Post-Tensioned Concrete Structures: Advantages of Using Post Tensioning with Michael Hopper

LERA Consulting Structural Engineers very own Michael Hopper, P.E., Associate Partner talks about post-tensioned concrete (PT) structures, what they are, some of the advantages of using post-tensioning, and what he thinks the future holds for PT.

"Post-tensioned concrete is remarkable. It has many applications and gives designers and structural engineers a lot of flexibility." - Michael Hopper

Michael Hopper, P.E. is an Associate Partner at LERA Consulting Structural Engineers. With the firm since 2010, he has contributed to numerous innovative structural designs for a wide range of structures, from cultural facilities to academic buildings and supertall towers.

Mike is currently managing the School of Engineering & Applied Science (SEAS) + Environmental Sciences (ES) academic complex at Princeton University, a series of hybrid timber-steel and concrete structures that are organized to meet the performance requirements of these unique laboratory buildings while reducing embodied carbon. His other current work includes a high-end residential project in Washington D.C.; the adaptive reuse of 51 Bridge Street in Pittsburgh, PA; and the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, CA.

Some of his award-winning projects include the Roy & Diana Vagelos Education Center at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, NY; The Broad in Los Angeles, CA; the Novartis Radiation Oncology Research Office Building in East Hanover, NJ; and the recently completed Rubenstein Forum at the University of Chicago in Chicago, IL. Hopper is a founding member of LERA’s internal leadership team for the SE2050 Carbon Reduction Commitment, a program issued by the Carbon Leadership Forum. Hopper is a Visiting Lecturer at Princeton University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, where he teaches a course on the design of concrete structures and serves as a Senior Thesis Advisor, and lectures at Penn State University’s Architectural Engineering Department. He holds both a Master of Science and Bachelor of Architectural Engineering from Penn State, earning Honors and Distinction.

Questions Michael was Asked:

What is post-tensioning, and why is it important?
What are some of the advantages of using post-tensioning in structures?
How has PT structure design evolved over the last 10+ years?
How does a post-tensioned concrete perform in seismic events?
What are void-formers and when should they be used?
How has concrete technologies made the construction industry more efficient?
What trends are driving innovation in construction?
Is PT concrete environmentally sustainable, and what does the future holds for the PT concrete industry?
Do you have any advice for engineers considering a career like yours?