Structural Concept – MSLE Description/classification of structural systems Foundations and Footings: It is a concrete slab on slab footings. Primary Structure (Horizontal and vertical) Vertical: Load bearing walls, footings, columns Horizontal: Slab floor, beams Secondary Structure (Horizontal and Vertical) Vertical: windows and doors, lift-shaft Horizontal: Handrail Graphic Structural Diagrams Foundations and Footings:
Primary Structure- columns and beams
Secondary Structure
Lift Structure
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Identification, description and location of structural materials Page A06.07 Brick column: made out of brick is used to support the second level flooring system while also creating more open rooms as lessens the need for structural (load bearing) walls Concrete slab: the concrete slab creates the floor for the ground level and is supported by the brick footing Brick Footing: similar to the brick columns it is made out of brick but is used to support the slab flooring system Open web joistà ceiling material: Open web joisting allows the ceiling material to be supported on the top level of the building and also allows space for services and pipes to be placed through the ceiling without reducing its structural integrity Zinc cladding à outdoor deck roofing material: Zinc being a rust resistant, light and durable metal is being used to create both a structural and design feature of the decking roof. (Week 6 Materials: Metal video, 2013) Identify 3 Structural Joints and Sketch
Left to right: Column to floor join, removable grate join, typical wall section (two walls joined)
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Identify and explain the use of different structural fixings Weld: Used to join two types of metals together, this type of join is hard to break but does create structural weakness of the structure at the join (Ching, 2008) Concrete: Used in the MSLE building to create a slab flooring system and also the slab footings, it is a strong material under compression (Week 4: materials- concrete, 2013) Bolt: Are one of the strongest joining methods combining the principles of the screw and nail but design for more heavy duty joins. Bolts can join almost any materials together and has small ridges which create a tight hold in the material. (Ching, 2013) Screw: A screw is stronger than nails and is drilled into the material (typically wood) and has groves, which grip in and hold the material. Screws can vary in shape and size. (Ching, 2013) Nail: Used to join two pieces of wood together, not a strong join compared to screws and bolts so are therefore predominately used in frame construction and secondary structures. (Ching, 2013)
Sustainability and Environmental Analysis Carbon Footprint: The building is overall designed to be fairly environmentally friendly. It consists of lots of large windows and since the building is predominately used during the day it means that there is a reduced need for so much lighting/ for it to be turned on all the time, which therefore reduces the buildings carbon footprint. Embodied Energy: The building is made out of a vast number of materials ranging from wood, steel and bricks, each of these materials have a different level of embodied energy however they have been used throughout the building to provide the best structural support/system which therefore means the building is designed to last a long time. This therefore means that despite materials such as steel and timber having large levels of embodied energy it is outweighed by the fact that the building is durable and will last for many years before needing to be fixed, redesigned or demolished. Recyclability: Although some of the materials throughout the building could be recycled such as the wood or the metal being smelted after building use, the structure has been designed in such a way that does not make this process easy and it therefore wouldn’t necessarily be cost effect and at current technology levels, environmental viable to recycle and reuse parts of the building. However as previously stated this is mainly due to the building be built in a durable way which therefore reduces the need for the building to be recycled anytime in the near future. Economical Implications of Decisions The type of materials and method of construction all play an important role in determining costs for a building. Buildings such as the MSLE building have standardised the doors and windows, which helps to minimise construction costs of those elements, as they are effectively bulk bought. Having the same types of windows and doors also creates a faster installation process as there is less to worry about in terms of which window goes where and it also means that the installation process for all the windows is the same and therefore the process can become faster as more of the windows and doors are installed. Decision of whether to use prefabricated structures such as wooden frames or concrete slabs offsite can also have large economical implications as they can save overall building construction time and also reduce the number of staff needed on site to build these structures therefore meaning that there is reduced labour costs. Overall the more complicated and technical the construction becomes when designing and building the more expertise and time and materials is often needed which therefore corresponds with a direct increase in price. (Ching, 2013)