The Magazine Of The Institution Of Engineers, Singapore January 2017 MCI (P) 003/03/2017 www.ies.org.sg
THE
SINGAPORE ENGINEER COVER STORY:
JTC gets ahead with construction tech
FEATURES: • Structural Engineering • Sustainability • Project Application
CONTENTS FEATURES 18 INDUSTRY OUTLOOK:
Founded in 1966
40 PROJECT APPLICATION:
Public sector construction demand expected to increase this year
High-rise project with advanced formwork technology
Prospects for the industry look good.
Construction of the Signature Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is governed by practical considerations and safety.
20 COVER STORY: JTC gets ahead with construction tech New technologies are being adopted to achieve productivity gains.
26 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING:
44 PROJECT APPLICATION: Potain MCT 385 cranes assist in prefabricated construction The challenges include site constraints and the heavy loads to be lifted.
Award-winning project features innovatively designed timber roof An unconventional design approach gains recognition.
30 SUSTAINABILITY: Singapore conference achieves stringent emissions and waste targets Efforts were directed to reduce the environmental impact of the event.
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32 SUSTAINABILITY: Siemens cuts carbon dioxide emissions A leading producer of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies is decarbonising its own operations.
34 PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS: Strengthening structures to resist earthquakes Fibre Reinforced Polymers and Fibre Reinforced Grouts are among the products that can help to reduce the effects of seismic activity.
38 PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS: Safe maintenance of sloped and vertical landscaping A range of devices are available to ensure ‘work at height’ safety.
Chief Editor T Bhaskaran t_b_n8@yahoo.com
Media Consultant Roland Ang roland@iesnet.org.sg
CEO Angie Ng angie@iesnet.org.sg
Published by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 Fax: 6467 1108
Publications Manager Desmond Teo desmond@iesnet.org.sg Publications Executive Queek Jiayu jiayu@iesnet.org.sg
Cover designed by Irin Kuah Cover images by JTC
REGULAR SECTIONS 02 INDUSTRY NEWS 14 EVENTS 45 IES UPDATE
The Singapore Engineer is published monthly by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES). The publication is distributed freeof-charge to IES members and affiliates. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor or IES. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine shall be reproduced, mechanically or electronically, without the prior consent of IES. Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy of the content at press time, IES will not be liable for any discrepancies. Unsolicited contributions are welcome but their inclusion in the magazine is at the discretion of the Editor.
Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd Printed in Singapore
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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INDUSTRY NEWS
First engineer recognised for design excellence For the first time since the President’s Design Award was launched in 2006, a recipient nominated under the engineering design discipline received the Designer of the Year award. Dr Hossein Rezai, Director at Web Structures Pte Ltd and a Chartered Engineer in civil and structural engineering, was recognised for applying structural engineering design principles to provide sustainable, productive and optimised solutions in his projects. For example, he was involved in the design of the Assyafaah Mosque in Sembawang, which employed an innovative reinforced concrete archedframe to create a column-free prayer hall on the ground level and to support three storeys of classrooms and other
ancillary spaces.The arched frame freed up ground-floor space, and lowered construction costs by 6.5 per cent. Dr Rezai, whose other projects include the new Mediacorp headquarters building, Tokio Marine Centre and Ardmore Residence, received the accolade from President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana in December last year. “Over the years, we have noticed an increasing number of cross-disciplinary submissions, particularly projects that blend engineering and design. So we decided to introduce Engineering Design as a new design discipline to be considered for the Award. We are happy to have our first Designer of the Year from this discipline,” said Mr Robert Tomlin, Chairman of the Pres-
ident’s Design Award 2016 Steering Committee and DesignSingapore Council. The President’s Design Award is adHossein Rezai. ministered by Dr Photo: DesignSingapore the DesignSin- Council gapore Council of the Ministry of Communications and Information, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. There were a total of 17 jurors from seven countries, including Singapore, assessing 140 eligible nominations before making the final cut.
Keppel to build Singapore’s fourth desalination plant at Marina East PUB has chosen Keppel Infrastructure Holdings Pte Ltd, to design, build, own and operate Singapore's fourth desalination plant, to be located in Marina East. Expected to be operational in 2020, the new desalination plant will be able to produce 137,000 cubic metres (about 30 million gallons) of fresh drinking water per day. The plant will be the first in Singapore with the ability to treat both seawater and freshwater (from Marina Reservoir) by using reverse osmosis and other advanced membrane technology.
Keppel Seghers Pte Ltd will undertake the turnkey construction and commissioning of the project, and Keppel Infrastructure Services Pte Ltd (Keppel Infrastructure Services) will operate the plant for 25 years. Dr Ong Tiong Guan, CEO of Keppel Infrastructure, felt that the Marina East Desalination Plant would be an “iconic project” due to its capability in treating both reservoir and seawater. “This project affirms Keppel Infrastructure's capabilities to create value and offer innovative and competitive solutions for environmental
A desalination plant.
infrastructure essential for sustainable urbanisation,” he added. With this development, Singapore’s drought resilience will be strength-
IES Council Members 2016 / 2017 President Er. Edwin Khew
Honorary Treasurer Er. Joseph Goh
Vice Presidents Er. Chan Ewe Jin Mr Mervyn Sirisena Er. Ng Say Cheong Er. Ong See Ho Er. Seow Kang Seng Dr Yeoh Lean Weng
Immediate Past President Er. Chong Kee Sen
Honorary Secretary Dr Boh Jaw Woei
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Past Presidents Prof Chou Siaw Kiang Er. Ho Siong Hin Assistant Honorary Secretary Mr Joseph William Eades Er. Joseph Toh Dr Lim Kok Hwa
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Assistant Honorary Treasurer Mr Tan Sim Chuan Council Members Prof Chan Eng Soon Dr Chew Soon Hoe Mr Dalson Chung Mr David So Prof Er Meng Joo Mr Goh Yang Miang Ms Jasmine Foo Mr Lee Kwok Weng
A/Prof Lee Poh Seng Mr Norman Lee Prof Ramakrishna Seeram Er. Teo Chor Kok Dr Zhou Yi Honorary Council Members Er. Dr Lee Bee Wah Er. Ong Ser Huan Er. Tan Seng Chuan
INDUSTRY NEWS ened. This will also enhance the reliability of water supply for the city and eastern Singapore areas by providing an alternative supply to these areas. The open tender attracted sixteen bids from seven bidders, local and international. Similar to the first two desalination plants at Tuas, the fourth desalination plant will be constructed under a Design, Build, Own and Operate (DBOO) arrangement. At a first-year price of $1.07867 per cubic metre, Keppel Infrastructure will supply product water to PUB over the course of operating the plant, up till 2045.
“Desalinated water is an important part of our water supply portfolio. As a source independent of weather fluctuations, it is resilient against the vagaries of climate change and bolsters the reliability of our water supply against prolonged periods of dry spells and droughts,” said Mr Chua Soon Guan, PUB’s Deputy Chief Executive of Policy and Development. He further revealed that there were plans in the pipeline to Singapore’s desalination capacity to meet up to 30 per cent of the nation’s future water needs, up from the current 25 per cent. The Marina East Desalination Plant
is PUB’s sixth DBOO project between the national water agency and the private sector, the first five being the SingSpring desalination plant, the Keppel-Seghers Ulu Pandan NEWater Plant, the SembCorp Changi NEWater Plant, the Tuaspring Desalination Plant and more recently, the second NEWater Plant in Changi. Desalinated water is one of PUB’s Four National Taps, a long term water supply strategy to ensure a robust and sustainable supply of water for Singapore. The other three sources are water from local catchments, imported water from Johor and NEWater.
Joint programmes between SIT and overseas partners to ensure ‘work-ready’ graduates Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) launched a new civil engineering degree programme and converted six of its existing Overseas University (OU) programmes to joint programmes for Academic Year (AY) 2017/2018, in line with the university’s mission to groom industry-ready students and equip them with the right skillsets to excel in the workforce. These six programmes, previously offered as ‘campus-blind’ OU programmes by Newcastle University (NU) at SIT, will now be offered as joint degrees by SIT and NU. These six programmes will now incorporate the Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP), a unique feature of SIT’s current degree offerings. During the IWSP, students will will work in a host company for an extended period of time, allowing them to integrate theory and practice and develop deep specialist skills in their chosen field. Together with the existing joint degrees that SIT is offering with University of Glasgow (UofG), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and DigiPen Institute of Technology, this will increase the total number of joint degrees to 11.
Addressing the manpower crunch in the building and construction industry Additionally, SIT and UofG have also partnered to introduce a Civil Engineering programme to address the need for local manpower with the necessary civil engineering professional qualifications, for the building and construction industry. This three-year Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and one-year Master in Engineering Technology programme will equip students with the practical knowledge and skills to plan, design, construct, maintain and operate infrastructures such as roads, rail, bridges, buildings, canals, ports and underground structures as well as to rehabilitate ageing critical infrastructures in service. “Through a heavy emphasis on project-based learning and industrial immersion, this programme aims to produce industry-ready graduates who are equipped with a high level of technical expertise to address multidisciplinary challenges, and provide technically sound, economically feasible and sustainable solutions to civil engineering problems,” said Prof
Chiew Sing Ping, Programme Director, Civil Engineering, SIT. SIT’s admission period for AY 2017/2018 is from 11 January to 19 March 2017. Interested students can apply online at singaporetech.edu.sg. NEW JOINT DEGREE PROGRAMMES PROGRAMME Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Civil Engineering Master of Engineering Technology in Civil Engineering
OFFERED BY
SIT and University of Glasgow
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Electrical Power Engineering Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in: • Marine Engineering • Naval Architecture • Offshore Engineering Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Engineering
SIT and Newcastle University
Bachelor of Engineering with Honours in Chemical Engineering
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Leadership changes at ST Engineering With effect from 1 January 2017, Mr Lee Fook Sun relinquished his appointment as President of ST Electronics to focus on his other roles as Deputy CEO and President of Defence Business of the Group. Taking over the role vacated by Mr Lee Fook Sun is Mr Ravinder Singh, who is currently also the President of ST Kinetics. He will hand over responsibility for helming ST Kinetics to Mr Lee Shiang Long, currently President of Defence Business at ST Kinetics and D eputy Chief Technology Officer of ST Engineering. This is expected to occur sometime in April 2017. “These changes are part of our
(Left to right) Mr Lee Fook Sun, Mr Ravinder Singh and Mr Lee Shiang Long. Photos: ST Engineering.
continuous efforts to strengthen the leadership bench of the Group. The leadership team will continue to build on the strengths of the Group and the domain expertise of the business sectors to pursue profitable growth,”
said Mr Vincent Chong, President & CEO of ST Engineering. For more information, visit http://www.stengg.com/presscentre/press-releases/leadershipchanges-at-st-engineering
Sand absorbs high-speed ballistic impact better than steel: NUS study This unique capability suggests potential of using sand blocks as cheaper, lighter and greener alternatives to enhance critical infrastructure protection. While sand has been used traditionally for military fortification, very little is known about the unique energy absorption capability of the material. In a recent study, a team of researchers from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Faculty of Engineering found that sand can absorb more than 85 per cent of the energy exerted against it, and its ability to resist the impact increases with the speed of the projectile, even at high velocities. In contrast, steel plates have poorer energy absorption capacity against high speed projectiles. This novel finding suggests that sand can potentially be used as a cheaper, lighter and more environmentally friendly alternative to enhance protection of critical infrastructure as well as armour systems. Led by Assistant Professor Dar-
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The team behind the impactful discovery. From left to right: A/Prof Vincent Tan, Asst Prof Darren Chian, and Adjunct Asst Prof Anand Sarma.
ren Chian Siau Chen from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the NUS research team made this novel discovery after conducting tests where projectiles of various shapes and masses were fired
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
against a silica sand block. Silica sand is one of the world's most common variety of sand. “While the use of compacted sand for defence protection has long been practiced in military settings, there is
INDUSTRY NEWS still a lack of a detailed understanding on how it works to resist impact and how this resistance changes with the speed and geometry of the incoming projectile. “Our study focuses on the energy absorption mechanism of sand - that is, how it performs against projectile penetration. Our findings show that sand holds a strong potential as a composite material for protection against impact,� said Asst Prof Chian. The team, which includes Associate Professor Vincent Tan from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Adjunct Asst Prof Anand Sarma from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, also found that the impact of high-speed projectiles on sand also resulted in an extreme fric-
tional force that could potentially break the projectile into pieces. This is due to the pressure and friction offered by the sand grains, which dilate and resist continual penetration of the incoming projectile. Expanding the extensive applications of sand The team believes that the findings of their study will further expand the wide-ranging applicationsof sand, which is currently being used extensively in areas such as glass making, building construction and land reclamation. Asst Prof Chian explained that the unique characteristics of sand could be exploited in applications that impact our daily lives, such as using it as a complementary building material
to steel to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure or households. It can also be used in armour systems as a cost-effective, environmentally-friendly and lightweight sacrificial layer, given its superior energy absorption capabilities. Moving forward, the NUS team intends to carry out larger scale trials to establish the full potential performance of sand for impact resistance. To further tap on the penetrationinhibiting property of sand, the researchers will also explore integrating the sand layer with other compliant materials for possible application in infrastructure protection. In addition, the research team will look into the energy absorption capabilities of similar geomaterials such as rock rubble.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Surbana Jurong and Microsoft to develop cloud-based Smart City in a Box solutions, enhance app offerings Surbana Jurong and Microsoft signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in November last year to cement their cooperation in developing cloud-based Smart City in a Box solutions, while enhancing its suite of applications in the Asia Pacific region. Launched in July 2016, Surbana Jurong’s Smart City in a Box is an integrated set of solutions with a dashboard that allows city officials to load customisable apps in four key areas – security, efficiency, sustainability and community.This enables them to track, monitor and manage cities better. Surbana Jurong will tap into Microsoft’s Azure – a cloud computing platform for building, deploying and managing applications and services through a global network of Microsoftmanaged data centres – to upgrade its
Smart City in a Box to the cloud. This will enable clients to deploy apps and solutions from anywhere, provide flexibility in expansion, save on infrastructure investment costs, improve resilience through digital backups as well as allow them to receive automatic software updates. The MoU will also see Surbana Jurong tap on Microsoft’s technology to enhance its Smart City in a Box with more sophisticated predictive data and stream analytics, cognitive services, sensing technology and machine learning. Through this, Surbana Jurong’s lift and asset management services will be improved. For Microsoft, the collaboration with Surbana Jurong is the first of its kind in the region. The tech giant will gain a partner with mutual interest
in developing and adopting solutions from its growing partner ecosystem. The MOU was signed by Mr Wong Heang Fine, Group CEO of Surbana Jurong and Mr Alberto Granados, Vice President, Microsoft Asia Pacific during an event at Microsoft Auditorium, One Marina Boulevard. Some Smart City in a Box apps: • Sustainability – smart lighting, energy usage monitoring • Security – facial recognition, water quality monitoring, fire and smoke detection • People – feedback and engagement • Efficiency – asset upkeep and maintenance
SIA Engineering Company and Pratt & Whitney integrate Singapore joint ventures Mainboard-listed SIA Engineering Company Limited (SIAEC) announced it has, together with Pratt & Whitney (P&W), agreed to integrate the operations of their Singapore based joint venture companies, Component Aerospace Singapore Pte Ltd (CAS) and International Aerospace Tubes-Asia Pte Ltd (IAT-A), with CAS being the entity to hold the businesses and capabilities of IAT-A. CAS, incorporated in February 1994, is a joint venture of P&W (51 per cent) and SIAEC (49 per cent) for the repair and overhaul of combustor and fuel nozzles for PW4000, V2500 and CFM56 engines. IAT-A, incorporated in February 2002 by P&W (67.7 per cent) and SIAEC
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(33.3 per cent), repairs engine tubes, ducts and manifolds for the same products. In line with the integration, SIAEC has entered into an agreement to sell 2.6 per cent of the shares in CAS to P&W for a total consideration of approximately USD 2.7 million in cash. Based on CAS’ audited financial statements for the financial year ended 30 November 2015, the net tangible asset value of the CAS sale shares was USD 1.2 million. SIAEC now holds 46.4 per cent of CAS shares after the sale was completed on 30 November 2016. Subsequent to the transfer of IATA’s existing business to CAS, IAT-A will be liquidated.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
The Integration and the sale of CAS shares are not expected to have a material impact on SIAEC’s financial performance in FY2016/17.
The integrated entity will be able to generate improved operational efficiencies, economies of scale and synergies from better allocation of resources and streamlining of business processes.
INDUSTRY NEWS
ISOTeam expands M&E capabilities with proposed acquisition of Rong Shun ISOTeam Ltd, a Repairs and Redecoration (R&R) and Addition and Alteration (A&A) specialist in Singapore, announced on 5 January 2016 that it had entered into a share sale agreement with Mdm Ting Guak Choo for the proposed acquisition of Rong Shun Engineering & Construction Pte Ltd at an aggregate purchase consideration of SGD 6.45 million. Rong Shun is principally engaged in the provision of electrical works including electrical installation, provision of fire alarm and security systems, and all wire-related works.
The proposed acquisition will expand the Group’s capability to offer a full suite of engineering services and solutions such as mechanical and electrical services, air conditioning, mechanical ventilation works, security, The acquisition of in-house M&E capabilities is expected to support fire protection systems ISOTeam’s renewable energy installation business as well as optimise as well as sanitary and control over costs and work progress for fast-track A&A projects. plumbing services, which For more information, visit complement the Group’s existing cahttp://isoteam.listedcompany. pabilities in A&A, upgrading and renewcom/news.html/id/562703 able energy installation.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
NTU develops thin foam that keeps vehicles and buildings cooler and quieter Nanyang Technological University has developed a new material that will make vehicles and buildings cooler and quieter compared to current insulation materials in the market. Known as aerogel composites, this new foam insulates against heat 2.6 times better than conventional insulation foam. When compared to traditional materials used in soundproofing, it can block out 80 per cent of outside noise, 30 per cent more than the usual ones. Made from silica aerogels with a few other additives, this new material is now ready for commercialisation and is expected to hit the market early next year. The material has the potential to be used in a wide range of applications, including in building and construction, oil and gas and the auto-
Developers of the silica aerogel composite technology, NTU Associate Professor Sunil Chandrankant Joshi (right) and his then-PhD student, Dr Mahesh Sachithanadam (left) holding up their products. Photo: NTU
motive industry. Its development has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and a patent has been filed by NTU’s innovation and enterprise arm NTUitive. Bronx Creative & Design Center
Pte Ltd, a local company, has also licensed the technology to develop this material with a joint venture of SGD 7 million (USD$5.2 million). Bronx will set up a production plant that will become operational this year.
Meinhardt Group International Limited and Siemens Pte Ltd Sign MOU for technology collaboration Engineering and project management consultancy firm Meinhardt Group International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration in technology with Siemens Pte Ltd, the Singapore arm of Siemens AG recently. Both parties indicated a strong commitment to leverage their expertise and capabilities in engineering and urban solutions, forming a strategic partnership to collaborate in the areas of Intelligent Building Technologies, Building Performance & Sustainability, Airports & Seaports, Data Centres, Rail & Road Transport, and Power & Smart Grids. Meinhardt, with the support of the Singapore Economic Development
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Board, operates Singapore’s first Smart Cities Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the planned collaboration with Siemens will support the CoE’s development of new smart city solutions. The collaboration will enhance both firms’ leading international position as a model for smart technology providers in the region by incorporating state-of-the-art technology in ICT, smart buildings, intelligent transportation, renewable energy and green technologies. The MoU was signed by Mr Omar Shahzad, Group CEO of Meinhardt and Dr Armin Bruck, President and CEO of Siemens Pte Ltd. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Dr S. Nasim, Group Executive Chairman of
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
Meinhardt and Dr Roland Busch, Managing Board Member of Siemens AG.
Dr Bruck (left) and Mr Shahzad (right) sign the MoU as Dr Busch (standing, left) and Dr Nasim (standing, right) look on. Photo: Meinhardt
INDUSTRY NEWS
Leading energy players launch Singapore chapter of the World Energy Council
Launch of the World Energy Council’s Singapore Member Committee.
Leading power companies recently came together to launch the Singapore chapter of the World Energy Council - a United Nations-accredited energy body with members across the global energy stakeholder community. The chapter seeks to provide a platform on disruptive changes in the energy scene, and to address the energy trilemma of creating a secure, accessible and sustainable energy future. The chapter’s founding members are Singapore Power, Senoko Energy, YTL PowerSeraya, Tuas Power, PacificLight Power and Singapore District Cooling. Singapore Power is the chairing organisation. This is the first time that Singapore companies across the energy supply chain - from generation, transmission and distribution, to district cooling and heating - are forming an industry association. The formation of the Singapore Chapter of the World Energy Coun-
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cil is timely, given the rapid transformation of the global energy industry due to the fast-paced development of new technologies, environmental challenges and changing consumer needs. World Energy Council Singapore creates a platform for the local industry to help char t the course of Singapore’s energy landscape. The Singapore chapter will tap on World Energy Council’s network of more than 3,000 member organisations in 90 countries, for global insights and best practices on energy policy, innovation and sustainability strategies. Members comprise governments, private and state corporations, academia, NGOs and energy-related stakeholders. The council promotes an affordable, stable and environmentally sensitive energy system for the world, through global, regional and national energy strategies. With Singapore setting ambitious
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
goals to reduce energy emissions intensity and stabilise greenhouse gas emissions at the COP21 in Paris, the local chapter of the World Energy Council and its constituent organisations will play an impor tant role in complementing public sector effor ts. World Energy Council The World Energy Council is the principal impar tial network of leaders and practitioners promoting an affordable, stable and environmentally sensitive energy system for the greatest benefit of all. Formed in 1923, the council is the UN-accredited global energy body, representing the entire energy spectrum. The World Energy Council informs global, regional and national energy strategies by hosting highlevel events, publishing authoritative studies, and working through its extensive member network to facilitate the world’s energy policy dialogue.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Siemens and Bentley Systems advance strategic alliance Siemens and Bentley Systems recently announced that they have formalised a strategic alliance agreement to drive new business value by accelerating digitalisation to advance infrastructure project delivery and asset performance in complementary business areas. Siemens and Bentley Systems will initially invest at least EUR 50 million in developing joint solutions to enlarge their respective offerings for infrastructure and industry to the benefit of the end-customers. This work will uniquely leverage new cloud services for a connected data environment to converge respective digital engineering models from both companies. In addition to those elements of the agreement, approximately EUR 70 million of secondary shares of Bentley’s common stock have been acquired by Siemens, under a company programme that will continue until such time as Bentley Systems’ stock is publicly traded. Siemens and Bentley Systems have complemented their respective portfo-
lios through the licensing of each other’s technology to provide solutions in the Digital Factory and Process Industries & Drives divisions, where respective software offerings have already been integrated. For example, Bentley’s reality modelling software has been integrated into Siemens Process Simulate to leverage laser-scanned point clouds in modelling the existing context of brownfield industrial environments. The new investment initiatives will involve virtually all Siemens divisions. The major benefit will be accumulating intelligence from Siemens solutions throughout Bentley’s complementary applications for design modelling, analytical modelling, construction modelling and asset performance modelling. As a result, the integrated and accessible digital engineering models, such as the ‘digital twin’ viewed through an immersive 3D interface, will enable high operational performance, visibility and reliability. This work will converge digital engineering models - physical engineer-
ing models in their 3D physical reality context by way of Bentley’s software solutions and the corresponding functional engineering 2D models within Siemens’ solutions. Siemens and Bentley Systems have identified opportunities to work together in Energy Management, Power Generation, Building Technology and Mobility, where each company can leverage its respective technology and industry expertise to bring new business value to the market. For example, Bentley’s applications for the 3D modelling and structural analysis of industrial and infrastructure assets complement Siemens’ solutions and domain expertise in electrification and automation. Siemens and Bentley Systems will each provide software from the other to deliver complete solutions from either company to the benefit of their respective customers in order to improve their project and asset performance through simulation and virtual commissioning.
Singapore Standard on safe use of MEWPs launched The new Singapore Standard SS 616:2016 Code of Practice for Safe Use of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs) was launched at an event held recently.The standard covers the safety requirements for the protection of persons working with MEWPs, including the basic safety principles, operation as well as maintenance and inspection of MEWPs. SS 616 complements the Approved Codes of Practice/Singapore Standards related to lifting equipment and work at heights. The standard serves to provide more guidance on lifting equipment, to help optimise workers’ health and safety on the job. IPAF South East Asia Regional General Manager, Mr Raymond Wat, who
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sits on the drafting panel and who presented a paper at the launch event, said, “IPAF welcomes the new standard specifically for MEWPs, which will help to keep the industry safer in Singapore. As the use of MEWPs increases, we want to make sure that lifting equipment is properly maintained, safely deployed and operated, and lifting activities are well-planned and well-managed, to minimise the risks of accidents”. Mr Tim Whiteman, IPAF CEO & Managing Director said, “IPAF welcomes the launch of the Singapore standards covering MEWPs. The principles of safe use of MEWPs are the same across the world and it is excellent to see the consideration of other
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international standards in the development of country-specific ones”. The event provided attendees with an overview of the standards and how they can improve personal and workplace safety and health, legislative and general requirements for lifting equipment, as well as safety criteria and clearance for lifting activities. Those attending the launch included workplace safety and health professionals, engineers, contractors and supervisors; environment, health & safety consultants; safety officers; academics; occupiers; manufacturers / suppliers; all personnel involved with lifting equipment and related activities; as well as representatives from relevant government agencies.
CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
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EVENTS
Asia Power Week 2016 attracts professionals from around the world Asia Power Week Conference and Exhibition 2016, comprising POWERGEN Asia 2016, Renewable Energy World Asia 2016 and POWER-GEN Asia Financial Forum 2016, was held from 20 to 22 September 2016 at KINTEX, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The event attracted a record visitorship of over 8,300 industry professionals from more than 75 countries - a clear indication that Asia continues to attract the attention of the international power generation industry players.
Mr Woo Taehee, Second Vice-Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), South Korea, speaking at the Asia Power Week 2016 Opening Keynote Session
Organised by PennWell Corporation, Asia Power Week Conference and Exhibition 2016 was held under the patronage of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), and hosted by the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO). In addition, the event was officially supported by a number of local and regional industry and professional organisations. The official launch of Asia Power Week 2016 took place at the Opening Keynote session, in the presence of more than 500 attendees. Speeches and presentations were made by Mr Woo Taehee, Second Vice-Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), South Korea; Mr Park Heung-Gweon, EVP & CEO, Turbine/Generator Business Group, Doosan Heavy Industries; Mr Steve Bolze, President & CEO, GE Power; and Mr Willi Meixner, CEO, Power and Gas Division, Siemens AG. The three day event included an exhibition featuring over 250 of the industry’s leading players from Asia and around the world. This platform offered a vital business and network-
Over 500 delegates attended the Asia Power Week 2017 Opening Keynote Session.
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ing opportunity, as well as the ability to view the latest technologies and developmental advancements. The concurrent seven track conference programme featured more than 50 sessions and over 130 international experts who discussed the most important topics in the power generation industry, including strategic and technical power issues and challenges, the continued growth of the renewable and alternative energy sectors, and the financial marketplace within power generation. The Joint Plenary Panel Discussion on ‘EPC and Equipment Procurement in Asia: Unpacking the Key Trends’ took place on the afternoon of 21 September, where senior representatives from EPC and equipment supply companies from within the region and beyond shared their views on the biggest issues facing them and revealed the key trends which are driving their business decisions. Asia Power Week 2016 concluded with the presentation of the Best Paper Awards to representatives from Wood Mackenzie, Emirates Global Aluminium, Amec Foster Wheeler, Mott MacDonald and HoustonKemp Economists. The next Asia Power Week will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 19 to 21 September 2017.
More than 250 exhibitors took part in Asia Power Week 2016.
EVENTS
Singapore unveils measures to address new energy realities at SIEW 2016 Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) outlined the new energy realities facing the global energy landscape, and made a series of announcements on Singapore’s efforts to address the realities, at the Official Opening of the Singapore International Energy Week 2016 (SIEW 2016), on 24 October 2016. Mr Iswaran said that the new energy realities are characterised by lower energy prices for longer than many had expected, new impetus provided by the Paris Agreement for the development of greener energy systems, and key technological advances in energy systems and networks. “Policy makers, regulators and market players alike need to prepare themselves well, to ride on the new wave of opportunities while addressing the challenges ahead, so as to build a more sustainable global energy system”, he said. As part of Singapore’s plans to enhance the security of its natural gas supply by encouraging competition in its domestic market and further diversifying gas supply sources, Mr Iswaran announced that Pavilion Gas and Shell have been appointed as the term importers for the next tranche of LNG for Singapore. Both importers will supply Singapore with 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG each or for up to three years, whichever is reached earlier. The Energy Market Authority
Mr S Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), speaking at the Official Opening of SIEW 2016.
(EMA) also plans to allow third party spot imports and new piped natural gas imports on a case-by-case basis, he added. EMA has also launched the inaugural edition of the ‘Singapore Electricity Market Outlook’, which gives indicative projections on Singapore’s electricity demand and include a special feature on the outlook of solar photovoltaics in Singapore. The publication aims to inform and facilitate investment decisions as the energy sector evolves. “Even as we keep a close watch on current volatility in the market, it is essential that policymakers, regulators and companies take a long-term view of our energy landscape”, said Mr Iswaran. Singapore will also be tapping on technological advances in smart metering solutions, Mr Iswaran shared. EMA will partner PUB, the national water agency, and Singapore Power, to issue a call-for-proposal to develop and test-bed integrated advanced me-
The audience at the Official Opening of SIEW 2016.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
tering solutions for electricity, gas and water utilities.This will enable consumers to make informed decisions on energy consumption and conservation, as well as help Singapore assess the feasibility of nation-wide deployment of smart metering solutions. In addition, collaboration will continue to play a key role - both on the industry and international level. On the industry front, Mr Iswaran announced the launch of Project OptiWatt, a pilot programme on demand-side management that involves EMA and 16 partners working together to explore initiatives to optimise energy consumption. On the international front, Mr Iswaran announced that the International Energy Agency (IEA) has welcomed Singapore as an Association Country, noting that ‘being an Association Country is a natural extension of Singapore’s already close collaboration with the IEA’. As a start to this strengthened relationship, Singapore will partner the IEA on two new initiatives - a regional training hub to build capabilities in the region, and an annual Singapore-IEA Forum at SIEW, that will provide a platform to drive future-oriented energy discussions. SIEW 2016, which was held from 24 to 28 October 2016, attracted more than 13,000 delegates from industry and government organisations, from over 60 countries, who gathered in Singapore to discuss the impact of the new energy realities. The week’s highlights also included the inaugural Energy Access Forum which brought together more than 300 delegates from over 20 countries to discuss the pertinent issue of enhancing energy access in the Asia Pacific. SIEW will return to Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, for its 10th edition which will be held from 23 to 27 October 2017.
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Public sector construction demand expected to increase this year The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) projects the total construction demand or the value of construction contracts to be awarded this year to reach between SGD 28 billion and SGD 35 billion - which is higher than the preliminary estimate of SGD 26 billion for last year. The projected stronger construction demand is due to an anticipated increase in public sector construction demand from about SGD 15.8 billion last year to between SGD 20 billion and SGD 24 billion this year. The public sector is expected to contribute about 70% of the total construction demand, boosted by an increase in demand for most building types and civil engineering works. In view of the current slowdown in the property market and continued economic uncertainties, the private sector construction demand is likely to remain subdued and is projected to stay between SGD 8 billion and SGD 11 billion this year. This year’s projects include: • Residential projects - a steady pipeline of new public housing construction, upgrading works for HDB flats, and a number of upcoming sizeable condominium projects earmarked for developments on various Government Land Sales sites at Siglap Road, Martin Place and Anchorvale Lane. • Commercial projects - redevelopment projects such as Funan DigitaLife Mall at North Bridge Road, Golden Shoe Carpark at Market Street and CPF Building at Robinson Road. • Industrial projects - HDB’s Defu Industrial City and JTC’s Logistics Hub @ Gul. • Institutional and other building projects - more healthcare facilities such as the new National Cancer Centre at Outram and an Integrated Inter-
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mediate Care Hub at Jalan Tan Tock Seng as well as various educational facilities. A significant amount of private sector investment in tourist attractions and recreational facilities at Mandai Lake is expected to go ahead this year. • Civil engineering projects - mega public sector infrastructure projects which include various major contracts for the second phase of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS phase 2), North-South Corridor and Circle Line 6. Last year, the total construction demand was slightly lower than forecast, mainly due to the re-scheduling of a few major public sector projects to this year, as longer preparation times are needed to implement these large-scale projects. Despite the slight shortfall from the forecast, total public sector construction demand last year was higher than the SGD 13.3 billion in 2015, supported by the strong demand for civil engineering projects. The total construction output or progress payments made for the work done has continued to remain high, at SGD 35.1 billion last year, a slight moderation from SGD 36.4 billion in 2015. BCA expects the total construction output to moderate further, to between SGD 30 billion and SGD 32 billion in 2017. Forecast for 2018 to 2021 The average construction demand is projected to be between SGD 26 billion and SGD 35 billion per annum in 2018 and 2019 and between SGD 26 billion and SGD 37 billion per annum in 2020 and 2021. BCA estimates public sector construction demand to be between SGD 18 billion to SGD 23 billion per annum from 2018 to 2021, with similar proportions of demand coming from building projects and civil engi-
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
neering works. Besides public housing developments and more healthcare and educational facilities, public sector demand over the medium term will be supported by various upcoming mega infrastructure projects such as the Jurong Regional Line, Cross Island Line, and various infrastructure developments for Changi Airport Terminal 5. “Although the year-to-year fluctuations in the total value of annual construction demand are influenced by the lumpy nature of major infrastructure projects, the overall on-site construction activities or construction output is expected to stay at a relatively high level. The overall construction demand prospects over the medium term as well as the long term will continue to be bolstered by a strong pipeline of public sector construction projects. Companies that are prepared to change, innovate and transform to stay at the forefront of technological innovation, process re-engineering and productivity improvement, are more likely to sustain their growth and competitiveness despite the headwinds under challenging economic conditions”, said Dr John Keung, CEO of BCA. Year
Construction demand (Value of contracts awarded) Public
Private
Total
2016 p
SGD 15.8 billion
SGD 10.3 billion
SGD 26.1 billion
2017 f
SGD 20.0 24.0 billion
SGD 8.0 11.0 billion
SGD 28.0 35.0 billion
2018 2019 f
SGD 18.0 23.0 billion
-
SGD 26.0 35.0 billion
2020 2021 f
(50% from building projects and 50% from civil engineering projects)
-
SGD 26.0 37.0 billion
p: Premliminary f: Forecast
INDUSTRY OUTLOOK
Construction Prospects at a Glance
Value of Contracts Awarded (in billions)
Construction demand is projected to increase to between $28.0 billion and $35.0 billion with stronger public sector demand expected this year
$35.8b
2017 forecast
$38.8b
$8.0b - $11.0b
$30.8b
$27.0b
50.4%
$26.1b
58.4% 69.1%
30.9%
2012
51.0%
41.6%
2013
49.6% 49.0%
2014
2015
~70% 60.5%
Public sector
Value of contracts to be awarded: $11.3b - $14.6b
Civil Engineering
Anticipated to increase due to mega public sector infrastructure projects
$5.7b - $6.8b Public residential demand expected to increase but private residential demand projected to soften further on the back of current slowdown in property market
Residential
$4.2b - $5.6b Projected to increase, supported by public sector industrial projects
Industrial
$4.3b - $4.9b Institutional & Others
Projected to increase with more healthcare, educational and recreational facilities
$2.4b - $3.2b May gather momentum and potentially increase following expansion last year
Commercial
$20.0b - $24.0b
2016 prelim
Private sector
2017
~30%
39.5%
Key projects: - Second phase of the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System - North-South Corridor - Circle Line 6
- New public housing projects - Upgrading works for HDB flats - Condominium projects at various Government Land Sales sites
- HDB’s Defu Industrial City - JTC’s Logistics Hub @ Gul - Fourth desalination plant at Marina East
- National Cancer Centre at Outram - Integrated Intermediate Care Hub at Jalan Tan Tock Seng - Tourist attractions and recreational facilities at Mandai Lake Redevelopment of: - Funan DigitaLife Mall at North Bridge Road - Golden Shoe Carpark at Market Street - CPF Building at Robinson Road
Value of contracts to be awarded per year in:
2018 - 2019 $26.0b - $35.0b
2020 - 2021 $26.0b - $37.0b
*Figures are reported in billions
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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COVER STORY
JTC gets ahead with construction tech As the lead government agency responsible for the development of industrial infrastructure to support and catalyse the growth of industries and enterprises in Singapore, JTC is adopting solutions that will save time, costs and resources as well as reduce wastage, in the design and implementation of its projects. JTC has adopted a range of construction technologies, materials and processes, that will ensure higher productivity whilst, at the same time, requiring less manpower and providing greater safety for workers. Cross laminated timber and glued laminated timber JTC is using a hybrid system of cross laminated timber (CLT) and glued laminated timber (Glulam) to build Blk 81 in the second phase of JTC LaunchPad @ one-north. JTC LaunchPad @ one-north, a 5-hectare site within one-north, provides start-ups close proximity to a multi-disciplinary R&D environment which includes knowledge-based companies, institutes of higher learning and research institutes, that are at the forefront of innovation. The second phase of JTC LaunchPad @ one-north includes the completion of three new blocks - Blocks 75, 77 and 81. CLT is an engineered structural material formed by bonding layers of timber using structural adhesives. The layers are placed on top of one another, with the grain of each layer oriented perpendicular to that of the adjacent layers. Compared with regular timber, CLT is lighter, thus allowing for an easy plug-and-play installation that reduces construction time and enhances workers’ safety. Glulam is similar to CLT, but with the difference that the grain of each layer of timber is oriented in the same direction as that of the other layers. Glulam can also be produced in curved shapes, offering extensive design flexibility. By pioneering the use of engineered wood like CLT and Glulam for Block 81, which is fabricated off-
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site, time savings of 10% and manpower savings of 15% are expected to be achieved, as compared to conventional cast-in-situ concrete construction. In addition, since both types of engineered wood are fabricated
off-site, there would be a reduction of noise and dust generated on the worksite, thus minimising the impact on the LaunchPad community. The worksite would also be cleaner and more organised.
Blk 81 at JTC LaunchPad @ one-north (artist’s impression).
Installation of glulam frames at Blk 81.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
COVER STORY
Blk 75 in JTC LaunchPad @ one-north (artist’s impression).
Blk 77 in JTC LaunchPad @ one-north (artist’s impression).
Prefabricated structural steel JTC is using structural steel to build Blk 75 and Blk 77 in the second phase of JTC LaunchPad @ one-north. Structural steel is prefabricated in a controlled environment off-site, before transportation to the project site. The off-site fabrication ensures greater quality control, enhances workers’ safety and improves construction productivity. Moving beyond the use of structural steel for low floor loading spaces, JTC is piloting the use of structural steel for light-industrial buildings with higher floor loading and longer column-free span, such as JTC CleanTech Three @ Jurong Innovation District. It is estimated that with the use
CleanTech Three @ Jurong Innovation District (artist’s impression).
of structural steel, there will be overall project productivity gains of 10% to 15%, as compared to the use of conventional reinforced con-
crete. On-site construction work is also significantly reduced, leading to a neater, cleaner and safer construction environment.
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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COVER STORY
Installation of structural steel at Blk 75 and Blk 77 in JTC LaunchPad @ one-north.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
COVER STORY Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction Workers’ dormitories in JTC Space @ Tuas are currently being built using Prefabricated Pre-finished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) instead of conventional cast-in-situ concrete construction. All architectural and M&E fixtures are substantially installed in the PPVC modules off-site. The
completed PPVC modules are then transported to the project site and installed using mobile cranes. With the adoption of PPVC, an estimated time savings of 30% and manpower savings of 40% are expected to be achieved, as compared to the time and manpower requirements for conventional cast-in-situ concrete construction. Also, by adopting PPVC,
which means that most of the structural, architectural and M&E works are completed off-site, the worksite is cleaner and wastage is minimised. JTC Space @ Tuas is an industrial complex consisting of multi-type integrated factories; land-based, rampup and flatted factories; purpose-built dormitory; as well as shared facilities such as amenities centre and utilities.
JTC Space @ Tuas (artist’s impression).
Prefabricated workers’ dormitory unit.
Prefabricated workers’ dormitory units installed at JTC Space @ Tuas.
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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COVER STORY Quality inspection and assessment robot Invented by scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), codeveloped with JTC and local startup CtrlWorks, and funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF), QuicaBot (a quality inspection and assessment robot) can move autonomously to scan a room using hightech cameras and laser scanners, and pick up building defects like cracks and uneven surfaces, in about half the time taken for manual inspection. The robot can operate for one-and-a-half days with just two hours of charging. QuicaBot has multiple defectsdetection sensors (thermal camera, RGB camera, 2D laser scanner and inclinometer) integrated into an autonomous mobility platform supplied by CtrlWorks. It can autonomously navigate a room, to deploy its sensors to scan and assess defects in realtime. Collected data can then be sent and retrieved via the cloud. A human inspector or the repair contractor can return to the room, on another day, and retrieve the data on defects and locations, via hand-held devices. Also, the acceptance criteria can be pre-set to meet any relevant inspection standards. The QuicaBot allows the existing workforce to achieve more. in an industrial facility. If two inspectors are required to take samples from an industrial facility, one inspector and QuicaBot will take 50% less time to inspect all of the architectural finishes in the same facility. In other words,
there will be a 75% reduction in manhours required, if QuicaBot is used. It also means that two inspectors with two QuicaBots can conduct checks for defects in all of the architectural finishes over twice the space and in half the time. QuicaBot will soon be test-bedded at suitable locations within JTC’s industrial developments. Autonomous spray painting robot Co-developed by JTC, NTU and local start-up Aitech, with funding from NRF, PictoBot, an autonomous spray painting robot, is designed to reach high ceilings and walls, typical of industrial developments. The autonomous spray painting robot can scan its environment to paint a 10 m tall interior wall, reducing ‘work at height’ risks for painters. PictoBot allows the existing workforce to achieve more. If two painters are required to manually paint a wall in an industrial facility, the same wall can be painted by PictoBot with the help of a paint supervisor in one-third of the time. In other words, there is a 83% reduction in the man-hours required. The consistency and quality of the painting are achieved with an estimated 10% less paint. Also, PictoBot eradicates the ‘fall from height’ risk that exists in the manual painting of high walls and ceilings. It also minimises human exposure to paint chemicals.
Bendable concrete Jointly developed by JTC and NTU, at the NTU-JTC Industrial Infrastructure Innovation Centre (I3C), ConFlexPave is a new type of bendable concrete that is made up of hard materials mixed with polymer microfibres. Typical rigid concrete used for road pavements comprises cement, water, gravel and sand. Concrete is inflexible, brittle and is prone to cracks.The pre-fabricated bendable concrete is lighter, thinner, more durable, and requires less maintenance. It enables a plug-and-play installation, thereby reducing labour intensive on-site work, enhancing workers’ safety and shortening construction time from seven days to one. Twice as durable as conventional rigid concrete, ConFlexPave, if used for road pavements, is expected to benefit road users, by cutting down inconvenience caused by road resurfacing and construction works. JTC will be test-bedding ConFlexPave at suitable locations within JTC’s industrial estates, such as Seletar Aerospace Park and Jurong Island.
QuicaBot - a quality inspection and assessment robot.
PictoBot - an autonomous spray painting robot.
ConFlexPave - bendable concrete.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
The robot also boosts productivity by being able to operate without the assistance of artificial light or natural daylight. With its six-axis robotic arm and precise nozzle, PictoBot is able to steadily and speedily deliver a consistent paint job. PictoBot will soon be test-bedded in JTC's industrial developments.
COVER STORY Statnamic Load tests JTC has used Statnamic Load Tests for Jurong Rock Caverns and several 66 kV substations. The Static Load Test or Kentledge Load Test requires extensive equipment, a large amount of concrete test blocks to simulate the load, and a large working space. Comparatively, the Statnamic Load Test or a Rapid Load Test uses pressurised gas or hydraulics to exert force on the test pile. This test method improves productivity and lowers potential onsite hazards as it does not require the transporting and stacking of concrete blocks. With this test, preparation time is reduced from a month to less than a week. Laying of roadside kerbs Conventionally, the roadside kerblaying process involves tedious preparation work which includes the setting up of formwork, dropping of inlet chambers and final casting of concrete. This method is not only labour- and resource-intensive, it is also inflexible. JTC will be piloting the use of automatic kerb-laying machines at infrastructure projects at Tuas View Extension.
JTC Furniture Hub @ Sungei Kadut (artist's impression).
Use of Statnamic Load Tests for Jurong Rock Caverns.
The automatic kerb-laying machine is self-propelled, self-guiding and selfadjusting, whilst allowing smooth and continuous casting of kerbs of all levels and shapes. Compared with conventional methods, the use of this machine will result in a shorter construction timeline, better quality control and less low-skilled labour requirements. It is estimated that, by using a kerb extrusion machine, manpower savings of 95% will be achieved, as compared to using conventional kerb-laying methods.
Self-climbing hydraulic steel formwork Erecting formwork and falsework to shape and support concreting is labourintensive and tedious.The hydraulic selfclimbing framework, which will be used at JTC Furniture Hub @ Sungei Kadut, improves the safety of workers working at height and also increases construction productivity by generating manpower savings of more than 60%. All images by JTC
The hydraulic self-climbing framework will be used in the construction of the JTC Furniture Hub @ Sungei Kadut.
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Award-winning project features innovatively designed timber roof Engineered by Fast + Epp, the Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, won the Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence and the Award for Community or Residential Structures, at Structural Awards 2016. The Structural Awards are presented by the Institution of Structural Engineers.
The Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre has, what is believed to be, the world’s most slender, long-span, timber catenary roof. Image by Alison Faulkner, Fast + Epp.
INTRODUCTION Constructed to meet the needs of a diverse population in Surrey, in British Columbia, Canada, the Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre (GHAC) features an undulating roof structure with hanging timber ‘cables’, suspended between large concrete buttresses. While most catenary systems have historically used steel cables, Structural Engineer Fast + Epp took a novel approach, pioneering one of its most ambitious designs in the Vancouver firm’s 30-year history. Engineers chose wood as a costeffective, structurally-efficient and aesthetically-pleasing alternative, clev-
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erly balancing form and function. The resulting structure, believed to be the world’s most slender, long-span, timber catenary roof, fulfils the The City of Surrey’s (the Client) desire for an iconic building that will be a catalyst for civic growth. CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION For an aquatic centre of such size, the design team recognised the roof structure as a crucial point of visual interest. The architect challenged the team to ‘think outside the box’ and explore spanning the primary structure across the 55 m longer span rather than the short span, despite knowing this break with convention
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
had the potential to substantially increase costs. Shying away from typical ribbed ceilings of steel that would eventually corrode from the chemicals and harsh humidity of an aquatic environment, Fast + Epp chose to use wood for its hanging suspension roof. The Architect, HCMA Architecture + Design, at first somewhat surprised by the audacity of a timber catenary roof, jumped on board with the unconventional approach, working hard with the entire team to overcome obstacles. The almost-exclusively wood solution made use of small 5 inch x 10 inch long span, glued-laminated wood
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING (glulam) beams, acting as cables under a double layer of plywood sheets, as the main structural system. They hang between narrow, thin concrete slabs that transfer tension loads to posttensioned concrete buttresses. The roof not only achieves the significant clear spans required for the pools, but uses only a 300 mm deep structure (compared with a typical 3,000 mm steel truss structure), thereby minimising the building volume and ensuring long-term operational cost savings. The deep pool excavations were efficiently utilised to bury concrete foundations deep underground and resist the overturning forces. A key to the success of the structural concept was the refinement of the roof geometry.The clear height requirements varied drastically from extreme high, at dive towers and the water slide, to low, over swim areas. Thus the roof shape was warped, in order to minimise building volume and create slope for rainwater management.
Initially, this resulted in no less than 14 radii of glulam cable curvatures and prohibitive costs for each custom glulam jig manufacture - enough to sink the structural concept. The geometry was then refined so that only one radius of curvature and jig was used for every glulam cable. By simply lengthening and raising the ends of each adjacent glulam slightly, the warped roof geometry was achieved by much more economical means. The spaghetti-like glulams were erected on site in just 12 days.
structure and bracing this central structure with a shear wall at one end and steel brace at the other end, engineers effectively reduced roof sag to a more acceptable 250 mm.
TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS A novel structural approach typically presents a range of technical challenges. The following were the key technical difficulties encountered and the solutions provided:
Wind uplift forces The relatively light timber cable structure had insufficient self-weight to prevent wind forces from lifting the roof. Adding concrete topping weight to the roof would be structurally counter-productive and costly, while adding hold-down cables inside the building would be unsightly. Thus, wood cables were sized to have sufficient strength to resist snow loads and self-weight in tension, and just enough strength to resist wind uplift as skinny compression arches - the ideal balance.
Unbalanced snow loading Following analysis of unbalanced snow loading, vertical deflections were in the order of 1,000 mm (which was very high). By breaking the timber cables at the central column support or roof slab
Dynamic excitation A further concern, also related to wind forces, given its extremely slender profile, was the possibility that the roof will be subjected to unacceptable dynamic excitation. The
Early concept development. Images by HCMA Architecture + Design.
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING engineers felt the proposed warped roof geometry, as well as the damping effect of glued roof insulation would sufficiently mitigate the potential for resonance.To confirm this, Fast + Epp recommended the placement of ac-
celerometers on the roof after erection, and that, together with a metronome and a ‘jumping party’, they could determine if a problem existed. The results revealed that no further roof stabilisation was required.
The primary structure is spanned across the 55 m longer span. Images by Fast + Epp.
EXCELLENCE The City of Surrey has gained a reputation for expecting functionallyefficient and architecturally-striking buildings when selecting consulting teams for their projects. Having already been involved in a number of landmark projects in Surrey, Fast + Epp was included as Structural Consultant to support the design team for GHAC. As Surrey’s population density rapidly increases, there is a growing need for recreational and community spaces. The city’s desire for a ‘destination pool’ to entice families, athletes and international competitions drove the design for GHAC. The aquatic centre’s recreational, architectural and structural features thrill and delight. The central lobby has clear views into the natatorium, promoting openness and security, and with seating for up to 900 spectators, GHAC is poised to act as a premier venue for competitive diving and swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo events.
With its recreational, architectural and structural features, GHAC has exceeded the Client's expectations. Images by Ema Peter Photography.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING Since its opening to the public in March 2016, GHAC has surpassed anticipated visitor numbers and exceeded the Client’s expectations. SUSTAINABILITY AND VALUE Compared to a more typical ‘box with a flat roof ’, to accommodate tall diving towers, GHAC’s roof shape saves money in the long run, by reducing the cubic volume of air to be heated and de-humidified, and decreasing operational costs for the Client.The design represents value for money, and met the city’s budgetary expectations.
The facility is seeking LEED-certification, and meets stringent FINA standards to host regional, provincial, national and international sporting events in its 10-lane, 50 m Olympicsize competition pool and dive platform. However, the best contribution a structural engineer can make to sustainability is to design efficient structures with minimal material. Fast + Epp’s roof structure delivers on this. By reducing the effective roof structure depth from 3,000 mm to 300 mm, the building volume was drasti-
cally reduced and significant life-cycle energy cost savings were achieved. Moreover, the best scientific research indicates that wood is a much more sustainable material than concrete and steel. It is a rapidly renewable resource with low-embodied energy and with carbon-sequestering capabilities. The façade structure (up to 20 m high) was constructed with steel tube columns which serve a double function - they not only resist wind loads but are perforated and connect to the basement air supply ducts, acting as ventilator ducts to prevent condensation at the exterior glazing. This eliminated costly and unsightly mechanical ducting. The design maximises security and accessibility. The linear orientation of the roof, parallel to the pool lanes is a benefit to competitive swimmers for orientation in the water. Initial reaction to the superstructure design of the building suggests that its striking aesthetic expression and ambience will make it a favourite for years to come, and a pivotal first piece in a larger recreational master plan to be built over the next decade.
PROJECT CREDITS Project Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre Location Surrey, British Columbia, Canada Client The City of Surrey Structural Engineer Fast + Epp Architect HCMA Architecture + Design General Contractor EllisDon Construction Services Inc Mechanical Engineer AME Consulting Group
Construction work in progress. Image (on top) by EllisDon Construction Services Inc. Image (below) by Alison Faulkner, Fast + Epp.
Electrical Engineer Applied Engineering Solutions Ltd
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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SUSTAINABILITY
Singapore conference achieves stringent emissions and waste targets The Responsible Business Forum on Sustainable Development Singapore 2016 (RBF Singapore 2016) set itself the challenge to be a zero-waste, zero-emission event. Hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Global Initiatives, RBF Singapore 2016 was held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 22 to 24 November 2016. Over 600 business and sustainability leaders, senior government officials, as well as representatives from the United Nations (UN) agencies and NGOs from across the globe, attended the event which addressed the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Large-scale conferences tend to be highly resource-intensive and generate greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and waste in the host city. RBF Singapore 2016, the 5th Singapore event in the series, underlined its commitment to a sustainable economy, not only through the deliberations at the forum, but also through mitigating the environmental impact of the logistics for the event. Specifically, the key environmentrelated issues that RBF Singapore 2016 faced include carbon emissions created by the high volume of international flights to Singapore for delegates, identification and communication materials for delegates, food waste, stage set production waste, as well as high energy demand for the event. In order for RBF to achieve its ‘zero waste to landfill’ goal and be a ‘zero-emission event’, several measures were taken, based on the principles of reducing, reusing and recycling.
Participants were requested not to print their tickets upon registration. There were no printed programmes or business cards. RBF Singapore 2016 had a bespoke live mobile app that provided a digital programme and facilitated live session Q&A, as well as integration with LinkedIn and social media. Further, digital signage and technology replaced printed logos and banners.
Identification and communication materials Badges as well as the reusable badge holders and lanyards were made of materials such as recycled paper, banana fibre and recycled cotton. An online ticketing system eliminated the need for printed tickets.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
Food and beverage Water dispensers were provided with polycarbonate cups instead of paper cups. A local vegetarian menu was provided for the participants. All the food waste, after the preparation of the food, and the leftover food waste, after the participants had finished their meals, were sent to digesters on site at Marina Bay Sands, from where it was washed down the waste water system.
Badges used at the event were made of materials with a low carbon footprint.
A bespoke live mobile app provided a digital programme.
SUSTAINABILITY Energy consumption Energy consumption was minimised by reducing the use of air-conditioning within the premises. The aim was to reduce the total energy consumption to less than 20 kg of greenhouse gas emissions per delegate at the venue. Offsetting carbon emissions What cannot be reduced will be offset. All carbon emissions from the over 200 international flights that the
Digital systems replace printed banners
particpants had taken to and from Singapore, local car transportation to and from the conference venue, and generation of power required by Marina Bay Sands for staging the event, will be 100 % offset through the event’s climate partner, the South Pole Group, a leading provider of global sustainability solutions and services. South Pole Group will calculate the carbon footprint of the forum, and RBF Singapore 2016 will com-
pensate unavoidable emissions with carbon credits from emission reduction projects in Southeast Asia. RBF Singapore 2015, the previous event in the series, with 425 participants, generated 207 tonnes of carbon dioxide, 92% of which was due to international flights. All of this has been offset. Sustainability Report RBF Singapore 2016 will be audited on all its sustainability efforts including the ‘zero-waste to landfill’, and ‘zero emission targets’, and certified by SACEOS (Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers) on its Management Approach, Waste, Energy, Water, Community, and Human Resources, with the MICE Sustainability Certification (MSC), an initiative supported by the Singapore Tourism Board’s Sustainable Event Guidelines. Marina Bay Sands will provide RBF Singapore 2016 with a Sustainability Impact Statement that captures the event’s sustainability highlights and tracked resources usage data. RBF will then publish a comprehensive Sustainability Report.
Air-conditioning was reduced within the premises.
January 2017 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
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SUSTAINABILITY
Siemens cuts carbon dioxide emissions One year after the launch of its decarbonisation programme, Siemens is already making significant advances in reducing its carbon footprint.The company was able to cut its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 2.2 million tons in fiscal 2014 to 1.7 million tons in fiscal 2016. A major portion of the CO2 savings, that is, 200,000 tons, was achieved at locations in Germany. With the aid of Siemens solutions, the company’s customers worldwide succeeded in reducing their CO2 emissions by 521 million tons in fiscal 2016. This amount is equivalent to more than 60% of Germany’s annual CO2 emissions. In September 2015, Siemens announced its intention to cut the carbon footprint of its operative business in half, by 2020, and to be climate neutral, by 2030. To achieve this decarbonisation, Siemens is focusing on four different areas. First, its Energy Efficiency Program (EEP) is verifiably reducing energy consumption at the company’s own buildings and manufacturing facilities. Second, increased use of distributed energy systems (DES) is optimising energy costs at the company’s locations and production plants. Third, Siemens is systematically employing low emission vehicles and e-mobility concepts in its worldwide car fleet. Fourth, the company is moving towards using a
clean energy mix by increasingly acquiring its electricity from sources that emit little or no CO2 such as wind power and hydro-electric power. “Decarbonisation is absolutely essential in order to halt climate change and its dramatic consequences”, said Dr Roland Busch, Managing Board Member of Siemens AG, with responsibility for achieving sustainability. “The Paris Agreement on climate change has gone into effect, and the commitments now have to be fulfilled by taking concrete action. The global economy must consistently drive this process and demonstrably reduce CO2 emissions in all sectors”, he added.
Siemens is increasing its use of clean energy.
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Investments in environment-friendly technologies pay off because they are usually amortised within a few years. Siemens, for instance, expects that an investment of EUR 100 million in improving the energy efficiency of its own buildings and production facilities will lower energy costs by about EUR 20 million a year, beginning in 2020. Siemens’ biggest contribution to climate protection is its Environmental Portfolio which bundles the company’s technologies in the areas of renewable energies and energy efficiency. In fiscal 2016, the Environmental Portfolio generated revenue of EUR 36 billion, or 46% of Siemens’ total revenue.
Reduction of CO2 achieved by Siemens as at end-fiscal year 2016
PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS
Strengthening structures to resist earthquakes At its laboratories in Italy, the Mapei Group has been developing and testing products and systems to mitigate the effects of seismic activity. These solutions are employed in the reconstruction of structures damaged by earthquakes, as well as in the upgrading of existing structures in order to reduce their vulnerability to seismic events.
SOLUTIONS
The Mapei portfolio of solutions includes the FRP System line, the FRG System line, some of the products from the MAPEWOOD and MAPEANTIQUE lines, and special technologies such as PLANITOP HPC and PLANITOP HPC FLOOR. THE MAPEI FRP SYSTEM The Mapei FRP System is a complete range of composites made from high mechanical strength fibres and polymeric resins specially formulated for the strengthening as well as static and seismic upgrading of structures made from normal, pre-stressed and reinforced concrete, steel, masonry or wood. FRPs (Fibre Reinforced Polymers) are part of the vast family of ‘structural composites’ and are made from strengthening fibres set in a polymer matrix. In fibre reinforced composites, the fibres act as load-bearing members to offer strength and stiffness, while the matrix, apart from protecting the fibres, acts as an element that transfers the stresses between the composite and the structural member to which it has been applied. The fibres may be subdivided into carbon fibres, glass fibres, basalt fibres and metallic fibres. The fibres may be oriented in any direction, depending on design specifications, in order to optimise the mechanical properties of the composite in the directions required. The particular characteristic of structural composites is that they provide better, or at least more ‘complete’ mechanical properties than that provided by the single components. The use of FRPs in the construction industry is mainly in the renova-
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tion of weak or damaged structures and the static and seismic upgrading of structures. In this context, repair work done using high performance composites is more cost-effective than traditional methods, if the overall economic valuation takes into consideration the time required and the tools and equipment employed for the intervention, the costs involved in putting a structure out of service, and the estimated working life of the structure itself once the intervention has been completed. The Mapei FRP System for structural strengthening work uses a wide range of products, including the following: • Uniaxial, biaxial and quadriaxial carbon fibre fabrics (MAPEWRAP C), available in various weights, sizes and moduli of elasticity. • Uniaxial and quadriaxial glass fibre fabrics (MAPEWRAP G), available in various weights. • Uniaxial, high-strength basalt fibre fabric (MAPEWRAP B), available in various weights. • Steel fibre fabrics (MAPEWRAP S FABRIC). • A wide range of cords in carbon fibre (MAPEWRAP C FIOCCO), glass fibre (MAPEWRAP G FIOCCO) and steel fibre (MAPEWRAP S FIOCCO). • Pultruded carbon fibre plates (CARBOPLATE), available in various sizes and moduli of elasticity. • Pultruded bars in carbon fibre (MAPEROD C) and glass fibre (MAPEROD G). • Pultruded carbon fibre tubes (CARBOTUBE) and a vast range of epoxy adhesives for impregnating
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017
and bonding (MAPEWRAP PRIMER 1, MAPEWRAP 11/12, MAPEWRAP 21 and MAPEWRAP 31). THE MAPEI FRG SYSTEM The Mapei FRG System is a complete range of composites which, unlike FRP systems, uses an inorganic, pozzolanic mortar, rather than a polymer matrix, to guarantee good chemical-physical and elasto-mechanical compatibility with masonry substrates (stone, bricks and tuff). They are used for the repair or static and seismic upgrading of all types of concrete and masonry structures. FRGs (Fibre Reinforced Grouts) are made from strengthening fibres set in an inorganic matrix. When used on buildings of historical or artistic interest, these types of materials offer a series of advantages, including high mechanical strength, low architectonic impact, high durability, ease of application and reversibility. The application of FRG systems overcomes the problem of the inherently low tensile strength and shear strength of masonry, and increases the overall ductility of structures. The consolidating composite system for structures comprises glass or basalt fibre mesh with a square weave and a highly ductile, two-component, ready-mixed cementitious mortar as the inorganic matrix. For listed buildings, strengthening materials must have specific characteristics. Accordingly, Mapei employs composite materials that combine a structure of high strength fibres with a matrix of lime and EcoPozzolan based mortar. The Mapei FRG System uses the following products:
PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS
Seismic upgrading of beam-column hinge zones using MAPEWRAP fabrics.
• Pre-primed, alkali-resistant glass fibre mesh (MAPEGRID G 120 and MAPEGRID G 220). • Pre-primed basalt fibre mesh (MAPEGRID B 250). • Two-component, high ductility, fibre reinforced, pozzolanic reaction cementitious mortar (PLANITOP HDM / PLANITOP HDM MAXI). • Two-component, high ductility, ready-mixed hydraulic lime and Eco-Pozzolan-based mortar (PLANITOP HDM RESTAURO).
PROJECT APPLICATIONS ITALY The city of L’Aquila At 03:32 (Central European Summer Time) on 6 April 2009, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 hit the city of L’Aquila, in Central Italy, causing 309 deaths. Mapei was involved in the initial phase to make buildings safe as well as in the reconstruction of many different structures such as churches, hospitals, schools, houses and shopping centres. Apart from providing on-site technical assistance and advice, Mapei supplied products and systems to repair both modern and ancient buildings, as well as fibre-reinforced composites for static and seismic upgrading of the buildings. Among the products used are PLANITOP HDM, PLANI-
The Mapei FRP System was used in the repair and strengthening of the Church of Camposanto in the Emilia Region of Italy, which was damaged by an earthquake.
Repair and strengthening work in progress at the Church of the Holy Spirits in L’Aquila, Italy, using the Mapei FRG System.
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PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS TOP HDM MAXI, PLANITOP HDM RESTAURO, carbon fibre and glass fibre fabrics from the MAPEWRAP line, admixtures for concrete, and products for masonry repair from the MAPEANTIQUE line. SPAIN Various buildings were damaged by the earthquake that hit Lorca in May 2011. These were subsequently repaired and strengthened using Mapei products and technology. Residential and commercial building The well-known residential and commercial building at No 6, Calle Alberca was made of reinforced concrete. It has one storey below ground level and five storeys above ground level. Repair work was carried out on the pillars of the building which had been damaged by the earthquake. It included filling the cracked areas with EPOJET, rebuilding some concrete sections of the pillars by protecting the reinforcement rods with MAPEFER 1K and applying MAPEGROUT T40 and MAPEGROUT HI-FLOW mortars. Strengthening work was carried out by wrapping the pillars with MAPEWRAP C UNI-AX unidirectional carbon fibre fabrics. Church of San Cristobal In the renovation and strengthening of the Church of San Cristobal which had been damaged by the earthquake, Mapei provided technical assistance, from the design phase right up to the execution phase. The first phase of the work consisted in strengthening the arches, in the central nave, with MAPEWRAP C UNI-AX unidirectional carbon fibre fabrics, which were applied with resin-based products from the MAPEWRAP epoxy cycle. MAPEWRAP C FIOCCO glass fibre cord was also applied to help protect the fabric. Detached house A detached house at No 7A Poeta Gimeno Castellar Road in Lorca had
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The Basilica of San Bernardino, L’Aquila, Italy
Residential and commercial building, Lorca, Spain
been severely affected by the earthquake, with damage to the loadbearing walls, the façade, the slabs and various internal elements and features. Mapei was involved in the reconstruction of the two-storey masonry building, right in the heart of the city. The load-bearing walls were consolidated by injecting MAPEANTIQUE I binder into the masonry, which was then reinforced with PLANITOP HDM MAXI mortar and MAPEGRID G220 mesh. MAPEGRID G120 was also used on the internal walls.
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Detached house, Lorca, Spain
PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS NEW ZEALAND Trinity Church Mapei has been active on various building sites in New Zealand, as part of the repair and strengthening work being carried out on various structures, following the earthquake in 2011. One of the most significant projects is the consolidation and strengthening work carried out on Trinity Church in the city of Christchurch. Work is ongoing and the first interventions were to consolidate the rubble filled walls using MAPEANTIQUE I super-fluid, salt-resistant, lime and Eco-Pozzolan-based hydraulic binder. Damaged parts of the building will be rebuilt using MAPEANTIQUE ALLETTAMENTO and MAPE-ANTIQUE STRUTTURALE NHL mortars and the existing bond beam will be reinforced with PLANITOP HPC. Interiors will be repaired with MAPE-ANTIQUE RINZAFFO, MAPE-ANTIQUE MC and MAPEANTIQUE FC. Shale Peak Bridge As part of the strengthening work of large infrastructures in New Zealand, which recently involved Mapei, the intervention carried out on the Shale Peak Bridge in Canterbury is particularly important. It included confining the reinforced concrete piles and applying a protective coating of MAPELASTIC SMART. The bridge piles were strengthened by confining them with MAPEWRAP C UNI AX unidirectional carbon fibre fabric which is certified by ICC-ES, the US evaluation service for verifying compliance with codes and standards. The certificate complies with document AC125 (Acceptance Criteria for concrete and reinforced and unreinforced masonry strengthening using externally bonded fibre-reinforced polymer composite systems) and covers the MAPEWRAP C line of unidirectional
Shale Peak Bridge, Canterbury, New Zealand
Hopetoun Apartments, Auckland, New Zealand
carbon fibre fabrics. This certification system evaluates the mechanical performance characteristics and durability of composites when they are exposed to various environmental conditions. The fabrics were applied using an epoxy cycle including MAPEWRAP PRIMER 1 SP, ADESILEX PG1 and MAPEWRAP 31 SP (both MAPEWRAP PRIMER 1 SP and MAPEWRAP 31 SP are manufactured and distributed on the local market by Mapei New Zealand). To guarantee the durability of the structure, the intervention was completed by apply-
ing a coat of MAPELASTIC SMART waterproofing mortar. Hopetoun Apartments One of the most significant interventions carried out to protect residential buildings in New Zealand against damage due to earthquakes, was the strengthening of the Hopetoun Apartments in the city of Auckland. The structural strengthening work included confining all the reinforced concrete pillars with MAPEWRAP C UNI-AX fabric which was applied using an epoxy cycle, comprising MAPEWRAP PRIMER 1 SP, ADESILEX PG1 and MAPEWRAP 31 SP.
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PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS
Safe maintenance of sloped and vertical landscaping With the rapid growth of cities around the world, due to the migration of people to these centres of opportunity, a lot of the green cover is being lost, as more buildings and infrastructural facilities are needed to accommodate the increasing urban population. In order to compensate for the loss of greenery, so as to regain as well as enhance the aesthetic, environmental, health and other benefits provided by living in close proximity to plants, intensive landscaping as well as skyrise greening, comprising rooftop greening and vertical greening, are options
pursued by planners, designers, developers and building owners. In land-scarce Singapore, the emphasis on skyrise greening creates ‘work at height’ issues, both at the construction stage and also during the regular maintenance needed especially for pruning of the plants. Installation and maintenance of skyrise greenery is covered by the WSH Act. Ideally, problems relating to maintenance of the greenery should be addressed and resolved at the planning and design phases. While scaffolding, elevating work platforms and other means of ac-
cess and egress ensure ‘work at height’ safety, during the construction phase of a project, it can be difficult to use the access equipment in the space-constrained environment of a completed development. This poses considerable risks for workers undertaking maintenance of skyrise greenery and sloped landscaping. Akrobat Pte Ltd (Akrobat) is a company that offers a range of products and solutions to ensure 'work at height' safety and meet special access requirements. Founded by Mr Philippe Girardot, in 2015, in Singapore, the company has already obtained over 500 references, from all sectors of industry, including transportation (MRT), manufacturing (factories), marine (shipyards), construction and aerospace. In particular, Akrobat has contributed to landmark projects in Singapore, such as Fusionopolis, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, as well as to international projects, such as Al Maktoum International Airport,
Worker protected by a lifeline.
Lifelines connected to high posts, taking into account the continuous growth of the vegetation.
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Lifeline on reinforced concrete roof.
PRODUCTS & SOLUTIONS Jebel Ali, Dubai, and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. Products from Akrobat include fall arrest systems, lifelines, personal protective equipment, harnesses, lanyards, anchorages, ropes for access work, abseiling equipment and railing for abseiling and the movement of gondolas. The company also provides services in the areas of design, engineering, manufacturing and installation, as well as consulting, inspection of products (in Singapore, to conform with the Singapore Standard SS 570 : 2011), rope access and abseiling. All images by Akrobat Pte Ltd
The SS 570 : 2011 Standard The Singapore Standard SS 570 : 2011 on the ‘Specification for personal protective equipment for protection against falls from a height - Single point anchor devices and flexible horizontal lifeline systems’ was prepared by the Technical Committee on Personal Safety and Health under the purview of the General Engineering and Safety Standards Committee of SPRING Singapore. The standard is based on ISO 14567 : 1999 which deals with ‘Personal protective equipment for protection against fall from a height - Single-point anchor devices’ and ISO 16024 : 2005 which deals with ‘Personal protective equipment for protection against falls from a height - Flexible horizontal lifeline systems’. It replaces SS 402 : Part 2 : 1997 which dealt with ‘Specification for industrial safety belts and harness, Part 2 : Permanent anchors’. For preparing this standard, reference was made to BS 7883 : 2005 on ‘Design, selection, installation, use and maintenance of anchor devices confirming to BS EN 795, and to BS EN 795 : 1997 on ‘Protection against falls from a height - Anchor devices Requirement and testing’.
Anchors fixed by encircling the steel tubes that surround the concrete trunks of the supertrees at Gardens by the Bay.
Retractable fall arrester attached to an overhead monorail.
Overhang monorail for rope access to vertical walls, used with motorised rope climber.
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PROJECT APPLICATION
High-rise project with advanced formwork technology
The Signature Tower will grace the skyline of Kuala Lumpur. Image by Mulia Property Development.
At the end of 2018, the Signature Tower will be a new architectural highlight gracing the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Soaring 439 m into the sky, the building will be one of the tallest in Asia and it will rank among the world's top 15. The project is under construction in the city’s new Tun Razak Exchange district which when finished will occupy some 13,877 m² in the hear t of Kuala Lumpur. The district is planned to become Malaysia's new international finance and banking centre. The Signature Tower is designed by Mulia Group Architects. The building tapers continuously as it rises. It
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is topped by a 48 m high illuminated crown made of special glass, that will stand out at night. The project owner of the new highrise building is Indonesia's Mulia Group which has planned the structure with 92 floors, primarily as office space. The individual floors average 3,100 m² in size. There are no interior columns. Lead contractor on this project is China State Construction Engineering Corporation. Doka was selected as formwork technology partner based on the comapany’s experience in highrise construction and innovative approaches. Construction work started in early 2016.
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Decoupling the forming and reinforcing operations The core of the Signature Tower is made of reinforced concrete and the floor slabs are of steel-composite design. Working closely with the highrise specialists at its headquarters in Amstetten, Austria, Doka Malaysia developed a practical formwork and safety concept adapted to the tight construction schedule and the customer's high safety requirements. On this project, the building core is exceptionally large and is being built with Doka’s automatic climbing formwork SKE plus. SKE100 plus and SKE50 plus climbing units are in use. The combination makes the imple-
PROJECT APPLICATION mentation of the project solution efficient and fast, as well. With a lifting capacity of 10 mt per climbing unit, the SKE100 plus system is suitable for the structure of the building core and the high ratio of reinforcing material. The automatic climbing systems are combined with large-area formwork Top 50, to give the concrete its shape. The Top 50 formwork is suspended on rollers, so forming times are fast and stripping paths large. Changing form-facings is a complex job, so for this project, the formwork was faced with Xlife sheets and fitted with steel corners, permitting a high number of re-use cycles. The automatic climbing formwork SKE100 plus has rising working platforms. In other words, the formwork and the reinforcing operations are decoupled, so work proceeds on a number of different levels, at once. All the forming work is done on the main working platform. Other working platforms are integrated above and below. They are for the jobs of installing the reinforcement, pouring the concrete, operating the climbing system, finishing the concrete and installing connectors for the steel composite floor slabs. All these jobs proceed in parallel, so progress on the project is faster and construction time is shorter. Also, the SKE100 plus system has considerable storage place for reinforcing materials, so the site crew has everything ready on hand. Building core climbs in two sections Another particularity of this project is that the building core is divided into two sections with multiple shafts. So the entire climbing scaffold on the outside of a core section can climb quickly and safely in a single repositioning operation. No apertures occur during climbing, so no construction materials or gear can fall from the platforms. Alternate repositioning of the sections of the building core speeds up construction to a tremendous extent.
Everything has to be coordinated in order to conform to a 4-day cycle. All the influencing factors have to interact seamlessly - fast repositioning of the climbing system, ample storage space for the reinforcement and different jobs going ahead all at the same time. The crew splits into parallel teams for working the formwork, placing the reinforcement, pouring the concrete and doing the various finishing jobs. The timing is all-important. While working out the details of the formwork solution, Doka was planning for optimum usage of the cranes on the
inside and outside of the building core. The cranes integrate seamlessly into the formwork concept. The concrete placing boom system is also repositioned with the automatic climbing formwork SKE100 plus. Safety first The Signature Tower will have a steel skeleton faรงade. The Doka Protection screen Xclimb 60 with trapezoidal metal sheeting provides all-round protection during construction. A special feature of the variable enclosure is that it has integrated safety nets on the outside. All the work connected with the reinforcement, the form-
The building core is divided into two sections and is being built with automatic climbing formwork SKE100 plus and SKE50 plus.The entire outside of a section can be repositioned in a single operation with hydraulic cylinders.
The cranes integrate seamlessly, as they were taken into account in the formwork concept.
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PROJECT APPLICATION work and the pouring of the concrete carries on inside the protection screen. The steelwork and the welding work proceed above the protection screen. The nets catch tools and small items if they are dropped. This solution was designed specifically for the high safety requirements for the Signature Tower project. The nets are due to be installed in January 2017. This will be the first time they have been used on a project anywhere in
PROJECT DATA Project Signature Tower Location Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Type of structure Office building Owner Mulia Group Architect Mulia Group Architects Lead Contractor China State Construction Engineering Corporation Start of Construction Early 2016 Scheduled Completion Late 2018 Number of Storeys 92
the world. The working platforms on the automatic climbing formwork SKE100 plus also have all-round trapezoidal metal sheeting enclosures to protect the crew from falling and from adverse weather conditions. Built-in stairs, instead of ladders, in the main pathways interconnect the working levels in the building core and further boost the standard of safety on the site. One formwork instructor from
Doka Malaysia and another from the Doka headquarters in Amstetten support smooth and efficient progress in formworking directly on the construction site. They assist in matters relating to assembly of the formwork systems and explain to the site crew how to operate the automatic climbers effectively and safely. All images by Doka, unless otherwise stated
Foundations for Dubai Culture Village hotel get underway UAE-based piling contractor Delta Foundations Co is using its first Liebherr rotary drilling rig on a four-month contract to install the piling for a four-star hotel at Dubai’s Culture Village development. The LB 20 is a compact rig that is highly mobile, an advantage on this application as the site footprint measures only 60 m by 40 m and the site is consequently congested. The basement excavation for the four-star hotel has already been completed, and a diaphragm wall constructed around the perimeter. Delta Foundations was awarded a contract for the driving of 200 bored piles underneath the basement level. In this project, the Liebherr LB 20 is being used.in a rotary Kelly configuration, with a casing oscillator. Delta is driving two depths of pile, one to 24 m and the other to 29 m, depending on the needs of the structure. There are two diameters of pile, one at 70 cm and the other at 100 cm. Even within this small area, the soil conditions vary. On average, the first 10 m is sand. After that there is 4 m or 5 m of soft rock. Beneath that, the rock becomes harder. Also, the water table, which is at 4.5 m below the drilling surface, has to be taken into consideration. Even so, the drilling is being completed at a rate of about one hour for a 24 m deep, 70 cm diameter pile, and so the contract is expected to be completed in a comfortable timescale. The LB 20 works at a maximum torque of 230 kNm which allows for a fast drilling cycle, and with a Kelly drilling configuration, it can reach a depth of 52 m.
Formwork technology Formwork Products: Automatic climbing formwork SKE100 plus, Automatic climbing formwork SKE50 plus, Large-area formwork Top 50, Xlife form-ply, Protection screen Xclimb 60 Services: Formwork instructors from Malaysia and Doka Headquarters, Amstetten, Austria Formwork planning: Doka Malaysia; Global Expertise Center Highrise, Doka Headquarters, Amstetten, Austria
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The LB 20 rotary drilling rig is being used to install the piling for a four-star hotel at Dubai’s Culture Village development.
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PROJECT APPLICATION
Potain MCT 385 cranes assist in prefabricated construction Singapore’s Housing & Development Board (HDB) has been using precast components to build flats in Singapore since the 1980s. A project underway in Sembawang involves precast modules with bathroom fittings that are completely built-in. Having built-in plumbing and fittings saves time during construction but it adds a new challenge – increased weight. For contractor LC&T Builder, that meant finding a tower crane that had a large enough capacity to lift the 17 t bathroom units, yet could still fit into a congested job site. LC&T Builder rented a total of 10 Potain MCT 385s from Hong Kongbased Manta who also operate a large office in Singapore. Though a re-design eventually rendered the
precast and prefabricated bathroom units lighter at 12 t, and comfortably under the maximum capacity of the cranes, the job site’s tight working quarters still presented a challenge. Crane layout on HDB developments tend to be quite constrained because the construction area extends close to the borders of other properties. There was also a 6 m driveway and a 2 m border that had to be taken into account. LC&T Builder configured the cranes with relatively short jibs, ranging from 25 m to 35 m, so as to avoid over-swing into neighboring properties. The maximum jib length that the MCT 385 can accommodate is 75 m. Starting at 35 m in height, the company steadily climbed the MCT 385 cranes as construction of the build-
Potain MCT 385 cranes have the capacity to lift heavy loads and can fit into congested job sites.
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ing rose, topping out at 55 m. Over the course of the project, the cranes will lift some 35,000 loads for the development’s 1,012 apartments. Aside from the pre-cast and prefabricated bathrooms, some of the heavier loads that the cranes have to deal with include lift walls and staircase walls. These sections weigh approximately 7 t, while other precast sections typically weigh about 5 t to 6 t. The project is slated for completion in the third quarter of 2017. The HDB project reflects a growing trend in Singapore towards the use of prefabricated construction, which delivers both time- and costsavings. LC&T Builder has developed its own capability to create some precast modules. This has allowed the company to exercise greater control over work schedules.
IES UPDATE
In Case You Missed It: Half Day Seminar on Construction Fixing Systems by Seismic Expert from CSTB (France) The know-how to ensure the seismic resistance of buildings, in relation to the use of construction fixing systems, is of perpetual relevance to mankind. This applies not only to earthquake-prone countries, but also countries like Singapore which are in close proximity to tectonic plate boundaries and can be affected by tremors from powerful quakes. On 28 November 2016, a “Half Day Seminar on Construction Fixing Systems by Seismic Expert from CSTB (France)” was held to update industry practitioners on the latest developments in this area. Held at IES Academy @ Jurong East, the seminar attracted close to 70 participants. The main speaker was Mr Thierry Guillet, a specialist in the field of anchoring systems. He currently works for CSTB (Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment; Scientific and Technical Centre for Building) as a design and research engineer. CSTB is the French national organisation that provides research, consultancy, testing and training services in the construction industry. Mr Guillet’s presentation touched on the seismic performance categories mandated by Eurocode, which have been adopted by BCA since 2013 for the construction industry. He also touched upon the performance, testing and evaluation, and approval process for anchor products under the various certification types. On his first-ever trip to Singapore, Mr Guillet was impressed by the skyscrapers that line the cityscape. He hoped that his presentation would help participants better understand the design requirements for anchorages in order to achieve seismic resistance. “This knowledge is applicable any-
Seminar participants being given a product walkthrough by a Rawlplug engineer.
where in the world,” he added. The second half of the seminar was helmed by Mr Andrew Paul, Head of Technical Support at Rawlplug, a UK and Poland-based company specialising in the manufacture of construction anchors and fixing products. Mr Paul discussed with participants at length about the latest trends in corrosion resistance coatings and how they influenced the performance of construction fixings. He also demonstrated how technology could be applied to the anchor selection process through the use of software developed by Rawlplug. The seminar wrapped up with a quick question-and-answer session between the participants and the
two speakers. A post-event survey found feedback for the seminar to be generally positive, with participants enjoying how informative it was. Said Mr Ng Chee Peng, 56, a design engineer working for a government agency, “As I have (recently) been posted to a specialist division that works a lot with materials, today’s presentations provided me with information on how the different anchoring systems can be applied. It is certainly very useful for me!” He felt that future seminars wouldbenefit from being longer, so that speakers could have more time to go even deeper into their knowledge areas. The half-day seminar was sponsored by Rawlplug. TSE
Mr Guillet (standing, extreme right) and Mr Paul (second from right) taking questions from the floor.
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IES UPDATE
Recognising Singapore engineering and forging new paths towards sustainability at CAFEO 34 From 21 to 23 November 2016, IES President Er. Edwin Khew led a 35-member contingent to represent Singapore at the 34th Conference of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (CAFEO 34), held in Palawan, The Philippines. Since 1982, the annual CAFEO has been hosted in rotation between the 10 ASEAN member countries. Local engineering efforts lauded for contributions to society and quality of life At the conference, six engineering projects from Singapore clinched the prestigious ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Awards. Presented by AFEO, a non-governmental organisation affiliated to the ASEAN Secretariat, the annual awards salute engineering achievements distinctive in their demonstration of outstanding engineering skills and significant contributions to the engineering progress and the quality of life in ASEAN countries. The winning projects are: • A Biophillic Waterway@Punggol – Innovative Floating Wetlands and Freshwater-Tolerant Mangroves • Development of Semakau Landfill Phase II • Galassia – NUS First Nanosatellite • The Future of Auditing: Early Detection & Prevention of Significant Trading Irregularities • Highly Flexible and Wearable Sensors for Real-Time Healthcare Monitoring Applications • Seeing is believing: from Microscope to Nanoscope
The Housing and Development Board project team representatives, together with Er. Khew, receiving the ASEAN Outstanding Engineering Achievement Award from Engr. Federico Monsada (second from left), President of the Philippine Technological Council.
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Five distinguished Singaporeans were also amongst those who were conferred the title of AFEO Honorary Fellow for their outstanding and meritorious services to the engineering profession, IES and Singapore. They are: • Er. Chong Kee Sen, Immediate Past President, IES • Prof Quek Tong Boon, Advisor, DSO National Laboratories and Chief Executive, National Robotics Programme • Prof Low Teck Seng, CEO, National Research Foundation • Mr Chua Chong Kheng, Deputy CEO, Land Transport Authority • Mr Lee Fook Sun, President, Singapore Technologies Electronics Ltd
(Left to right) Er. Khew takes a group photo with Prof Quek, Prof Low and Er. Chong after they received their AFEO Honorary Fellow conferments.
A new dawn for engineer mobility and sustainable cities At the CAFEO 34 working group meetings, engineering leaders from the various ASEAN countries discussed issues facing the community in the region and exchanged experience and knowledge in areas concerning energy, transportation and logistics, the environment, sustainable cities, disaster management, engineering education and capacity building. The Palawan Declaration was signed by all AFEO member countries on 23 November 2016. Under the terms of the declaration, all signatories are committed to continue taking proactive steps to improve the mobility of engineers across their borders, to promote the concept of Sustainable Cities and to continue with efforts to attain the achievements and goals set by the many different AFEO working groups. TSE
IES UPDATE
(Left to right) Dato Othman Yaakub. (Brunei), Mrs Khvay Sopheap (Cambodia), Dr Ir. A. Hermanto Dardak (Indonesia), Ir.Tan Yean Chin (Malaysia), A/Prof Suttisak Soralump (Thailand), Engr. Federico Monsada (Philippines), Engr. Aung Myint (Myanmar), Er. Edwin Khew (Singapore), Mr Dang Vu Minh (Vietnam) and Ir. Ong Ching Loon (AFEO Secretary General) join hands in a show of solidarity after signing the Palawan Declaration.
Photo highlights
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX KAPLAN HIGHER ––––––––––––––––– OUTSIDE EDUCATION INSTITUTE BACK COVER LUMA GROUP ––––––––––––––––––––– PAGE 17 LIGHTING PTE LTD
AFEO Governing Board meeting
Showcase of IES initiatives
MANUFACTURING –––––––––––––––– PAGE 15 TECHNOLOGY ASIA 2017 MAPEI FAR EAST PTE LTD ––––––––––– PAGE 33 MHE-DEMAG (S) PTE LTD ––––––––––– PAGE 11 MULTININE CORPORATION –––––––– PAGE 43 PTE LTD RSP ARCHITECTS PLANNERS ––––––––– PAGE 9 & ENGINEERS PTE LTD WORLD ENGINEERS –––––––––––––––– INSIDE SUMMIT 2017 FRONT COVER
Singapore Country Performance – Mass Salsa Dance
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VIEWPOINT
Strengthening Engineering Competencies to Improve Workplace Safety and Health
Er. Ho Siong Hin, Commissioner for Workplace Safety and Health, Ministry of Manpower
Engineers trained in system thinking can help to co-create solutions to improve WSH outcomes and will continue to be an important stakeholder.
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“Singapore began its Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) reform journey in 2005 when we recognised the limitations of a prescriptive approach. This led to an outcome-based and industry-led approach underpinned by the principle of reducing risks at source. The WSH Act was enacted in 2006 and brought about immense changes and enhancements to how safety and health was managed in Singapore’s workplaces. We developed national strategies such as WSH 2015 and WSH 2018 together with our tripartite partners. Through these collaborative efforts, Singapore’s workplace fatality rate declined from 4.9 per 100,000 employed persons in 2004 to 1.9 per 100,000 employed persons in 2016. Moving forward, we are facing new challenges. For example, the ageing workforce due to the demographic changes, rapid technology changes as well as the changing nature of employment. Companies also need to adapt to a lean manpower economy and ensure that workers continue to enjoy enhanced work ability as the workforce ages. In the last few years, we have also seen a stagnation of our WSH performance. There is a need to futurise our approach in workplace safety and health. WSH 2018 Plus was developed to bring us back on track to achieve the 2018 target while laying the foundation to address emerging WSH challenges and sustain continuous improvement beyond 2018. Engineers who have strong analytical and investigative skills, play an important role in improving WSH outcomes. Several initiatives have been undertaken to strengthen the WSH capabilities among engineers. For example, one area where engineers will make a significant contribution is Design for Safety or DfS. DfS means considering safety and health risks right from the start, i.e. during the design stage of a construction project. By doing so, hazards can be eliminated upstream or if that is not possible, at least controlled to minimise the impact. Not only will this lead to safer construction processes, it will also ensure that users of the buildings or structures will have a safer environment. The relevant legislation, or WSH (Design for Safety) Regulations, has been in operation from 1 August 2016. We have been actively building engineers DfS competency, so that they can acquire safety expertise and in understanding construction processes and incorporate safety considerations into design. Another example is the introduction of Professional Engineers (PE) in chemical engineering which commenced from 1 January 2017. The development of the framework for registration of PE (Chemical) was designed to support the implementation of the new Major Hazard Installations (MHI) Regulations which will take effect from September 2017. One of the key features of the MHI regulations is the introduction of the Safety Case Regime. MHIs are expected to take on on greater responsibilities, proactively identify and manage Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) risks through integration of all SHE protocols and demonstrate to regulators that their risks are as low as reasonably practicable. Registered PE(Chemical) will play an important role in ensuring that MHI develop their Safety Case. Engineers trained in system thinking can help to co-create solutions to improve WSH outcomes and will continue to be an important stakeholder. We must continue to push ourselves to innovate and constantly look out for outof-the-box solutions. Sustained improvement in WSH can only be realised if all stakeholders are committed in bringing about a culture where all harm can be prevented.”
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER January 2017