THE MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF ENGINEERS, SINGAPORE
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER
www.ies.org.sg
November 2019 | MCI (P) 105/03/2019
COVER STORY: Structural excellence created through safe processes and solutions
PLUS
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION: Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards presented at ceremony and gala PROJECT APPLICATION: Reimagining the Eiffel Tower landscape using BIM HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING: A Study of Protective Features in Singapore’s Buildings - Part 3 (Barriers and Drivers)
Have your competency recognised!
I BUILD ON EXPERIENCE I see the possibilities my career can bring. Because a career in the built environment is one that can create direct yet far-reaching impact. At BCA, my work on policy measures help to drive change in the built environment sector and make a positive difference. We constantly shape the landscape to prepare for the future of Singapore, rally the built environment sector to achieve farreaching goals beyond today, and improve the living environment for Singaporeans from all walks of life. Be part of this transformation, and join us for a fun and meaningful career. Find out more about our career opportunities at www.bca.gov.sg
Lim Yong Xian Senior Engineer
CONTENTS FEATURES COVER STORY
14 Structural excellence created through safe processes and solutions Tanjong Pagar Centre was a Winner of the Design and Engineering Safety Excellence Award 2018 at BCA AWARDS 2018.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
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22 Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards presented at ceremony and gala The achievements of users of Bentley Systems’ software, in advancing design, construction and operation of infrastructure throughout the world, received recognition.
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PROJECT APPLICATION
28 Achieving higher productivity and output A compact milling machine mills an entire road pavement in Mexico, for the implementation of a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.
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President Prof Yeoh Lean Weng Chief Editor T Bhaskaran t_b_n8@yahoo.com
Publications Manager Desmond Teo desmond@iesnet.org.sg Publications Executive Queek Jiayu jiayu@iesnet.org.sg
Editorial Panel Dr Chandra Segaran Prof Simon Yu Dr Ang Keng Been Dr Victor Sim Mr Syafiq Shahul
Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd
Media Representative MultiNine Corporation Pte Ltd sales@multi9.com.sg
Published by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore 70 Bukit Tinggi Road, Singapore 289758 Tel: 6469 5000 I Fax: 6467 1108
Cover designed by Irin Kuah Cover images: Main image by Ying Yi Photography Inset images by Arup
Printed in Singapore 02
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
www.ies.org.sg
PROJECT APPLICATION
30 Tennis centre design combines tradition and modernity Project-specific formwork solutions were required for the dome-shaped building. 32 Reimagining the Eiffel Tower landscape using BIM Earlier this year, the City of Paris announced the winning proposal to redevelop the ‘grand site’.
HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
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35 A Study of Protective Features in Singapore’s Buildings - Part 3 (Barriers and Drivers) In this last part of the three-part series, the barriers and drivers influencing the adoption of protective features are presented.
REGULAR SECTIONS 04 INDUSTRY NEWS 13 EVENTS 45 IES UPDATE
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The Singapore Engineer is published monthly by The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES). The publication is distributed free-of-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.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Aurecon completes South-East Asia’s largest solar farm project in Vietnam As part of its renewable energy initiative, the Vietnamese government aimed to produce 5,000 MW of the nation’s electricity through solar energy by June 2019. To do so, they engaged engineering design and consultancy firm Aurecon to bring the Dau Tieng 1 and 2 Solar Power Plant Project to life. At completion, the 420 MW solar power plant is the largest in Southeast Asia. Aurecon served as the Owner’s Engineer, in addition to providing project management, design review, and site supervision services. The biggest challenge facing the project was the June 2019 deadline; to fulfil Vietnam’s renewable energy initiatives, the project was scheduled to be commissioned and connected to Vietnam’s power grid in under a year. Exacerbating the need for speed, the solar farm was also built next to a reservoir which would flood from October to February every year during monsoon season, pausing construction. In a press statement released by Aurecon, the firm attributed the timely completion of the project to several factors: Close collaboration between project owners and contractors, flexibility with the client through on-site inspections, clear communication between the multinational stakeholders and supplementary services provided by Aurecon such as calculation checks and expedition of approval processes.
“To accelerate the project’s delivery, we also tapped on our international teams,” said Mr Worakarn Aimdee, Aurecon’s technical director of infrastructure services, “Our South African unit contributed their considerable experience in engineering large-scale renewable projects, while our Bangkok team had good experience collaborating with B. Grimm Power on previous solar projects in Thailand.” Through resourcefulness and close collaboration, the Dau Tieng 1 and 2 Solar Power Plant Project was completed in less than a year. Recognised as the largest solar farm in the region, it will help meet the electricity demands of two nearby cities. It comprises over 1.3 million PV modules, 170 000 pile foundations and 600 kilometres of steel mounting structures.
The project, with more than 1.3 million PV modules installed over a 500-hectare site, is the largest solar farm project in South-East Asia. (Photo: Aurecon)
Aurecon appoints new Client Director
for Infrastructure in Asia As Aurecon’s new Client Director for Infrastructure in Asia, Ms Lili Tao, who is based in the firm’s Singapore office, will work with Hong Kong-based Client Director, Keith Chong, the global client leadership team and the Asia leadership team, to build on project successes. Projects won by Aurecon include the MRTA Purple Line in Thailand, Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, the recent contract to design three of the first five stations on Singapore’s Jurong Regional Line, as well as major structures for the rail line.
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really innovative outcomes and find solutions to complex problems for clients”, she added.
“My journey brought me a long way from originally growing up in Beijing, working in the UK, to returning to Asia, initially being based in Hong Kong to now settling in Singapore - an international gateway”, Lili said.
“While I was working in the UK, I was an apprentice to the first female President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Jean Venables CBE, which gave me invaluable insight into how senior female figures operate in the industry. It stressed to me the importance for young aspiring engineers Ms Lili Tao to have female role models who are changing the industries they work in, for the better”, Lili continued.
“What this has taught me is in our global business world, when you can bridge cultures and transfer knowledge from one sector to another and continuously build on this, you can achieve
In recent years, Lili has held several roles at Aurecon, including that of Lead Project Manager and Technical Director, and Project Services Lead for Singapore.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
INDUSTRY NEWS
JTC and Singapore Polytechnic come together to drive tech adoption and train students in manufacturing To build a pipeline of skilled talent for the advanced manufacturing sector, JTC and Singapore Polytechnic (SP) signed an MOU on 14 September 2019. This pools together resources from academia and industry expertise, so as to further knowledge on advanced manufacturing concepts and technologies in preparation for Industry 4.0 transformation. SP and industry technology providers will develop and provide technology solutions, as well as conduct workforce training for companies. Businesses will experience real-life applications of advanced manufacturing solutions at smart facilities within SP’s campus. SP will also facilitate process re-design to drive technology adoption, build capabilities, and improve the companies’ current operations. To upskill the local talent pool, SP will introduce workstudy programmes for students, entry-level professionals and employees, supported by JTC. SP students will be given internship and project opportunities at advanced manufacturing companies in the Jurong Innovation District (JID) and beyond. Over 400 talents from SP are expected to benefit from this programme in the next three years. This complements the suite of upcoming research and training opportunities at JID, which include both local and international programmes. The NTU-JTC Industry Talent Development Programme, for example, allows students to intern and work on
Mr Soh Wai Wah, Principal and CEO of SP (foreground, left) signs the MOU with Mr Ng Lang as Mr Tan Chong Meng, Chairman of JTC (background, left); Senior Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam; and Mr Max Loh, Member of the SP Board of Governors, look on. (Photo: SP)
projects with advanced manufacturing industry partners, while German engineering firm Bosch Rexroth runs programmes on the applications of Industry 4.0 methods and technologies at its Regional Training Centre. Mr Ng Lang, CEO of JTC, said “The global digital transformation in manufacturing will require a new generation to work alongside new technologies in a digitalised workplace. Partnerships with Institutes of Higher Learning like SP are important in ensuring that our workforce is equipped with the right skillsets to meet the needs of new manufacturing jobs.”
IPAF announces the appointment
of CEO and Managing Director The International Powered Access Federation (IPAF) has announced the appointment of Mr Peter Douglas as its new CEO and Managing Director, following a thorough recruitment process that attracted almost 50 applicants from around the world. The new CEO and MD takes up the positions on 1 December 2019, and will be based in the UK. Mr Norty Turner, IPAF’s President, who served on the recruitment and selection panel, said, “The past few years have seen IPAF go from strength to strength, innovating to update its training courses into new languages and eLearning, developing virtual reality applications and creating exciting new events”. “With Peter being based in the UK, this will consolidate IPAF’s global headquarters and enable full-service support of the organisation’s core market and membership, which in recent years has delivered more PAL Cards than ever before”, he added. Mr Andy Studdert, who has served as Interim CEO of IPAF and helped lead the recruitment search, commented, “I am pleased
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to confirm our recruitment process has attracted some truly impressive candidates and that, after such a competitive and wide-ranging search, Peter has been selected to lead this organisation as it continues to thrive and grow. I am honoured to hand over the leadership of IPAF to such a well-qualified Mr Peter Douglas and enthusiastic CEO. Peter will take IPAF to the next level of excellence”. Speaking on his appointment, Mr Douglas said, “I am delighted and honoured to have the opportunity to lead such a well-recognised and respected global safety, technical and training organisation. I am looking forward to the challenge of making the powered access industry worldwide as safe as it possibly can be”.
INDUSTRY NEWS
LTA awards contract
for Tengah Depot The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has awarded the civil contract to design and construct Tengah Depot and its associated facilities for the Jurong Region Line (JRL) at a total contract value of SGD 739.5 million to China Railway 11 Bureau Group Corporation (Singapore Branch). Tengah Depot comprises an Integrated Rail and Bus depot, ancillary buildings and a transport workers’ dormitory. Located adjacent to the west of Tengah New Town, the at-grade Tengah Depot will be Singapore’s 10th MRT depot. It will occupy a 44.5-hectare site and will be designed for the stabling and maintenance of 100 four-car trains and 600 buses as well as their associated maintenance facilities. To optimise land use, the depot will also include a four-storey transport workers’ dormitory that can accommodate 450 bus captains.
Construction of Tengah Depot is expected to commence in 2020 and is slated for completion in 2026. China Railway 11 Bureau Group Corporation (Singapore Branch) is an established and experienced construction company that has completed various rail-related projects worldwide. In Singapore, China Railway 11 Bureau Group Corporation has completed several major infrastructure projects including three MRT stations (namely Tuas Link, Tuas West Road and Tuas Crescent stations) and their associated railway viaducts - on the East-West Line’s Tuas West Extension. The company also constructed Singapore’s first integrated Rail and Road Viaduct as part of the Tuas West Extension project.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
Paya Lebar Quarter becomes Singapore’s latest business and lifestyle hub
At the official opening of PLQ are, from left to right, Ms Ng Hsueh Ling, Managing Director, Singapore and Chief Investment Officer, Asia, Lendlease; Mr Tony Lombardo, Chief Executive Officer, Asia, Lendlease; Mr Steve McCann, Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Lendlease; Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance; Mr Bruce Gosper, the High Commissioner of of Australia in Singapore; and Mr Richard Paine, Managing Director, Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease.
Developed by Lendlease, Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ) was officially opened recently, at an event graced by Guest-ofHonour, Mr Lawrence Wong, Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance, and Mr Bruce Gosper, High Commissioner of Australia in Singapore. Mr Wong and Mr Gosper joined Mr Steve McCann, Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Lendlease, and Mr Tony Lombardo, Chief Executive Officer, Asia, Lendlease, to mark the opening by activating a vertical domino show which gradually unveiled the Paya Lebar Quarter logo against the songket-inspired backdrop. PLQ’s distinctive architecture and design, inspired by the intricate weaving patterns of the songket, a traditional brocade textile from the Malay culture, is also visible from the building facades to public realm features. Apart from aligning with the rich Malay heritage of the area, the design language helps to unify the buildings and public areas into a single tapestry that authentically reflects the community PLQ sits within. The domino show signified the delivery of the SGD 3.7 billion, 4-hectare landmark urban regeneration development by Lendlease, which will catalyse the transforma08
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
tion of Paya Lebar Central, a 12-hectare centrally located sub-regional hub, into a dynamic and vibrant business and lifestyle precinct. With the completion of PLQ, the 22,000-strong workforce within a seven-minute walking radius of PLQ and one million residents in the trade area (Urbis Retail Market Study, March 2015) can now enjoy the 100,000 ft2 of green spaces across the precinct. PLQ also supports Singapore’s car-lite vision, with its connectivity, direct links to the dual-line Paya Lebar MRT interchange and seamless connection to the wider Park Connector Network. Following the domino show was the first-ever joint performance by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra - a musical collaboration echoing the Singapore-Australia connection in Lendlease’s largest project in Singapore. “Urban regeneration is a key pillar of Lendlease’s strategy. Every day around the world, we work with cities and governments to create the best places. Today, we have before us a truly world-class example of what can
INDUSTRY NEWS
be achieved when government and companies such as Lendlease partner with local communities to deliver game-changing urbanisation projects that will leave a positive legacy for the community for generations to come”, said Mr McCann.
One initiative is an upcoming collaboration between PLQ, Health Promotion Board and anchor tenant Virgin Active to host complimentary health and wellness activities at PLQ to improve the health and well-being of residents as well as building a healthy and vibrant workplace community.
Centrally located business and lifestyle hub
PLQ has also been engaging with schools in the area and is partnering a secondary school for the next three years to enable their students to learn about sustainability using PLQ as a case study. Other initiatives are also in the works, including the creation of an online portal to support sustainability education by schools.
Home to Lendlease’s new Asia headquarters, PLQ’s 900,000 ft2 of Grade A office spaces, available across three towers, and 200 retail shops, are almost fully leased, while its residential component, Park Place Residences, had only one unit left before the expected TOP in November. PLQ Workplace is now home to 18 multinational corporations and leading Singapore organisations, including UOB, Sabre Asia Pacific, Roche Singapore, Obayashi Singapore and Tokyo Electron Singapore. Lendlease’s inaugural flexible workplace solution, csuites, which combines the benefits of premier corporate offices with the advantages of shared services and collaborative spaces offered by co-working products, has received much interest from the market, and is set to welcome German multinational pharmaceutical and life sciences company, Bayer.
On the employment front, PLQ previously partnered with Workforce Singapore for a job fair, showcasing jobs at PLQ, bringing jobs closer to homes and enabling employment and upskilling.
As the heart of a new lifestyle precinct and the social heart of the Paya Lebar community, PLQ offers a line-up of exciting retail offerings. Living up to its vision of one place, many moments, PLQ Mall also offers a multi-layered experience for the community - from book exchange spots, quirky photo booths, Instagram-worthy backdrops, interactive activity/ play areas and a Cine-Mini installation. “We set out with a mission to create one of the best and most progressive places for Singapore, with PLQ. Today, we are proud to say that we have achieved this mission, with the support from the community, tenants and partners. Moving forward, our goal will be to create a community fabric in the area to bring everyone who lives, works and plays here together”, said Mr Lombardo.
A range of initiatives and activities At Lendlease, sustainability is about creating the best places for people today and for generations to come. This vison will come to life at PLQ which will centre its initiatives around weaving a social fabric for the area, in addition to the development’s environmental focus. As part of its Community Development Plan, PLQ has been actively engaging the community from the start of the project in 2015, including the conceptualisation of events and activities to be held at 100,000 ft2 of green public spaces in PLQ.
The VIPs touring PLQ, at the official opening.. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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INDUSTRY NEWS
PUB completes drainage improvement works
for Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal PUB, the national water agency, unveiled the newly expanded Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal on 13 September this year. It is a key drainage infrastructure project that enhances flood protection in the upper Bukit Timah catchment area. The upgrading works involved the deepening and widening of the canal and construction of additional tunnels, allowing it to take in 30 per cent more rainwater. This will help alleviate the risk of flash floods along Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road.
that working spaces had to be carefully managed. The final phase required the careful navigation of hilly terrain and forested areas, as well as tougher than anticipated ground conditions due to the discovery of hard granite in some areas. “This (canal upgrade) is probably PUB’s most challenging drainage project ever, and one of the most costly. Its completion will significantly reduce the risk of flooding for areas upstream of Sixth Avenue (and) provides some added protection for the notoriously flood-prone Bukit Timah corridor,” said PUB Chief Executive Ng Joo Hee.
The entire project was carried out over three phases starting from September 2012, at a combined cost of SGD 300 million. From an open and shallow drain passing through hilly terrain, forested areas and private residential estates, the canal has now been turned into a major waterway that is now betterequipped to deal with intense rainfall events. The Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal serves a catchment size of around 1,000 hectares (roughly equivalent to 1,450 football fields) consisting of private residential housing, educational institutes, shopping and commercial buildings. Measuring 3.2 km from Bukit Timah Road (near Sixth Avenue) to Clementi Road, it was built in 1972 as part of the Bukit Timah Flood Alleviation Scheme to divert stormwater from the upstream section of the Bukit Timah Canal to Sungei Ulu Pandan.
Upgraded section of the canal along Holland Green. Photo: PUB
Areas surrounding the undersized Bukit Timah Canal had experienced frequent flooding due to rapid urbanisation. Each of the project’s three phases posed its own unique set of challenges to PUB’s engineers and appointed contractors. Phase 1, for instance, required extensive road diversions at Ulu Pandan Road and frequent dialogue with stakeholders to manage inconveniences. For the second phase, the canal’s proximity to private houses meant 10
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
A newly excavated tunnel through Military Hill. Photo: PUB
INDUSTRY NEWS
MIT researchers develop battery-free sensor for underwater exploration One of the currently-proposed ideas to investigate Earth’s vastly unexplored oceans is to build a submerged network of interconnected sensors that send data to the surface, akin to an underwater Internet of Things. To overcome the constant need to power these deep underwater sensors, MIT researchers have come up with a battery-free underwater communication system that uses near-zero power to transmit sensor data. The system could be used to monitor sea temperatures to study climate change and track marine life over long periods, and even sample waters on distant planets. It makes use of two key phenomena: The piezoelectric effect, which occurs when vibrations in certain materials generate an electrical charge, and backscatter, a communication technique commonly used in RFID tags, that transmits data by reflecting modulated wireless signals off a tag and back to a reader.
A battery-free underwater “piezoelectric” sensor invented by MIT researchers transmits data by absorbing or reflecting sound waves back to a receiver, where a reflected wave decodes a 1 bit and an absorbed wave decodes a 0 bit — and simultaneously stores energy. Image courtesy of the researchers.
In the researchers’ system, a transmitter sends acoustic waves through water toward a piezoelectric sensor that has stored data. When the wave hits the sensor, the material vibrates and stores the resulting electrical charge. The sensor then either takes no action, or uses the stored energy to reflect a wave back to a receiver, alternating the two states in a way that corresponds to the bits in the transmitted data: For a reflected wave, the receiver decodes a 1; for no reflected wave, the receiver decodes a 0. “Once you have a way to transmit 1s and 0s, you can send any information,” said Assistant Professor Fadel Adib of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, who co-authored the research paper documenting this project. “Basically, we can communicate with underwater sensors based solely on the incoming sound signals whose energy we are harvesting,” the founding director of the Signal Kinetics Research Group added. Communicating with the sensors relies on preventing the piezoelectric resonator from naturally deforming in response to strain. At the heart of the system is a submerged node, a circuit board that houses a piezoelectric resonator, an energy-harvesting unit, and a microcontroller. Any type of sensor can be integrated into the node by programming the microcontroller. An acoustic projector (transmitter) and underwater listening device, called a hydrophone (receiver), are placed some distance away. 12
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
For a 0 bit, when the transmitter sends its acoustic wave at the node, the piezoelectric resonator absorbs the wave and naturally deforms, and the energy harvester stores a little charge from the resulting vibrations. The receiver then sees no reflected signal and decodes a 0. However, when the sensor wants to send a 1 bit, the nature changes. When the transmitter sends a wave, the microcontroller uses the stored charge to send a little voltage to the piezoelectric resonator. That voltage reorients the material’s structure in a way that stops it from deforming, and instead reflects the wave. Sensing a reflected wave, the receiver decodes a 1. The researchers demonstrated their Piezo-Acoustic Backscatter System in an MIT pool, using it to collect water temperature and pressure measurements. The system was able to transmit 3 kilobits per second of accurate data from two sensors simultaneously at a distance of 10 meters between sensor and receiver. Applications go beyond our own planet. The system, said Prof Adib, could be used to collect data in the recently discovered subsurface ocean on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. In June, NASA announced the Dragonfly mission to send a rover in 2026 to explore the moon, sampling water reservoirs and other sites. Next, the researchers aim to demonstrate that the system can work at farther distances and communicate with more sensors simultaneously. They are also looking to test whether the system can transmit sound and low-resolution images.
EVENTS
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 and IFPE 2020 to highlight ‘Smart City’ and education A 10 ft by 22 ft smart city replica will be on display at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 which will be held in Las Vegas, USA, from 10 to 14 March 2020 and will demonstrate how a smart city, through sensors and analytics, will be able to transform information into digestible data, providing knowledge for the city to work smarter. The replica will showcase several scenarios including: • Different city grids and how a city responds to heat, wind and storms. • Connectivity in the city, including 5G, sensors, telematics and IOT. • The construction jobsite of the future within the city and how equipment will communicate. “Our goal for the Tech Experience in 2020 is to show contractors how all of these exciting new technologies will impact their current work, how the expectations and demands of customers will change and how the current state of infrastructure may change”, said Al Cevero, Senior Vice President, Construction, Mining & Utility, at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).
are grouped into tracks that will include the following subjects: • Aggregates • Asphalt • Concrete • Cranes, rigging and aerial lifts • Earthmoving and site development
CONEXPO-CON/AGG Held every three years, CONEXPO-CON/AGG is a leading event for construction industry professionals. The show features the latest equipment, products, services and technologies for the construction industry, as well as industry-leading education. CONEXPO-CON/AGG will cover developments in asphalt, aggregates, concrete, earthmoving, lifting, mining, utilities and related industry segments. More information on CONEXPO-CON/AGG may be obtained from www.conexpoconagg.com.
Expanded footprint and connected campus
Association of Equipment Manufacturers
The show is expanding the 2020 footprint to include the Las Vegas Festival Grounds, located on the Las Vegas Strip adjacent to the Circus Circus Hotel. The types of exhibits in the Festival Grounds will include aerial equipment and cranes, earth moving and hauling machines, and equipment for underground construction.
Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is the North American-based international trade group representing off-road equipment manufacturers and suppliers, with more than 1,000 companies and more than 200 product lines in the agriculture and construction-related industry sectors worldwide. The equipment manufacturing industry supports 1.3 million jobs in the US and 149,000 more in Canada. Equipment manufacturers also contribute USD 188 billion combined to the US and Canadian economies. AEM is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2019.
The 2020 show’s connected campus will include new and expanded transportation, including multi-site drop-off locations for shuttles, complimentary monorail passes, golf cart shuttles, and various experiential transportation options for the benefit of the attendees, throughout the week. “AEM is committed to bringing people together at CONEXPO-CON/AGG, as the show serves as a catalyst for industry growth and development. We wanted to make sure everyone can explore the entire show and have the best possible experience”, said Dana Wuesthoff, Vice President of Exhibitions and Event Services at AEM, and CONEXPO-CON/AGG Show Director.
Expanded educational opportunities In addition to the displays by 2800 exhibitors over 2.6 million ft2 of exhibit space, 180 education sessions will be held. The education sessions will feature the latest topics and industry trends and
An overview of the outdoor exhibits at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2017, the previous edition of the event. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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COVER STORY
Structural excellence created through safe processes and solutions Guoco Tower was a Winner of the Design and Engineering Safety Excellence Award 2018 at the BCA AWARDS 2018, among many other accolades. The 290 m tall Guoco Tower (formerly Tanjong Pagar Centre) currently holds the title of Singapore’s tallest building, breaking the record held for more than 20 years. Developed by GuocoLand Group, the 64-storey skyscraper is strategically located in the heart of Tanjong Pagar - an area earmarked for rejuvenation as Singapore’s next business and lifestyle hub in the Central Business District (CBD). This vibrant, mixed-use development sprawls over an area of more than 156,000 m2 comprising Grade-A offices, residences, a business hotel, retail and sheltered event spaces, and a 150,000 ft2 urban park. It sits on a site bounded by a few small roads, the busy Tanjong Pagar Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station and historic shophouses. Opened in 2017, Guoco Tower is an exemplar of robust and innovative engineering design solutions, brought to life using buildable and safe construction techniques.
Robust design process With its scale and location within a dense CBD environment (Figure 1), Guoco Tower is a showcase of structural excellence that was implemented under a tight time frame, and created within a constrained basement space that is directly connected to the MRT. To achieve the construction schedule and optimise basement construction, the top-down construction approach was adopted so that the erection of superstructures could be accelerated within a robust design of temporary supports and sequence of works. The site was divided into four phases - two within the restricted zones of the railway reserve lines. The other two were outside this zone and was split under Phases 1 and 2. The construction sequence required Phase 1 to be completed with the office tower first, while Phase 2, where the hotel tower sits, would serve as staging area during Phase 1 construction. There was a central retaining wall between the two phases for excavation works to be independent. The retaining walls and foundation piles were already completed during the advance piling package. To achieve a more aggressive construction progress, the conversion of the reinforced concrete (RC) members to structural steel members at both the podium and the basement was proposed. The savings in self-weight translated directly into more floors attainable by kingpost capacity. The superstructures could then be constructed to 15 storeys and the corewall up to 18 storeys. 14
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The 290 m Guoco Tower soaring above the Singapore city skyline. Image by Ying Yi Photography.
This provided more time for basement construction, given a thick pile raft slab, while the superstructures progressed upwards. Due to good progress on the office tower, the possibility of using a similar construction sequence for the basement of the office tower was also studied. This led to a proposed solution of converting the Level 2 podium to steelwork construction due to a levelled layout. The project team also proposed a delay in casting pockets of Level 3 and 4 to keep construction
The mixed-used development includes offices, residences, hotel, retail and sheltered event spaces. Image by Arup.
COVER STORY
loads within kingpost capacity. In addition, extra bracing was installed for some kingposts to reduce the effective lengths by splaying to the soffit of the basement slab cast above. In this way, the hotel tower’s podium structures were advanced to Level 4 while constructing Basement 3 simultaneously.
Adopting a pile raft foundation
Figure 1: Guoco Tower is located within a dense CBD environment.
As the site is underlain by Jurong Formation, the project team leveraged the strength of the good soil by adopting a pile raft foundation. Given that the Tanjong Pagar MRT Station is founded on a raft foundation, the base slab was proposed to be kept at the same level as the MRT structure, for ease of connectivity and to avoid over-stressing the existing foundation. The design of the load transfer sought to allow piles to take 70% of the total foundation load while the soil takes the remaining 30%. This solution saved 30% of the potential costs incurred, by mobilising soil as foundation and cutting down on the amount of piles needed to support the structure adequately and economically. Self-compacting concrete was also used to cast the 4 m raft continuously - in one operation, over three days - raising safety and productivity, and enhancing buildability (Figure 3).
Design solutions that overcome complex building geometry
Figure 2: Basement construction and top-down construction sequences. Image by Arup.
For both the hotel and office towers, the inherent behaviour of the building’s geometry is included on opposite sloping faces, with changes in the slope on the south side at Level 6, due to the retraction of the floor plate from above the MRT station (Figure 4). Due to the large amount of forces in the columns at Level 6, floor beams were employed as ties to resist tensile forces and transfer them to the corewall. Due to the compatibility effect, significant tensile forces were also found at Levels 5 and 7 floor structures, which were similarly resisted by the steel beams and post-tensioning beams, respectively. At Level 1, the sloping columns are supported by vertical basement columns, thus large horizontal forces were imposed at this level which are then transferred to the corewall by RC beams. From Level 39, the counterbalancing weight from the residential tower will shift the tower towards the north. This complexity can be illustrated from the building’s central corewall layout (Figure 4), which is larger below Level 39, while reduced to half on the north side, at the same level. As sloping columns turn in opposite direction at Level 6, it was expected that the floor structures, at 300 mm lower than the architectural finished level, will be subjected to high tension due to the ‘kick-out’ forces (denoted as ‘T’ in Figure 5) at the four southern columns. The kink occurs at the centre of the steel floor beams which would serve as tying structures to resist these forces.
Figure 3: Casting of Basement 3 raft slab in progress. Image by Arup.
As these steel beams are resisting the tensile forces THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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COVER STORY
solely before transferring them to the corewall, the floor plates supported by these beams not only accounted for these notional forces, but also prevent cracking. At the connections where the change in direction of the column occurs, embedded steel connectors were introduced to direct the forces that come down from the RC column above Level 6 to the steel columns and beams on Level 6. The centre of the steel connector coincides with that of the steel beam at Level 6. This nodal design is illustrated in Figure 6, showing the angles of the sloping columns as they change in direction. As this is the most critical part of the building structures, structural steelworks have been innovatively used to resist these large ‘kick-out’ forces. Large steel plates with shear studs were embedded in the corewall to ensure that the ‘kick-out’ horizontal forces were transferred to the corewall directly and effectively. The fabrication and erection of the Level 6 steel tie beams and columns were also completed in accordance with the design intent and on time.
Figure 4 Deformation of corewall due to vertical loads. Image by Arup.
From the global analysis, the project team also found that the levels above and below Level 6 would also be subjected to tensile forces of a smaller magnitude. In addition to full load at Level 6, Level 5 and Level 7 were also administered with a similar design approach, with the floor beams, steel and post-tensioning members strengthened to accommodate these residual forces. At Level 1, where the sloping columns are supported on vertical columns, the horizontal forces, as a result of the directional change of forces, are supported by the Level 1 RC struts encasing the steel floor beams.
Using structural steel to address space constraints
Figure 5: Nodal design at steel connection. Image by Arup.
To work around the challenge of space constraints in the basement levels, the project team decided to adopt the use of steel at the office podium and basement structures. This ensured that, despite the challenging construction conditions due to space constraints in the
Figure 6: Column nodes and reinforced plates in the corewall at Level 6. Image by Arup. 16
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Figure 7: Podium and basement view. Image by GuocoLand Group.
basement levels, the podium’s changing floor layout, and critical structural elements at Levels 1 and 6 (Figure 7), construction was sped up and not impeded, and productivity improved. It is unusual to adopt structural steel at the basement levels, as there are challenges such as of moving the materials to the basement and fire-rating requirements. To overcome the challenge of transporting steel beams and decking, two openings that were 12 m in length were located near the corewall to allow the lowering of beams to the respective basement levels. These openings were considered in the excavation strategy and analysis for top-down construction. With regard to fire rating, the beams and slab decking were protected for up to four hours’ exposure to fire. The construction of the basement floors was neat, and the high-performance steel decking provided formwork for the slab, without the need to prop below. As the slab was considered to support the retaining wall laterally at each basement level, adequate thickness is required for them to perform as compression members. As steel structures are lighter, the saving in self-weight at the basement and podium, as compared to conventional RC structures, translated directly into additional floors that the kingposts can support during top-down construction. At the same time, the reduction in the total loads on the foundation also created less impact on the adjoining Tanjong Pagar MRT station and surrounding heritage shophouses. The use of steel also ensured effective use of manpower during fabrication, as it requires well-organised
Figure 8: Levels 38-39 transfer floor structures. Image by Arup.
workmanship and skilled workers with proper training for fabrication and installation, resulting in an effective reduction of the total workload on site. As this steelwork was repetitive with simple connections, it lightened the workflow, leading to an effective use of manpower.
Innovative transfer structures With residences occupying the spaces above Level 39, Level 38 was designated as the mechanical floor. Given the different layout of the residential floors, transfer structures were required at Levels 38 and 39 (Figure 8). The project team proposed an innovative transfer and belt-truss system at the upper levels to achieve stability of the overall tower structure. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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To speed up the construction progress of the residential tower, the transfer floor and belt-truss construction had to be completed first, and the original storey-high transfer steel trusses at Levels 38 and 39 were converted to transfer structures at Level 39.
Figure 9: Transfer twin steel beams with sandwiched RC beam. Image by Arup.
These structures are made up of 1.2 m deep twin steel beams with infilled RC beam at the location of the transfer columns, such that both concrete and steel beams supported the columns above. The steel beams serve to resist primarily the huge shear forces. In this way, Level 38 adopted a post-tensioning beam system for typical office floors, while Level 39 could be constructed safely at that floor level. The belt trusses were converted to RC walls and the construction could proceed after completion of Level 39 but before Level 43 was completed (Figure 9). With this innovative approach, the complicated and time-consuming works at the transfer floors was converted to floor by floor construction, so that the belt wall system could be erected independently, while allowing progress of the superstructures at the residential tower. To reduce temporary supports for the erection of floor structures at the office towers, steel decks forming ribbed slabs were adopted (Figure 10). The 8 m long steel deck spanned across the post-tensioned (PT) beams, as the ribbed slab formwork was supported, in turn, by temporary supports at the PT beams (Figure 11). The permanent structures were formed after pouring concrete over the deck.
Figure 10: Typical ribbed beam details. Image by Arup.
Figure 11: Deep deck supported by PT beam supports. Image by Arup.
As the imported steel deck did not obtain the approval to be part of the permanent design, it served well as temporary formwork for structures which are difficult to form by the traditional method. It is uncommon for projects in Singapore to utilise ribbed beams, given the difficulty in procurement. The project team recognised the benefits of ribbed beams as they do not require scaffolding and free up space, improving the safety of the work-place. The method also enhanced productivity. It was also extremely challenging to install falsework and scaffolding on Levels 38 and 39 to support the heavy construction loads, owing to their heights. To circumvent this, the project team adopted a composite transfer structure consisting of twin I-section steel plate girders and transfer RC beams. The concrete was poured in between the twin beams with steel decking as a temporary framework without propping. With this structural system, it freed up the space for mechanical and electrical needs on Level 38 - making the area safer and less cluttered to work in.
Design analysis, checking and specification As Guoco Tower is a super high-rise building, lateral stability is an important design criterion to be considered (Figure 12). Global analysis of the building was performed using ETABS and non-linear analysis was carried out to model the effect of construction sequence, P-delta and long term effects. Figure 12: Lateral behaviour of building due to gravity loads. Image by Arup. 18
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As the total loads in the columns are large in magnitude, the columns at the lower floors were subjected to short-
COVER STORY
ening which affected the floor construction. Due to the connection of the column to floor level as it progressed upwards, in-place analysis of the building model was considered to be a conservative approach. Non-linear analysis of the building’s lateral stability was considered to be more accurate in predicting the internal stresses due to the construction sequence. At the office and residential tower, the southern face slopes to Level 6 from the office roof, and the slope changes to the opposite direction till Level 1, so that the columns fall outside the first reserve line of the Railway Protection Zone. At Level 39, the residential tower stands on the northern half tower footprint. The first feature would induce the building to sway towards the south as the floors progressed upwards and more loads were imposed. On the other hand, the loads from the residential tower, being eccentric to the central core, would cause the building to sway towards the north. Thus, the building will start to shift to the south due to gravity loads as the upper floors were built, while the sway switched direction when the residential tower construction commenced. This behaviour of the building is crucial to the serviceability state as both human comfort and lift performance are affected. Sensitivity studies were carried out, including both linear and non-linear analysis, to ensure the critical behaviour and force were considered and accounted for. Pre-setting of the corewall was also prescribed, as a result of comprehensive analysis, based on the team’s construction sequence.
was recommended that a comprehensive wind tunnel test be carried out. The model for the wind tunnel test represented an area with a radius of about 500 m from the proposed site and included future developments adjacent to the site. Two separate tests were conducted and it was found that the loading due to wind, obtained from the tests, was significantly higher than code-prescribed values (Figure 13). This is likely due to a few factors such as the presence of adjacent buildings and proximity to the sea.
Design features for safe inspection and maintenance Special markers at beam soffit were introduced to the post-tensioned beams in the office tower to highlight the locations of tendons so that they are not damaged due to future works. Easy identification during inspection would be crucial to protect the tendons which are in tension. All the roofs of the buildings were designed with maintainability in mind. This is especially important given the requirement for flexibility in the use of the spaces. The access walkways were integrated into the design of the roof crown and canopies, for regular maintenance services. A telescopic boom on rail was proposed for maintenance of the building façade at height. The support for this boom accounts for the forces imposed during operation.
Multiple safety-first measures
Enhancing structural safety and serviceability
Multiple measures were put in place to review and evaluate the construction process to ensure safety during the construction stage.
Due to the nature of super high-rise buildings, wind load is an important design parameter to be accounted for in the serviceability state. While the wind code prescribes a loading condition based on terrain, height and shape of the building, the actual site conditions may be more influenced by proximity to other high-rise buildings. It
During excavation of the three basements, in-soil instruments such as inclinometers, vibrating wire piezometers, water standpipes and ground settlement markers, and inwall inclinometers were installed. These allowed ground movement monitoring during the deep excavation, against alert and work suspension levels, as prescribed.
Figure 13: Building movement and building performance when affected by winds. Image by Arup. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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The basement of Guoco Tower directly connects to the Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Image by Ying Yi Photography.
A specialist took readings from the various monitoring instruments and submitted daily reports. The results of the readings were compared against the predicted movement of the retaining wall and soil, and deviations from prediction were highlighted. Deviations were reported to the design Qualified Person (QP) for re-analysis of the excavation works and appropriate remedial measures were carried out when necessary. The supervision team monitored the progress of excavation to ensure that the required struts/slabs were in place before further excavation was allowed.
closely followed comprehensive procedures outlined in the project execution plan for site works and clearly allocated the roles and responsibilities within the RSS team.
Additional strain gauges and load cells were installed at column and wall locations of Basement 3, to monitor the load transmitted to the foundation during construction, as well as after completion of building, and compare against predicted values.
Safety teams comprising Work Safety and Health Officers and Safety Coordinators were deployed throughout the site to ensure a safe working environment. Risk assessments were carried out prior to commencement of work, in accordance with Safe Work Procedures and Safety Management Systems.
Monitoring of the MRT station and tracks was also carried out, using real-time instruments which continuously returned the readings of the movements for checking against stringent displacement limits imposed by the authority. For the superstructures, verticality of the towers was checked monthly and reported for every five storeys. This was monitored, based on a designated hole on every floor plate, and measured by laser beams. The measured lateral displacements were plotted onto a graph for comparison with the predicted movement.
Construction safety and impact to surroundings The construction site was ably managed by an experienced resident site staff (RSS) team supervising a large competent team comprising Resident Engineers (REs) and Resident Technical Officers (RTOs). The RSS team was responsible for reporting the safety risks on site and raised issues to the main contractor on a proactive and cooperative basis. Inspectors were placed in the fabrication yards in both Tuas, Singapore and Johor Bahru, Malaysia. This team 20
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The project team was committed to a high standard of safety as demonstrated by the involvement of the QPs, QP supervisors and Project Manager in monthly meetings with the RSS team to highlight any accidents, suspected foul play and non-compliance. In a systematic manner, the list of non-conformance issues was monitored via an elaborate schedule.
Temporary design works were also carefully reviewed and endorsed by PEs, followed by strict and close supervision implemented throughout the entire construction phase. The use of steel in construction safeguarded against environmental damage and facilitated easier erection compared to other construction methods. As most of the steelworks at the podium and basement were installed and erected during the day, there was minimal impact to the neighbourhood during construction. In addition, most of the steelworks were fabricated off-site, which helped to increase productivity and ensured quality control. As the site is adjacent to existing buildings on all four sides, the construction method employed ensured safety of the public. Catch platforms were installed at construction levels, and the use of steelworks along with deep decks and pre-formed formwork helped to avoid the risk of falling objects - ultimately minimising risk to the surrounding public areas.
COVER STORY
Guoco Tower’s City Room in the Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood. Image by Ying Yi Photography.
LIST OF AWARDS WON
PROJECT DATA
Award
Presented by
Project Guoco Tower
Date of Completion October 2017
Year in Infrastructure Awards 2019 (Winner)
Bentley Systems
Category Commerical
Cost SGD 682 million
Land Transport Excellence Award 2019 - Best Land Transport Integration (Winner)
Land Transport Authority (LTA)
ULI Global Awards for Excellence (Winner)
Urban Land Institute
IStructE Singapore Structural Awards 2018 – Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence (Winner)
IStructE Singapore
IStructE Singapore Structural Awards 2018 – Award for Tall or Slender Structures (Winner)
IStructE Singapore
BCA Design and Engineering Safety Excellence Award 2018 (Winner)
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
BIM Award 2015 (Gold)
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
Singapore Green Mark Award 2013 (Platinum)
Building and Construction Authority (BCA)
Architects Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP Architects 61
Structural Steel Excellence Award 2016 (Merit)
Singapore Structural Steel Society (SSSS)
Contractor Samsung C&T Corporation
Location Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
PROJECT CREDITS Client GuocoLand Group Civil & Structural Engineering Arup Qualified Persons Er. Chia Wah Kam Er. Jason Tan Bok Leng Façade Engineering Arup Environmentally Sustainable Design Arup
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INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards
presented at ceremony and gala The achievements of users of Bentley Systems’ software, in advancing design, construction and operation of infrastructure throughout the world, received recognition. Bentley Systems Incorporated, a leading global provider of comprehensive software and digital twin cloud services for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure, held its Year in Infrastructure 2019 Conference at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, from 21 to 24 October 2019.
Category: Digital Cities Award for Comprehensive Roadway Digital Twins
The annual event brings together professionals from many industries around the globe to share innovative practices in infrastructure project design, engineering, construction, and operations.
Location: Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
Bentley Systems acknowledged nine Special Recognition Awards winners and 18 Year in Infrastructure Awards winners at a ceremony and gala, held on 24 October, at the conclusion of the Year in Infrastructure 2019 Conference. Twelve independent jury panels of industry experts selected 54 finalists from 571 nominations submitted by more than 440 organisations, in more than 60 countries, that use software from Bentley Systems.
WINNERS OF YEAR IN INFRASTRUCTURE 2019 SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS Category: Advancing Urban Planning through Digital Twins Winner: Civil Engineering and Development Department, Hong Kong SAR Government and AECOM Project: The Town Plaza Urban Design Study for the Establishment of the Kwu Tung North, New Development Area Location: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Winner: Shenzhen Highway Engineering Consultant Co Ltd Project: Yangang East Interchange Project
Category: Digital Cities Award for Comprehensive Water Digital Twins Winner: Águas do Porto, EM Project: H2PORTO Technological Platform for the Integrated Management of Porto’s Urban Water Cycle Location: Porto, Portugal
Category: Advancing Infrastructure Resilience through Digital Twins Winner: Italferr SpA Project: The New Polcevera Viaduct Location: Genova, Liguria, Italy
Category: Advancing Construction Industrialization through Digital Twins Winner: Heilongjiang Construction High-Tech Capital Group Co Ltd Project: Smart and Digital Application in Heilongjiang Construction Industry Modernization Demonstration Park Location: Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, China
Category: Advancing Industrial Sustainability through Digital Twins Winner: MCC Capital Engineering & Research Incorporation Ltd Project: Henan Jiyuan Iron & Steel, 80MW High-Temperature Ultrahigh-Pressure Gas Power Generation Energy-Saving Renovation Project Location: Jiyuan, Henan Province, China
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Category: Advancing Economic Infrastructure through Digital Twins Winner: CCCC Water Transportation Consultants Co Ltd (WTC) Project: SAPT Automatic Container Yard and Housing Project in Pakistan Location: Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
Category: Advancing Digital Workflows through Digital Twins Winner: Mott MacDonald / Systra Designers working with Balfour Beatty / Vinci Joint Venture Project: High Speed Two (HS2) Sectors N1 and N2 Main Works Civil Contract Location: Birmingham, Country North Sectors, United Kingdom
Category: Bentley Institute Knowledge Advancement Advocate Award Winner: Alison Watson, Chief Executive and Founder, Class of Your Own
Category: Digital Cities Winner: Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co, Changjiang Ecological Environmental Protection Group Co Project: Application of Digitalization in Jiujiang Smart Water Management Platform Location: Jiujiang, Jiangxi, China
Category: Geotechnical Engineering Winner: ARUP Singapore Pte Ltd Project: Tanjong Pagar Mixed Development Location: Singapore
WINNERS OF YEAR IN INFRASTRUCTURE 2019 AWARDS Category: 4D Construction Winner: Mortenson, Clark - a Joint Venture Project: Chase Center and Warriors Mixed-use Office and Retail Development Location: San Francisco, California, United States
Category: Bridges Winner: PT Wijaya Karya (Persero) Tbk Project: Design and Build Harbour Road 2 Project Location: North Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
Category: Buildings and Campuses
Category: Manufacturing Winner: Hatch Project: Sulfuric Acid Plant Project in the DRC Location: Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Category: Mining and Offshore Engineering Winner:Shanghai Investigation, Design & Research Institute Co Ltd Project: China Three Gorges New Energy Dalian Zhuanghe III (300MW) Offshore Wind Farm Project Location: Dalian, Liaoning, China
Category: Power Generation
Winner: Voyants Solutions
Winner: Hunan Hydro & Power Design Institute
Project: Detailed Design, Tendering and Project Management Services for Establishment of 12 IT/Hi-Tech Parks in Bangladesh
Project: Hanjiang Yakou Shipping Hub Engineering Project
Location: Bangladesh
Category: Communications and Utilities Winner: POWERCHINA Hubei Electric Engineering Co Ltd
Location: Yicheng, Hubei, China
Category: Project Delivery Winner: South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT)
Project: Technology Application in Miluo Western 220kV Substation Project
Project: Seamless Information Sharing and Integration Across Multiple Platforms Using ProjectWise
Location: Miluo City, Hunan Province, China
Location: Columbia, South Carolina, United States
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INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
Category: Rail and Transit
Category: Structural Engineering
Winner: Italferr SpA
Winner: WSP
Project: AV/AC in Southern Italy, Napoli-Bari Route
Project: WSP Delivers Optimized Design for Complex Basement under Iconic Admiralty Arch
Location: Napoli-Bari, Campania-Puglia, Italy
Category: Reality Modeling Winner: MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) Sdn Bhd Project: Drone Surveying for BIM and GIS Data Capture - Malaysian Metro Megaproject Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Category: Road and Rail Asset Performance Winner: Lebuhraya Borneo Utara Sdn Bhd Project: Pan Borneo Highway Location: Sarawak, Malaysia
Category: Roads and Highways Winner: Foth Infrastructure & Environment LLC Project: Foth Transforms, Connects, and Revitalizes Cedar Falls, Iowa Corridor Location: Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States
Location: London, United Kingdom
Category: Utilities and Industrial Asset Performance Winner: EPCOR Utilities Project: Implementing Risk Based Asset Management for Power Distribution Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Category: Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants Winner: Jacobs Engineering Group and Singapore’s National Water Agency, PUB Project: Tuas Water Reclamation Plant Location: Singapore
Category: Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Networks Winner: Balfour Beatty, Morgan Sindall, BAM Nuttall Joint Venture Project: Thames Tideway Tunnel Location: London, United Kingdom
Winners of Bentley Systems Year in Infrastructure 2019 Awards. Image by Graham Carlow. 24
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INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
Bentley Systems and Topcon Positioning Systems launch joint-venture Bentley Systems and Topcon Positioning Systems, a world leader in positioning technology for the survey and construction industries, have announced that its new, jointly owned company, Digital Construction Works, is open for business, with a full global staff of digital construction experts from Bentley Systems and Topcon. Digital Construction Works provides digital automation, integration, and ‘twinning’ services around a portfolio of fit-for-purpose software and cloud services, from Topcon, Bentley, and other software vendors, to realise the breakthrough potential of constructioneering, for industrialising construction. The announcement, regarding the setting up of the joint-venture, was made at Bentley Systems’ Year In Infrastructure 2019 Conference in Singapore. Bentley Systems and Topcon joined forces in 2016, to jointly develop enhanced integration between their respective MAGNET and ProjectWise cloud services so that engineering and construction workflows could be integrated for improved project quality and performance. Since then, Bentley and Topcon have continuously introduced new ‘4D’ innovations in surveying, reality modelling, scheduling and logistics, work packaging, machine control, and progressive assurance for construction. In 2017, they together opened Constructioneering Academies, including at Topcon’s ‘sandbox’ facilities globally, for construction professionals to experience new digital best practices, first-hand. During 2018, the companies assimilated Bentley’s SYNCHRO and Topcon’s ClearEdge3D acquisitions into constructioneering offerings. Now, Digital Construction Works is chartered to embed its experts within constructors’ major project teams to advance and optimise constructioneering processes for delivering better design-build outcomes. Through its digital integration services, to connect and automate constructors’ existing processes with constructioneering, Digital Construction Works can make the projects better while also helping to institutionalise these digital workflows throughout a constructor’s full project portfolio.
we committed respectively to completing its software requirements. Indeed, our new software capabilities make possible construction digital twins - converging digital context, digital components, and digital chronology. What remains, in going digital for infrastructure construction, is for constructors’ people and processes to take advantage of the technology. We and Topcon have now in turn committed many of our best resources, professionals experienced in both construction and software, to serve shoulder-to-shoulder, in virtual hardhats, to innovatively advance the required digital integration. The Digital Construction Works joint-venture has the full management and capital commitments of both our companies, multiplying its unique strengths for helping to realise constructioneering’s potential to close the world’s infrastructure gap”. Ray O’Connor, President and CEO of Topcon Positioning Systems, said, “What Topcon and Bentley Systems initiated in recent years was done in the spirit of changing mindsets and processes on how we approach construction, and that collaboration has led to the development of this joint-venture. The creation of Digital Construction Works perfectly aligns with our focus of helping the industry succeed in meeting infrastructure demands through technological innovations. Through the new organisation, companies will have the opportunity to integrate hardware and software capabilities to more quickly and efficiently adopt new technology for more rapid productivity improvements. With customised services to address the individual needs of an organisation, widespread adoption and technology improvements can be more readily realised. We are excited to take this journey with Bentley Systems in moving the industry forward”.
At the same time, experiences gained by Digital Construction Works will help guide Bentley Systems and Topcon in prioritising their constructioneering software development investments. Digital Construction Works is led by CEO Ted Lamboo, previously Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Bentley Systems, and COO Jason Hallett, formerly Vice President of Digital Construction and Business Development for Topcon. Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems, said, “When we and Topcon recognised the opportunity for constructioneering to finally industrialise capital project delivery,
Digital Construction Works provides digital automation, integration, and ‘twinning’ services to help organisations realise the breakthrough potential of constructioneering, for industrialising construction. Image by Digital Construction Works. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
Bentley Systems accelerates focus on infrastructure
engineering for digital cities Bentley Systems has presented its new digital cities initiatives, applying digital twins for more efficient city and regional operations and for more connected and resilient infrastructure. Digital twins converge assets’ 4D-surveyed and engineering representations to enable new collaborative digital workflows to serving planners and engineers in public works, utilities, property management and development, and city stakeholders. Digital twin cloud services provide an intuitive and immersive 4D environment converging digital context and digital components with digital chronology for ‘evergreen’ infrastructure digital twins over asset lifecycles. For infrastructure professionals, Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are effectively advanced through 4D digital twins. Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems said, “Bentley Systems’ major technical thrust is the advancement of digital twins across infrastructure domains. This finally opens up, for owners, their previously ‘dark’ engineering technologies and data (ET), for federation with traditional information technology (IT) and newly connected operating technologies (OT). Correspondingly, because the opportunities for benefits are so compelling, our major organisational initiative is our new digital cities product advancement group. Our digital cities group’s charter is both to ramp up infrastructure engineering digital twins to full city scale and, at the same time, to help with going digital through entry points for any engineering department in any municipality”. “At Bentley Systems, we have long and rich histories in, respectively, GIS and BIM, for municipal infrastructure applications spanning CAPEX and OPEX”, said Robert Mankowski, Vice President, Digital Cities, Bentley Systems.
ture and Orbit GT to derive as-operated 3D models from photogrammetry (including from UAVs) and/or point clouds. Reality modelling provides engineering-precise, real-world context to support planning, design, construction, and operations. Users of Bentley’s open applications (OpenBuildings, OpenSite, OpenRoads, OpenRail and OpenUtilities) can leverage this digital context to model new and improved buildings, roads, transit systems, tunnels, bridges, utilities, and more. 4D digital twins become a common and federating index for previously siloed information, without requiring source systems to change their existing environments or data formats. The foundation context for any digital twin includes reality meshes, terrain models, imagery, and GIS sources. Engineering models (from any BIM software) of buildings, streets, transit systems, utilities, and other city infrastructure, both surface and subsurface, are semantically aligned and geo-referenced to enhance the richness and relevance of digital twins over time. Public works departments, property developers, utilities, transportation agencies, and others now have access to a full and current contextual view of the built environment. Engineering and architectural firms will be able to develop new services that contemplate updating and managing digital assets over their lifecycles. And, cities will benefit from living and current digital twins of their infrastructure and surrounding environment.
Sustainability and resilience digital twins Cities can combine their surface and subsurface surveys and engineering data into cohesive 4D digital twins to ensure, over time, their asset performance, resiliency, and sustainability. Using Bentley’s open simulation applica-
“Today, I believe we are the leading innovator in reality modelling and in geotechnical modelling and data management. With our new cloud-based iTwin Services bringing this all together, city and campus digital twins now offer an immediate opportunity to help cities and regions solve a wide range of challenges and problems, enhancing their infrastructure performance and their constituents’ quality of life”, he added.
INFRASTRUCTURE DIGITAL TWINS FOR DIGITAL CITIES City-scale digital twins begin with, and are updated through, 4D surveying and reality modelling by ContextCap26
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The City of Helsinki leveraged Bentley’s reality modelling software to generate a 3D representation of Helsinki as part of its smart city initiative, improving internal services and processes. Image by City of Helsinki.
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT & OPERATION
tions during asset lifecycles, for example, as-constructed buildings can be evaluated for seismic resilience (using STAAD); the evacuation of vehicles and people in stations, stadiums, and other public places can be assessed and optimised (LEGION and CUBE); the impact of flooding events like hurricanes can be determined (OpenFlows FLOOD); and the suitability of subsurface conditions for urban projects can be ensured (PLAXIS, SoilVision).
Introducing OpenGround Bentley’s geotechnical engineering and analysis applications empower subsurface digital twins, critical for assessing and managing risks in infrastructure projects and assets. Subsurface digital twins entail modelling of the underground environment, including the geology, hydrology, chemistry, and engineering properties, made possible by Bentley’s geotechnical offerings (PLAXIS, SoilVision, Keynetix and gINT). To further enable subsurface digital twins, Bentley has announced OpenGround, a new cloud service (available end-2019) to store, manage, report, and share data about natural ground conditions.
Water network digital twins Building upon its deep experience with hydraulics and hydrology software, Bentley is introducing OpenFlows WaterOPS for water and wastewater utility operators. OpenFlows WaterOPS provides water and wastewater utilities with real-time operational support, smart water response planning, and optimised performance and busi-
ness intelligence, converging IT (GIS) with OT (telemetry, SCADA instrumentation, sensors) and ET (hydraulic simulation). WaterOPS provides real-time operational decision support, extending SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) to help users monitor, maintain, and forecast various hydraulics and water quality scenarios.
City planning digital twins Digital twins for cities have many stakeholders, including constituents not directly involved in engineering or infrastructure. Now hosted in Microsoft Azure, OpenCities Planner delivers cloud-based, city-scale digital twins to improve stakeholder and citizen engagement and to simplify and facilitate urban development. Addressing a wide variety of potential use cases, OpenCities Planner helps users, through devices like web, mobile, touchscreens, and digital billboards, to intuitively visualise and explore 2D, 3D, GIS and other data aligned with the reality modeling of the city.
DIGITAL CO-VENTURES FOR DIGITAL CITIES Cloud-based photogrammetry processing powered by Bentley’s ContextCapture is incorporated in Topcon MAGNET Collage Web, a web-based service for publication, sharing, and analysis of reality capture data. The intrinsic Bentley ContextCapture Cloud Processing Service enables operators to upload UAV imagery direct-to-web without the need for high-end hardware requirements or IT constraints.
Bentley Systems announces support of IFC for digital twins Bentley Systems has joined buildingSMART International as a multinational member. buildingSMART International is a vendor-neutral and not-for-profit body that leads the development of open digital information flows across the built asset industry. Its mission is to proactively support industry participants who want to develop open standards for planning, design, procurement, assembly and operation of buildings and infrastructure worldwide. It provides the international network plus the necessary technical and process support. Its members, who range from across the built environment spectrum, collaborate under the buildingSMART organisation. buildingSMART is engaged with other international standards bodies such as ISO, the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). Its core Industry Foundation Class (IFC) standards achieved ISO approval in 2012. At the same time, Bentley announced the availability of iModel Bridge for IFC, a generic IFC bridge that enables Bentley’s iModels to consume IFC geometry and business data.
iModels are specialised containers for infrastructure information that are at the heart of Bentley’s digital twins strategy for infrastructure engineering. iTwin Services now enable iModels to export snapshots in IFC and treat IFC datasets as an input source, aligning their content for use by Bentley’s design applications. Earlier in 2019, Bentley announced the availability on GitHub of version 1.0 of iModel.js, an open source platform for digital twins. Bhupinder Singh, Chief Product Officer, Bentley Systems said, “Bentley is committed to supporting the best implementation of IFC for digital twins. We are committed to openness, and in fact we are making plans to open source iModel Bridge for IFC. The combination of IFC support and open source principles should give the community confidence that they can create and curate digital twins without being boxed in by dark data”. Richard Petrie, CEO, buildingSMART International said, “I am delighted that Bentley has joined buildingSMART International. As one of the major software vendors in our field, Bentley plays a critical role in our community. The vision Bentley has for iModels and open source offers the IFC community exciting new possibilities for open interoperable ways of working with digital twins”.
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PROJECT APPLICATION
Achieving higher productivity
and output A compact milling machine, equipped with new 1,800 mm milling drum assembly, mills the entire road pavement along the main city corridor in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico, for the implementation of a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. Milling prepares the ground for more mobility The project in one of Mexico’s most important economic and industrial centres includes a new, exclusive hydraulic concrete BRT lane plus the rehabilitation of two adjacent asphalt lanes. The project is expected to result in better, faster mobility with improved transportation security for city residents. However, before being able to build the new lanes, milling contractor TATSA (Triturados Asfalticos de Torreón S A de C V) faced the challenge of removing the complete pavement at a maximum milling depth of 25 cm to 30 cm. With the W 150 CF, from Wirtgen, it was possible to fulfil this task in one single pass but, depending on the stretch requirement, TATSA was also performing milling of the layers in two or three passes.
The W 150 CF/W 150 CFi can tackle a wide array of different jobs. The milling machine is therefore especially suitable for large-scale projects in confined spaces, such as on urban job sites, as in Torreón, Coahuila, Mexico.
“These roads are old and have been paved over many times during several years without any milling work. In some parts, the pavement is even above the sidewalk”, explained Engineer Gisela Gutiérrez, Production Coordinator at TATSA
W 150 CF meets project requirements The entire project covers a length of 24.3 km and includes the integration of 9.3 km of central confined lanes in Torreón and 15 km of highway between Torreón and Matamoros. The tender stipulated a single milling machine that could work at several locations in the city within the same day. Due to this requirement and the large-scale project in confined spaces, the contractor chose Wirtgen’s 150 CF with a 1,800 mm milling drum assembly. With the extended drum, the powerful cold milling machine in the compact class is now even more versatile and ideal for surface course rehabilitation on medium-to-large job sites. Furthermore, W 150 CF’s optimised machine transport weight, despite its high engine power, spoke for itself. To maximise the cost-effectiveness of milling operations, cold milling machines need to be transported quickly from one site to the next. “Before participating in this tender, we talked to the application experts from the Wirtgen Group dealer, Construmac. And soon we were sure the W 150 CF would be the best solution for this job. And so was the ordering authority. After its arrival, the machine immediately convinced us. In the meantime, we ordered a new unit for further projects in Mexico”, said Engineer Ruben Tinoco, Owner of TATSA. 28
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With the Flexible Cutter System, users can switch between milling drums with different working widths of 600 mm, 900 mm, 1,200 mm and 1,500 mm, simply and quickly. A new extension kit is now available, which extends the milling drum housing by 300 mm. Thanks to the 1,800-mm milling drum assembly, customers can profit from a wider range of applications that the W 150 CF/W 150 CFi can be used for.
To maximise the cost-effectiveness of milling operations, cold milling machines need to be transported quickly from one site to the next. Wirtgen’s most powerful compact milling machine therefore has an optimised machine transport weight despite its high engine power.
PROJECT APPLICATION
Cost-efficient rehabilitation Today, urban jobsites are required to be much more dynamic and fast, causing minimal impact to the traffic as well as the routines of residents, workers and people passing the area. So in Torreón, minimising the traffic interruptions was an essential goal. According to Tinoco, the plan is similar to what he found out from jobsites in Europe. “In Finland, at 6 pm, a paving train with Wirtgen Group machines arrived in front of my hotel in Helsinki. The next morning, when I got up, all the equipment was gone and the road was perfectly paved. We want our jobs in Mexico to be done just as fast and efficient, with minimal impact on regular transit and in high quality”, he said.
Cutting-edge levelling system To achieve optimum milling results, the W 150 CF offers advanced features. These include one of Wirtgen‘s core technologies - levelling. When the surface course is removed, the LEVEL PRO levelling system continually compares the actual milling depth with the present target milling depth. LEVEL PRO can work with different
One of the decisive factors in milling a surface true to line and level is precision levelling. The complete integration of the LEVEL PRO PLUS levelling system into the machine’s control system permits a high degree of automation.
sensors - cable, hydraulic cylinder, ultrasonic and slope sensors or laser and sonic ski sensors as well as multiplex systems - and can be extended as required. 3D levelling is also possible with installed interfaces that are compatible with 3D systems from common manufacturers. In Torreón, TATSA used the multiplex system. In this system, three sensors on each side of the machine scan the height. The automatic levelling system factors all three measurements into its analysis so that the pre-set target milling depth is met exactly, while ensuring that any unevenness in the road surface is not copied. “The work with Wirtgen’s LEVEL PRO PLUS and multiplex systems is intuitive and comfortable, and the milling results showed an evenly milled surface, true to line and level. This is a crucial factor when it comes to paving the new surface courses and avoiding costly correction measures in the form of asphalt levelling courses”, said Engineer Liborio Frias Estrada, Milling Jobsite Coordinator for the BRT project in Torreón.
Summary of advantages • For increased productivity and area performance levels, the W 150 CF / W 150 CFi can be equipped with 1,800 mm-wide milling drums, by means of a housing extension. • Extension kits can be retrofitted on any W 150 CF / W 150 CFi • The W 150 CF/W 150 CFi can tackle a wide array of different jobs, ranging from partial road surface repairs to the removal of entire road pavements. • The W 150 CF / W 150 CFi with 1,800 mm milling drum assembly is suited for surface layer restoration on medium-to-large construction sites. • Easy loading of milled material even in difficult construction situations, thanks to extremely large conveyor slewing angles of 60° both to the left and to the right. • Quick construction site change, thanks to application-optimised machine transport weight and easy transport. • High engine rated output.
Job site details Total length of the project Length of inner city section Width of section Total area of section
Working parameters Milling depth Milling width Equipment used Multiplex system with up to four ultrasonic sensors.
- 25.5 km - 9.3 km - 12 m - 111,600 m²
- 25 cm to 30 cm - 1.8 m - Wirtgen W 150 CF compact milling machine with 1.800 mm milling drum
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PROJECT APPLICATION
Tennis centre design combines tradition and modernity Project-specific formwork solutions were required for the dome-shaped building.
Triangular recesses were taken into consideration for the thin reinforced concrete slab. With different heights of up to 11 m, these feature up to 120 circular openings, each with a diameter of 20 cm. They form a fine net which allows natural sunlight through the subsequently integrated glass blocks in the interior of the tennis centre.
As part of the Kuwait University’s Student Activities and Athletic Facilities Project (SAAF) in Al-Shadadiya, an indoor tennis centre is being realised. The training centre will provide athletes and students with an area of 7,100 m2, in order to carry out their daily training activities. In addition, the building also has three floors and space for around 2,000 spectators. Externally, the sports venue impresses with its dome-shaped roof in the style of traditional Islamic architecture.
mosaics made of limestone, triangular recesses were taken into consideration for the construction. The recesses have been positioned at different heights of up to 11 m and have up to 120 circular openings with diameters of 20 cm. These form a fine net that allows natural sunlight to pass through the subsequently integrated glass blocks, into the interior of the tennis centre. As a result, the sports venue with its diameter of over 80 m will be illuminated in a unique way.
PERI planned and delivered a project-specific solution for facilitating the efficient execution of the architecturally sophisticated dome-shaped building.
Customised design
The SAAF is part of the new campus of Kuwait University, whose plans were developed back in 2004. Upon completion, the new campus will bring together all 16 faculties of the university and its 40,000 students at one central location over an area covering 600 hectares. A total of seven different colleges will be accommodated on the area - from the College of Art and College of Business through to the College of Architecture. Furthermore, students will have access to additional facilities such as the indoor tennis centre. The facade of the 25 m high tennis centre was constructed using eight concreting heights. For the later refinement of the thin reinforced concrete slab with Trencadis 30
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In order to fulfil the vision of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the architects, Gulf Consultants, Kuwait University and construction company Societe d’Enterprise & de Gestion (SEG Qatar) put their trust in the experience of PERI engineers, gained in the area of free-form formwork. Engineers from the technical office of the PERI Group in Germany designed the 3D building models as well as 3D plans on the basis of the building plans. For constructing the complex, curved reinforced concrete walls with differently sized box-outs along with varying wall thicknesses between 20 cm and 30 cm, customised 3D special formwork elements were used. In the process, the statically load-bearing elements were based on the VARIO GT 24 Girder Wall Formwork. After site personnel had undergone comprehensive
PROJECT APPLICATION
For constructing the complex, curved reinforced concrete walls with differently sized box-outs along with varying wall thicknesses, customised 3D special formwork elements were used. Image by PERI GmbH.
As the shape of the curved walls repeats itself horizontally within a concreting height, it was possible to use the special formwork elements multiple times. This reduced the production costs and also saved valuable assembly time on the construction site. Image by PERI GmbH.
of other work activities such as the installation of the precast spectator seats. As the shape of the curved walls repeated itself horizontally within a concreting height, it was possible to utilise the special formwork elements multiple times. This meant that it has been possible to use the same formwork elements up to four times, with each concreting operation. This has reduced the construction costs and also saved valuable assembly time on the construction site. CNC-cut panels were prefabricated to suit the planned number of uses and assembled on-site, in accordance with the PERI assembly plans. Image by PERI GmbH.
Different geometries and loads For the efficient realisation of the building´s shape, with its demanding architectural requirements, the PERI formwork and shoring solutions were matched to each other. Through the continuous system grid of 25 cm or 50 cm, as well as the possibility of combining with SRU Steel Walers taken from the VARIOKIT Engineering Construction Kit, the PERI UP Flex Modular Scaffolding System, in the form of a load-bearing structure, could be optimally adapted to accommodate the different geometries and loads of the free-form formwork. The shoring system was also used as a safe and stable working platform for the construction team.
On-site project support
PERI UP Flex served as support shoring for the free-form formwork and provided safe working conditions as large-sized working platforms. Image by PERI GmbH.
training under a PERI supervisor, assembly of the 3D formwork units and individual elements was carried out directly on the construction site, in accordance with the PERI assembly plans.
Multiple use of the PERI formwork solutions Logistical challenges faced by the contractor included the tight space conditions, limited availability of crane times, as well as timing difficulties relating to management
PERI supervisors supported the construction team in ensuring the efficient and safe handling of the PERI systems. A PERI Project Manager assisted the site management in facilitating strict adherence to the construction schedule and cost plan. He ensured the smooth flow of all processes and work activities in the area of formwork and scaffolding technology - especially regarding the delivery logistics. As a result, profitability of the project was ensured not only by the project-specific equipment but, in particular, also by the constant supervision and adaptation of the material quantities on the jobsite. Importantly, all those processes involved in the planning and logistics along with the formwork assembly were precisely tracked and timed by the PERI Project Manager, and matched to the actual construction process, down to the last detail. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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PROJECT APPLICATION
Reimagining the Eiffel Tower Landscape
using BIM Earlier this year, the City of Paris announced the winning proposal to redevelop the ‘grand site’.
Every year, 30 million people visit the Eiffel Tower, situated at the heart of Paris. Seven million choose to ascend the monument for soaring views over the city. One of the most iconic landmarks in the world, the site is a victim of its popularity. Fundamental issues like over-crowding, impaired accessibility, lack of services, and congested gardens have impacted the experience of the Eiffel Tower and its surroundings. Through a major international competition, the City of Paris invited proposals for redeveloping the Eiffel Tower’s ‘grand site’ - an area which includes some of Paris’ most treasured landmarks including the Eiffel Tower itself, the Champ de Mars, and the Trocadero Gardens across the Seine River. Four teams were shortlisted from a list of 42 entries. The four teams were Gustafson Porter + Bowman and BIM Services, AL_A and Quatorze-ig, Agence ter and Arcadis, and KOZ Architectes. This competition sought designs that would respond to the brief - discover, approach, visit - and deliver a landscape that aligns with the city’s vision for a resilient, inclusive and environmentally-oriented future. 32
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Digital model of the City of Paris, with the Eiffel Tower in the centre. Images by Autodesk.
At an event held in Paris’ City Hall in May 2019, Gustafson Porter + Bowman was named the winner of the competition. The winning proposal, Gustafson Porter + Bowman’s OnE scheme, envisions one readable landscape that reveals unity, continuity and diversity.
PROJECT APPLICATION
Digital modelling of the site and designs In 2018, Autodesk announced a partnership with the City of Paris to use building information modelling (BIM) to create a 3D model of the Tower’s grand site - all 2.4 km2 of it. Working with WSP and Gexpertise, Autodesk created the largest urban model of its kind, complete with buildings, roads and infrastructure, pedestrian zones and street crossings, urban furniture and green areas. The model was unveiled in May 2018, along with the names of the four teams shortlisted in the competition.
ing and reduced potential errors. Thus, the members of the jury were able to virtually immerse themselves in the designs to visualise all the proposed developments but also to feel and experience the future journey of visitors. We congratulate the City of Paris for their commitment to this digital challenge, the winning team and all the finalists for adopting methods that illustrate the future of architecture and construction industries�, said Nicolas Mangon, VP Business & Marketing AEC at Autodesk.
Autodesk worked closely with the teams over the last year to help them visualise their designs, giving them access to a simplified version of the 3D model in Autodesk Infraworks, to use during the different stages of the process. Autodesk also held workshops to help the teams collaborate internally and understand the challenges of the existing site, as well as to define the working methods for the integration of the models.
By visualising the designs in 3D before they are built, the City of Paris anticipates a reduction in errors, greater clarity and collaboration with the winning team, and an opportunity to involve the public in the process. The 3D models were also used by the jury panel during final judging to better understand the four proposals in a common format and to experience the site changes like a future visitor.
“Autodesk is proud to have supported the City of Paris and the four selected teams for one year in this competitive dialogue around this large-scale project, unique in the world. The use of an intelligent digital model, immersive 3D visualisation tools and collaborative methodologies have significantly accelerated decision-mak-
The renovation of the Eiffel Tower area is expected to be completed in time for the 2024 Summer Olympics. The makeover will not be just cosmetic. This revitalisation will help the City of Paris address growing challenges related to energy, greening, supply networks, mobility, logistics, waste management, security, and flooding.
Aerial view of the Eiffel Tower. Image by Gustafson Porter + Bowman. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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PROJECT APPLICATION
The OnE scheme Gustafson Porter + Bowman’s OnE scheme proposes a unifying axis - celebrating the Eiffel Tower at the centre of a line that connects the Place du Trocadéro, the Palais de Chaillot, the Pont d’Iéna, the Champ de Mars and the Ecole Militaire. Along this central green axis, a series of reimagined landscapes interlock. At the Place du Trocadéro, an amphitheatre of greenery restores space to pedestrians. A new and enlivened public space unfolds from the Varsovie Fountains towards the Pont d’Iéna. The bridge is reincarnated as a green promenade towards the gardens of the Eiffel Tower. The forecourt of the Eiffel Tower caters to the crowds with additional services and facilities discreetly hidden amongst the trees, and the raised lawns of the Champ de Mars protect and elevate the landscape. OnE also creates spaces of pleasure and contemplation that punctuate the length of the site, and serve to prioritise the human scale. New perspectives are framed and staged, rebalancing the gravitational pull of the Eiffel Tower and activating a sense of arrival throughout. The OnE proposal establishes a coherent and refined hierarchy of uses across the site, improving pedestrian accessibility and city circulation.
OnE thus evokes the union of two historic landscape typologies - classical French gardens characterised by major axes that express power, and French picturesque gardens as places of artistic experimentation. In this urban landscape, green routes and gardens reserved for creative pursuits frame and soften the central axis. These ‘corridors’ and ‘glades’ introduce biodiversity, as well as areas for hosting temporary events such as musical performances and sculpture exhibitions. Thus, OnE compresses into one word the idea and ideal of a unified space. Lastly, OnE embodies the international character of the site. It connects the site from West (Trocadéro) to East (Joffre). Also, the Ouest-Est / OnE represents the interconnections on this site between the West and East of the world - one humanity, one planet. Therefore, OnE encapsulates a unified environmental approach towards the future. The City of Paris and the OnE proposal represent the vanguard of instituting environmental resilience into an urban context.
The Eiffel Tower Esplanade. Image by MIR.
Vision 2030 masterplan. Image by Gustafson Porter + Bowman. 34
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The Pont d’Iéna Bridge re-greened as a planted promenade. Image by MIR.
HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
A Study of Protective Features in Singapore’s Buildings - Part 3 (Barriers and Drivers) by Professor Low Sui Pheng and Clifford Yeo, Department of Building, National University of Singapore Buildings are increasingly targeted and are susceptible to acts of terrorism. There is, therefore, a need to ramp up the terrorism-preparedness of Singapore’s built environment. The results of a questionnaire survey conducted by the authors show a lack of implementation of protective features in Singapore’s buildings despite its high perceived importance. In this last part of the three-part series, the authors present the survey and interview findings which highlight the barriers and drivers influencing the adoption of protective features in Singapore’s building projects. BARRIERS TO INCORPORATING PROTECTIVE FEATURES Having understood the various types of protective features available to mitigate the threat of terrorism and the advantages of their early incorporation into the building design, this study progresses to examine the barriers and drivers for building owners and consultants when implementing such features. The institutional framework will also be introduced to explain these barriers and drivers. A survey conducted by the National Counter Terrorism Security Office in the UK established that only 8% of planners and 24% of architects factored counter-terrorism security in their building designs (Jon & Bosher, 2008). In order to promote the practice of designing for protective buildings, it is useful to identify the different possible barriers to the incorporation of protective features in buildings. One of the main barriers to the incorporation of protective features in the building design is cost. Many researchers have identified that the protective measures required to mitigate the threat of terrorism in buildings are often costly (Ettouney, Smilowitz & Rittenhouse, 1996; Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass, 2009; Little, 2007; Norville & Conrath, 2006; Shanmugam, 2016). Similarly, Emmitt (2012) pointed out that by designing buildings for anti-terrorism, projects will tend to incur higher initial and upfront costs. It was also acknowledged that by incorporating protective features, the operating costs of the building will escalate (Shanmugam, 2016), hence possibly deterring their implementation. In addition to the high costs required for incorporating security, the lack of government funding could also be another possible barrier that hinders building owners from incorporating protective features in their buildings. The perceptions of terrorism by building owners and designers could also be a possible hindrance to protective building design. Low, Liu & Sio (2010) found that construction firms perceived the threat of terrorism to be hypothetical. This could possibly affect their decisions
to implement protective features in the building design, as they might not see the imminent threat of terrorism and thus perceive it as unreal. In addition, Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) further added that the perceptions and incidences of the various threats will continue to influence the decisions of developers to incorporate security measures. Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2009) also argued that the absence of protective features in the building design could be attributed to the unavailability of best practices guidelines and research. The uncertainty of the project stakeholders on the effectiveness of these protective features has also raised doubts on whether they are worth the expense (Kitchen & Schneider, 2007), thus deterring their implementation. This was further supported by Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2009) who found that the lack of awareness concerning the effectiveness of protective features could inhibit their implementation in buildings. Another deterring factor for the incorporation of protective features in buildings was aesthetics. Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2009) noted that developers often consider the aesthetic consequences of implementing protective features. For instance, if the protective features were too obtrusive or unfriendly, building owners would tend to refrain from incorporating protective features in buildings. This was especially applicable for commercial buildings such as shopping malls, where the presence of protective features may dissuade visitors from entering the mall, thus negating the initial function and purpose of the building. In addition to the barriers identified in existing literature, several other barriers to implementation were also critically identified by the authors specifically for the Singapore context. From a peer perspective, the seemingly low level of implementation by other building developers could also be one of the possible barriers discouraging owners and designers from incorporating protective features. Furthermore, a result from the lack of implementation in the industry was the inadequate experience of developers THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
and designers in incorporating protective features in new development projects. They may not have worked on any past projects which require the implementation of security measures, thereby impeding them from doing so. The lack of technical expertise among building designers, in the domain of security, may also impede the incorporation of protective features in buildings.
In addition, contractual obligations may also promote the practice of incorporating protective features. Fussey (2011) stated that the building owner’s duty of care could be interpreted to also take into account acts of terrorism. This could prompt developers and designers to adopt protective designs in their buildings to avoid claims arising from negligence.
In summary, the 14 barriers identified that may impede the incorporation of protective features are: • Not required under regulations and laws • Not required under contract • Lack of government funding • Insufficient support from upper management and stakeholders • Low level of implementation in the industry • High initial and upfront costs • High operating costs • Perceive threat of terrorism as unreal and improbable • Unavailability of best practices guidelines • Uncertainty of the effectiveness of protective features • Lack of awareness of the protective features available • Lack of technical expertise and advice • Lack of experience in previous projects • Aesthetic implications of protective features (obtrusive and unfriendly)
Another possible driver could be the presence of incentives. Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) reported that decisions to implement protective features in buildings were taken not only as a counter-terrorism measure but also due to their underlying incentives and benefits. These incentives included enhanced property and developer reputation, and reductions in risk. Rouse (2004) added that an increased value to businesses also incentivises building owners to incorporate protective features in buildings, which included value-adding factors such as greater revenue generation opportunities and competitive advantages (Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass, 2012). White & Cochrane (2017) also agreed that the incorporation of protective features may improve the development’s marketability and hence increase its sale and lease value.
DRIVERS TO INCORPORATING PROTECTIVE FEATURES On the other hand, some researchers have also suggested drivers that spur building owners and consultants to incorporate protective features early in the developmental process. Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) conducted a study on the various factors that affect the integration of security into the building design, and found that regulations and local policies are the greatest influencing factors. For instance, critical infrastructural projects in Singapore are required to undertake a security review during the design process of the development, thereby pushing for the early integration of building security in high-risk projects. Correspondingly, Singapore introduced the Infrastructure Protection Act in October 2017 (Yusof, 2017). The Act will require designated new building developments with a gross floor area exceeding 100,000 m2 to incorporate security measures in their design before construction begins. Similarly, selected existing buildings undergoing major renovations will also be required to incorporate security measures in their plans. However, the Act does not apply to every new project development. Instead, the Minister will be given the authority to designate and select the buildings that are required to comply with the Act, based on its symbolic significance, location, footfall and other considerations. The Infrastructure Protection Act therefore provides a clear regulatory framework to fight terrorism by driving and mandating the incorporation of security measures in buildings. 36
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Providing accreditation and recognition to developments that incorporate protective features in the design phase of the project could be a motivating factor for developers (White & Cochrane, 2017). For instance, the Building Security Accreditation scheme launched by the City of London Crime Prevention Association (2014) provides recognition for buildings that devote resources to maintain and ensure security for its occupants. Similarly, the United Kingdom’s Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) also awards credits to developments that factor in protective features in the design of the building. By attaining such recognition, developers may be more enticed to incorporate protective features into the building design as it increases the property’s marketability. The provision of government subsidies and funding for developers may also drive the practice of incorporating protective features in buildings. By providing funding programmes to reduce the initial cost of implementing protective features, building owners may be more inclined to adopt such practices. The driving force for incorporating protective features in buildings could also stem from the organisation’s stance on corporate social responsibility (CSR). Organisations with a strong company culture may recognise the threat of terrorism as a social responsibility issue and hence, embed protective features into their development projects to protect their occupants. Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) also found that the support and commitment of the stakeholders involved in the project was another influencing factor for the implementation of protective features in buildings. If stakeholders provided their full support, greater amount of resources could be allocated to the incorporation of protective features. Normative pressures may also be a driver for the implementation of protective features
HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
in buildings. Building owners and consultants may be pressured by social norms and thereby follow industry and competitors’ practices of incorporating protective features. In addition, building owners and consultants who are aware of the effectiveness of protective features in enhancing the security of the building against threats of terrorism may be more inclined to implement them (Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass, 2009). Having seen favourable results from past projects which have incorporated protective features, building owners and consultants may also change their understanding and perceptions and thereby be encouraged to strive for a protective building design. In summary, the identified 19 drivers that encourage the incorporation of protective features are: • Regulations and laws • To satisfy duty of care requirements • Contractual obligations • Government subsidies and funding programmes • Accreditation for the development • Support from upper management and stakeholders • Following industry-standard practice • Following competitors’ practices • Encouraged by a professional body or an association • Enhance property’s reputation • Enhance developer’s reputation • Greater revenue generation opportunities • Increase competitiveness of company • Improve development’s marketability • Developer sees the importance of security and acknowledges the need to incorporate protective features for this particular project • Aware of the effectiveness of protective features
• Reduce security retrofitting costs • Developers are conscious of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and recognise the value of incorporating protective features in their building design • Seen favorable results achieved by other building projects
INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK The institutional theory is increasingly being employed to understand the construction industry, such as in the case of ethics (Low, Gao, Che-Ani & Siah, 2014) and post-project reviews (Chin, Gao & Low, 2015). It is also appropriate to use the institutional theory to better understand the behaviour relating to the incorporation of protective features in buildings. The institutional theory analyses ‘the processes and mechanisms by which structures, schemes, rules and routines become established as authoritative guidelines for social behavior’ (Scott, 2005, p 408). It also examines the reasons for the existence of such systems, how they diffuse, and the roles they perform in providing support and purpose to social behaviour (Scott, 2005). Additionally, the institutional theory also questions how such ‘arrangements deteriorate and collapse, and how their remnants shape successor structures’ (Scott, 2005, p 408). Scott (2014) proposed the three pillars of institutional theory to analyse social behaviour. The three pillars - regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive - identified by Scott (2014), constitute the underlying pillars of support and critical components of institutions. Table 1 illustrates the various attributes and characteristics of the three pillars as described by Scott (2014). Having presented Scott’s (2014) institutional framework, the barriers and drivers identified earlier for incorporating protective features in buildings were mapped onto the three institutional pillars to provide an explanatory framework for the empirical analysis of the study. The mapping is shown in Table 2.
Regulative
Normative
Cultural-Cognitive
Basis of compliance
Expedience
Social obligation
Taken-for-grantedness Shared understanding
Basis of order
Regulative rules
Binding expectations
Constitutive schema
Mechanisms
Coercive
Normative
Mimetic
Logic
Instrumentality
Appropriateness
Orthodoxy
Indicators
Rules Laws Sanctions
Certification Accreditation
Common beliefs Shared logics of action Isomorphism
Affect
Fear Guilt/Innocence
Shame/Honour
Certainty/Confusion
Basis of legitimacy
Legally sanctioned
Morally governed
Comprehensible Recognizable Culturally supported
Table 1: Three Pillars of Institutions (Source: Scott, 2014, p 60). THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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Regulative Pillar
Normative Pillar
Cultural-Cognitive Pillar
Barriers
1. Not required under regulations and laws 2. Not required under contract 3. Lack of government funding
1. Insufficient support from upper management and stakeholders 2. Low level of implementation in the industry
1. High initial and upfront costs 2. High operating costs 3. Perceive threat of terrorism as unreal and improbable 4. Unavailability of best practices guidelines 5. Uncertainty of the effectiveness of protective features 6. Lack of awareness of the protective features available 7. Lack of technical expertise and advice 8. Lack of experience in previous projects 9. Aesthetic implications of protective features (obtrusive and unfriendly)
Drivers
1. Regulations and laws 2. To satisfy duty of care requirements 3. Contractual obligations 4. Government subsidies and funding programmes
1. Accreditation for the development 2. Support from upper management and stakeholders 3. Following industrystandard practice 4. Following competitor’s practice 5. Encouraged by a professional body or an association
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Enhance property’s reputation Enhance developer’s reputation Greater revenue generation opportunities Increase competitiveness of company Improve development’s marketability Developer sees the importance of security and acknowledges the need to incorporate protective features for this particular project 7. Aware of the effectiveness of protective features 8. Reduce security retrofitting costs 9. Developers are conscious of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and recognize the value of incorporating protective features in their building design 10. Seen favourable results achieved by other building projects
Table 2: Barriers and Drivers categorized in Scott’s (2014) Institutional Framework.
SURVEY FINDINGS - DRIVERS Based on the drivers identified above, respondents were asked to rate the level of importance of the drivers which influenced them to incorporate protective features in their respective projects. In order to identify the significant drivers and test if the institutional theory is applicable, the one-sample t-test with a 95% confidence level was conducted. The results are presented in Table 3, where the drivers were ranked according to the mean scores within the institutional pillars. While the respondents generally felt that all 19 identified drivers were ‘fairly important’ to ‘very important’ (M = 2.85 to 4.36), the one-sample t-test results showed that only 14 drivers had a one-tailed significance level of less than 0.05, as indicated by the asterisks. This suggests that these 14 driving factors indeed influenced them to incorporate protective features in their projects. The top two drivers within each of the three institutional pillars are analysed and discussed below. Regulative pillar Within the regulative pillar, ‘Regulations and laws (M = 4.36)’ was recognised as the most significant driver in driving the implementation of protective features in buildings. This finding was consistent with the study by Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012), in that regu38
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lations and local policies were the driving factors for the implementation of protective features. Similarly, Hayhoe (2015) also observed and agreed that existing building codes and regulations have to be reviewed and changed to include measures to mitigate terrorist activities, indicating the considerable importance of regulations and laws in influencing the implementation of protective features. Since terrorism is a unique form of risk which has devastating consequences and a low perceived probability in Singapore’s context, many building developers and consultants do not perceive it as a critical issue to be addressed. Given the proactive stance of the Singapore government towards counter-terrorism efforts, this appears to have resulted in a complacent culture and mind-set within building developers and consultants. Coupled with a profit-driven management which emphasises economic performance, it is difficult for building developers and consultants to be convinced that there is a need to be prepared against terrorism, without economic grounds. Hence, having mandatory requirements such as laws and regulations would inevitably be the most significant driver in pushing for implementation in Singapore’s context. This was further supported by the interviewees, where Interviewee A emphasised the significance of having regulations and policies to drive the implementation of protective features in Singapore’s context:
HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
Drivers
Mean
SD
Rank
t
Sig. (2-tailed)
Regulations and laws
4.36
0.843
1
10.073
0.000*
Contractual obligations
4.10
0.788
2
8.739
0.000*
To satisfy duty of care requirements
4.03
0.903
3
7.094
0.000*
Availability of government subsidies and funding programmes
3.56
1.392
4
2.531
0.016*
Support from upper management and stakeholders
4.31
0.694
1
11.766
0.000*
Following industry-standard practice
4.05
0.857
2
7.662
0.000*
Accreditation for the development
3.44
1.252
3
2.174
0.036*
Encouraged by a professional body or an association
3.23
1.087
4
1.325
0.193
Following competitor’s practice
2.85
1.226
5
-0.784
0.438
Aware of the effectiveness of protective features
3.87
0.864
1
6.302
0.000*
Developer sees the importance of security and acknowledges the need to incorporate protective features for this particular project
3.72
1.075
2
4.172
0.000*
Developers are conscious of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and recognize the value of incorporating protective features in their building design
3.51
0.997
3
3.213
0.003*
Enhance developer’s reputation
3.49
1.254
4
2.426
0.020*
Improve development’s marketability
3.49
1.275
5
2.387
0.022*
Increase competitiveness of company
3.41
1.272
6
2.015
0.051*
Reduce security retrofitting costs
3.36
1.203
7
1.864
0.070*
Enhance property’s reputation
3.33
1.305
8
1.596
0.119
Seen favourable results achieved by other building projects
3.23
1.266
9
1.138
0.262
Greater revenue generation opportunities
3.23
1.441
10
1.000
0.324
Regulative Pillar
Normative Pillar
Cultural-Cognitive Pillar
Note: * p < 0.05 (one-tailed). These indicators were assessed using a Likert scale: 1 = “Least Important” to 5 = “Very Important”. Table 3: One-sample t-test: Drivers for Incorporating Protective Features.
“The building industry in the private sector is basically driven by profits. If the profit is going to be reduced, when you do not need to reduce it because there is no legislation that requires it to be implemented, then nobody is going to do it”. Interviewee B also agreed with the importance of regulations in driving the implementation of protective features in buildings by adding that: “If it is legislated and becomes a requirement, we have to advise the owner that they have to comply. That will become part of the running cost, resulting in high operating cost. If it is a mandatory requirement, then yes,
we have to comply. No choice. Otherwise, we cannot get approval and cannot build”. Additionally, the respondents also felt that the presence of ‘Contractual obligations (M = 4.10)’ requiring the implementation of protective features in buildings, would also influence them significantly. Contractual obligations are duties that each party is legally responsible for in a contractual agreement, and the failure to fulfil the contractual conditions would lead to a breach of contract which results in claims for damages. The possibility of financial and legal penalties hence compel building professionals to implement protective features, which explains the high perceived importance of this driver. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
Normative pillar The most significant driver perceived by the respondents within the normative pillar was the ‘Support from upper management and stakeholders (M = 4.31)’. In the context of the construction industry, project stakeholders such as the building developers decide on the project budget and requirements. The developer would then request for the implementation of specific features in the building by conveying his requirements to the architect through the design brief. Hence, it is not surprising that the support from the stakeholders will influence the implementation of protective features as they are the ones who have the authority to decide. Furthermore, this finding was in agreement with Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) who asserted that strong commitment by the project stakeholders would drive the implementation of protective features in buildings. While the interviewees generally agreed that there are currently no building developers who would insist on having extensive security features unless it was required by legislation, they offered some insights into situations where building developers would request for the implementation of protective features. One situation would be where the building developer wants to attract an anchor tenant that is concerned with security and perceives the threat of terrorism as a plausible issue. These anchor tenants are often multinational corporations (MNCs) with large assets and operations. Interviewee A explained that: “The only reason that developers will implement security features is if I know that my tenants perceive the security threat as a real issue. Then, I can tell them I got blastproof walls so that anything you do inside is protected. I have got bollards around it so that people with explosive devices cannot drive up to the building, so you are protected and so on”. Similarly, Interviewee B also remarked that: “By providing this (ie protective features), you can have a multinational corporation to come in and occupy your building because these are marketing strategies that can attract multinational corporations”. The respondents also agreed that ‘Following industry-standard practice (M = 4.05)’ was a key driver for the implementation of protective features within the normative pillar. As in the example of CCTVs, presented in Part 2 of this three-part series of articles, building professionals are driven by industry norms when deciding to implement protective features in buildings. This validates the finding that norms could guide and influence the perceptions of building professionals in Singapore towards the implementation of protective features. Cultural-cognitive pillar The most significant driver perceived by the respondents within the cultural-cognitive pillar was ‘Aware of the effectiveness of protective features (M = 3.87)’. This finding echoed the argument in the literature that the implementation of protective features could be driven by the 40
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
building professionals’ awareness towards their effectiveness (Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass, 2009). This seems to suggest that building professionals in Singapore are driven by their cognitive understanding and internalisation of beliefs when implementing protective features. Likewise, Interviewee A validated that: “If they are aware of the benefits of having protective features, then they will implement it. But right now, most developers do not feel that there is a tangible benefit”. This was followed by “Developer sees the importance of security and acknowledges the need to incorporate protective features for this particular project (M = 3.72)”, which was ranked as the second most important driver within the cultural-cognitive pillar. This suggests that the personal belief of the building developer towards security plays an essential role in determining whether protective features are being implemented. If developers are aware of the terrorism threat and thereafter the importance of security, naturally, this would motivate them to incorporate protective features in future projects to mitigate such threat. The result was also in line with the findings of Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) who recognised that stakeholder understanding would influence the protection of buildings and infrastructure. In addition to the top two drivers from each institutional pillar, there were several other noteworthy findings. Firstly, although ‘Enhance property’s reputation’ was identified as a significant driver in various research papers (Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass, 2012; Rouse, 2004; White & Cochrane, 2017), this factor was not perceived to be integral in driving the implementation of protective features in Singapore as it was ranked eighth among the 10 cultural-cognitive drivers. This appears to suggest that building professionals are less concerned about implementing protective features to improve the property’s reputation. Instead, building developers may be more concerned with the project’s quality to achieve better customer satisfaction and thus, better property reputation and sales. Secondly, a driver for the implementation of protective features that was not identified in the literature was also raised by an interviewee. Interviewee A shared that another possible driver for the incorporation of protective features was its potential in reducing the building’s risk and consequently, its insurance premiums: “If an insurance company says that if your office operates in a protective building against certain type of threats, then they will lower your insurance premium. This has a major effect in places like the US or Europe, because clients will come and say - Okay, I need this because it lowers my insurance premium by so many thousand dollars a month, and I do not mind paying a little bit more in rent if it brings down my premiums”.
SURVEY FINDINGS - BARRIERS Similarly, the respondents were also asked to indicate the level of importance of the 14 barriers that would hinder the incorporation of protective features in their men-
HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
tioned projects, using a 5-point Likert scale. A one-sample t-test was conducted on the data obtained to identify the significant barriers. Table 4 shows their perceptions towards the barriers which were ranked according to their mean scores within the institutional pillars. As shown in Table 4, the respondents generally perceived the barriers to be important as they had higher scores than neutral (M = 3.08 to 3.82). Among the list of barriers, the one-sample t-test results show that only nine barriers had a one-tailed significance level of below 0.05, as indicated by the asterisks. This suggests that these nine barriers indeed significantly hindered the respondents to incorporate protective features in their projects. The top two barriers within each institutional pillar are discussed below. Regulative pillar ‘Not required under regulations and laws (M = 3.56)’ appears to be the most significant barrier to the implementation of protective features within the regulative pillar. This barrier is in agreement with the findings of Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass (2012) that the lack of regulations in place is one of the key barriers to the implementation of protective features. Coaffee & O’Hare (2008) also recognised that in the absence of regulations, most building developers and professionals would ignore the pressure to implement protective features. Without regulations in place, building owners may not Barriers
be compelled to incorporate protective features as these are perceived to be costly and do not yield any economic benefits for them. This observation was further validated by Interviewee A who agreed with the finding and suggested that: “If the profit is going to be reduced when you do not need to reduce it because there is no legislation that requires it (ie protective features) to be implemented, then nobody is going to do it”. Likewise, Interviewee C who represents a real estate developer, agreed that there was a lack of regulations governing the implementation of protective features in buildings. He commented that even for the implementation of basic protective features such as CCTVs in the shopping malls that he manages, the decision was primarily fuelled by the need to protect the interests of the organisation and the safety of the visitors rather than for security reasons. In addition, Interviewee C suggested that more can be done by making it mandatory for all new buildings to engage a security consultant to assess the terrorism risk and thereafter, propose suitable and appropriate protective measures to enhance the implementation of these features in new building projects. In addition, the respondents also perceived ‘Not required under contract (M = 3.54)’ as the second most important barrier to implementing protective features in buildings.
Mean
SD
Rank
t
Sig. (2-tailed)
Not required under regulations and laws
3.56
1.046
1
3.367
0.002*
Not required under contract
3.54
1.189
2
2.829
0.007*
Lack of government funding
3.10
1.231
3
0.520
0.606
Insufficient support from upper management and stakeholders
3.49
1.144
1
2.659
0.011*
Low level of implementation in the industry
3.08
1.085
2
0.443
0.661
High initial and upfront costs
3.82
1.144
1
4.479
0.000*
High operating costs
3.82
1.073
2
4.776
0.000*
Unavailability of best practices guidelines
3.49
0.970
3
3.137
0.003*
Aesthetic implications of protective features (obtrusive and unfriendly)
3.49
1.121
4
2.714
0.010*
Uncertainty of the effectiveness of protective features
3.44
1.095
5
2.485
0.017*
Perceive threat of terrorism as unreal and improbable
3.41
1.141
6
2.246
0.031*
Lack of experience in previous projects
3.28
1.099
7
1.603
0.117
Lack of technical expertise and advice
3.28
1.191
8
1.479
0.147
Lack of awareness of the protective features available
3.18
1.048
9
1.069
0.292
Regulative Pillar
Normative Pillar
Cultural-Cognitive Pillar
Note: * p < 0.05 (one-tailed). These indicators were assessed using a Likert scale: 1 = “Least Important” to 5 = “Very Important”. Table 4: One-sample t-test: Barriers to Incorporating Protective Features. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
Similar to the lack of mandatory regulations, the lack of contractual obligations is not an unexpected finding because building professionals are not compelled to incorporate protective features if the contract forms and design specifications did not require them to do so. Normative pillar ‘Insufficient support from upper management and stakeholders (M = 3.49)’ seems to be the most significant barrier within the normative pillar. This seems to suggest that senior management and stakeholders in Singapore’s built environment are less supportive of the decision to implement protective features in buildings. The interviews suggest that the implementation of protective features in buildings follows a top-down approach and requires extensive commitment from upper management. Hence, the lack of such leadership would hinder the successful implementation of protective features, which explains the high importance of this barrier. The other noteworthy barrier within the normative pillar was ‘Low level of implementation in the industry’. Among the list of 14 barriers identified, this barrier had the lowest mean score of 3.08, indicating that most respondents felt that it was the least important barrier. Furthermore, this barrier had a p-value of 0.661 which was greater than 0.05. This suggests that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that the low level of implementation of protective features in the industry was a significant barrier. Cultural-cognitive pillar The results show that the top two barriers within the cultural-cognitive pillar were ‘High initial and upfront costs (M = 3.82)’ and ‘High operating costs (M = 3.82)’. This suggests that building owners and design consultants in the Singapore construction industry perceive cost as an integral factor in hindering their adoption of protective features. This is not surprising as building developers are profit-driven organisations who aim to maximise their profits. The literature revealed that the main reason for the poor implementation rates of protective features among developers was the increased construction costs (Emmitt, 2012; Ettouney et al, 1996; Harre-Young, Bosher, Dainty & Glass, 2009; Little, 2007; Norville & Conrath, 2006). For example, using blast-proof materials to construct a building could increase the overall construction costs by approximately 15% to 20% as compared to conventional buildings (Lin & Cheong, 2016). Due to the high costs incurred for constructing a protective building, it is comprehensible that high initial and operating costs were perceived as the top two barriers. Consequently, there seems to be a common belief among the respondents in the cultural-cognitive pillar that the cost of incorporating protective features in buildings is substantially high. Furthermore, from the in-depth interviews conducted, all three interviewees validated and agreed with the survey findings that cost is a strong barrier to the implementation of protective features. When asked if cost was the primary factor, Interviewee A said that: 42
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
“It all boils down to money. Because whether you are building apartments, office building or a shopping centre, developers are building it as a business”. Similarly, when asked if high upfront and operating costs were the most significant barrier to incorporating protective features in buildings, Interviewee B agreed and said that: “Yes. Anything you see in Singapore, it is all about cost. Anything you want is costly because everything is imported. … If cost does not permit, we cannot do anything. If cost permits, we also want to make sure that our building is safe”. It is therefore evident that the high initial and operating costs were perceived to be the most significant barriers to the implementation of protective features in buildings. While the implementation of protective features would inevitably increase the overall construction cost, its potential benefits may outweigh its cost, depending on the risk and likelihood of a terrorist attack. Stewart (2008) conducted a risk-cost-benefit analysis and concluded that expenditure on protective features was indeed cost-effective for commercial buildings, that had greater damage consequences or were facing a specific threat, to implement protective features. These barriers can thus be seen as a biased perception due to the difficulty in highlighting the probability of a terrorist attack occurring on their projects and demonstrating the benefits in implementing protective features.
CONCLUSION This study adopts the institutional framework of Scott (2014) to map the identified barriers and drivers to the three institutional pillars to explain the organisational behaviour towards the implementation of protective features in buildings. The key findings are as follows: • The drivers within the regulative pillar influence building professionals to incorporate protective features in buildings. All the drivers within the regulative pillar were significant. • The drivers within the normative pillar influence building professionals to incorporate protective features in buildings. Three out of five drivers within the normative pillar were significant. • The drivers within the cultural-cognitive pillar influence building professionals to incorporate protective features in buildings. Seven out of 10 drivers within the cultural-cognitive pillar were significant. • The barriers within the regulative pillar hinder building professionals from incorporating protective features in buildings. Two out of three barriers within the regulative pillar were significant. • The barriers within the normative pillar hinder building professionals from incorporating protective features in buildings. One out of two barriers within the normative pillar was significant.
HEALTH & SAFETY ENGINEERING
• The barriers within the cultural-cognitive pillar hinder building professionals from incorporating protective features in buildings. Six out of nine barriers within the cultural-cognitive pillar were significant. The one-sample t-test established that nine out of 14 barriers were significant. The top two significant barriers from each institutional pillar are: (1) Not required under regulations and laws (2) Not required under contract (3) Insufficient support from upper management and stakeholders (4) Low level of implementation in the industry (5) High initial and upfront costs (6) High operating costs Among these barriers, the two highest rated barriers were high initial costs and high operating costs, which both appeared to have the same mean scores. The interviewees also highlighted that cost was a major impeding factor to the implementation of protective features. The one-sample t-test indicate that 14 out of 19 drivers were significant. The top two drivers from each institutional pillar are: (1) Regulations and laws (2) Contractual obligations (3) Support from upper management and stakeholders (4) Following industry-standard practice (5) Aware of the effectiveness of protective features (6) Developer sees the importance of security and acknowledges the need to incorporate protective features for this particular project. Among these drivers, the two highest-rated drivers in influencing the implementation of protective features are mandatory regulations and the support from higher management. This was also highlighted extensively by the interviewees. The following recommendations are made at the conclusion of this study: Mandatory risk assessment for terrorism threats While the government has recently introduced the Infrastructure Protection Act to mandate selected buildings to implement protective features to enhance building security, the government can also consider mandating building developers to engage security professionals and consultants to assess the terrorism risk of every building prior to its design development. This ensures that the developer is aware of the security risks involved and provides him with a better understanding of the appropriate mitigation measures that can be introduced proportionately. Engaging the industry Apart from a regulatory framework, local agencies such as Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Singapore Police Force (SPF) can also consider engaging the developers and building designers through seminars and confer-
ences to inform them of the security threats faced by the built environment sector, in order to raise their awareness with regard to building security issues. Best practices and the different protective features available for implementation in buildings can also be introduced to industry professionals. This can help to improve the implementation of protective features in buildings, following the identification that personal belief arising from the cultural-cognitive pillar is one of the key motivational factors. Likewise, this initiative can increase management support and commitment, following its earlier identification as a significant driver within the normative pillar. Embracing smart security technologies A key barrier identified in this study relates to the high upfront and initial costs of incorporating protective features. The high upfront costs often arise from the implementation of passive security features such as bollards, blast-protected curtain walls and structural strengthening. Hence, in order to reduce the reliance on passive security features to reduce the capital costs incurred, industry professionals can consider embracing active security features such as smart security technologies. These include artificial intelligence and analytic CCTVs with facial recognition functions that can monitor video feeds and identify high-risk situations. REFERENCES Chin B W A, Gao S & Low S P (2015): ‘An Institutional Approach to Understanding Post-Project Reviews in the Construction Industry’, International Surveying Research Journal, 5(1), 1-19. City of London Crime Prevention Association (2014). Building Security Accreditation, Retrieved August 29, 2017, from http:// www.cityoflondoncpa.org.uk/bsa/ Coaffee J & O’Hare P (2008): ‘Urban resilience and national security: the role for planning’, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Urban Design and Planning (pp 173-182), ICE Publishing. Emmitt S (2012): Architectural Technology (2nd ed), West Sussex, UK, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Ettouney M, Smilowitz R & Rittenhouse T (1996): ‘Blast Resistant Design of Commercial Buildings’, Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, 1(1), 31-39. Fussey P (2011): ‘Deterring terrorism? Target-hardening, surveillance and the prevention of terrorism’, A Sike (Ed), The Psychology of Counter-Terrorism (pp 164-185), Abingdon, UK, Routledge. Harre-Young S, Bosher L, Dainty A & Glass J (2009): ‘The implications of the UK’s counterterrorism strategy on the construction sector’, A Dainty (Ed), 25th Annual ARCOM Conference (pp 1285-94), Nottingham, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management. Harre-Young S, Bosher L, Dainty A & Glass J (2012): ‘Incorporating security measures into the built environment, S Smith (Ed), 28th Annual ARCOM Conference (pp 1187-1196), Edinburgh, UK, Association of Researchers in Construction Management. Hayhoe J (2015): ‘Designing Super-Tall Buildings for Increased Resilience: New Measures and Cost Considerations’, H Robinson, B Symonds, B Gilbertson & B Ilozor (Eds), Design Economics for the Built Environment: Impact of Sustainability on Project Evaluation (pp 284-298), West Sussex, UK, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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Jon C & Bosher L S (2008): ‘Integrating counter-terrorist resilience into sustainability’, Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers Urban Design and Planning, 161(DP2), 75-83. Kitchen T & Schneider R H (2007): Crime Prevention and the Built Environment New York, N Y, USA, Routledge. Lin Y & Cheong D (2016): ‘Boosting anti-terror features of buildings: Singapore government reviews security guidelines’, 4 April 2016, The Straits Times. Little R G (2007): ‘Cost-effective strategies to address urban terrorism: A risk management approach’, H W Richardson, P Gordon & J E Moore II (Eds), The Economic Costs and Consequences of Terrorism (pp 98-115), Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar Publishing Limited. Low S P, Gao S, Che-Ani A I. & Siah C (2014): ‘Institutional Framework for Understanding Ethics in Construction Firms’, International Surveying Research Journal, 4(1), 1-20.
Rouse J (2004): ‘Measuring value or only cost: The need for new valuation methods’, S Macmillian (Ed), Designing Better Buildings: Quality and Value in the Built Environment (pp 5571), London, UK, Spon Press. Scott W R (2005): ‘Institutional Theory’, Encyclopedia of Social Theory (pp 409-414), Sage Publications Inc. Scott W R (2014): Institutions and Organizations: Ideas, Interests and Identities (4th ed), Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, Sage Publications Inc. Shanmugam K (2016): ‘Enhancing Singapore’s responses to terrorism’, Keynote Address, The Home Team Leaders’ Forum, 19 March 2016, Singapore: Ministry of Home Affairs. Stewart M G (2008): ‘Cost-effectiveness of risk mitigation strategies for protection of buildings against terrorist attack’, Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, 22(2), 115-120.
Low S P, Liu J & Sio S (2010): ‘Business continuity management in large construction companies in Singapore’, Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 19(2), 219-232.
White S & Cochrane D (2017): ‘Improving security through the design process’, Construction Manager Magazine, Retrieved August 19, 2017, from http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/management/building-security-design-process/
Norville H S & Conrath E J (2006): ‘Blast-Resistant Glazing Design’, Journal of Architectural Engineering, 12(3), 129-136.
Yusof Z M (2017): ‘Industry welcomes new law to protect buildings against attacks’, 5 October 2017, The Straits Times.
Fewer fatalities but more non-fatal injuries in first half of 2019 There were 17 workplace fatalities in 1H 2019, fewer than the 23 in 2H 2018 and 18 in 1H 2018. However, the number of non-fatal workplace injuries increased by 8%, from 6,073 cases in 1H 2018 to 6,561 cases in 1H 2019.
and major injuries in 1H 2019, while the Manufacturing Industry contributed 66 cases. In the Transportation and Storage industry, fatal and major injuries rose from 22 in 1H 2018 to 35 in 1H 2019.
Fatal injuries
Also, more major injuries are seen in the lower-risk industries of Accommodation and Food Services, Wholesale and Retail Trade and Professional Services.
Falls from height remained a key concern, with four fatalities in 1H 2019. This was one fatality more than in 1H 2018. Two falls from height occurred in the Construction Industry. Fatalities due to the collapse or failure of structure and equipment increased from one case in 1H 2018 to three cases in 1H 2019, while vehicular-related fatalities remained at four cases in both 1H 2018 and 1H 2019. Regarding the fatalities due to the collapse or failure of structure and equipment, two were due to crane failures and one was due to a collapse of a floor slab.
Major and minor injuries Slips, trips and falls (STF) remained as the top cause of both major and minor injuries. While major injuries arising from STF decreased from 111 in 1H 2018 to 87 in 1H 2019, STF-related minor injuries increased by 8%, from 1,630 in 1H 2018 to 1,757 in 1H 2019. Although STF accidents can happen anywhere, simple control measures such as proper housekeeping can help to prevent STF. Machinery-related incidents is the second most common cause of major and minor injuries. Machinery-related major injuries rose from 35 cases in 1H 2018 to 41 cases in 1H 2019. Similarly, machinery-related minor-injuries spiked from 956 cases in 1H 2018 to 1,066 cases in 1H 2019.
Injuries within different industries The Construction Industry contributed 67 cases of fatal
44
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
Dangerous Occurrences The number of Dangerous Occurrences (DOs) fell from 10 cases in 1H 2018 to eight in 1H 2019. Five were due to collapse or failure of structures and equipment, while the other three were due to fires and explosions. The Construction Industry remained the top contributor for the DOs (four cases).
Engagement and enforcement The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) will sustain its inspections, targeting workplaces more prone to fatal and major injuries. To raise industry capabilities to better manage Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) risks, the WSH Council will be providing WSH consultancy services to approximately 1,200 companies with major injury records in the past three years. This will be complemented by sustained engagements through a series of campaigns and forums to raise public awareness on these risks. To address the rising number of non-fatal injuries, MOM is in the midst of implementing the recommendations of the WSH2028 Tripartite Strategies Committee to align WSH outcomes more closely to commercial interest and cultivate safety awareness among a more diverse range of industries.
IES UPDATE
Engineering contributions recognised and new initiatives launched at
IES 53rd
Annual Dinner On 10 October 2019, IES hosted its 53rd Annual Dinner, themed ‘Engineering a Sustainable Singapore’, at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat graced the occasion as the guest-of-honour. The dinner kicked off with members of the Young Engineers and WiSER Committees pulling off some wicked dance moves on stage with an energetic three-minute performance. “Who said engineers were boring?” remarked IES President Prof Yeoh Lean Weng in his welcome address, applauding their show and appreciating them for putting it together within a short period of time. Noting that engineers could also be versatile, he pointed out that the emcee for the evening was an engineer with SMRT, and spoke of their value in other fields. He then proceeded to give a preview of the evening’s activities through a humorous speech that was well-received by the guests. The first of the many awards that were given out during the dinner was the IES Distinguished Honorary Patron title. This was conferred upon DPM Heng, in recognition of his central role in shaping the advancement of engineering in Singapore. This year, Mr Ng Chee Meng, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Secretary-General of NTUC was conferred the title of IES Honorary Fellow. This was to recognise his outstanding contributions in shaping engineering education and developing engineering leaders to support Singapore’s future growth.
The IES-YEC and WiSER Committees put up a high-tempo dance performance during the dinner.
Er. Tan Ee Ping received the prestigious 2019 IES Lifetime Engineering Achievement Award for his accomplishments that have made profound impact on the engineering industry and community, and brought honours to Singapore on the world stage. Over his 55-year career, he has contributed extensively to Singapore’s built environment and economic growth. IES also presented the inaugural IES Outstanding Partner Award that recognises and honours outstanding organisations which have contributed significantly to IES and the engineering community. This went to the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA), for its longstanding commitment in partnering IES to promote engineering excellence and its impact on the practice of engineering here. THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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The Railway Systems Handbook, a resource tool for rail engineering professionals and students, was also launched in conjunction with this initiative. To support engineers in their technopreneurship journey, the IES Incubator and Accelerator (IES-INCA) programme was also launched. Set up by engineers for engineers, IES-INCA will support engineers in developing ground-breaking technologies via mentoring, leadership training, business planning and start-up funding. DPM Heng receives the IES Distinguished Honorary Patron plaque from Prof Yeoh.
Other awards presented at the dinner are the IES/ IEEE Joint Medal of Excellence Award 2019 and the IES-Yayasan MENDAKI Scholarships. The Medal was presented to Er. Lee Chuan Seng for his long-term, multi-faceted contributions to Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sustainable development and shaping the growth of the engineering profession, while the scholarships went to Mr Wan Muhammad Ismail bin Wan Mahmood (Temasek Polytechnic) and Mr Shiek Abdullah Abdul Arshath (NUS), for achieving excellent academic results.
It will incubate technology enterprises in the scale-up stage, particularly those developing infrastructure, IoT, robotics, automation, cleantech and sustainability technologies. Lastly, an MOU was also signed between IES-INCA and the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) to mark their partnership in providing engineers with business-management mentorship from professional accountants.
Launch of new initiatives At the dinner, Mr Ng witnessed the launch of the Singapore Rail Standards Initiative. This initiative aims to develop a comprehensive set of standards on railway systems covering operations, and asset maintenance to enhance system reliability and productivity. A collaboration between LTA, SMRT, SBS Transit, Enterprise Singapore (ESG) and IES, it will be spearheaded by a new Technical Committee to be set up under the Singapore Standards Council, overseen by ESG.
During the dinner, IES also launched its Incubator and Accelerator (IES-INCA; above) and the Singapore Rail Standards Initiative. These will assist engineers in their technopreneurship journey and further railway standards respectively.
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THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
IES UPDATE
IES Student Chapters partner up with Science Centre FOR
Engineering Discovery
Camp 2019 This year, the Engineering Discovery Camp was a collaboration among Science Centre Singapore and three student chapters from NTU, NUS and SUTD. Held on 1, 17 and 22 June 2019, the workshops held during the camps exposed lower secondary school students to various engineering disciplines through hands-on activities. NTU, NUS and SUTD introduced civil engineering, chemical and mechanical engineering, and computer engineering plus programming respectively. A total of 57 students participated in the camp.
Participants of the Engineering Discovery Camp session conducted by IES-NTU showing off their projects
The first session on 1 June began with a Seismic Design workshop for the participants. The students understood more about earthquakes from Kok Khuen, the president of the NTU student chapter. He demonstrated the importance of piling through a simple experiment with tofu and toothpicks. Afterwards, each group of participants were given a certain number of tokens to exchange for materials to construct a seismic model, which was then subjected to a four-level intensity seismic generator for load testing. At the next workshop, the activity that the IES-NUS student chapter came up with was to create a system to model a dilution process for paintball production. It was well-received, with participants actively engaged in making use of the given resources to produce their own unique systems. They then showed off the â&#x20AC;&#x153;fruitsâ&#x20AC;? of their labour by firing them at targets.
Intense discussion going on during the IES-NUS student chapter workshop.
Last but not least, IES-SUTD conducted a workshop using the Micro:bit processor. The student participants picked up computational thinking and basic coding syntax using the micro:bit. At the end of the workshop, they learnt how to put together motors, wheels, and vehicle bodies together to create their own working micro:bit-controlled car. It was a fruitful experience for both the participants as well as the IES Student Chapters.
Mr Mervyn Sirisena, Vice-President of IES, shared some of his wisdom with the participants of the IES-SUTD chapter workshop.
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019
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IES UPDATE
IES-YOUNG ENGINEERS COMMITTEE TALK:
THE ENGINEERING
MINDS
On 28 September 2019, the IES-Young Engineers Committee (YEC) invited IES President Professor Yeoh Lean Weng to share more about “The Engineering Minds”. This is one of the Professional Development Talks that IES-YEC organises for the community, with more in the pipeline. The talk attracted over 40 engineers, both young and experienced, from various engineering disciplines, as well as engineering students from various IES Student Chapters in polytechnics and universities. Prof Yeoh was invited to share more about systems engineering and his experiences in the industry. As director of urban solutions and sustainability at the National Research Foundation, he is responsible for strengthening Singapore’s R&D capabilities and fostering innovation to meet the nation’s long-term energy, water and environmental challenges.
Noting that there was no ‘fixed’ method to the analysis, Prof Yeoh mentioned that modular systems thinking would vary with context. By recognising the links between modules and how they work, do not work, or could potentially work, one can draw useful outcomes. With an analytical engineering mind that possesses system-based problem solving skills, an engineer would not only excel in engineering, but also in other fields. For example, when it comes to business transformation, there are many decisions to be made and being able to see the strategic picture and assess the various factors would help one formulate more effective action plans. The talk ended with an engaging Q&A session. The candid exchange of opinions between all participants, whose perspectives were shaped by their education and experiences, made it a valuable learning journey for all.
According to him, engineers think in systems, which is more than just being systematic. It is about the understanding that in the ebb and flow of life, everything is ever-changing but linked together. He introduced the systems thinking framework, which was a systemic and systematic approach of analysing diverse elements of a complex problem as integrated components of a coherent system. Thus, the analysis of relationships among the modules of a system would be more accurate when done as a whole, not just examining its constituent parts.
Prof Yeoh sheds some light on systems engineering with the audience.
ADVERTISERS’ INDEX
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Building and Construction Authority ––––––––––– Page 01
IES Membership –––––––––––––––––– Inside Back Cover
Cementaid (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd –––––––––––––––––––– Page 05
IES Railway Systems Handbook ––––––––––––––– Page 13
IES Chartered Engineer –––––––––––– Inside Front Cover
MultiNine Corporation Pte Ltd ––––––– Outside Back Cover
THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER November 2019