Major Assignment

Major Assignment

Major Assignment

Here are some images taken from my final poster. My architect was Zaha Hadid. I decided to study tilt-up concrete panel construction as I know Zaha loves concrete, and I've always been amazed the way they make tilt-up panels on site and them lift them within days.


East elevation.


Strip footing with steel rod reinforcement and deformed bars to support the load bearing (non-column) beams. Slab also poured with reinforcement, and makes for the 'work site' of the tilt-up panel making process.




Tilt-up panels are made with timber forms as a 'mould', fit to the correct size and shape. Reinforcement, inserts and embeds are set in the form before the panel is casted. A crane then lifts the panel up via insert, and the bracing seen here is connected to the panel prior lift-up, and is then bolted down to the slab for additional temporary support. Braces are usually set two-thirds of the way up the panel at a 45 degree angle to the slab. Metal brackets are also welded to the panel for the connection of the rafter beam.



Aluminium window frame and glazing installed, and the beam is bolted to the bracket.

Purlins bolted to the beam cleats, safety mesh is added, and box gutter is connected to Spandek, which is connected to the beam and last purlin. Now that I think about it, I think the sarking, insulation and roof cladding is installed before the box gutter! Oh well. Flashing caps over the panel edge and edge of the box gutter side.

Corrugated iron roofing installed after the sarking and insulation.

A closer look at the box gutter and Spandek, as well as the flashings on either side of the box gutter.

Panel, bracket, beam, purlins, sarking/insulation, box gutter, flashings roofing.

Article Review #6

Construction activity up in WA, QLD

The Age, May 30, 2007

A recent article in The Age noted that completed construction work in Australia has reached a rising record of 2.7 per cent to $27.2 billion in the March quarter, a strong growth from $26.519 billion in the December quarter, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Western Australia and Queensland also strongly contributed to the statistic with strong levels of spending on infrastructure.

Furthermore, there was a rise in residential work, growing with a 3.4 per cent rise in the quarter including a 4.6 per cent gain in new residential work. According to Westpac senior economist Andrew Hanlan, the spending on infrastructure trend led by WA and QLD is likely to continue.

source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Business/Construction-activity-up-in-WA-Qld/2007/05/30/1180205307054.html

Clarendon Street Site

I came across a commercial building under construction in Clarendon Street in Melbourne (down the road from Crown), and fortunately I had my camera with me. Prime opportunity!

Here we can see the insulation placed above the purlins, which are connected to steel beams on either side. We can also soo the girts along the walls and the blue beam bolted to the concrete beam below the girts.

A picture of a concrete band beam and slab, showing the economical height saving as opposed to a normal beam and slab.

A close up of the concrete beams and columns, as well as the steel beams bolted to the concrete columns.

More wall girts with what appears to be plasterboard cladding.

Here's a good picture of what the external facade columns look like, before (steel girt frame) and after (concrete facade cladding).

The bolted connection of steel beams and columns.

Article Review #5

5Techstyle acoustical ceilings by Hunter Douglas Commercial

Selector.com - Friday 25th May 2007

Bridging the gap between form and function, Hunter Douglas Techstyle ceiling offers endless design possibilities and acoustic benefits, heralding a new era in the design of Australian commercial ceilings.

Hunter Douglas Techstyle ceilings provide optimum acoustic performance with its honeycomb panel design which absorbs both high and low frequencies. Techstyle can also be equipped with its luminescence lighting design feature, which involves placing a light source behind the non-woven polyester fabric panels, making the ceiling 'glow' with various colours of light to reflect different mood settings.

Its easy to install with its chip/hinge system that leaves the panels clean and untouched. Furthermore, Techstyle has environmental qualities that make it ideal, such as containing no volatile organic compounds, preserves indoor air quality and is 100 percent recyclable, not to mention its durable panels ensure a long product life span.

Winning the DesignEx Product Design Award in the Surface Finishes category in Melbourne, 19/04/07, Techstyle emerges as the clear market leader in acoustic ceilings.

source: http://www.selector.com/company/Luxalon/news/25052007/Techstyle_acoustical_ceilings_by_Hunter_Douglas_Commercial

PE Centre

As one of the girls from my work goes to Sacred Heart College in Aphrasia St. Geelong, I thought it would be worthwhile asking if she could get me in one day for some photos. My original intent was to photo their new Music/Entertainment Hall, however it was being used at the time. No worries, as their Carmel O'Dwyer PE Centre was a good alternative to show long span construction.


Here you can see the corrugated roofing and wall cladding. Also note the guttering on the top roof, with the downpipes that run down.


A view on the inside shows all the elements of long portal frame construction, such as the UB beams and UC columns, purlins, insulation, roofing etc.


Here is a connection of two UB beams at the apex. Additional support has been given by the two connecting bars joining the beams to the purlins.

Here is another joining at the apex, similar to the previous photo except it has rounded steel bracing beams that span across to the opposite set of UB beams and are connected here at the apex.

A different structure of the knee joint has been used to comply with the large air vent pipe. Here, the haunching is in the skeletal truss-like form of steel bars, one which is connected from the column to the beam, and two more bars connecting knee joint to the diagonal bar.

Here you can see a steel beam connected to a column, and the plaster ceiling joined on each side of the beam.

This photo shows the beam and purlins, and how the lighting is suspended from the purulin. Electrical services run along the inner edge of the purlins.

A closer look at the knee joint, and the rounded side beam that connects with each column.

Article Review #4

What is Tilt-up Construction? How Are Tilt-up Concrete Buildings Constructed?

Tilt-up Concrete Construction Articles

This article I found on Tiltup.com proved to be very helpful, especially since im choosing a tilt-up form of construction for the major assignment. The article outlines the steps of tilt-up construction as follows:

1 - Before the tilt-up panels are erected or even considered, the footings need to be installed so that the panels have a sub-structure to transfer its loads. The slab also needs to be poured as a working site for the making of the tilt-up panels.

2 - The tilt-up panels are made next. They are made from forms that are in the exact shape and size of the desired panel. Usually wooden pieces, the forms act as a mold for the panel. Steel grid reinforment is tied into the forms, and inserts and embeds are installed so that the panel can be lifted by crane and erected. Concrete is then poured into the forms to create the tilt-up panels.

3 - Once solidified, the panels are lifted by a crane via cable connection at the inserts. Braces are also attached before the panel is lifted, and are later locked into place into the slab for temporary support and the panel's embeds are attached to the footings.

4 - After all tilt-up panels are erected, sandblasting or painting finishes are applied and joints are filled with sealant.

One of the qualities of tilt-up panels is its speed of construction, where an experienced tilt-up crew can erect as many as 30 panels in a single day.

source: http://www.tiltup.com/commercial-construction-articles/concrete-panel-building/

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Major Assignment - Initial Ideas

Here are some initial sketches of my idea. Its just an outline of the ground floor and 1st floor and an idea for allocated spaces. I have purposely chosen to distort the original geometry of the given plan, as Zaha would not be satisfied with such a conventional layout.


Ground floor


1st floor

Torquay Resort

A new holiday resort is under construction in Torquay, Geelong. Quality photos were hard to get as the large site was fenced off, however with the photos I did get, you get a sense for type of structure system being used.

Here we can see the C-purlins connected to the rafter, with insulation above the rafter.

A photo of the upper level lookout.

Here you can see the ceiling cladding joined to the purlins.

Major Assignment Case Study

I have chosen Zaha Hadid as my architect for the major assignment, and I have found no detail drawings of her buildings at all. These construction photos of her BMW Centre in Germany are the closest thing I have to grasp an understanding of her construction.

Office building, Ryrie Street

A new office building in Ryrie St. Geelong is currently under construction. These photos were hard to get as the site was barricaded off by solid temporary walls about 3m high, so I had to test my climbing skills.


Here you can see the concrete columns supporting the I-beams, as well as the steel purlins above the I-beams supporting the roofing. Note also the red service pipes connected to the purlins and I-beams.


Just a close-up of some rust..




.. and the purlin connection to the I-beam.


Upper level being constructed, with the same form of concrete columns supporting the beams.

Here is a connection of two beams at an angle to the column. Not quite sure what the connection member is between the column and the rafter, but it is the key to the connection.

That green barricade wall made life difficult.

I-beam bolted to a tilt-up concrete panel.

Could not locate the name of the architect unfortunately.