TOP-DOWN CONSTRUCTION

ADVANTAGES
Since the retaining structure is permanent, it saves time and money spent on a temporary retaining
structure. In this method, construction begins with the ground floor propping the retaining wall. The
deflections of the wall are reduced as they are strutted by the ground floor before any significant excavation
takes place.
In the bottom-up method, steel is used for propping the retaining wall. In the top-down method, the
perimeter wall is propped by permanent slabs at different levels. According to Rowley, F.N. et al (1998) a
permanent concrete slab is perhaps the best form of temporary prop. This is because it fulfils in the
permanent condition and also it is very much stiffer than steel. Once in place, there is no need to remove
heavy strutting with high locked in loads.
Slabs are constructed before any excavation starts below. Ground is used as formwork and props for the
slab construction. This saves time and money, in setting up slab formwork.
The construction of the superstructure can be started as soon as the ground floor is completed, and well
before the completion of the basements. This can bring about several months of saving on the total
construction program. Early completion will bring early income, loan interests are reduced and contractor
can start a new project. Even though diaphragm wall may be costlier than other methods, early
compensation saves a lot of money.
This method provides valuable storage room during construction, since part of the underground level area
is available at all times and progressively, the floors below.
This method minimizes noise and dirt nuisance caused by the excavation of the deep pit as the major part of
the excavation is done under the protection of the basement floors.
Top-down method minimizes changes in load through compensation of the excavated materials weight
with the gradually rising buildings load and therefore reducing the deformations of the new building and
of the neighboring structures
DISADVANTAGES

There should be very good coordination between management and workers. Construction material,
storage, handling, transport and all the other activities should be planned ahead.

After completing the concreting of floors, excavation cannot be started immediately. Soil cannot be
removed before slab attains the required strength.
EQUIPMENTS: trench cutter. crane, bored pile, ground anchor, excavator, bulldozer, backhoe, crawler crane
CONSTN OF RETAINING WALLS
- The perimeter basement wall is constructed first. This could be of cast-in situ or Precast concrete
diaphragm walls constructed by bentonite slurry method, secant piles, contiguous piles or steel sheet piles.
DIAPHRAGM WALL
- Permanent retaining wall structure in substructure construction
- Underground structural elements commonly used for retention system & permanent wall
BENTONITE SLURRY
- Bentonite Slurry is used as a stability fluid during excavation. It is prepared by mixing bentonite powder
with water in bentonite plant installed on site. Bentonite slurry is frequently recycled during usage and the
properties of the slurry is checked prior to concreting.
DIAPHRAGM WALL EXCAVATION
- The excavation is carried out using a suspended mechanical line grab mounted on heavy crawler crane, to
the full required depth.
The level of bentonite is kept as high as possible between the guide wall
STEEL REINFORCEMENT CAGE
- a. Steel Reinforcement (Rebar) Cage is fabricated on site and delivered by crane into the panel and
lowered down into the trench.
b. Steel cage is placed in segments in the trench and positioned on the top of the guide wall at the required location
within the excavated panel length.
COMPONENT OF WORKS FOR TOP DOWN CONSTRUCTION
Temporary strutting, diaphragm wall, earthworks, deep excavation, bore piling

WHEN TO USE TOP-DOWN CONSTN METHOD

Deep basement -not practical to do open cut excavation as site is surrounded by existing utilities/
structures including Common Utility Tunnel ( CUT) on the east & underground LRT tunnel /
station on the west
Not practical to use ground anchors as tie back to diaphragm wall due to the above
Working space and construction duration: it is not required a large working space for foundation
excavation and saving cost by eliminating to construct the retaining wall. Especially for public
transport works as traffic tunnels, this method helps to soon re-established traffic road. And the
top-down method of construction enables a high-rise superstructure and its sub-basement to be
built simultaneously which accelerate construction.
EARTHQUAKE TECH
BASE ISOLATION OR SEISMIC ISOLATION
- Is a collection of special units in a building resting on its foundation to provide separation of the building
from the shaking ground thus improving its seismic performance
ANTIFRICTION AND MULTI-STEP BASE ISOLATION (AF&MS BI)
- Also called shock evader, is relatively recent type of seismic vibration control.
SEISMIC SLIDING ISOLATION SYSTEM USING HYDRO MAGNETIC BEARINGS\
- Disclosed is a magnetically controlled base isolation system that in a simple, practical, and cost effective
way significantly reduces the lateral forces transmitted to buildings, bridges, and other structures during
earthquakes.
ADVANTAGES AND OBJECTIVES OF TECHNOLOGY:
To provide an seismic isolation system that is simple, reliable, and inexpensive, and may be built
with components that are commercially available and require minimum maintenance;
To provide an seismic isolation system based on sliding bearings that minimize the frictional
forces that resist the bearings' sliding but use no ptfe and is thus unaffected by the low bearing
capacity, poor wear resistance, and inferior durability of this material;
To provide an seismic isolation system that is activated under small lateral forces and is therefore
effective under both low- and high-intensity earthquakes;
To provide an seismic isolation system that provides re-centering forces but without amplifying
the low-frequency components of earthquake ground motions;
To provide an seismic isolation system that provides protection against excessively large sliding
displacements without impact effects;
To provide an seismic isolation system that introduces damping into the system to shorten the
sliding displacements but without bulky dampers that take up space or components that wear out
or require maintenance; and
To provide an seismic isolation system that does not require an external power source for its
operation.
EARTHQUAKE PROTECTOR
- Earthquake protector is a type of base isolation intended for protection of building and non-building
structures against potentially damaging lateral impact of strong earthquakes, also a system of structural elements
resting on a building footing and underpinning a building superstructure
Earthquake Protector comprises: three properly configured race pads 1, 2 and 3 mounted one over another with the
lower pad 1resting on the footing; two circular cylinder-shaped segmented slide tracks 4and 5 which are sagged
down, located between adjacent race pads and containing freely revolving parallel cylindrical rollers6 with their
axes of rotational sliding being set horizontal and mutually orthogonal. A column stub 7 resting upon a self
lubricating spherical bearing 9 mounted centrically on the upper pad 3 with the top end of the column stub being
framed rigidly into the supported superstructure 8.
HYSTERIC DAMPER
- Intended to provide better and more reliable seismic performance than a conventional structure at the
expense of the seismic load energy dissipation by sustaining increased strains in key building elements such as
columns and beams
FOUR MAJOR GROUPS OF HYSTERIC DAMPER
Viscous fluid damper

A fluid viscous damper dissipates energy by pushing fluid through an orifice, producing a damping
pressure which creates a force
Spherical bearings at each end of the fluid viscous damper permit the damper to angulate relative to the
structure
Fluid viscous dampers can be installed as diagonal members in several ways, or can tie into chevron braces
Viscoelastic solid damper
multiple layers of viscoelastic material alternating between layers of steel plates with each consecutive
plate extending out to the opposite side. The plates are then anchored into structural members using a
number of different connection details
Metallic damper
Friction damper
Friction dampers are designed to have moving parts that will slide over each other during a strong
earthquake. When the parts slide over each other, they create friction which uses some of the energy from
the earthquake that goes into the building.
LEAD RUBBER BEARING
- Heavy damping mechanism incorporated in vibration control technologies and, particularly, in base
isolation devices, is often considered a valuable source of suppressing vibrations thus enhancing a building's seismic
performance.
.The bearing is stiff and strong in the vertical direction, but flexible in the horizontal direction
TUNED DAMPER
- Typically, the dampers are huge concrete blocks or steel bodies mounted in skyscrapers or other
structures, and moved in opposition to the resonance frequency oscillations of the structure
A tuned mass damper consists of a mass (m), a spring (k), and a damping device (c), which dissipates the energy
created by the motion of the mass
TRADITIONAL TMD
- The early versions of TMDs employ complex mechanisms for the bearing and damping elements, have
relatively large masses, occupy considerable space, and are
quite expensive
PENDULUM TUNED MASS DAMPER
- A sphere suspended by flexible steel cables acts as the TMD and keeps the building relatively still. The
relative motion of the pendulum produces a horizontal force that
opposes the floor motion.
It acts like a giant pendulum to counteract the building's movement--reducing sway due to wind by 30 to 40 percent.
The damper was too heavy to be lifted by crane and had to be assembled on-site. Eight steel cables form a sling to
support the ball, while eight viscous dampers act like shock absorbers when the sphere shifts. Able to move 5 ft. in
any direction, the Taipei TMD is the world's largest and heaviest.
TUNED LIQUID DAMPER
o A dynamic vibration absorber proposed for existing water tanks on the building in particular.
o TLD utilizes the motion of shallow liquid in a partially filled container to dissipate the vibration energy.
o The frequency of the liquid is determined
by their length and depth of the liquid.
o To increase the energy dissipation of the sloshing liquid, the flow-damping devices such as screens or posts
in the container are required.
o Different shapes of container, such as rectangular or circular can be used as TLD implementations.
Note: Unlike a circular type, a rectangular type has two different frequencies in two orthogonal directions.
SIMPLE ROLLER BEARING
- Bearings were first used by the Egyptians during the process of building the pyramids.
The concept was later adopted in mechanical engineering lessening friction on steering objects.
Utilized on automobile up to the simplest of forms as those on skateboard wheels.
The presence of bearings allows friction to decrease by lessening the point of contact between two surfaces. This
lessened contact allows easier sliding letting lesser force to move the object.
TYPES: spherical, cylindrical
BUILDING ELEV CONTROL
- Building elevation refers to the buildings shape and distribution of masses and the stiffness along its
height. The physical orientation of the building affects the structures reaction on seismic loads brought about by
earthquakes.The shape and massing of the building is taken into consideration. Tapering is the primary concept

associated with this earthquake technology. Taper may not necessarily be followed through a distinct angular
building elevation but be adopted on other characteristics of the structure.The building can also be tapered in its
mass and stiffnes.
FRICTION PENDULUM BEARING
another name of Friction Pendulum System (FPS)
seismic isolators that are installed between a structure and its foundation to protect the supported structure
from earthquake ground shaking.
it is cost-effective to build structures to elastically resist earthquake ground motions without structural
damage.
use the characteristics of a pendulum to lengthen the natural period of the isolated structure so as to avoid
the strongest earthquake forces
Three Pillars
articulated friction slider; spherical concave sliding surface; enclosing cylinder for lateral displacement
restraint
SINGLE PENDULUM BEARING
- The single slider maintains the vertical load support at the center of the structural member. This offers
construction cost advantages if one structural system is weaker, either above or below the bearing. The bearing also
has a low height, which can be advantageous in some installations.
TRIPLE PENDULLUM BEARING
- The Triple Pendulum bearing incorporates three pendulums in one bearing, each with properties selected
to optimize the structures response for different earthquake strengths and frequencies.
LEED
Following the formation of the U.S. Green Building Council in 1993, the organizations members quickly
realized that the sustainable building industry needed a system to define and measure green buildings.
USGBC began to research existing green building metrics and rating systems. Less than a year after
formation, the members acted on the initial findings by establishing a committee to focus solely on this
topic. The composition of the committee was diverse; it included architects, real estate agents, a building
owner, a lawyer, an environmentalist, and industry representatives. This cross section of people and
professions added a richness and depth to both the process and to the ultimate product.
The first LEED Pilot Project Program, also referred to as LEED Version 1.0, was launched at the USGBC
Membership Summit in August 1998. After extensive modifications, LEED Green Building Rating System
Version 2.0 was released in March 2000, with LEED Version 2.1 following in 2002 and LEED Version 2.2
following in 2005. This first series of rating systems was developed to largely address the needs of
owneroccupied new construction commercial buildings.

LEED encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable and green building and neighborhood
development practices through the creation and implementation of a universally understood and accepted
benchmark encompassing existing and new standards, tools, and performance criteria.
HOW TO CERTIFY A BUILDING PROJECT
LEED certification involves five primary steps
1CHOOSE which rating system to use. Keep in mind, some projects clearly fit the defined scope of one
LEED rating system; others may be eligible for two or more.
2REGISTER. The LEED process begins with registration. Once registration forms are submitted and
payment is complete, your project will be accessible in LEED Online.
3SUBMIT your certification application and pay a certification review fee. Fees differ with project type
and size.
4REVIEW. Await the application review. Review processes differ slightly for each project type.
5CERTIFY. Receive the certification decision, which you can either accept or appeal.
An affirmative decision signifies that your building is now LEED certified.
GREEN BLDG ORDINANCE
QC GBO - an ordinance requiring the design, construction or retrofitting of buildings, other structures and movable
properties to meet minimum standards of a green infrastructure
LEED RATING SYSTEM
- RATING SYSTEMS are groups of requirements for projects that want to achieve LEED certification. Each
group is geared towards the unique needs of a project or building type. Projects earn points to satisfy green building

requirements. Within each of the LEED credit categories, projects must satisfy prerequisites and earn points. The
number of points the project earns determines its level of LEED certification.
LEVELS OF CERTIFICATION
Certified 4049 points
Silver 5059 points
Gold 6079 points
Platinum 80 points and above
NINE PROJECT GROUPS
1. NEW CONSTRUCTION & MAJOR RENOVATIONS
2. EXISTING BUILDINGS: OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
3. COMMERCIAL INTERIORS
4. CORE AND SHELL DEVELOPMENT
5. RETAIL
6. SCHOOL
7. HOMES
8. NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT
9. HEALTHCARE
MAIN CREDIT CATEGORIES
Sustainable sites credits encourage strategies that minimize the impact on ecosystems and water resources.
Water efficiency credits promote smarter use of water, inside and out, to reduce potable water
consumption.
Energy & atmosphere credits promote better building energy performance through innovative strategies.
Materials & resources credits encourage using sustainable building materials and reducing waste.
Indoor environmental quality credits promote better indoor air quality and access to daylight and views.
ADDITIONAL LEED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT CREDIT CATEGORIES
Smart location & linkage credits promote walkable neighborhoods with efficient transportation options and
open space.
Neighborhood pattern & design credits emphasize compact, walkable, vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods
with good connections to nearby communities.
Green infrastructure & buildings credits reduce the environmental consequences of the construction and
operation of buildings and infrastructure.
Location & linkage credits encourage construction on previously developed or infill sites and promotes
walkable neighborhoods with access to efficient transportation options and open space.
Awareness & education credits encourage home builders and real estate professionals to provide
homeowners, tenants and building managers with the education and tools they need to understand and
make the most of the green building features of their home.
TWO BONUS CREDIT CATEGORIES
Innovation in design or innovation in operations credits address sustainable building expertise as well as
design measures not covered under the five LEED credit categories. Six bonus points are available in this
category.
Regional priority credits address regional environmental priorities for buildings in different geographic
regions. Four bonus points are available in this category.
BERDE
As more building owners learn the effects of climate change and the advantages of green buildings, market players
are enthusiastic in participating in the greening of the construction sector through green building and certification.
Greener buildings are:
energy and water efficient
cheaper to operate and maintain
reduced negative impacts to the environment
creates healthy environment for the users
has improved productivity of users
and improves the quality of life.
What Is BERDE?
BERDE is a green building rating system developed by the Philippine Green Building Council
(PHILGBC),

It was created by PHILGBC as an appropriate response to the Philippine building industrys need to
proactively address the negative impacts of climate change in the property sector.
It is used to measure, verify, and monitor the environmental performance of buildings that exceeds existing
mandatory regulations and standards
It is consensus-driven, and achieved through a multi-stakeholder consultation and collaboration process.
It features the latest innovative trends in building products, architecture, engineering and construction as
initiated by the industry's best and brightest minds.
BERDE FRAMEWORK
Management
Land Use and Ecology
Water
Energy
Transportation
Indoor Environment Quality
Materials
Emissions
Waste
Conservation Heritage
Innovation
BERDE FOR NEW CONSTN
BERDE FOR RETROFITS AND RENOVATIONS
BERDE FOR OPERATIONS
PROCESS OF ACCREDITATION
1. Registration
2. A project owner can apply under any of the BERDE green building rating schemes
3. Upon confirmation of project eligibility, the following
documents should be submitted to the PHILGBC
BERDE Program Secretariat for registration
BERDE Commitment Form
Project Profile
Project Personnel Organizational Chart
Project Registration Fee
4. documents will be forwarded to the accredited BERDE third-party certification body for the project certification
process.