Close up Design and

Detail of Concrete
Buildings
Practical guidance for
sustainable construction

Gillingham House, Oct 2012

14:00 14-10

Introduction

14:10 -14:45

Principles of construction for heavyweight buildings.

Different systems, and relative benefits - Elaine Toogood

14:45 15:15

Thermal mass for cooling in non-domestic buildings

Tom De Saulles

15:15 15:30:

Refreshment Break

15:30 17:00

Achieving visual insitu concrete - Andrew Cotter

17:00 17:30

Tea, Coffee and Sandwiches

17:30 18:40

Good practice detailing and specification for

sustainable construction Elaine Toogood

18:40 18:50

Overview of Thermal Properties Calculator and Passive

Design Tool Tom De Saulles

Further questions and close

Principles of
construction for heavy
weight buildings

Performance issues

Construction methodology

Types of construction

Factors effecting choice

How do we categorize
building methodologies-:
Light weight ?
Medium weight ?
or
Ideas Store, Hackney,
Adjaye Associates / Mott Macdonald

Heavy weight construction?

Ideas Store, Hackney,

Adjaye Associates / Mott Macdonald

The Hepworth Gallery,

Chipperfield Architects/ Ramboll

City of Westminster College,

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects /Buro Happold

City of Westminster College,

Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects /Buro Happold

Why use heavyweight

construction?
Inherent performance of
concrete:
Strength
Durability
Fire resistance
Acoustic Performance
Flood resilience
Robustness
Security
Airtightness
Thermal Mass
Visual appearance

Why use heavyweight

construction?
Other influencing factors:
Cost
Procurement
Available skills
Programme
Quality
Site conditions
Health and Safety
Flexibility / design changes
Sustainability
Design life

Some construction techniques

using concrete
Concrete blocks (masonry)

Precast hollow cored floor

Lightweight aerated panels

Post tensioned floors

Insulated concrete formwork

Composite floors

Beam + block floors

Contoured/coffered floors

Cast insitu

Ribbed floors

Precast Crosswall construction

Sprayed concrete

Tunnel form

Tilt up construction

Twin wall

Fabric formwork

Construction techniques
Insitu construction ?
Or
Offsite construction ?
Or
Hybrid?

Construction techniques
Cast Insitu reinforced
concrete (frames, floors)
Tunnel form
Sprayed concrete
Steel permanent formwork
Concrete blocks
Beam + block floors

Off Site construction

Pre-manufactured
components
Volumetric
Flat elements

Whole building systems

Cross wall

Pre-cast elements

Stairs
external walls
columns
floor slabs
cladding panels

Hybrid structures
Twin wall

Composite floors
Combination of precast
and cast insitu elements

Insitu or precast
columns

Construction techniques
The Homes+Communities
Agency used to require such
approaches for affordable
homes funding

Traditional v. Modern Methods of Construction (MMC)

Modern methods of construction

Include:

Light weight aerated

panels

Twin wall
Pre tensioned beams/slabs

Insulated concrete
formwork

Tilt up construction

Cross wall

Thin joint block work

Tunnel form

Sprayed concrete

Darwin centre
C.F Moeller/

Ground floors
Ground floor:
Insitu ground bearing
slab
Suspended slab

Screed
In-situ
reinforced

100mm
EPS
dpm

concrete
slab (150mm
Trench fill

Blinded fill

Beam and block

Suspended ground floor and
upper floors
Precast prestressed concrete
beams and standard building
blocks
Range of beam depths (150 225mm) and block widths
Generally spans up to 8m

Beam and block

Key advantages:
Voids can be introduced to reduce
self-weight
Uses small repetitive components
Easily handled and quick to place
on site.
Immediately safe platforms
Beam depths range from 150mm
to 225mm.

Janet Street Porter House

CZWG/

Pre-cast hollow core floors

Continuous voids to reduce
self weight and provide an
efficient structural section
Panel depths typically from
110mm to 400mm
Panel widths typically
1200mm wide but others
are available
Length of panel dependent
upon the project
(4m 16m)

Pre-cast hollow core floors

Designed to have efficient
shear key joints between
slabs

Continuous wet mortar

to take up camber

When grouted, the

individual slabs become a
system that behaves
similarly to a monolithic
slab
Often pre-stressed to
improve span

Min 140mm bearing with

grouted reinforcement ties

Min 200mm for shared

bearings before ties are
required

Pre-cast hollow core floors

Key advantages:
Range of spans and loadings

Precasting reduces time on site

Immediate safe working
platform

The soffit can be exposed or

simply treated
No propping or formwork on
site
National trust HQ, Swindon
Fielden Clegg Bradley Studio /

Thermal mass potential

Cast insitu floors

Insitu flat slab
traditional steel reinforcement
(spans 4 - 12m)
Post-Tensioned Slabs
(spans 6 -14m)

Flat slabs (aka solid slabs)

Key advantages
Speed of construction
Simple and fast formwork

Flexible plan for partitions

and services
Can aid daylight

Simple services installation

Pre-stressing can improve
spans and material efficiency
further

Post-tensioned Concrete Floors

Environmental benefits:
Less concrete
Reduced use of raw
materials
Reduced lorry movements
Rapid construction:
Larger pour area for same
volume of concrete
Less traditional steel
reinforcement

Post-Tensioned Concrete Floors

Minimum floor thickness
Minimises the self-weight and
foundations
Up to 300mm less than steel frame
Cladding area is minimised
reducing cost.
Reduces solar gain

Long spans
Potential for an extra storey in
a ten-storey building.

Less columns and foundations

Increased flexibility for space
planning
Maximises net lettable area

Flat slab options

Flat slab with column heads:
Supports higher loads and reduces
thickness of rest of slab
Cost effective 5m 10m spans

One-way flat slab with beams

Beams in direction of longest span

Upstand beams typical around
perimeter to maintain daylight

Flat slab options

One-way flat slab band beams:
Can be economical for columns
size for structures with light loads
Thinner slabs

2 way flat slab with beams:

Common for high loads and

limited services (eg warehouses)
spans 4-12m

Other insitu floors

Ribbed slab with beams:
Reduces self weight with
increased surface area
6 14m spans, and slightly deeper

Trough slab

Similar to ribbed, but included

integral band beams
spans 4-12m

Other insitu floors

Waffle slab
Uses less concrete with deeper
slabs
Distinctive profiled soffit with
increased surface area
7 14m spans
Higher formwork costs and longer
construction times

Steel Deck Composite Floors

Decking acts as permanent formwork

to the concrete, and provides
sufficient shear bond with the
concrete, so that the two materials
act compositely together.
Principally for use with steel frames,
but can also be supported on brick,
masonry or concrete components.
Reinforcement can be traditional
mesh or steel fibres

Hybrid Construciton
Precast concrete as permanent
formwork to insitu topping
Eg: Twin wall; lattice girder
floors; omnia deck
Composite floors using lattice
girder normally consists of a
temporarily propped pre-cast
plank which is not pre-stressed.

Twin Wall construction

Spray on Plaster Finish

This contains most of the

bottom reinforcement in
addition to the lattice
girder.
Plank depths typically
range from 50mm 100mm

Pre-cast Plate

Finished overall depth

between 115 250mm
Plank widths are usually
either 1200mm or 2400mm
Depending on loadings and
overall slab depth, spans of
over 11.0m can be
achieved.

Construction

Panels craned into

position from the
delivery truck

Panel weight
determined by
dimensions and number
of door/window openings

5 m long by 2.7 m high

panel will weigh approx
3.7 tonnes

Twin wall
At corners the outside skin
of the double wall panels
project beyond the inside to
provide a fully shuttered
junction
All vertical joints are sealed
with foam filler or wood

Construction
Steel projecting from the
wall acts as a starter bar for
the next wall lift

The timber kicker shutter

seals the 30 mm horizontal
gap at the base of the wall

In filling the wall void the

concrete is driven out under
the wall plates to fill the
nominal 30 mm gap and
ensure full contact bearing
for the structural wall

Construction

Erection sockets are cast

into the face of the wall
panel for a rapid
connection of the push pull
props

Note where the outside

face of the panel extends
on up to act as a shutter
for the edge of the floor
slab

Structure Ready for Finishes

Self finished walls to

receive spray on thin
coat plaster

Permanent void formers

Precast permanent shuttering

Hollow spheres (recycled high
density polyethylene) trapped
in reinforcement cages above
concrete biscuit
Reduction in concrete usage by
approximately one third
Opportunity for exposed soffits
Precast reinforced panels upto
~ 2.4 x 9m

Insulated Concrete Formwork

(ICF)
Prefabricated, lightweight
formwork system for cast
insitu concrete
Different systems available:
Block
Plank
Panel (Twin wall)
Variety of fixing methods
and systems

Insulating Concrete Formwork (ICF)

Polystyrene insulation is used as
permanent formwork for the
concrete
Provides monolithic structure
Pour heights limited usually
require additional falsework
Very simple assembly
Cold weather working

Walls
Masonry (blockwork)
Traditional construction
External walls

cavity construction

partial/full fill

brick or block outer leaf

Internal partitions
Basement walls
Separating walls

Walls: thin joint masonry

Modern method of
construction
Special dimensionally
accurate aerated blocks
Specific thin-joint mortar
2-3mm joints

No pointing necessary
Independent of brickwork
provides programming
benefits

Prefabricated cavity wall system

Rapid on-site build
Consistent quality in
controlled factory conditions
No on-site wastage

All weather construction

Any combination of brick and
blocks and any brickwork bond
Higher resistance to rain
penetration
Immediate finished envelope
and faade

Quickbuild

Walls: Precast
Structural or as cladding
Rainscreen or
waterproofing finish
Insulated sandwich panel
options
Range of finishes possible

Athletes Village

Crosswall construction
Pre cast cellular building
system

Particularly appropriate for

residential sectors including
hotels, student residences

Comprises factory
engineered concrete
components including:
Loadbearing walls
Floors & Ceilings
Lift Shafts and stair
Elevation panels

Crosswall Construction
External walls
with window
openings

Internal
dividing walls

Ties in
every unit

Prestressed flat
slabs spanning from
cross wall to cross
wall
Floor slabs are
stitched together
and act as a
diaghram providing
lateral stability
Walls are stitched
together to form
load bearing joints

Buildability
Construction and Design benefits:
Less infill wall panels
High quality finishes minimises
follow-on trades
Flush walls and ceilings no
downstands or columns
Tight tolerances

Construction
Precast concrete panels are
delivered directly to site in
line with the construction
programme
Units are lifted directly from
the delivery vehicles into
place

Fixing Detail

Insitu-stitching carried out on site using reinforced

bar and a high strength non-shrink grout

Fixing and Inspection Detail

 Repeated elements will be

erected off foundations or a
transfer slab
Scaffolding not always
necessary
A movable safety netting
system is secured to the
concrete frame which moves
with the construction of each
floor

For optimum solution try to

minimise number of
panels. This depends on:
Crane capacity at precast
yard

Crane capacity on site

Site access
Maximising number of
units on lorry

Transportation limits

University of East London, Fraser Brown MacKenna architects

Five seven-storey and four three-storey structures
3,526 precast panels

Constructed in 33 weeks

Programme and Resources

Time on site v time to
design
Co-ordination of trades
Phasing of works

Cost model studies

www.concretecentre.com/publications

Flexibility/Design changes
Time available to fix brief
and design prior to start on
site
Future adaptability: on
site and post occupancy

New Square, London

Bennetts Associates

Cost

Materials

Labour
Transport
Programme

Compare like for like

ie Include all additional
finishes

Cost model study - school

Independent study
Architecture plb

Arup
Davis langdon
Costain
6 structural
options considered

Secondary School 1400 Pupils

Published 2008

16,000m of gross external Area

Ground Floor Plan

Mix of 2 & 3 storey spaces

Less than 2% cost variation

Cost model study - office

Procurement
Design responsibility and
quality control
Specialist items
Specialism of different
contractors

Site Conditions
Location

Access for delivery

Possible crane size and
location
Size of site (for storage)
Local labour force
Weather conditions /
exposure

Quality
Design brief

Fair faced finish

Control and
responsibility
Workmanship

Buildability
Appropriate designs

Sequence of works
Skills/labour to match
requirements

Health and Safety

Space for working

Falls from height

Edge protection
Safe access
Heavy lifting
Repetitive lifting

Sustainability issues
Use of thermal mass

Waste
Use of recycled material
in specification
Use of local and
responsibly sourced
materials
Design for future re-use or
recycling
Long term performance