals Collierville
Both residential and commercial construction industries make wide use of CMU (concrete masonry unit) walls, an economical system for building with the solidity of concrete.
The hollow core blocks are a form of masonry, like brick. The hollow cores allow for reinforcing the walls with steel and grout to create a strong and highly durable (as well as wind and seismic force resisting) system.
CMU walls have many uses in construction, in foundation walls to support wood or steel framed superstructures, to exposed exterior walls for buildings, to freestanding landscape walls and retaining walls.
Quality CMU Designs
CMU construction is a ubiquitous building technology in the mid-south. A deep bench of experienced contractors means you get high quality workmanship for a reasonable price. However, quality control remains a challenge as many subs will attempt to cut corners to speed up the work.
Tough Superstructures
CMU is a bearing and shear wall system that is durable, strong, economical and capable of supporting large openings and clear heights. The walls are tough enough to resist a moderate vehicular impact without significant damage.
Reliable Designs
The hollow units are stacked and mortared in 4' tall tiers. Steel reinforcing bar is added to the hollow cells and then a network of cells is filled solid with concrete grout.
Once cured it functions identically to a reinforced concrete wall, however no formwork or finishing is required.
Strong Connections
Pockets are formed into the top of the walls to receive the ends of steel bar joists. The bar joist ends will be welded to steel plates inside the pockets creating strong, reliable connections.
Clear Spans
The clear spanning bar joists are quickly erected.
Roof Deck
Steel roof deck is installed over the bar joists, fastened with self-drilling screws in patterns that ensure that both earthquake shears and wind uplifts are safely resolved.
CFS Buildout
The north end of the building contains two stories of office and storage space tightly confined. This interior substructure was built entirely of plywood sheathed CFS framing.
The 2nd floor is framed of 6" deep joists to allow for two full stories with only 16' total interior clearance below the bar joists.
Finished CMU Building
With the structure complete the building is wrapped, dried in, and brick veneer is added to the facade.
This automotive shop should be open for business by Thanksgiving 2020.