St. Paul Pumping Station

Abstract

S ome 285 architectural precast concrete panels and 31 precast prestressed double-tees were used very effectively to clad and support, respectively, the superstructure of a storm water pumping station for the Corporation of the City of Windsor in Ontario, Canada. The facility is capable of pumping about 240 million gallons (approx. 910,000 m 3) of water which makes it one of the largest pumping stations of its kind in Canada. The area of the main plant is 5000 sq ft (465 m2). The outfall portion comprises 2160 sq ft (201 m2). In addition, the landscape decks and promenade cover another 5000 sq ft (465 m2). This article presents the architectural concept for the precast concrete superstructure, discusses the main mechanical and structural design features of the facility, and describes how the precast concrete components were integrated into the structure. Particular emphasis is given to the architectural treatment of the precast wall panels. A major design feature of this pumping station was the use of single and double-tees to frame the roof and architectural wall panels of varying trapezoidal shapes to clad the exterior of the structure. These aspects will be covered in greater detail in the Precast Concrete Superstructure section of the article.