The University of Texas at Dallas Student Success Center + Student Union project is moving into a bold new phase, with major structural elements now taking shape!

 

All temporary support towers, called shoring towers, have been removed. These multi-story structures helped stabilize the building during earlier construction and their removal signals a big step forward.

 

One of the most eye-catching additions is a massive structural steel truss now in place on the northeast corner. This truss extends outward over the fire lane without any columns beneath it – a design feature known as a cantilever. Connecting the two steel sections required 30 to 40 weld passes per flange. For comparison, a standard steel pipe usually needs just two or three.

 

The steel decking for the ballroom is now complete.  With that milestone reached, work has begun on cold-formed metal framing, which involves shaping steel into studs and tracks to form the building’s walls.

 

Next up is the installation of the curtain walls, or non-structural exterior walls, along with the precast façade made of concrete panels fabricated off-site.

 

We’re proud to keep delivering the absolute best construction experience for the UTD community – check back soon for more updates!