Major Project final submission

Not sure why the red turned blue and the text is missing.

Major Project

This is the nodal connection of the steel space frame for my assignment.
I chose to conceal all the bolts within the node similar to that of I.M.Pei’s.

These two renders were constructed using mirostation and show the
connection between warehouse and showroom/office. The showrooms
roof is glazed with an aluminium frame and the warehouse has a more
conventional metal section.

Windows glazed over on energy use

http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/windows-glazed-over-on-energy-use/2007/05/27/1180205075449.html

The article 'Windows glazed over on energy use', The Age May 28 2007, discusses the issue of Australia being well behind the rest of the developed world in the thermal operational performance of windows. The AGGA energy committee chairman has even said we are about 20 years behind the US and Britain. The article state that up to 49 per cent of heat can be lost and up to 87 per cent of solar heat gain can occur through non-energy-efficient windows in an otherwise well insulated house. It presses for double glaze windows to be mandatory for a house to receive a 5-Star rating.

Major Project

A system close to this one could be could be used in the ground floor
ceiling of the showroom/office. The prefabricated plasterboard panels
have built in bracket that can be attached to a steel angle, this steel angle
would then be suspended from the concrete floor of the upper level with
a series of thin steel rods or heavy wire.

Major Project

I think something similar to this may be a good way of supporting the
space frame roof of the warehouse. With two internal rows of columns
in both directions the space frame will only have to span a maximum of
10-15 meters. These columns also have an aesthetical advantage.

Housing lobby in 5-star mystery

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/housing-lobby-in-5star-mystery/2007/05/24/1179601576302.html

This article views growing corners that HIA are dictating building standards across the nation and hindering any improvements on the 5-Star system. As they lobbied against the introduction of the 5-Star energy rating it is now said that they could do the same with the new regulation being decided upon thus pulling us even further behind countries such as the US, Canada and Britain.

Site visit 3

Ryrie St, Geelong 20/05/07

In this photo we can see concrete columns and steel universal
beams. Condek is getting laid on the upper beams for what will
become the third storey. After the condek is laid it will be filled
will concret to form the floor of that level.

Here we can see the fire services and mechanical ducts.

Here we can see the partially completed timber formwork for a set
of concrete stairs. The steel reinforcement is in place and soon the
concrete will be poured and the stairs complete.

This section of formwork over the stairway has already had its
concrete pour. It has set and the builders have started to remove
the formwork.

Major Project

The nodal connection seen here is an integral part of the space
frame design; each arm comes into one center point and is
attached to that object. This allows all loads to be transferred
evenly. I will be using a similar type of connection in my design.

This nodal connection conceals all nuts and bolts on the inside of
the sphere thus creating a seamless and neat appearance.

This drawing will be able to be used and adapted to devise a
connection between the space frame and the pre-cast concrete
wall. The steel plate could either be set into the wall or
bolted to it.

Major Project

Javits Center

In the Javits Center Pei has drawn upon the ideas seen in the
Kennedy Library yet now has used the structural system for the
entire building. This space frame system has the advantage of being
able to span vast distances whilst still remaining light weight and
elegant. It may be possible to use this system for the entirety of the
showroom space and for the roof of the warehouse.

Fagg's Mitre10 Belmont

The Mitre10 building in Belmont uses a variety of timer trusses, here
we can see a simple triangular truss that uses timber for the cords and
webs and steel for the plates, the purlins are also made of timber

The steel column supports the junction between the differing trusses.
Each truss is connected to the column with steel plates and bolts that
are connected to its chords.

The most interesting part of this building was the curved lattice
trusses in the middle section. This system of truss is extremely thin
and light weight yet still manages to be very strong. The lattice truss
utilizes very thin webs yet is made up of many of them.

Scientists to study termites for building tips

http://news.com.com/Scientists+to+study+termites+for+building+tips/2100-1008_3-5379535.html?tag=item

Engineers are studying termite mounds to find out how their intricate network of tunnels and are conduits that control temperature and moisture inside the mound can be emulated to create more energy efficient high-rise construction. The mounds capture the wind to create internal airflow and function rather like lungs.
More focus should be placed on trying to understand and emulated natural systems, these systems evolved over millions of years and will proved clues to more sustainable building technology.

Officeworks Geelong

In the Officeworks building there are older style steel trusses that
are supported intermittently by steel columns. This photo shows
the truss as well as the purlins, safety mesh and sarking.

Here we can see the steel angles that are use as cross bracing,
there are attached to the trusses through a plate and bolted
connection

In this building none of the mechanical or fire services are hidden,
the air vents hang from the roof structure and are insulated.

Major Project

Kennedy Library

Pei has designed an enormous space frame to make up this
portion of the Library, this frame spans some 20meters over
the roof and the same basic geometry is used in both the walls and
ceiling. This method of construction allows total freedom of cladding
materials with Pei choosing to clad the structure entirely in glass.

Site visit 2

Malop St, Geelong 05/05/07

Here we see insitu concrete columns for a multi storey
commercial construction. The far column has not had
its formwork and bracing removed and may even have

not yet been poured.

The reinforcement bars that are protruding out of the
top of the column are starter bars for the subsequent
levels. They are used to create a strong and rigid
connection between the column and floor above.

This reinforcement cage will make up the structure of a
pad footing, when can only assume it has been prefabricated
and is waiting to be placed in a trench

This trench is the beginnings of a strip footing, it does not
have its reinforcement yet but the starter bars for the concrete
columns are visible in the distance.

This photo shows the timber formwork and array of props
for the concrete slab that is being poured above; these temporary
supports are in place to compensate for the drastic construction
loads that the building has to deal with.

Major Project

For the major project I have chosen I.M. Pei as the architect for where I shall get my inspiration. Pei has been revolutionary in his use of steel and concrete and I believe his philosophies will translate well into long-span commercial construction. In this project I would like to explore Pei’s use of space frame technology for spanning large distances and creating vast open spaces.

Site visit 1: Pre-cast Concrete Panels

The Parade, Ocean Grove 24/3/2007

This building has pre-cast concrete panels as its primary
from of structure. The builder/architect would have
chosen pre-cast over tilt-up because of the sites tight
boundaries/close proximity to surrounding buildings.
This form of construction allows for relatively fast
erection thus saving the client time and money.

Here the temporary props are holding up the wall
whilst it is waiting to be secured. The steel beams
that will form the perimeter of the first floor have
just been installed.

In these two images we can see the point at which
the temporary props that support the pre-cast walls
meet the ground. They are fixed to brackets that were
placed in a strip footing, it is also possible to place
these temporary fixing brackets in a concrete slab.

This photo shows the point at which the temporary
prop meet the pre-cast wall, the is a fixing pretty much
the same to that of the ground yet the bracket has instead
been placed in the concrete panel when being
manufactured.

Portal Frame Details

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Portal Frame Section 3

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