ENGINEERING PORTFOLIO
FABIO PAOLINI M.Sc.Eng.(Hons) CEng MICE
CAPITAL HOUSE
Working at AKT II Year: 2019-2020 Client:: Grey Star Location: London Status: RIBA Stage 4
Capital House (Chapter Living) is a 40-storeys tower, designed to provide students accommodations, mixed-use spaces, restaurants etc. The tower, to be built nearby London bridge station, will present a central RC core providing lateral stability, PT slabs at the typical level to reduce the floor’s structural zone, and a 3-storeys basement surrounded by a secant pile wall. Wind load to test building stability and vibrations response was evaluated using project specific wind tunnel tests results, using a full 3D model built to an appropriate scale. The first 4-storeys will be built with steel columns to stay within the proposed Architectural zones. From floor 4 the columns become RC and they naturally decrease in size throughout the tower’s height. The basement structure was studied considering a suitable construction sequence to be put in place within all the site constrains characterising this area in central London considering all necessary Third Parties approval process (i.e. Thames Water, Highways, Gas pipelines etc).
The tower within the urban environment
Steel columns at the tower’s base
Typical PT slab analysis
Wind tunnel test model
Tower core analysis model
Tower Revit model
ARDING AND HOBBS
Working at AKT II Year: 2019-2020 Client: Private developer Location: London Status: RIBA Stage 3
The existing Arding and Hobbs building (Clapham, London) will be refurbished to allow for a different usage (office) and a new 2-storeys top extension. The project involves the demolition of internal masonry walls, the lowering of the existing basement level, and the aforementioned extension. The new structure, bearing onto the existing walls and columns following the same vertical load path, will be built of a combination of steel and timber elements (CLT slabs and glulam beams) in order to minimise the impact of the additional loads on the existing structure. Lateral stability of the extension is provided by vertical cross bracings built at the top of the existing shear walls and through diaphragm action at the floor plate level.
Proposed 2-storeys extension
Existing structure - record drawing
Mezzanine structure
Roof structure
Load balacing to allow top extension
OXFORD NORTH
Working at AKT II Year: 2019-2020 Client: Private developer Location: Oxford Status: RIBA Stage 4
The Oxford North development comprises the construction of 3No. offices buildings nearby the A40 highway in Oxford. The “Workspace” buildings will be 2No. identical concrete frames supporting a light weight steel structure on the top (5-storeys in total). The buildings sit on shallow foundation (monolithic rafts), designed to minimise differential settlements on the weathered Oxford clay. The “Red Hall” will be a 5-storeys steel fame, plus a single storey basement. Lateral stability will be provided by the concrete cores connected to the main steel frames and floor plates (hollow-core slabs with an RC in-situ structural screed at the top). The Red Hall foundation will be a continuous raft, designed also as a type B line of defence against water-ingress. Both buildings were designed according to robustness requirements for class 2B structures. The project is part of a larger development that will occupy the wider area around the aforementioned buildings. Development structural model
PT slab layout (workspace buildings)
Red Hall structural analysis
Workspace mezzanine steel structure
Typical haunch connection
Red Hall typical level
HERTOFORD COLLEGE Hertford College is an existing complex (grade II listed) hosting students rooms, libraries and common spaces within the Oxford Conservation Area.
Working at AKT II Year: 2019-2020 Client: Hertford College Location: Oxford Status: RIBA Stage 4
The project involves the excavation of a new single story basement underneath the existing college quad (central courtyard) and part of the existing college buildings. A single storey extension, supported on the aforementioned basement box is also part of the client’s brief. The project was approached considering construction sequencing, temporary phases and ground conditions as primary aspects of the design. The solution was chosen to be an RC box including secant pile walls, a continuous raft and a GF slab spanning on internal columns. The secant pile wall allows to not undermine existing foundations were necessary and to deal with the granular strata encountered during the excavation. Underpinning works will be provided under the existing library footprint, where the basement is supposed to tunnel under the existing structure. The basement was designed as a grade 3 basement according to BS8102, acting as type B line of defence (structural integrity).
Basement and extension Revit model (existing building not shown)
Existing walls damage analysis
Assumed construction sequencing
Proposed sub-structure
2 LOGAN PLACE The project consists of the top extension of the existing 4-storey building, at 2 Logan Place, London.
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2017-2019 Client: JWHuges Location: London Status: RIBA Stage 4
The new top-extension is a new light-weight steel structure, including a part cantilevering for around 3m, necessary to fit within the site constrains. A new suspended timber floor (timber joists spanning between new steel beams) above the existing roof was designed to act as a “crash deck” following the “Camden Ruling Approach” for existing class 2A building (hence meeting robustness requirements as discussed with Building Control). As such, the suspended floor’s structural members are designed to resist also impact loads due to the weight of the new roof’s structure, simulating its collapse. The new floor will locally be supported on the existing masonry walls on the building’s perimeter and on the existing building’s cores. Serviceability vibration checks were also developed to verify the overall structural dynamic behaviour. The horizontal bracings layout was studied in order to improve structure stiffness and horizontal load transfer, hence increasing the extension’s frequency and improving its vibration performance.
Top-extension ETABS Model
New load path to foundations
Horizontal Load Path for the proposal
Bending Moment (ULS) in 4th floor members
1st Mode of Vibration
ISCENE CINEMA REFURBISHMENT The iScene Cinema in Ilford (London area) was refurbished to allow for a renovated building appearance.
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2017-2019 Client: iScene Location: London Status: RIBA Stage 5
The project involved the design of the new facade to be connected to the existing building steel structure, a new internal layout and minor works at the roof level. Internal works include the design of a new fire escape stair, connected to the existing building’s structural members such as steel beams and columns. An extensive analysis and research on the existing building structure was undertaken using the available record drawings, site visits and site investigations in order to mitigate the project’s risks and to allow for an effective structural solution. The design included also structural checks on the existing columns and beams in order to verify their capacities against the new proposed loads.
Rendering of the new Facade Fit-Out
Rotunda steelwork layout
3D sketch showing the new facade structural arrengement
Facade connections details
ROBIN’S COURT The project consists of the top extension of the existing 4-storeys building, at 85 Kings Avenue, Clapham, London.
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2018-2019 Client: SUSD Location: London Status: RIBA Stage 4
The new top extension is made of a new light weight structure, made of a combination of steel and timber elements. A new suspended timber floor (timber joists spanning between new steel beams) was constructed above the existing roof to form the new fourth level. The slab was designed to act as a “crash deck” following the “Camden Ruling Approach” for existing class 2A buildings, hence avoiding the necessity of retrofitting the existing structure below. The new floor is locally supported on the existing masonry walls below, raised at the fourth floor using new blockwork/concrete upstands and the new proposed loads follow the same vertical of the existing building. Additional loads to foundations were kept within a 10% allowance increase limitation, considered suitable for the existing foundations (wide corbelled footings) found during the trial-pitting investigations campaign. A new steel “ring” beam was installed around the perimeter of the building to allow for a better distribution of the additional vertical/horizontal loadings transferred to the existing structure below.
Top-extension Revit model
Ring-beam and spreader beam detail
Pressure calculation under existing footing
Spreader beam skecth and pressure calculation
The fourth floor will be a suspended crash deck, designed also against Debris Loads (Camden Ruling Approach)
HOLIDAY INN HOTEL The Holiday Inn project allowed for the demolition of part of the existing Holiday Inn complex in Oxford. The proposal is to re-build the demolished structure creating additional rooms for the existing hotel facility, improving the hotel overall capacity.
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2018-2019 Client: Holiday Inn Location: Oxford Status: RIBA Stage 4
The proposed development comprises a new 4-storey reinforced concrete frame construction, made of flat slabs and concrete columns. Lateral stability of the building will be provided by reinforced concrete shear walls around the internal main lift and stairs, which extend for the full height of the building. Piles and piles caps were built to support the new building due to the challenging ground conditions of the site. The new structure was designed to be independent form the existing hotel. Movements joints were provided at the foundation level, in order to allow for independent structural behaviours and long term settlements
ETABS structural model
Ground floor slab and pile caps
Deflection analysis of the typical slab (long term conditions)
Building section
Strut and Tie model analysis for column stepping back at ground floor level
4-6 ST EDMUNDS TERRACE 4-6 St. Edmunds Terrace is a new 7-storeys residential development, including a single storey Grade 3 basement (BS 8102).
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2017-2019 Client: Private Location: London Status: Construction Stage
The building, located close to Primrose Hill, is a reinforced concrete structure, including RC columns, shear walls and flat slabs. The basement RC box was designed using waterproofed concrete as the whole basement structure acts as a type B line of defence against water ingress as per current BS regulations. As such, both the liner walls and the basement slab were designed assessing crack width considering both flexural and thermal/restrains behaviour, according to the watertight concrete supplier specifications. Tension piles were employed under the basement raft to ensure overall stability against soil-heave and ground water uplift where necessary. The lower ground floor slab acts as a transfer podium supporting six building’s floors and spanning around 12.00m. The slab, 700 mm thick, was designed also as a key-element to ensure robustness as per the current Building Regulations and Eurocodes, therefore considering the accidental load combination as an additional ultimate limit state.
Building’s section, showing the ground floor podium (transfer slab)
Transfer slab drawing
Basement slab construction
Bending moments on the transfer slab
Transfer slab deflection analysis
Transfer slab onstruction
4 WATER EATON ROAD 4 Water Eaton road is a new residential building built on the site previously occupied by an existing 2-storey house. The proposal involved the construction of a new 3-storey steel structure, roughly 15.00 m by 14.00 m on plan.
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2017-2018 Client: Private Location: Oxford Status: Completed
Lateral stability of the structure is achieved through the diaphragm action of the plywood screwed on top of the joists at the typical floor plate. The horizontal loads are then transferred to both moment frames and vertical braced bays. Horizontal movements due to wind load were carefully checked as the building envelope is mostly glazed, considering a limitation of H/500 as inter-storey drift ratio. Foundations are made of deep trench footings, designed according to NHBC guidelines, to prevent differential movements / high settlements due to existing trees surrounding the site potentially affecting soil behaviour (high-shrinkable clay). The building was completed in 2018.
Structural Revit model
Movements check on a structure’s frame
The structure on site
Structural sections
Rear view of the structure
Bottom view of the floors’ beams
LODGE ROAD FACADE Fluid Structures was commissioned by Regal Homes Construction Ltd to develop structural calculations and checks regarding a new façade and balustrade system to be fixed to the concrete structure of the new multi-storey frame at 30 Lodge Road, London.
Working at Fluid Structures Year: 2017-2019 Client: Private Location: London Status: Completed
The new façade and balustrade elements are made using sand cast formed members utilising LM25 casting aluminium alloy as base material. The ridges pattern and decoration was studied with the Architect to improve the typical panel structural performance and its stiffness. All aluminium panels (façade and balustrade members) are connected to the structure of the building via helicoil screws (M8), installed into bosses formed into the typical panel. Bi-metallic corrosion at connections points was prevented studying the fixings details with the panels’ manufacturer. Several tests (i.e. hard and soft body impact tests and static barrier load tests) were developed to cross check the analyses before the cladding installation and to prove the structural capacity. Rhino model of the balustrades
Helicoil screw’s components
Movements control during test
Sketch for the test’s principles
Detail of the panel during the test
The balustrade used for the test
THE MANETTI BRIDGE The “Ponte Manetti� is a new pedestrian bridge built between the councils of Prato and Poggio a Caiano, in Tuscany (IT), above the Ombrone river.
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016-2017 Client: Provincia di Prato Location: Prato (IT) Status: Construction Stage
The steel structure was constructed at the same location of the ancient bridge designed by the Engineer Manetti in the early part of the 19th century. Two existing stone arches are the only remaining parts of the previous bridge (demolished during WWII) and they were re-used as components of the new structure. The project was particularly challenging as the design team needed to avoid any horizontal loads transfer (such as seismic and wind loads) between the new structure and the existing in order to avoid any risk of failure on the existing arches. This aspect was solved providing seismic isolators as supports, acting as rollers at the joints locations. . Moment connections to the pile caps at both ends of the structure improve its lateral stability.
Section and plan
The bridge was completed in 2019. Deformated shape due to wind load
Section across one of the arches
Torsional vibration mode
Rendering of the bridge
Live load deflection
Connections details
In situ test on the arches
The existing stone arches
GRAVEDONA PRIMARY SCHOOL AND GYM During my experience in Italy, I won a public competition for the design of a new educational complex in Gravedona e Uniti (Como). I participated as principal structural engineer working with EN7 team in Bologna.
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016-2017 Client: Comune di Gravedona e Uniti Location: Gravedona e Uniiti (IT) Status: Completed
After winning the competition, we developed the detailed design project until construction. The building was designed according the seismic regulation Eurocode 8 and to the Italian annex. The lateral stability of the building is achieved using reinforced concrete shear ductile walls. In order to allow for long spans, the structural floors are made of a cast in situ flat slab, spanning in both the principal directions on the RC columns. The slabs acts as diaphragm to transfer the horizontal loads to the shear core.
Structural section
The long span above the gym area is made of precast hollow-core planks, completed with a reinforced concrete topping, to ensure diaphragm action at the typical floor level.
Structural model
First floor structural plan
Rebars layout
Typical reinforcement around openings
Flat slab analysis
U-bars detail on the perimeter
RC detail of a slab
SEISMIC RETROFITTING OF AN INDUSTRUAL BUILDING
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016-2017 Client: Private Location: Bologna (IT) Status: Completed
This project involved the seismic retrofitting of an existing industrial building, which was supposed to host a new residential development according to the client’s brief. The existing structural was firstly assessed in terms of its seismic capacity, in order to properly understand its weak point and to plan and effective series of retrofit works. In order to understand the existing materials mechanical properties, several tests were undertaken on the existing masonry and RC members. Specifically, both shove-tests and compression tests were prescribed in the masonry panels to evaluate shear and compression capacity.
Structural works at the North elevation
Strengthening works took the form of FRP materials applied to the existing columns and walls, in order to improve their capacity and ductile behaviour.
Seimic analysis of the entire complex
Local analysis of the typical RC arch
Structural works at the West elevation
In situ compression test on the masonry
In situ shove-test on the masonry
FRP mesh applied as retrofit works on the masonry panels
NUCLEAR MEDICINE DEPARTMENT SEISMIC RETROFIT
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016 Client: Regione Emila Romagna Location: Bologna (IT) Status: Completed
The Nuclear Medicine Department is one the most important hospitals within Emilia Romagna region in Italy. The team worked on the seismic retrofit of the structure, an existing RC frame built during the 70s. Analyses were undertaken after an extensive campaign of site investigation works, undertaken in order to confirm the structural layout, materials properties, reinforcement etc. Modal analyses related to response spectrum were developed according to several PGAs (peak ground acceleration) to evaluate the current building’s seismic capacity. The retrofit design allowed for an increased new structural capacity, gained with the application of FRP materials to critical part of the structure (i.e. shear walls and columns).
Structural model of the building
The works have been completed in 2017.
Torsional vibration mode
Structural members to be strenghtened
The steel mesh used for the strenghtening
FRP applied on the typical shear RC wall
Existing shear wall reinforcement
FRP applied on the RC beams (shear and bending strenghtened)
Structural records: foundation layout
FRP applied on the RC beams (shear strenghtened)
The existing building
SEISMIC RETROFITTING OF A VIENEGARD FACTORY
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016 Client: Private Location: Bomporto (IT) Status: Completed
Several buildings were damaged during the 2012 earthquake that occurred in the Modena Area in Italy. EN7 srl was involved in several retrofitting projects for residential, industrial and agricultural buildings. One of them was the seismic retrofit of a vinegar factory in Bomporto (close to Modena city), a 2-storeys structure constructed of a traditional masonry structure according to the typical local construction techniques. Extensive strengthening works were undertaken onto the masonry panels, their foundations and the existing timber floors (joists and timber boards). The roof was completely re-built, replacing all the existing timber beams and trusses with new elements (both mass timber and glulam)
Building’s elevations: structural works layout
The retrofit design allowed to achieve an increased collapse PGA (peak ground acceleration) level for the building.
Structural model of the building
Seismic analysis
Floor strengthening
The existing timber floors
Floor strengthening
Works on the typical timber floor
Vault strengthening
Works on the existing vaults
Foundation’s retrofitting
SINGLE STOREY EXTENSION OF AN HOSPITAL
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016 Client: Private Location: Bologna(IT) Status: Completed
This small scale project was developed to add a single story at the top of an existing private hospital in Bologna. The main goal of the project was to reduce the extension structure’s weight as much as possible, in order mitigate any additional seismic mass at the top of the existing building. Another challenge was related to the vertical load path for the additional weight due to the extension. In order to avoid the use of any transfer structures within the existing members, all the new loads are directly transferred to the existing RC columns of the building, without loading any beams or floors, hence following the existing vertical load path. All the structural members were selected in order to allow for a feasible construction method (i.e. keeping each member self-weight to the minimum), improving buildability and reducing health and safety risks associated to the construction itself.
Structural model
Structural plan
Deformated shape due to live load
Structural section
Connection details
Building’s elevation: new extension location
Connection details
Building’s elevation: new load path
NEW 2 STOREYS HOUSE
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016 Client: Private Location: Bomporto (IT) Status: Completed
This residential building is located in Bomporto (Modena city). The project involved its demolition and re-construction following the seismic events that happened in Emilia Romagna during the 2012 summer. The existing masonry structure, seriously damaged during the very last earthquake, was completely demolished and re-constructed with an RC frame solution (sway frames and hollowpot slabs). The lateral stability of the buildings is provided by sway frames in both the principal directions on plan. Diaphragm action within the floor plates is ensure by a 50mm thick reinforced structural screed built at the top of the typical hollow-pot floor.
Structural section
A seismic joint divides the property into two different parts, structurally independent, in order to improve regularity in shape and consequently the buildings’ dynamic behaviour. The roofs are constructed using glue laminated timber beams, in order to reduce the seismic mass at the top improving structural behaviour during seismic events.
Structural model: unit 1
Structural model: unit 2
Structural plan, first floor
Site photo
Structural section
Rebars layout
Columns reinforcement
Glulam members of the roof
NEW 2-STOREY CLT HOUSE Cross laminated timber has a great performance in seismic areas, due to the high strength-weight ratio.
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2016 Client: Private Location: Bologna (IT) Status: Completed
CLT was employed as structural material for this two storeys house, built nearby Bologna city. The panels, manufactured by KLH, were quickly assembled on site meeting programme requirements agreed with our client. The design was performed according to Eurocode 5 regulations, and gave me the opportunity to learn the principles of CLT design and its manufacturing process. Fire capacity was achieved via encapsulation of the structural members within the cladded designed by the appointed fire engineer. The roof is constructed of glue laminated timber members, exposed at the bottom according to the client desire.
Roof structural plan
Roof’s truss
Connection detail for the cantilevering joists
Hold-ingdown straps and shear plates
Connection detail at the junction panel - RC raft
Timber roof during construction
Timber roof during construction
Connection detail at the junction panel - RC raft
Panel’s base connection
REFURBISHMENT OF AN EXISTING BED AND BREAKFAST
Working at EN7 srl Year: 2014 Client: Private Location: Bologna (IT) Status: Completed
This bed and breakfast is located in the city centre of Bologna, surrounded by other existing buildings and properties. Our client wanted to refurbished the entire 3-storeys building, in order to change the building’s usage to a hospitality facility. All the existing RC floors were demolished, retaining only the external party walls on the boundary lines. The challenge of the project was mostly related to the construction site access, which was very tight. According to that all the new steel members of the structure were studied in order to meet the site constrains requirements, and the new innovative timber floors (75mm thick assembled on-site timber plates built in 25mm thick boards layers) were glued and screwed inside the facility.
Building plans
The maximum span covered was around 4 meters long, achievable due to the bi-directional behaviour of the floor plate. The substitution of the existing heavy floors with new timber ones also increased the seismic performance of the structure, thanks to the reduced seismic mass.
Simplified structural model studied during the design process
Timber to steel connection details
The new timber floors built
Junction steel to steel
Steel to steel connection details
Steel structure analysis
Site photo