Journal - Composite Reinforcement

Composite reinforcement for coastal defence project

This article demonstrates how when confronted with a problem, it often forces the development or improvement of new and existing materials. It discusses the sound advantages of using composite construction on large structures, in this case a seawall, in a harsh, salty environment where the use of stainless steel would be prohibitively expensive. To Counter this, two companies, Birse Coastal and Schock, developed 'ComBar', Using Glass-fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) The first application of its kind in the UK.

I thought it was an interesting article and related to our studies in that the construction industry is ever changing, and specific case studies can have a big impact on the industry as a whole.

Source: Journal Extract from 'Concrete for the Construction industry', Vol 42, No.4 "Composite reinforcement for coastal defence project pp22-24.

SRT251 Major Project

Here is the finished product. The challenge for me here was that i had rendered far too many images to fit on one page, so I've put a mini-storyboard of the modelling process down the right hand side, i think it helps to frame the poster. Watch out when you post these images, blogger has trouble with the size of them!

Under Construction - Edgewater development, Geelong Waterfront, 2nd visit

I included these shots as i saw that they were pumping concrete several floors up

Above: backing up the concrete truck to load up the concrete crane.

Above: The concrete crane being loaded up.

Above: The concrete crane pumping fluid concrete onto the 'Bondek' sheeting of the top floor.

Journal - Concrete panels speed sports hall build

Concrete Panels Speed Sports Hall Build

This article highlights the significant savings in time and cost that can be made using pre-cast concrete panel systems, just as we had discussed during the lectures and tutorials. in this case, a regional enlgish secondary school 'Burton-on-Trent,' was able to save two months worth of construction time on its new sports hall; This was mainly because the panels were loadbearing, which meant that there was no need to install a structural steel frame.

What was particulalry interesting in this case, however, is that the panels were of 'sandwich' construction, which meant that they were pre-cast in multiple layers. An inner skin, 170mm thick is separate from a 65mm outer skin by a 104mm layer of insulation. Pre-cast is very popular in the UK due to the simple fact it does not require waiting for a break to lay between inclement weather periods!


Journal source: 'Concrete for the construction industry,' Vol42, No.1, 'concrete panels speed sports hall build,' pp20-22.

Section of Portal Frame Construction

Journal - Steel Lightens Buildings Load on Landscape

Steel Lightens Concrete's Load on landscape

This article, a case study of 77 King street Sydney, highlights the advantages of structural steel can have when renovating existing buildings, heritage or other, particularly if adding extra floors. in this case the key factor, being the strength of the existing building below, meant that the lightweight composite steel frame construction was the least taxing and most time/cost effective design for the addition of extra floors.

Article Source: 'Steel Australia,' March '08, Vol.21, no.1, 'Cost model study- commercial buildings,' pp. 18 -19

Precast Concrete Construction

This construction detail shows how a pre-cast concrete panel can be connected to 'Kliplok' roofing.

Construction and Structures 2 - Major Project design Sketch and research details

Above is a small sketch outlining the roof profile in both plan and elevation. We intend to work on a construction method which can replicate the massing effect whilst interchanging some of the materials Mies used for those that are more suitable for industrial application.

Construction and Structures 2 - Major Project

For this project scenario my team (Ryan Mitchell and myself) are working from the perspective of an Architect. We have chosen to model our building loosely on the design conventions of Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe. In terms of warehouse design we have paid particular attention to his design of the "New national gallery of Berlin, Germany." (1962-68) (below)

Minimalist, functional and massive structure: this is what we will try to incorporate into our structure



Capped with a two-way roof structure supported along the perimeter on eight columns (two on each side set in from the corners). Each defines large open spaces on an elevated platform. Mies used broad flights of steps to connect respective platforms with the ground."

The hall, walled totally in glass, measured 166 feet square, with a 26-foot height. The 213-foot-square roof, the first rigid plate ever executed, was constructed in the form of an orthogonal grid of web girders 6 feet deep separated at 12-foot intervals.

Source: http://www.archiplanet.org/wiki/New_National_Gallery

Site Visit Completed Building- 'The Promenade' Apartments, Geelong waterfront

These apartments are made from classic post and beam concrete construction incorporating 'bondek' underflooring and kliplok roofing. What i found most interesting in this case was that due to the vast use of window glazing on the facade, no attempt has been made to conceal the concrete members, rather to use them as a feature (below). This building is definitely pre-cast.

Below: The pre-cast concrete panel wall on the side of the development is vast and does not have openings; this would have made construction very efficient.


In this image it is apparent that some of the concrete members (on the facade in red) serve little structural purpose, and solely embellish the design.

Site Visit - Edgewater Apartments - Geelong waterfront (under construction)

Below are a few shots i took of the 'Edgewater development' early in its construction

Above: The pre-cast panel is set in place and a platform with which to lay the bondeck with is being laid.
Further along the building I was able to find some 'bondek,' recently installed

Above are prime examples of Pre-cast concrete panels, recently craned into place and in the process of being attached

Below are several more shots which i think give a feel for the relatively small amount of space allocated to builders; this, along with inherent budget and time constraints would have been one of the contributing factors to the pre-cast selection



I thought this shot highlighted the inconvenience that having a crane on a small site can cause and hence how important scheduling is, both for keeping costs down and increasing effficiency in construction.

Existing Building, Site Visit - Deakin Wildcats basketball centre, North Geelong

PORTAL FRAME STEEL CONSTRUCTION

I apologise for the dark images everyone, i took these after one of my basketball matches as i had noticed in previous weeks that the building was a prime example of portal frame steel construction

Above; In this image you can just make out the c purlin supported by an angle bracket
This was certainly a very solidly built portal frame building. In this shot you can see how 180mm C purlins have been used to brace the vertical members.
This shot indicates how easily the roof and wall structures integrate as the larger UC members meet with the rafters, reinforced by the sturdy end-plate.
200 UC stanchions interconnected by C purlins and heavily insulated make up the wall structure
Above: the angle fly braces are clearly evident in this shot. It is certainly a very straightforward facility.
In the centre of this shot the large 'haunching' member attached to the UB rafter can clearly be discerned
An overall shot to provide an understanding of the scale of the building and the considerable spans between each portal.

Pre-cast Concrete Panel Section

Steel Frame Cladding Detail

Composite Construction diagrams

Below are the diagrams i drew on composite construction. There's the odd skewed brick where i overdrew on some lines, but i feel it gives a good overall impression on the processes involved.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION
TYPICAL 'TILT-UP' CONCRETE PANEL CONSTRUCTION FOR TOWNHOUSE DEVELOPMENT, 1405 MALVERN RD, MALVERN

Overall perspective of the narrow site . Staggered panel heights to the right show how builders have allowed for the slope of the site.

Stainless steel braces connected to mould-cast inserts

Side perspective of L-bracket support beam running the length of the wall

Bracing bolted into strip footing (adjustable tensioning screw also visible)

40mm high seating shims were used on several of the panels allowing for inaccurate concreting work. (bevilled panel edges also visible here)

Square inset craning connection point clearly visible towards the top left of the concrete panel

Braces at a 45 degree angle to concrete panels, minimum of two per panel
(support bars can be seen at the top of each panel)



Bolted brace connection to panel

Under construction- The 'Hay' Building, Deakin university waterfront campus

The new Law and Medicine faculty at the Deakin University Waterfront campus is an interesting case study due to the technical amalgamation of several types of construction ranging from steel post and beam, reinforced concrete slab timber framing and brick veneer. (Note; some of the below images were taken on a site visit in conjunction with another student, Ryan Mitchell, and may also be on his blog).


Above: This is an interesting shot because it shows a multitiude of building materials, namely C purlins, cleats, brick veneer walls, and floorjoists.
Above: Steel window framing grid waiting for glass inserts has been attached by cleats to the side of the reinforced concrete slab structure.

Above: a distance shot showing how the window frames cover all floors to give the 'curtain wall' effect.
Corner detail of curtain wall fastenings. Note: in this image the obvious 'kink' in the structure can be seen, this is to allow sea view from all points on the long thin site.
Above; extra reinforcement and engineering was required to enable these universal beams to overhang in this manner.
In this shot the connection between the steel post and beam structure and the concrete slab of the very top floor is visible through the brick portal on the right.