Oregon Zoo - Northwest Geotech
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Oregon Zoo
Special Inspection/Materials Testing
NTI provided special inspection and materials testing
in support of the new Asian Elephant habitat.
Construction of the $53 million project started in
early June of 2013. The 6.25-acre Elephant Lands
is expected to provide the lively animals with more
choice and freedom to stay active and socialize.
The habitat will involve construction of a new
management building, an indoor viewing hall, and a life
support facility. Also included is the relocation
of the Zoo’s train tracks, two new train trestles, and a
new service road. Duties include reinforced
concrete, structural steel, ultrasonic weld evaluation,
proprietary anchors, cold-formed steel framing, curtain
wall, suspended ceiling, shotcrete, and soils special
inspections.
NTI also designed and fabricated a 1,400 lb. 4’ x
4’ load test apparatus installed into the existing
elephant habitat to measure elephant push and pull
loads. Elephant handlers coached the elephants to
exert force on the apparatus which was recorded through
a data acquisition system. The structural engineer
utilized this data to confirm his cable fencing and
bollard design.