Company provides precast concrete components to sports arenas

MAPLE GROVE, MINN. — Hanson Structural Precast has provided approximately 145,000 tons of safe and sustainable precast concrete products to every major sporting arena in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, the company said, adding that the durable structures keep stadiums and arenas standing and more than 192,000 fans safe at each event at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Target Center, Excel Energy Center, Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium.

Most recently, Hanson Structural Precast engineered and constructed major components of the Minnesota Twins’ Target Field, which opened  in April 2010, and the TCF Bank Stadium, which opened in fall 2009 and is home to the University of Minnesota’s Golden Gopher football team and marching band.

“As part of the greater Minneapolis community, we are proud to say we’ve helped make these two new stadiums a reality that will host fans for years to come by providing sustainable structures of the highest quality,” said Richard Manning, president of Hanson Building Products North America.

Project Fast Facts
Target Field — Hanson served as the primary sub-contractor and supplied:
• 76,500 feet of precast concrete Stadia Risers, enough to seat 39,500
• 4,600 feet of precast concrete beams
• 800 feet of precast concrete columns
• 21,500 feet of double tees
• 5,000 feet of hollow core plank

TCF Bank Stadium
• 95,000 feet of precast concrete Stadia Risers
• Precast concrete beams, columns, stairs and wall panels

Stadiums and arenas are particularly suited for precast concrete components, which are made offsite in a controlled environment for superior durability and quality, because the structure is consistently exposed to the elements on both the inside and outside, the company said. Additionally, precast concrete floor slabs are strong enough to allow for significant amounts of uninterrupted floor space, such as a stadium bowl, and reduce the cost of construction materials since minimal load-bearing walls are required.

“The Hanson Structural Precast team was able to not only deliver a consistent quality product, but was able to adjust installation process to accommodate both stadiums and complete the projects ahead of schedule,” said Dan Mehls, director of project development for Mortenson Construction, which served as the lead contractor on Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium.

As part of its effort to find innovative and efficient ways to service projects, Hanson served as one of the first North American companies to utilize Aero-Lift, a vacuum clamp lifting device produced by Aerolift Industrials BV, more commonly used in Europe. The device allowed Hanson to easily transport and rotate the large structural components throughout the construction process of Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium because complex architectural angles and limited perimeter access required installing pieces from within the stadium bowl.

Using the vacuum technology reduced project costs by eliminating the need for hardware lifting inserts on each structural piece and the labor of patching over the inserts after installation, the company said. The 15-ton capacity vacuum device attached to a special extension on a crane increased team productivity by 30 percent, with 30-50 pieces set and delivered daily versus approximately 18 prior to using this technology.

“We are looking forward to utilizing this new technology to reach new heights in the industry and build on our sustainable practices,” added Manning.

Hanson Structural Precast is a division of Hanson Building Products North America. One of Hanson Building Products’ corporate strategies is continued focus on sustainability. The company is known throughout North America for excellent occupational safety, environmental stewardship, high quality standards and contributions to its local communities.

For more information about Hanson Structural Precast, please visit www.eagleprecast.com/.