People are always looking for ways to make something less expensive, longer lasting or more environmentally friendly.  A team of researchers at NC State is figuring out how to do all of these things at once for some of the largest, most common buildings found anywhere--parking garages.  Dr. Sami Rizkalla, Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering and Construction and Director of the Constructed Facilities Laboratory (CFL), is one of the leaders of this research team and believes the new structural design "simplifies construction for precast concrete producers."

Additional information was recently published in the NC State Bulletin and can be found at:

http://www.ncsu.edu/bulletin/archive/2009/02/02-12/concrete.php