SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING (HONOURS)

QSB1514 – Construction Technology 1

Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

April Semester 2013

Group Assignment: Group 4

Submission Date: 26th June 2013

Name Student ID Marks

Yam Yih Hwan 0305861

Tan Jia Jia 0307766

Yo Kai Sen 0310563

Teoh Tze Yoong 0314756

 Background Information of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel (MBS) is an Integrated Resort fronting Marina Bay
in Singapore, which operated under Las Vegas Sands Corp. (Chua, 2011)MBS is designed by
Canadian Architect named Moshe Safdie with Local Executive Architects Aedas, Pte, Ltd. In
additional, Arup Group Limited is selected as the Structural Engineering for this project whereas
the landscape of this building is designed by Peter Walker & Partners. The entire project area
used is 845,000m2 and the site area used is 154,938m2. The estimated budget on this project is
USD $5.7 billion. (Safdie Architects, 2010)

MBS began operations on 27 April 2010, and officially opened on 23 June. MBS
comprises of three towers with 55-storey high topped by a 12,400m2SkyPark. As for the Art
Science Museum, it is shaped like a lotus flower. (Chua, 2011) On top of its three towers, the
Marina Bay Sands was designed as a curious boat-shape and it is placed at the gateway to
Singapore's harbor with strong and highly iconic structure. (Apavisa, n.d.)

(Layout of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel)

 Furthermore, MBS offers luxury hotel, casino, retail mall, convention facilities and
entertainment venues including theatres, nightclubs and a museum. It has 2,560 luxury rooms
across three 55-storey hotel towers, totaling 265,683 m2. (Safdie Architects, 2010) As we know,
Marina Bay Sands is one of the biggest hotelslocated in Singapore; it’s covering 12,400 m2, and is
over 200 meters altitude. It has a 150 meters infinity-edged swimming pool at 250 meters high
which overlook the view of Singapore skyline. There is a botanical garden which linked on top of
the three 200m high hotels of marina bays where you can find 250 types of tree and 650 species
of plants. (Apavisa, n.d.)

MBS is one of the most complex designs ever built; it is a slopping tower which its angle
as steep as 26 degrees and connecting legs at Level 23 to form a single building. The “Hanging
Gardens” provides a magnificent backdrop which the visitors can overlook the upcoming Gardens
by the Bay. (YourSingapore, 2012)

Structure & Materials used on Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

Shear walls are used as primary vertical and transverse structural system for all three
towers. (McCafferty, 2011) Additional of concrete core walls located within both legs of each
towers restrain the hotel in the longitudinal direction and help prevent out-of-plane buckling of the
narrow shear walls within both legs of the towers. (McCafferty, 2011) Post-tensioned 8-inch Flat
slabs span directly between the shear walls. (McCafferty, 2011) The flat slab scheme also
provides flexibility in the hotel room layout, to hold a relatively tight 9-foot 10-inch typical floor-to-
floor height, and accommodates flexibility of building services distribution and coordination
throughout each floor. (McCafferty, 2011)

(Diagram of Hotel Components)

 At level 23, where the story-height steel trusses are located, mechanical floors connected
the legs of the towerto withstand the large shear forces that occur where these meet above the
central atrium. (McCafferty, 2011) The base slab at ground floor level is post-tensioned to resist
the horizontal thrusts produced by the inclined legs. (McCafferty, 2011) Each tower slab form is
also slightly changed in relation to its pair, to increase the slenderness of the buildings, resulting
in the appearance of six towers, instead of three. (Safdie, 2011) There is an energy efficient
double-glazed unit suspended at the edge of the slab and is resting on a frame. (Safdie, 2011)

Perpendicular to the façade, glass fins were installed to provide shading. (Safdie, 2011) In
order to allow it to radiate out in elevation, the glass fins are suspended out of the horizontal stack
joint. (Safdie, 2011) The glass fins are supported by a 3-sided aluminium frame, with the exposed
forward edge, the sun light is been catch, as well as reflections of the façade, to create a specials
effect. (Safdie, 2011) A 30%-reflective glass is used as the fins and to provide shading for the
façade up to 20% of all solar gain. (Safdie, 2011) The belly of the SkyPark is made of more than
9,000 silver-painted metal-composite panels, the panels encloses the mega trusses which bridge
the buildings at level 55, as well as a multitude of back of house spaces. (Safdie, 2011) Material
that mainly used to build Marina Bay Hotel are aluminium and steels as the structural frame and
reinforcement and as well as for the design. (Safdie, 2011)

The material to build the façade of the hotel was carefully chosen to ensure that the
building has a higher Envelope Thermal Transfer Value than the standard. (Mike, 2012)
Whenever possible during the hotel’s construction, the engineers try to use green materials
utilizing recycled products under Singapore’s Green Labeling Scheme – such as drainage cells,
timber decking, drywall partitions and fire-rated doors. (Mike, 2012)

Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) implemented in Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

Industrialized Building Systems, generally known as IBS throughout Malaysia. In

worldwide, IBS is also known as Pre-fabricated/Pre-fab Construction, Modern Method of
Construction (MMC) and Off-site Construction.Industrialized Building Systems is a method of
construction which uses techniques such as mass production of industrial components in a
controlled environment, and latertransported to construction site for further assembly onto specific
buildings. Each and every one of the pre-cast concrete and pre-fabricated timber/steel structures
are customized and standardized making it more efficient and able to maintain it’s persistent in
quality and quantity. Such pre-cast concrete and pre-fabricated timber/steel structures are
particularly useful for high rise buildings or mass housing estates whereas similar structure can be
replicated.

In the construction of MBS, the foundations system used for the three towers was barrette
piles with a number of bored piles for lighter loaded elements of the structures.Piles are driven
into the soil for transferring loads and prevent deformation. Concrete piles are also used as pre-
cast beams to be placed in the structure of the building for the purpose on supporting the building
loadings.

(Foundation of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel)

Furthermore,pre-cast reinforced concrete shear walls, vary from thickness of 28 inches at

the base of the tower to 20 inches of higher floor levels, and are located within 33-foor centres for
each of the three towers. Shear walls are used as primary vertical and transverse structural
system for all three towers.

(Shear walls of three towers)

 On top of the MBS is where the SkyPark located. Steel structure for the SkyParkwas pre-
fabricated off-site in 14 primary segments. Then, truck the pre-fabricated steel structure to site
and lift them into place for assembly onto the top of the tower. The bridging sections extending
between adjacent towers each consist of three 400-ton bridge trusses that were pre-assembled at
grade. Totalof 7,000 tons steelwork was erected into the SkyPark to maintain and support its
weight.

(Primary Pre-Fabricated steelsegments)

Advantages of Industrialized Building Systems (IBS)

During the construction, Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) able to increase the
construction speed of MBS by providing pre-cast and pre-fabricatedcomponents. As compared to
normal build, it is much fasteras it doesn’t required labours to construct it step by step. There are
factories that provide pre-cast/pre-fabricated components, saving up time andspeed up the
process of construction. Industrialized Building Systems componentsonly work at the site,
therefore pre-cast/pre-fabricated components must be brought over to site for further assembly. It
also provides flexibility in the design of pre-cast element so that different systems
may produce their own unique pre-fabrication construction methods.

(Fabrication The podium roofs)(Fabrication Sand SkyPark)

 Besides that, Industrialized Building Systems also helped to save up costs on the
construction of MBS. WithinIndustrialized Building Systems, there is aluminum, steel, timber and
other materials of formwork that can be reused while pouring the concrete. By using these
systems, itcan reduce the numbers of labours. For examples, the needs for skilled workers, bar-
benders and carpenters can be reduced.

Furthermore, Industrialized Building Systems allowed the construction of MBSto build in a

moreeco-friendly environment. The usagesof timber formwork will be lesser down andwastage of
construction materials can be reducedwhile usingIndustrialized Building Systems in the
construction. The system helps to increase the safety and neatness conditionof site. The systems
also help to avoid the delay on construction works affected by weather. Due to the components of
Industrialized Building Systems, the effects of weather on construction operation became lesser.

In conclusion, Industrialized Building Systems able to save up time, cost, and provide a
more eco-friendly environment during the construction of MBS.
 References:
Background Information of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

1. Chua, A. (2011). Marina Bay Sands. SingaporeInfopedia. Retrieved from

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1607_2011-11-01.html
2. “Marina Bay Sands / Safdie Architects” (2010, 26 July). ArchDaily. Accessed 23 June2013.
Retrieved fromhttp://www.archdaily.com/70186
3. YourSingapore. (2012). Marina Bay Sands® Hotel and Sands SkyPark®. Retrieved from
http://www.yoursingapore.com/content/traveller/en/browse/see-and-do/arts-and-
entertainment/architecture/sky-park.html
4. Apavisa. (n.d.). SKYPARK, MARINA BAY SANDS – SINGAPORE. Retrieved from
http://www.apavisa.com/en/proyecto-skypark-marina-bay-sands-singapore/

References:
Structure & Materials used on Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

1. Safdie, M. (2011, March). "Marina Bay Sand, Singapore." Council on Tall Building and
Urban Habitat.Retrieved June 22, 2013, from
http://www.ctbuh.org/TallBuildings/FeaturedTallBuildings/ArchiveJournal/MarinaBaySands
/tabid/1766/language/en-US/Default.aspx
2. McCafferty, P. S. & Brodkin, D. & Farnsworth, D. & Scott, D. (2011). Engineering an Icon –
The Marina Bay Sands ® Integrated Resort [Online exclusive].Structure. Retrieved June
22, 2013, from http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleid=1273
3. Mike, W. (2012, March 13). In Marina Bay Sands: Singapore’s Top Eco-Friendly
Hotel.Argophilia Travel News. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from
http://www.argophilia.com/news/marina-bay-sands-ecological-moves/25349/

References:
Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) implemented inSingapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

1. Industrialised Building System (IBS). (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2013, from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrialised_Building_System_(IBS)
2. Copyright © Kimlun Corporation Berhad (867077-X). (n.d.). Industrialised Building
Systems (IBS). Retrieved June 22, 2013, from
http://www.kimlun.com/industrial_building_systems.html
3. Soletanche-Bachy Group. (2007). Marina bay sands.Retrieved June 22, 2013,
fromhttp://www.bachy-soletanche.com/SBF/sitev4_uk.nsf/technique/marina-bay-sands
4. McCafferty, P.S.&Brodkin, D.&Farnsworth, D. & Scott, D. (2011). Engineering an Icon–
The Marina Bay Sands ® Integrated Resort [Online exclusive].Structure. Retrieved June
22, 2013, from http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleid=1273
 References:
Advantages of Industrialized Building Systems (IBS)

1. Incik. Mohd Nazli. (2011, March 28). Engineer Thinking..; Advantages of industrialised
building system (IBS). Retrieved from http://inginiur.blogspot.com/2011/03/advantages-of-
industrialised-building.html
2. Yong, E. (2011, May 7). Eric Yong’s Blog;The Advantages & Disadvantages of the
Industrialized Building Systems (IBS). Retrieved from
http://eforericyong.blogspot.com/2011/07/advantages-disadvantages-of.html
3. Juan Maier, B. M. (2012). The Marina Bay Sands Special Issue; the Arup Journal.
Retrieved from www.arup.com/Publications/~/media/Files/.../Arup_Journal_1_2012.ashx