PDC provided full service engineering design including civil, structural, mechanical, and electrical services for this 30,000 sf state-of-the-art biological research and diagnostic facility. This facility provides central support for campus animal research activities. The facility includes research animal holding and procedure functions; surgery, necropsy, waste handling and laboratory functions; and administrative and teaching space.
The gravity load resisting system consists of steel beams and columns with composite metal deck and concrete floors. Maximum flexibility dictated modular spatial arrangements for the bay spacing and column/beam sizes. Seismic loads governed the design of the primary systems, and wind loads governed the design of secondary structural elements such as exterior wall studs, curtain walls, and incinerator stack. Steel braced frames were chosen for the lateral load resisting system.
