Exercise 6

Piling
This tutorial worksheet forms part of Assessment 1 – Folio.

Assume the following:

You are the structural engineer on a project to build a ten storey concrete framed office building in
Albany, WA. The foundation material is a low load bearing capacity clay and the site is surrounded by
existing offices on three sides (right up to the boundary line) and a minor road on the fourth side see
Figure 1.

You have suggested to the architect that the preferred option for the footings is piling. The architect
is uncertain exactly what you intend and why and has asked you to answer a few questions.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

Existing office building

Existing department
store

Proposed Office Building

Existing office building

Figure 1: Location of proposed building in relation to existing buildings

Before answering the questions you go to the site again just to check that you have all the details that
you need to justify your choice of footing.

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Part A
1. Write down the information you would be seeking on your site visit. (10 marks)

2. For the purposes of this exercise you will need to make some assumptions about the site.
Write your assumptions here. (10 marks)

Part B
Now answer the following questions from the architect:

3. Select the most appropriate type of piling for this project and justify why this is the best
option. (30 marks)

4. Describe the construction sequence to get the piles installed and detail the type of plant and
equipment the contractor will use. (30 marks)

5. What risks are involved, if any? (20 marks)

Note: to complete this we suggest a Work Methods Statement (WMS) – see examples of these in the
Useful Feedback section under Assessments and Feedback in Blackboard.

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 Exercise 7
Lateral Loads

This tutorial worksheet forms part of Assessment 1 – Folio.

The images below represent the draft views of a proposed housing construction (not to be scaled). The
site is situated near Woomera, SA.

Figure 1: Plan view of the proposed construction

Figure 2: East elevation view of the proposed construction

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Figure 3: 3D view of the proposed construction

1. Justify that AS4055:2012 can be used for the design of the proposed construction to satisfy
wind resistance provisions. (15 marks)

2. Considering the aforementioned and following information, decide the wind class this site
belongs to: (40 marks)
• The terrain is characterised by isolated single storey houses of similar size to the
proposed house. The density is not more than 05 houses per hectare.
• The land is situated in the top 1/3 of a hill. The maximum slope of the hill is 130 and
the hill is about 25m high.

3. Considering the roof construction of this house, provide a detailed description of the provisions
and solutions to satisfy AS4055:2012 compliance requirements (you may use applied
publications as an alternative resource of information in the case where access to AS4055:2012
is difficult). (45 marks)

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 Exercise 8

Suspended Floors

This tutorial worksheet forms part of Assessment 1 – Folio.

Introduction
You are a structural engineer who has just been employed by a multi-disciplinary practice (which
includes architects, structural engineers, services engineers and quantity surveyors). During the course
of your first week at the office you have received the following four memos from people within your
new company, all of which need answering as soon as possible. Provide an answer to suit, using
drawings where appropriate to illustrate your answer.

Memo 1
From: Christine Smith, Head Architect
Subject: Lightweight flooring for new project

Dear Ms/Mr Engineer,

Welcome to the company. We are currently doing sketch designs for a new multi-storey office building
(25 storeys) in Perth CBD with a footprint area of approx. 30m x 30m. We have the usual constraints of
time and cost. The foundation material below the proposed building has a very low load bearing
capacity so we must keep the weight of the building as low as possible. Can you please have a think
about some alternatives for the type of structural frame for the building and more particularly the type
of flooring system that would best suit these requirements? When you are ready give me a call to
arrange a meeting. (20 marks)

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Memo 2
From: Martin Scooter, Architect
Subject: Extensions to an existing shopping centre

Dear Mr/Ms Engineer,

Glad to have you with us. I am currently managing the design details for extensions to an existing
shopping centre. The existing centre has shops on the ground and first floors and a food hall which is
in a central open atrium area two storeys high. As part of the extensions the owners of the centre
want the first floor slab to be extended over the existing food hall to give more floor area at first floor
level for new shops. I have enclosed a sketch of the slab and beam arrangements surrounding the
existing food hall. Can you please give me some idea of the type of slab we should use, how the new
slab should be constructed and how to tie it into the existing structure? Many thanks.

I have attached plans for your convenience. (40 marks)

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 Shops

Balcony

Void with food

Shops
Shops hall below

A A

Balcony

Shops

First Floor Plan

FL Shop Shop
s

Food Hall
GL

Section A - A

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Memo 3
From: Janice Trimble, Architect
Subject: Back-propping

***** URGENT *****

Hi Mr/Ms Engineer,

Sorry, to do this to you in your first week here. I need some advice. I am supervising the construction
of an eight storey hotel building. The frame and floors are being constructed by the contractor using
traditional reinforced in-situ concrete. On my site visit this morning I noticed that the contractor was
removing formwork and all props from underneath a slab that had been poured only 7 days ago. I
seem to recall that slabs should be back-propped but can't remember the full reasons or sequence
required for back-propping. Can you please send me a sheet stating the purpose and a diagram
showing the procedure so that I can pass it onto the contractor? I need the information urgently as I
believe current site practices may be unsafe. Thanks. (20 marks)

Memo 4
From: Sid Lately, Senior Architect
Subject: New Development in Middle East

Welcome Mr/Ms Engineer,

I have been approached by a major Arab bank to design their new headquarters building in Oman in the
Middle East. They have indicated that the building cannot exceed ten storeys due to local height
restrictions. They want the building to be constructed as soon as possible and at minimal cost. I
already have in mind some idea of shape and layout but am not sure which flooring system would be
most appropriate. I am unfamiliar with the region and intend ringing the local Australian Embassy to
find out more details about the area. Can you let me know what you want me to ask them in order to
decide on the most appropriate system? (20 marks)

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 Exercise 9
Roof Structures
This tutorial worksheet forms part of Assessment 1 – Folio.

Introduction
Assume you are an Architect responsible for the design of various buildings.

Part A
You are to choose a particular roof shape, structure and material for each of the following buildings
and give a reason for your choice in each case. Use neat sketches comprising a vertical section and
plan view to illustrate your answers: (15x5 = 75 marks)
a) University lecture theatre
b) Sports hall
c) Stadium over seating only
d) Warehouse storing carpets
e) Factory making specialist cars

Part B
You have been asked to design a factory building. The factory will be used to assemble computers in a
carefully controlled air-conditioned space. The manufacturing process requires plenty of natural light.
The client is concerned about cost and has therefore instructed that there will be no suspended
ceiling. The client also wants the building to be built as quickly as possible. The factory will be
located in Geraldton, Western Australia in an exposed position close to the beach.

You are to advise the client on the most appropriate roof structure for their building, in your answer,
ensure to address all the client's concerns/instructions (detailed above). Use drawings to illustrate your
response.

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 Exercise 10
External Walls
This tutorial worksheet forms part of Assessment 1 – Folio.

Introduction
You are a construction manager in a large construction company which has built various multi-storey
office buildings throughout Australia. You have personally worked on several of these projects and
have obtained considerable experience in the problems associated with different external wall designs.

An architect, with whom your company has jointly undertaken various development projects, has been
awarded the contract to design a new 10 storey office block on a very tight site along the waterfront in
Fremantle.

The architect knows of your experience with office buildings and has asked your boss if he could seek
your advice about problems associated with the external wall design for this new project. Your boss
has agreed to you attending a meeting with the architect.

The architect has already decided on some aspects of the design:

• the building will be set out on a 5m grid pattern;
• the frame of the building (including suspended floors and roof) will be in-situ concrete; and
• edge beams around the perimeter of the building will be:
i. approx. 600mm deep (below the soffit of the slab); and
ii. approx. 400mm high (above the surface of the slab)

The architect has suggested the following list of materials that he may wish to use for the external
walls and wants your comment on their suitability.
• precast concrete;
• brick;
• profiled metal decking;
• natural stone (marble/granite); and
• render.

He also wants to know which of these two methods would be the most appropriate for the external
walls:
• Infill panels only; or
• Infill panel with external facing.

In order to prepare yourself for the proposed meeting you must write down details about the following:

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1. Additional Information
Is there any additional information you will need from the architect to help in your assessment of the
problems? List your assumptions that you have made. (10 marks)

2. Choice of Material
List the advantages and disadvantages of using each of the following materials for the proposed
building: (25 marks)
• Precast concrete
• Brick
• Profiled metal decking
• Natural stone (marble/granite)
• Render

3. External Wall System

List the advantages and disadvantages of using each system for the external walls of the proposed
building. (25 marks)
• Infill panels
• Infill panels with facing

4. Recommended Wall System

Give your recommendation for your preferred system and material and provide scaled drawings
comprising a vertical section illustrating the construction details so it is clear how the wall system is
constructed. (40 marks)

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 Exercise 11

Formwork
This tutorial worksheet forms part of Assessment 1 – Folio.

Assume the following:

You are the Construction Manager of a large building company which has just won the tender to build
two structures in the new Disneyland in Perth.

The two reinforced in-situ concrete structures are:

1. A 60m high viewing tower; and
2. An exhibition hall.

Details of the buildings are shown below. You have been asked by your planning department to let
them know how you propose to construct the formwork for each structure so they can schedule the
activities on their programme of works. The director of the company is concerned that such structures
will be very costly because of the unique nature of the formwork. You must convince him that you
have assessed the methods and found the most appropriate and cost effective solution.

In order to provide the information you will need to answer the following questions for EACH structure:

1. What is the most appropriate type of formwork (i.e. timber or steel) and why? (2x5 marks)

2. How will the formwork be supported? (2x10 marks)

3. What is the sequence of operations to erect the formwork? (2x10 marks)

4. How is the design of the formwork cost effective? (2x10 marks)

5. Draw a diagram to illustrate your solutions. (2x15 marks)

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