A key innovation in building the ultimate skyscraper is making the buildings progressively more and more intelligent…

The building on the video is the 70-storey Trump Tower which according to its structural engineer, Ahmad Rahimian is currently the world’s tallest residential tower. It’s 862 feet high or about 263 meters. In order to build a building of that height, there were a lot of new technologies introduced into the building. A key innovation is how it deals with wind, it does more than just resist it. It actually cancels it out. How does it cancel it out? By using an ingenious device called Tuned Mass Damper. A tuned mass damper is in effect a huge counterweight, a massive 600 tonne block of solid steel surrounded by shock absorbers. The device cancel the wind pressures that apply to the building and suppress the building’s motion.

In 100 years, skyscrapers like the Trump Tower have expanded to 1o-storey bricks to 100+storey steel. All of the skyscraper’s weight is eventually transferred down to the ground, this ultimately takes the strain. The buildings of the modern skyscraper begins out of sight, deep below the earth. Today’s skyscrapers can have foundations more than 100-feet deep but the nature of the ground they rest upon is a crucial factor.

But the big change is still to come. We are going to see buildings in the future  progressively become more and more intelligent. The next level of technology is going to be 100+ storeys using active control systems. This technology is already well and truly integrated into our cars, anti-lock brake system, traction control etc. It’s just a matter of time before it becomes standard features to our buildings.

Work has begun on the project located at 278 Bunnerong Road Hillsdale. Meso Solutions are currently inserting sheet piles and bulk excavation works are set to take place shortly. Great design by Nick Krikis and the architects at KTA. Bradley and the team at Jebeko have got things well and truly under control.

ACSES Engineers are proud to be involved in this terrific development and honoured to be the Project Structural Engineer.

Project Specifications:

*   Three below ground basements
*   Two buildings on a common transfer slab
*   84 Residential Units in total

Our Scope of Works

*   Design and Detail the following:
*   Shoring & bulk excavation solution
*   Foundations solution
*   All concrete slabs
*   All concrete columns & walls
*   Specialist Engineering Assessment Report including full calculations package for Sydney Water
*   Shoring Report including full calculations package for Roads and Maritime Services
*   Dilapidation reports covering public assets and neighbouring properties

 

The phone call went exactly like this…

Hello, George speaking…

“George… I just left Council and we are adding two extra levels on top”

But you’re forming up Level 1?

“I know… Architect will send you plans tomorrow”

Yes, but you’re in the process of forming the deck for Level 1?

“Ok cool… Architect will send you plans tomorrow… I’ll call you later”

The line went silent…

So imagine this:
• Foundations were built
• All the Basement 2 and Basement 1 structures were completed
• The Ground Floor main transfer deck was well and truly done
• And the boys on site were in the process of forming up the Level 1 slab

Suddenly we found ourselves needing to support an additional two levels of a structure that was not designed to carry an additional two levels.

This was going to be interesting, to say the least.

Using Finite Element Modelling (FEM), we were able to highlight weak areas of the existing structure that needed reinforcement as well as confirm areas that had sufficient strength to resist the new loads.

From the foundations to the supporting columns and walls to the suspended slabs, ACSES Engineers developed a total solution that enabled the extra levels to be added, while still maintaining the overall safety of the structure.

Below are some images of the carbon fibre reinforcement that were retrofitted to the soffit of the transfer slab. A terrific technology that gave us the extra strength we needed. Other strengthening works included widening and underpinning specific foundations as well as ‘beefing up’ specific columns and walls.

Shane and his team at First Class Building did an amazing job pulling it all together and the end result is a building that is safe, two storeys taller, and just about to be handed over to the various new owners.

Well done to all involved…

 

ACSES Engineers are honoured to have been appointed as the Project Structural Engineer for the project located at 43-45 Beane Street Gosford. We are incredibly excited to be part of the design team that will help deliver this exceptional development on the Central Coast.

Project Specifics

• 3 Levels of Below Ground Basements
• 1 Level of Commercial Suites
• 18 Levels of Residential Units

Scope of Works includes the structural design of the following by our in-house Structural, Civil and Geotechnical Engineers:

• Shoring and Foundation Solution
• All retaining structures
• All concrete slabs, stairs, ramps, columns and walls

For more information please contact us anytime.

Bulk excavation works at 248-252 Liverpool Road Enfield are proceeding as planned. It’s a tight site and access has been incredibly difficult, but the boys from ADN Civil are getting the job done. ACSES Engineers are proud to be part of the Design Team and honoured to be the Project Structural Engineer.

Here is the 3D perspective.

There are many fields of engineering but today we’re focusing on our specialty here at ACSES Engineers, civil and structural engineering.

Firstly let’s look at the term Engineering. It is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning “cleverness” and ingeniare, meaning “to contrive, devise”. Engineering has been around since the ancient times. From the aqueducts built by the Ancient Romans to the Great Pyramids to the Great Wall of China fast forward to Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building.

Engineering makes our world infinitely better.

But what exactly is civil engineering? Simply put, civil engineering deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environments. Every structure that is on or in the ground is the work of civil engineers. They build dams, bridges, pipelines, roads, towers and buildings. They are responsible for the design and construction of all our transport systems, the design and management of our gas and water supply, sewerage systems, harbours, airports and railways. Pretty awesome, right?

What about structural engineering? Structural engineering involves the analysis and design of structures such as buildings, bridges, towers, marine structures, dams, tunnels, retaining walls and other infrastructure. Structural engineering underpins and sustains the built environment, where structures must be safe, serviceable, durable, aesthetically pleasing and economical. In other words, structural engineers are the guardians of public safety. Pretty big task.

Although our core business here at ACES Engineers is consulting structural and civil engineering design, we have an extensive range of design skills and construction site experience, with particular expertise in residential/commercial developments. We are proud experts at coordinating with other design disciplines in order to provide critical design input that will minimize costly design changes during the construction phase of the project.

But enough of us talking about ourselves, we’ll let some of our clients tell you how we do things here at ACSES Engineers.