Project Summary
An Association’s Fence Solution It was a classic case, an existing residential development starting to feel or actually hear the problems of a growing community. The Evergreen Community Association (ECA) in Woodbury, MN, an eastern suburb of Minneapolis and St. Paul, was sculpted on the site of a former Christmas tree farm back in 1980, and since that time, the population has quadrupled in the City of Woodbury. In 1985 the ECA constructed a 6‐ft (1.8 m) cedar fence on the eastern edge to add a little privacy to the homes as the traffic increased along the bordering roadway. Now, 23 years later, the ECA was facing two major problems, deterioration of the existing fence and increase traffic noise. After researching their options the AB Fence System from Allan Block was the solution. PROJECT LOCATION Evergreen Community Association, Woodbury, MN PRODUCT AB Fence with Ashlar Pattern PROJECT SIZE 1400‐ft (427 m) long 8‐ft (2.4 m)tall ALLAN BLOCK MANUFACTURER Amcon Block, St. Cloud, MN
PLAN The existing cedar fence had deteriorated beyond repair and needed to be replaced. It was becoming an eyesore and the main entrance to the association was framed on either side by this fence. Simply replacing the fence with a second cedar fence was considered, but the future maintenance of a wood fence was not heavily favored. The association was looking for a fence option that was maintenance free and enhanced the curb appeal of their main entrance. Through their investigation, the AB Fence proved to be the best option. The fact that the system was built using mortarless, stackable concrete blocks meant the system would have not only the proven
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performance of reinforced concrete and long term durability, but also a reduction in total cost when compared to other concrete fencing options. The first task was to create a cost comparison between different 8‐ft (2.4 m) fencing options. By comparing these alternatives and considering both the average installation costs, expected life cycle of the product with any future maintenance costs, the AB Fence provided the best value. To make the choice even easier the association found that by combining the four different AB Fence panel block shapes, an Ashlar Blend pattern was created to best fit the look and feel of the surrounding area. The second issue was the traffic noise coming from the four lane road that ran along the eastern border of the development. By choosing a concrete product the amount of sound that traveled through the barrier, sound transmission, is greatly reduced. The chart compares the transmission loss in decibels (dB) of different fencing materials. By using the AB Fence the sound was reduced by twice as much when compared to a wooden or vinyl product. The AB Fence system provided all the benefits of a long‐term, cost efficient solution and sound abatement they were looking for. The ECA understood that all 408 homes within the association were not going to receive the same benefits from the AB Fence. The homes that bordered the eastern edge would receive the maximum benefit from the sound reduction and the property enhancement by replacing the cedar fence with the beautiful Ashlar Blend AB Fence. Therefore, the ECA proposed that these homeowners pay 50% of the cost while the ECA would pay for the remaining 50%. In order for the ECA to finance their 50% portion of the fence they worked with a local bank to obtain a loan that would cover the initial fence costs. To pay for the loan each of the 408 homes would only need to pay $125. The ECA needed to propose a fence assessment to the association, which outlined the following two payment plans for the association’s residences, (1) a $30 per year payment for the next five years or (2) an upfront payment of $125. According to the ECA’s bylaws, in order for this assessment to pass it needed an approval vote from the majority of the residences. This was sent out to the homeowners for a vote and passed easily.
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Design The fence was to be located in the same place as the existing wooden fence; however, this required a little creativity in design and layout. The fence height was expanded to 8‐ft (2.4 m) to further reduce noise transmission. The fence needed to accommodate over a 40‐ft (12.2 m) grade change, which meant the panels had to step down at both the post locations and, at times, within the panel itself.
FENCE HEIGHT = 7.98 ft (2.4 m)
Allan Block Corporation worked with the ECA to come up with the preliminary design for the Ashlar Blend AB Fence. The fence was designed with a wind loading of 80 mph (129 Km/hr) with moderate exposure. This design allowed the 8‐foot (2.4 m) tall fence to have spacing between the posts of over 16 feet (4.9 m). The designed pile footings for the fence were 2 ft (0.6 m) in diameter and 4.5 ft (1.4 m) deep, however the City required a 5 ft (1.5 m) minimum depth. The panels were designed with reinforced bond beams located at the top and bottom of the panel sections. The bond beams were constructed by using a #4 reinforcing steel between two courses of block that were grouted together. Since the panel sections were 12 courses tall, this meant that eight courses for a total height of 5.3 ft (1.6 m) were dry stacked between the bond beams making the AB Ashlar Pattern easier to install. To carry the AB Ashlar Pattern look throughout the full panel, a single course pattern was used to build the bond beams. The design also called for flipping random blocks around to change the appearance of the fence. This ensured that both sides of the fence had the aesthetics of a random AB Ashlar Blend. Additionally, water management was crucial. There were specific drainage points that the City of Woodbury required to be maintained to ensure that backyards would not flood. Working with the City to identify these areas, the contractor, Sierra Exteriors, was able to construct the bottom bond beam with openings to allow any water to flow through the fence.
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Build Construction began in November which allowed the contractor to keep his crews busy during the winter months. Like any successful fence project the contractor started with marking out the proper locations for the pile footings. Following the AB Fence Installation Guide and using the jigs made the job easier. As the pile footings were being excavated, they encountered boulders and rocks below grade. Each rock had to be removed to maintain the proper location of the post. The pile footings were then filled with concrete and the jigs were used to ensure that the vertical steel was properly positioned. Once the footings were completed, the posts and panels of the AB Fence were started. The fence design used the full sized AB Fence Panel Block for the base. This made it easier to install the panels straight and level and simplified the installation of the reinforcing steel and 9 gauge wire stirrups through the bond beam. To finish the bond beam the cores of the panel blocks were filled with concrete. Because of the winter conditions, the contractor did have to protect the fresh concrete when the temperature dropped below freezing during the evenings. Temporary tents, heaters and insulated blankets were used throughout the project. Before After With the high visibility of the project, everybody was interested in the color of the block and the pattern options for the fence. The local Allan Block manufacturer, Amcon Block, provided a beautiful three colored blend unit for the project. To add to the random pattern look of the Ashlar Blend, random blocks were flipped backwards to create a change in the face appearance. This meant that both the City of Woodbury and the homeowners enjoyed the beautiful aesthetic color and finish of the AB Fence System. A local building inspector from the City of Woodbury commented that, “This fence has just set the standard for the fence projects in the City and it has exceeded our expectations”.
allanblock.com Allan Block Corporation 5300 Edina Industrial Blvd, Edina, MN 55439 952‐835‐5309 – Phone 952‐835‐0013 – Fax US Pat. #5,623,797 Canadian Pat. #2,182,321 Int’l And Other Patents Pending
Project Summary:
US 17 Mount Pleasant, South Carolina As with any community that once considered themselves small, the community of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina has seen major population growth over the years. With this growth the traffic congestion and noise have continued to increase to a point that DOT traffic studies gave the US 17 corridor a ‘D’ Grade. This poor grade was only projected to get worse, forcing the DOT and the city to develop a plan to expand and upgrade the corridor. This upgrade was not only to relieve traffic congestion but also to reduce the increasing noise problems to the surrounding residential neighborhood. The city of Mount Pleasant, to date, had no sound walls and wanted to set a standard with their first. The City chose the AB Fence System with the Ashlar Blend Pattern for its aesthetic quality, its performance in reducing noise and its competitive cost.
PROJECT LOCATION Mount Pleasant, SC PRODUCT AB Fence with Ashlar Blend Pattern PROJECT SIZE 3000 ft (915 m) long 12 ft (3.7 m) tall ALLAN BLOCK MANUFACTURER Block USA, Atlanta, GA
PLAN The South Carolina Department of Transportation performed many noise studies in the corridor to determine the optimum wall location and dimensions. The city and state engineers worked closely together during the planning process to develop a solid plan to move forward with public hearings and product selections. Sound walls were new to the area and the plan initially met some resistance. However, the hearings proved that if the community was going to build their first sound walls, they wanted a quality wall system that would look great long into the future.
Design The design of this project was dictated by the South Carolina DOT, therefore it was required to follow the AASHTO Guide Specifications for Structural Design of Sound Barriers. The Allan Block engineering department assisted the designing engineer, Steven Johnson of George A. Z. Johnson, Jr., Inc., to work through the preliminary and final designs. The design parameters set by AASHTO were 90 mph wind loads multiplied by a customary 30 % increase for wind gusts. A reinforced drilled shaft footing below each AB Fence post was designed by Johnson. Additionally, the SC DOT required a reinforced concrete leveling pad below each panel. The design of the posts and panels followed Allan Block’s Fence Engineering Manual, which calls for structurally reinforced columns and dry‐stacked block panels with predetermined courses reinforced and cast solid as bond beams. The system works as a traditional post and panel system with the panels transferring loads laterally to the posts and the posts transferring loads to the footing. Due to the larger coastal wind loads and AASHTO requirements, the project utilized the Allan Block Large Post Block, which greatly increases the post capacity.
Build Because this was the first AB Fence project for general contractors, Gulf Stream Construction, they invited an Allan Block Project Specialist to the site to train their installers. The specialist showed them how easy the AB Fence installs if they start off correctly. The installation crew caught on quickly and were off to the races. They followed the AB Fence Installation Guide closely and brought in a few of their own tricks along the way while maintaining the high
quality of the system. The most important thing to know prior to construction is the exact post spacing. Allan Block recommends that this dimension be determined by measuring the actual product on site. Because the AB Fence System is modular, there can be slight variations in the delivered product. Gulf Stream brought in product and set up mock posts and panels prior to digging the drilled shafts to insure the correct post spacing. Due to the tight schedule, Gulf Stream decided to mass‐produce the bond beams by precasting them off‐site and trucking them to the site. The bond beams could then be easily lifted off the trucks and lowered into position within each panel. They also worked with a local ready mix company to develop a fine mix for the bond beams that would meet the strength requirements, be self‐ consolidating, and not require the extra vibration step. These steps proved to be real time savers. Because the project called for the Ashlar Blend Pattern with random blocks flipped back and forth for added facial texture, extra time was required to achieve the high aesthetic quality of each panel. To reduce installation time and maintain a consistent pattern, Gulf Stream decided to have the same crew that build all the precast bond beams, also come to the site to place the dry‐ stacked pattern block that go between each bond beam. Gulf Stream was also able to hire additional workers as needed to aid in less technical projects around the site. Another time saver was the prefabrication of all the column steel. Instead of placing and tying individual bars and stirrups together, they could lift in place the entire rebar cage and start placing post block. The speed at which the AB Fence System can be installed was one of the many factors that made this project such a success. The City of Mount Pleasant was so happy with the overall project that the AB Fence System has been chosen for their 2011 US 17 expansion project which includes 4 separate walls totaling over 55,000 square feet. US Pat. #5,623,797 Canadian Pat. #2,182,321 Int’l And Other Patents Pending DOC. #F0209‐0211
Project Summary
Meadow Substation The citizens of Longmont, Colorado had serious issues with the way that local electrical Substations around town looked. They all contained large transformers and were surrounded by 6 to 8 foot tall chainlink fences that were re-enforced with barbed wire. Obviously, homeowners didn’t want these “eyesores” in their neighborhood, and they started to complain. The city of Longmont officials also had other issues regarding the chain-link fencing. For one, the transformers emitted a loud buzz, and the chain-link fences had absolutely no noise abatement. Secondly, there was a security issue. Chain-link fencing is easy to cut, and therefore, some of the Substations were being broken into. The Longmont officials needed a cost-effective solution that would satisfy both the needs of the citizens, as well as their own. PROJECT NAME & LOCATION Meadow Substation, Longmont, CO PRODUCT AB Fence PROJECT SIZE 10,440 square feet 870 ft (265 m) in length 12 ft (3.66 m) in height LOCAL ENGINEER Landmark Engineering GENERAL CONTRACTOR & WALL BUILDER Landmark Landscapes ALLAN BLOCK MANUFACTURER Basalite - Denver, CO
PLAN After much consideration, the city officials decided that a twelve foot tall concrete fence was going to look nicer, provide the necessary noise reduction, and enhance the security of their Substations. In a previous project, they had used a pre-cast concrete panel system that was only 2.5 inches thick, and so didn’t provide the desired noise abatement. Another disadvantage of the pre-cast system was its durability, or lack thereof. It simply did not provide the rigidity that Longmont considered necessary. Lastly, the pre-cast system was expensive. When the AB Fence was presented as a possible solution for the Meadows Substation, the city officials were enthusiastic about the benefits it offered. For one, the AB Fence was aesthetically pleasing. The various colors and design options meant that they could give the wall a unique appearance. Secondly, the thicker blocks and hollow cores allowed for higher noise reduction. Because the Meadow Substation was adjacent to two different neighborhoods, being able to suppress the buzzing noise from the transformers was extremely important. Thirdly, the AB Fence provided the desired security benefits. There are no foot holds for climbing and the rigidity of the system meant the only way in was by extreme force.
Once the city approved the system, Landmark Landscapes, a certified AB Fence installer, was contacted to submit a bid. They were ultimately able to beat out the competitors by a substantial sum. The city of Longmont was already reaping the cost savings that the AB Fence provides. With the bid awarded, work at the Meadow Substation was ready to begin.
DESIGN Landmark Engineering of Loveland, Colorado, with help from Allan Block and Basalite Concrete Products, designed the AB Fence for the Meadow Substation. The site location allowed the engineer to use exposure B with 90 mph wind loading. Due to site conditions and the height of the wall, four bond beams were required and post spacing was limited to 11.5 feet (3.5 m). Expansive soils led to pile depths of 8 ft (2.4 m).
BUILD In building the AB Fence at Meadow Substation, Landmark Landscapes did have one major obstacle to overcome, and that was working around all of the electrical equipment. Live wires were buried all over the site, so a lot caution had to be taken when digging the 8 ft (2.4 m) piers. One of those wires was eventually nicked by the auger, but damage was minimal and no one was hurt. Other than that, the site was relatively flat and there was plenty of room for product and raw materials making for a convenient installation process. In installing the fence, Landmark Landscapes precisely followed the steps laid out in the AB Fence Installation Guide. Spacing jigs were constructed for proper post spacing, base rock was compacted and leveled, and the
grout in the bond beams was vibrated for good consolidation. Knowing that this project could possibly lead to future projects with the city of Longmont, Landmark took no short cuts. All of the extra attention to detail made the project a complete success. Every entity associated with the Meadow Substation fence project came out on top. The neighborhood got a wall that both looks great and reduces noise. The city officials saved money by going with AB Fence and they made the citizens happy. Landmark Landscapes have since built another Substation perimeter wall for Longmont with the possibility of more in the future. The AB Fence proved to be the obvious solution and clearly satisfied everyone’s needs.
“The wall has received many complements from citizens who regularly walk on the path adjacent to the Substation. We are very pleased with the design you recommended and as an added bonus, the sound suppression of our noisiest transformer. This was a pleasant surprise and we realized that the hollow blocks contributed to the sound deadening. Unlike the solid panel wall at our Harvard Substation, this design does absorb a majority of the sound. We are also pleased with the progress of your contractor, Landmark Landscapes at the new County Line Substation”. - - Project Manager/Electrical Engineer, City of Longmont Power & Communications.
US Pat. #5,623,797 Canadian Pat. #2,182,321 Int’l And Other Patents Pending
Project Summary
Garrison Woods The City of Calgary's bylaws mandate noise attenuation as part of it's structured planning process. Sound walls are the most common solution and were chosen for the new residential housing development in S.W. Calgary called Garrison Woods. The developer, Canada Lands Development Company, donated a portion of the development to the City of Calgary to construct an affordable low‐income housing project. Since this was now city property, the city was responsible for the noise wall construction. While Canada Lands, through an RFP process ensured that the walls were aesthetically pleasing and complementary to their project, the city had to ensure both performance and budgets were met.
PROJECT NAME & LOCATION Garrison Woods Calgary, Alberta, Canada PRODUCT: AB Fence PROJECT SIZE: 16,000 square feet LOCAL ENGINEER: CWA Structural GENERAL CONTRACTOR & WALL BUILDER Year Round Landscaping ALLAN BLOCK MANUFACTURER CCI Industries, Alberta, Canada
PLAN CCI Industries proposed Allan Block Fence as an option for the project. This was the first time Allan Block Fence had ever been presented for a city project and although they liked the look of AB Fence, CCI Industries had to prove that it could meet the City's technical requirements. Not only did the Allan Block Fence solution exceed performance requirements, it cost less than the post & plank system and was preferred by the developer for its attractiveness. Phase One of the project called for a 1230‐foot (375 m) long wall separating Crowchild Trail and the subdivision. The multi‐phase sub‐division,
Garrison Woods, is adjacent to a six lane arterial roadway with a posted speed of 50 mph (80 kph). Patching and Associates Acoustical Engineers were retained to provide a sound report. Out of this report it was determined that a noise barrier was required. Wall heights were defined using bylaw design guidelines resulting in a 13‐foot (4m) high wall to achieve the minimum five‐decibel noise reduction. DESIGN CWA Structural Engineering designed the Fence with assistance from Allan Block 's Engineering department. The 13 foot (4m) high wall was designed for exposure B wind loads of 80 mph and included even spacing of 4 bond beams. The 20‐foot (6m) piles were deeper than normal due to 13 feet (4m) of poor fill soil on the site. Post spacing, based on wind loads and wall heights, were determined to be 10 feet (3.3m). BUILD Year Round Landscaping had few construction challenges on this flat and very accessible site. There was lots of room for equipment movement and material storage, making this a safe and high‐speed production project. No interruptions to traffic or lane closures were incurred, minimizing the construction impact on commuters. Joe Caputo of Year Round Landscaping commented on how critical the layout was. He used the layout tips described in the AB Fence Installation Guide as well as a few trade secrets of his own. Typical AB Fence construction practices were followed through the pile hole drilling to post setting stages. The design specified the base course of panel block on a void form, which was placed on compacted gravel base, rather than placing pre‐fabricated bond beam sections. Overall, Year Round made money and are happy with the way the project went and are looking forward to bidding their next AB Fence. The Allan Block Fence system was a clear winner on this project, satisfying performance, financial and aesthetic needs. The success of this project has lead to the city of Calgary accepting Allan Block fence as a preferred noise wall solution for several subsequent projects totaling over 500,000 square feet. Phase two of the AB Fence for Garrison Woods has been completed and there are plans for the AB Fence to be continued as the development continues its 5‐year build out. After the project was completed, Allan Block Corporation hired Patching and Associates Acoustical Engineers to determine what the actual noise reduction value was for the Garrison Woods fence. The AB Fence achieved a 13‐dba‐noise reduction. Far exceeding the required 5‐dba reduction. US Pat. #5,623,797 Canadian Pat. #2,182,321 Int’l And Other Patents Pending
Project Summary
McDonald's Fence
"It is very important to let your customers know all of the products you sell. They may not need it today, but one never knows what will come in the future.", states the Allan Block sales rep from Clayton Block. This was the case on a McDonald's Fence project located in Union City, New Jersey. Towering as high as 22 ft, the AB Fence was built to block out the loud traffic noise between a residential area and the McDonald's parking lot. The McDonald's Fence in Union City is the tallest Allan Block Fence installed to date.
PROJECT NAME & LOCATION McDonald's Fence, Union City, NJ PRODUCT AB Fence with Large Post Block PROJECT SIZE 200 feet long 22 ft maximum height LOCAL ENGINEER Allied Engineering GENERAL CONTRACTOR & WALL BUILDER Waiter Builder ALLAN BLOCK MANUFACTURER Clayton Block, Edison, NJ
PLAN While discussing a retaining wall project with Waiter Builders, Clayton Block introduced the AB Fence system as another option for site solutions. Waiter Builders specializes in residential and commercial renovation as well as new construction. As luck would have it, they just happened to have another project in the works where an AB Fence application could be the solution. Waiter Builders was working on a home remodeling project for the owner of several McDonald's Restaurants in area. The homeowner had mentioned that the Union City officials were requiring a fence to be put in to eliminate car headlights and
traffic noise from interfering with the residents adjacent to the McDonald's parking lot.
The AB Fence system was perfect for this type of application. Not only could it provide superior noise abatement, up to two times greater than the existing wood fence system, it also has an incredible aesthetic style and is extremely durable. With all the information on the AB Fence system, the builder was able to discuss this solution with the owner of McDonald's. In no time, a design and estimates for the fence were under way.
DESIGN Allan Block Corporation worked along with Allied Engineering Associates to come up with a design for the fence. A preliminary design was completed, based on assumed soil conditions that needed to be verified. In the meantime, additional soil borings were conducted. It was discovered that there was a layer of bedrock 3.5 to 7.5 ft from the grade. This meant that Allan Block and the Allied Engineering team needed a revised design. The soil conditions were better for the design, but made foundation construction a nightmare. Drilling into the dense bedrock for post foundations was an expensive part of the project but reduced the pile depths and the amount of bond beams needed. After the final design, it was determined that the fence would utilize a post spacing of 6.5 blocks (10.5 feet) at the maximum height, and the pile dimensions would need to be 8 ft deep with a diameter of 2.5 ft. The panel sections required five #5 bond beams, the post section required six #7 bond beams and the pile required eight #7 bars for reinforcement. The final unit cost for the system was $34.50 per square foot including labor, materials and profit. The majority of the cost went to coring for the pile foundations. This alone cost over $35,000! This is why it is so important to determine what type of soil exists beneath the surface before determining labor costs on a project.
BUILD The new large post block was required to be run on a Columbia Block Machine. Since Clayton Block does not have this machine, the blocks had to be shipped in from another Allan Block manufacturer to the project site. When it arrived, an Allan Block Project Specialist was on site to help train the installers. The key to the construction was to first build a jig using the blocks that were delivered to the site. The diagram below is a drawing of the spacing jig that was built for this project. Once the jig was made, excavation began for the piles. The vertical reinforcing bars were placed immediately into the poured piles. Once the piles were constructed and the base trench was excavated, they could now begin the post and panel construction.
Jig Diagram First, two post blocks were stacked, followed by the first row of panel blocks. Then rebar was placed for the horizontal bond beam directly on the first panel block course. After the bond beam was laid, the second layer of panel blocks were placed on top of the first layer and the first two courses of post and panel block were filled with concrete grout. Next the installers placed more vertical reinforcement into the posts and continued this procedure until the top course was complete and caps were glued in place.
In just fourteen working days the project was complete. The 22 ft high project had a final count of 3,146 panel blocks, 473 half‐panel blocks, 565 post blocks and 139 cap blocks. This remarkable fence now acts a beautiful sound barrier to both the patrons of McDonald's and the residents of Union City New Jersey. US Pat. #5,623,797 Canadian Pat. #2,182,321 Int’l And Other Patents Pending DOC. #F0209‐0211
Advantage The
TM
Allan Block
December 1996
Specifying, Engineering, Designing & Installing AB Retaining Wall Systems
ALLAN BLOCK SURROUNDS THE AIR FORCE Wanting privacy and security, Fairchild Air Force Base in Spokane, WA was in search of a product to enclose key installations. AB Producer White Block and AB Sales Representative Ben Corrigliano provided the answer - AB FENCE. Offering a new look, customized color, fast and easy installation, all at a great price. White Block understood the long term potential of the AB Fence and set up a training seminar at their plant to walk potential contractors through the installation details. Jeff Gunderson, AB Technical Support Staff, presented the key ingredients of both design and construction during the “Learn As You Go” contractor seminar. From this rather simple beginning, enough experience and components were obtained to have two of the contractors that attended the seminar land jobs at Fairchild Air Force Base. Forrest H. Jackson, Inc. did the Museum Fence at 150’ long x 6’ high and the Berm & Irrigation Building Fence at 450’ long x 4’ to 7’ high. TKTM Corp. replaced a 3000’ long x 6’ high chain link fence with AB Fence. Both contractors initially stated there was an on-site learning curve but once their crews understood the process AB Fence went up fast. They also agreed that AB Fence was easier and cheaper than a CMU wall. On average, a 4 person crew could install between 60’-110’ per day depending on the layout of the fence. Fairchild Air Force Base is very pleased with the look of AB FENCE and are considering a second phase of approximately one mile long this spring. White Block and Allan Block teamed up to show that the AB Advantage carries through to AB Fence; easy to install, durable, cost effective, mortarless fencing. If you have a project where AB Fence would be a good alternative, call Allan Block for more information at 800-899-5309.
PROJECT: Fairchild Air Force Base Spokane, WA AB BLOCK PRODUCER: White Block CONTRACTORS: Forrest H Jackson Inc. TKTM (Tectum) Corp.
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