The start of succesfull cooperation
Finobeton, a company that produces and distributes ready-mixed concrete and asphalt materials, was contemplating a variety of solutions in order to cover the 21,3 meters span required by the architects, with beams of a total height that would not exceed 700 millimeters. The firm's Director, Mr. Chaniotakis says: "At first I was a bit skeptical. But after my first meeting with Peikko's engineers, it was clear that Deltabeam offered the solution we were looking for."
Managing Director of Peikko Greece, Dr. Aristidis Iliopoulos, who is also structural engineer, was eager to make the most of the weight saving technology that Deltabeam embraces. "It is a fact that Deltabeam had never been used for such long spans. Yet Peikko Greece faced this challenge with meticulous research and determination."
Deltabeam goes to site
After Peikko's team in Greece had spent long-hours in the design office the eleven beams started their journey from the factory in Slovakia towards the construction site in Crete.
The beams were going to cover the roof of the 900 square meters large conference hall of the hotel. What initially seemed a complicated task could be achieved with one large unsupported span by using this patent-designed composite beam.
"What should attract everyone's interest is that in combination with steel deck-concrete composite slabs Deltabeam makes the structure lighter and therefore more earthquake-proof. In addition, the encasement of the beam in concrete offers high fire resistance, protection against corrosion and the needed stiffness for covering long spans. This is why Deltabeam is suitable for use in any environment and seismic conditions, anywhere in the world," Iliopoulos said.
Technical support
Peikko Greece was responsible for making the calculations, preparing the drawings and supervising the site of the project. During the construction process, the engineers of Peikko Greece controlled the assembly of the beams and the reinforcement of the roof. Two Slovakian workmen, specifically trained for the task, arrived on site to help the Greek construction workers with the installation.
Mr. Markoulakis, supervisor of the construction site describes: "The installation of the PCs-Corbels, as well as that of Deltabeam, was done quickly, easily and, above all, securely."
A 900 m2 column-free roof with total height of 700 mm is true
After releasing the props the Deltabeams behaved exactly as had been previously calculated. No visible cracking or excessive deformations were observed. The design, delivery and construction of the roof were achieved without any kind of problems while satisfying the time requirements of the customer. Deltabeam and its flexibility proved, once again, there are no limits to great engineering.