What it Takes to Convert Prestressed Concrete into a Preferred Construction Material

Abstract

The late Art Anderson, co-founder of Concrete Technology Corporation and ABAM Engineers, Inc., Tacoma, Washington, was a visionary and a major pioneer of the precast, prestressed concrete industry. After obtaining a BS degree in civil engineering from the University of Washington, he went on to earn a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1949, he performed the instrumentation of the prototype girder for the Walnut Lane Bridge. He then became famous for designing and building some of the most imaginative prestressed concrete structures such as the 21-story Norton Building, the Disney Monorail and the ARCO floating vessel. Later, Dr. Anderson served as president of both the ACI and PCI. A prolific writer, he was the author of numerous technical papers, many of which appeared in the PCI JOURNAL. In recognition of Anderson's enormous contributions to the industry and Institute, PCI awarded him the Medal of Honor and Fellow Award. Written about fifty years ago, many of the ideas presented in this article are still pertinent today.