The Charles Pankow Foundation is about to begin a nearly $27- million fund-raising campaign to support unprecedented research in high-strength reinforcing steel. The goal of the five-year research program is to simplify and speed reinforced-concrete construction by easing rebar congestion. The program would provide the scientific basis for the first major overhaul of the concrete building standard in 50 years.
"This project has the potential to change engineering practice in a significant way," says Jon A. Heintz, director of projects for the Applied Technology Council, which is managing the research project, called ATC 115: Road Map for the Use of High-Strength Reinforcement in Reinforced Concrete Design, under a $191,530 grant from the Pankow foundation. Pankow released the 95%-complete draft of the ATC 115 report on Oct. 27.