Built in Two Parts The first part of the building consist in a one pieced semisphere of 18 m high and 50 m wide made of several layers. This kind of construction is called a Dome construction, a new emerging way of constructing spheres and semi-spheres without using formwork so it reduces time and costs.
The second part of the building consist in all the interior elements that do not get in touch with the dome so it structural work is not compromised. The interior is made of reinforced concrete with postressed steel.
Niemeyer Center AvilĂŠs_Dome_GROUP 1
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Type of Dome Constructions 1) Industrial a)Clinker, Cement and “Graneles” Silos The Domo system garantees a perfect sealing, with the important consecuences that it has for the conservation of the products that it contains.
b)Gas and Water Deposits The deposits made with domo systems are ideal for storage. The structures are completely sealed and waterproof to the emision of contaminant particles to the exterior. For a stored volume the required ocupation of land is less. Its double curvature geometry permits the loading of its walls, permitting 100% of the use of the covered volume. This supposes an important reduction in the inversion costs.
c)Carbon Parks The domo structures are completely sealed to the emision of solid particles and accoustic or thermal to the exterior, and waterproof to the penetration of direct humidity or condensations. An important energetic saving the fuel is destined to.
Niemeyer Center Avilés_Dome_GROUP 1
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Type of Dome Constructions 2) Architectural a)Construction Type A Advantages: Optimization of the relation volumestorage/surface occupied. Disminution of the maintenance cost of the stored product. Environmental and conservation optimization
b)Construction Type B Advantages: Makes possible the storage of great volumes in areas with height limitation and with difficulties due to environmental impact. Simplification of the extraction process.
c)Construction Type C Advantages: Sealing garanteed. Less environmental impact Large spans with no intermediate supports.
Niemeyer Center AvilĂŠs_Dome_GROUP 1
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Advantages of Dome Constructions -Superior protection of the stored products, given its excelent thermal insulation, waterproofing and ultraviolet radiations. -The monolithic surface of double curvature has a better behaviour against punctual and distributed forces. -Supports large loads. -Permits larger spans. -Better behaviour against earthquakes and hurricanes -It can be built underground. -Permits storage on the walls, making the most of their mechanic capacities. -Maximum use of the stored volume. -Competitive cost. -Fast construction -Less operational cost and maintenance. -More durability. -Different geometries.
Niemeyer Center AvilĂŠs_Dome_GROUP 1
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Construction Process The first step is to level out the terrain and make the foundations, which are a strip footing. The canvas that then gives the shape of the cupola is tied to the foundations and elevated with an autocrane. Air is pumped in from one end and the canvas is inflated. It has an opening at the top to regulate the air pressure, as inside there was overpressure, like in a balloon. To avoid the loss of air pressure, the workers had to enter the site through an airlock. A series of layers are needed now to give consistency to the building. Polyurethane is projected from the inside onto the canvas in ring forms, and on top of it is added a layer of 5 or 6 cm of shotcrete. The reinforcement is introduced and more shotcrete is added, to obtain a layer of 80 cm in the base that is reduced to 20 cm in the top.
Niemeyer Center AvilĂŠs_Dome_GROUP 1
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Construction Process Once the cupola was completed, they proceeded to build the interior concrete slab. It is supported by a system of postensed beams which works independently from the structure of the dome. The connection between floors is done through an aerial spiral staircase.
The last step was to cover the hole at the top, and this required another crane, and a very strict security protocol, with a person constantly supervising the process. Once the structure is completed, the interior surface of the dome will be covered with pladur and very large lamp will be hung from the top center part, which will help the structure to work in compression.
Niemeyer Center AvilĂŠs_Dome_GROUP 1
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