21-12-2012, 06:32 PM
Structural Systems For Buildings
Structural Systems For Buildings.pptx (Size: 8.44 MB / Downloads: 227)
SECTIONAL ELEVATION:
The smooth flow of wind around the building was one of the main considerations.
A net office floor area within the building of around 500,000 ft2 (46,450 m2).
The enhancement of the public environment at street level, opening up new views across the site to the frontages of the adjacent buildings and allowing good access to and around the new development.
Minimum impact on the local wind environment.
Maximum use of public transport for the occupants of the building.
Flexibly serviced, high specification ‘user-friendly’ column free office spaces with maximum primary space adjacent to natural light.
Good physical and visual interconnectivity between floors.
Reduced energy consumption by use of natural ventilation whenever suitable, low façade heat gain and smart building control systems.
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING:
The tower is aerodynamically designed to reduce wind load on the structure, whilst the lower part tapers so that wind wraps around the tower.
The six fingers of accommodation on each floor, configured with light wells in between, maximize daylight penetration.
The façade design with advance glazing technologies, ventilated cavities and blinds , provides up to 85% solar protection.
Gas is the main fuel used hence it will only generate half the carbon emission.
Overall energy serving is up to 50%.
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM:
The ‘diagrid’ responds to the building's curved shape and provides vertical support to the floors thus allowing large internal column free office space.
The central core is required only to act under vertical load and is free from diagonal bracing.
In addition to being highly efficient in resisting wind forces, the ‘diagrid’ frames the communal light wells which spiral up the building enabling occupants to enjoy natural light over a larger area of floor.
The internal structure of the building comprises conventional steel beams and columns with composite profiled decking floors.
The total weight of steel used is approximately 11,000 tones.
Arup’ engineers addressed the building’s radical form by creating the efficient external ‘diagrid’ system (diagonally braced structure) of intersecting steel sections around the tower's perimeter.
Fire Fighting Methods:
Every sixth floor , the atria feature gardens which control and purify air movements as well as dividing the building into fire compartments.
The unusual light well arrangement leads to a fire escape strategy based on a variation of phased evacuation.
In this case all six floors linked by a set of light wells are evacuated in the case of a fire on any one of them.
Because the lightwell base floors are protected by sprinklers on the overhanging soffits above, they can be used as office space too.
A system of smoke curtains form smoke reservoirs in the light wells, and others delay the transport of smoke from accommodation into the light wells.
The building is sprinkle red, including arrays of window sprinklers on part of the façade of levels 2 and 3, to protect a glazed opening in the compartment floor of level 4, directly above.
The Tower has two fire fighting shafts with dedicated lifts.
The use of dedicated smoke detectors in each lobby which cause the vent to open in that lobby, as well as at the top of the smoke shaft and the top of the stair.
During a fire temperatures can be such that the window glazing may break and thus allow cool air to enter and hot gas to escape.
Alternatively, temperatures may be such that the fire has not engulfed a large area and is not severe enough to actually break the glass.