Week 7 journal

Construction Journal Submission Report Week Seven: Off Campus Nicole Tan 641433 General building information: Name:

E589 Apartments

Address:

587-589 Elizabeth Street

Builder:

Maxstra Constructions

Client:

Austgroup Holdings Pty Ltd

Consultant:

Architects EAT

Construction budget:

$13 million

Construction value:

$11,985, 000

Stage of construction:

Finishing works (completion scheduled for December 2013)

Characteristics:     

55 residential apartments 9 storeys 2 retail stores on the ground floor No basement Concrete structure with post tension slabs

SCAFFOLDING

STEEL FACADE PRE CAST CONCRETE PANELS FOR FACADE Figure 1. The front of the apartments faces Elizabeth Street. Figure 2. The back of the apartments.

The apartments also lie close to amenities like grocery shops, the Queen Vic Market and several retail stores and restaurants.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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GROUND FLOOR CHARACTERISTICS SERVICES TRACE The ground floor is where the services from the upper levels converge.

PVC DOWNPIPE (for stormwater and sewerage) can be found throughout the ground floor level

FOOTING SYSTEM (below concrete slab comprises of: 

Figure 3. Services on the ground floor



Bored pile o To ensure load is at the end of the pile where the ground is more stable Cap and beam

SERVICES TRACE

COPPER GAS AND WATER PIPES BAND BEAM

Figure 4. Ceiling features of the ground floor Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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FIRST FLOOR CHARACTERISTICS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

CONCRETE SLAB CEILING Does not need o be fire-checked as it already has a fire rating due to its material (concrete is fireproof) DIVIDING WALL* Red colour indicates the dividing wall has been fire-checked and it is able to comply with fire-rating standards (able to hold a fire for 90 minutes).

Figure 5. Methods which the building addresses fire-rating standards. *THE DIVIDING WALL Double stud walls are used as the dividing walls. There is a 20mm gap between the two walls which utilises the air between the walls to absorb sound and improve the acoustic rating of the building.

METAL STUDS (metal stud wall system)

Figure 6. Access panel on the ceiling for electrical services

LINTLE

ALUMINIUM WINDOW FRAME. A rubber seal is used to seal the window to reduce heat loss and moisture infiltration (Ching 2008) Figure 7. Wall system Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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EIGHTH FLOOR CHARACTERISTICS

Figure 8. Structural layout of the 8th floor.

CONCRETE COLUMN PRECAST CONCRETE WALL

COLUMN FEATURES: 



Figure 9. Casting plate in the stairwell. This is placed into a concrete wall to allow the connection of beams.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

The columns extend from the ground floor to the eighth floor (that is, the topmost level does not contain any columns).

The columns are thicker at the foundation levels and gradually decrease in width in the upper levels. This is because the foundation and lower levels of the building experience the greatest load and hence need to be thick to resist shear and compression forces whereas the columns on level 8 experience less load and hence can be constructed slimmer which also reduces material usage and loads on lower levels.

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SEAMS OF FORMPLY This shows the location of the plywood sheathing from the concrete formwork.

IN SITU CONCRETE CEILING The ceiling has been reinforced using posttensioned cables. This means that the cables are not in tension when the concrete hardens but instead the tension force is applied by anchoring the cables in tension after the concrete is cast (Vassigh 2008).

Figure 10. Ceiling of the 8th floor.

FEATURES OF THE CONCRETE SLAB: 200mm floor slab with a two-way reinforcement system. This is especially effective for medium spans and heavy loads (Ching 2008).

The post tensioned concrete cables in the ceiling’s reinforcement also eliminate the use of steel as it can be very expensive and costs approximately $8000 per tonne.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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NINTH FLOOR CHARACTERISTICS

This hole provides a second exit for the excess water

DOWNPIPE

Figure 11. Box Gutter.

GALVANISED STEEL PURLINS. (Steel is galvanised to prevent oxidation and consequent corrosion (Ching 2008)).

Note: A steel structure is used on the ninth floor. Steel is a strong, durable material and contains very good tensile strength and as the top of the building is susceptible to more intense wind loads than the foundations (Vassigh 2008), these properties of steel will allow the building to better resist these lateral loads.

Figure 12. Ceiling of floor 9.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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Figure 13. The duct system on the 9th floor.

A flexiduct and a solid duct are employed as ducts cannot run over 5m in length and hence must be connected using these alternatives.

Figure 14. Diagonal bracing on the ceiling.

Circular rods are used as a bracing structure to add strength to the purlins in resisting the roof loads and hence prevent the roof from collapsing. These diagonal bracings would also have rigid connections to resist lateral forces.

The mesh above is used to contain the insulation for the building.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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BATHROOM FEATURES

SOLID TIMBER POINT IN THE FRAME TO ALLOW MOUNTING OF BATHROOM FEATURES LIKE TOWEL RAILS AND CABINETS.

WATER PIPE

Figure 15. Wall structure of the bathroom.

The floor of the bathroom consists of in situ concrete and is placed slightly recessed from the ground level to accommodate for the placement of screed. This screed allows for the aesthetic but also functional purpose of laying tiles in the bathroom which waterproofs the floor.

Figure 16. Floor of the bathroom.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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Figure 17. The dividing wall between apartment rooms.

The dividing wall is a double stud wall and utilises a method which involves offsetting the vertical wall members which adds to the structural integrity of the wall system. The span of the 9th floor is 12m.

STEEL FIXINGS: BOLTS AND WELDS

These perpendicular members are in tension and help support the steel purlins.

Figure 18. Structural ceiling feature.

Figure 19. The use of both timber and steel in the door jamb. The timber strengthens the jamb and allows it to resist the compressive load.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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ROOF CHARACTERISTICS

Figure 20. The roof of the building.

The roof has a 2o slope and hence is a flat roof. This means that it catches more water and hence is coated to prevent corrosion.

Constructing Environments Student Journal | Nicole Tan

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