Prestressed Concrete: Singapore

Group Members:
Carta, Chard D.
Mesina, Kalvin S.
Panganiban, Ivan A.
Pilipiña, Emerson M.
Reyes, Leugin M.
Vergara, Macky B.
SINGAPORE:

• Once a third world country under British rule, is today

the most expensive city in the world according to a
2018 EIU survey.
• It has achieved striking success in its land reclamation
projects to support its urban and economic growth.
• 25% of its original 578 sq. km footprint has been
reclaimed from the sea.
• Despite this, in the same time period, its population
grew by 380%, creating an urban environment that
makes it the world’s densest country.

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Present Condition of
Development of Structural
Concrete Technology
Concrete Technology

• refers to the qualities explained why concrete, can

build skyscrapers, bridges, sidewalks and
superhighways, houses and dams. It addresses the
properties of concrete needed in construction
applications, including strength and durability, and
provides guidance on all aspects of concrete from mix
design to batching, mixing, transporting, placing,
consolidating, finishing, and curing.
– Mix Design
– Workability
– Admixtures
– Concrete Degradation
– Reinforced Concrete
– Special Concretes

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Singapore’s Total Construction

• The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) projects the total

construction demand in 2019 to range between SGD 27 billion and
SGD 32 billion, comparable to the SGD 30.5 billion awarded in
2018.
• The projected outlook is due to sustained public sector construction
demand, which is expected to reach between SGD 16.5 billion and
SGD 19.5 billion in 2019, contributing to about 60% of the projected
demand for this year.
• Public construction demand is expected to be boosted by major
infrastructure projects and a pipeline of major industrial building
projects.

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Forecast for 2020 to 2023

• BCA expects a steady improvement in construction

demand over the medium term. Demand is projected
to reach between SGD 27 billion and SGD 34 billion
per year for 2020 and 2021 and could increase to
between SGD 28 billion and SGD 35 billion per year
2022 and 2023.
• The public sector is expected to contribute SGD 16
billion to SGD 20 billion per year from 2020 to 2023
with similar proportions of demand coming from
building projects and civil engineering works.

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Innovation to accelerate and transform the
way we build

• As we continue to push for the adaptation of

advanced construction methods in both
public and private sector projects to improve
productivity and enhance infrastructure
sustainability and maintainability.
• Firms are encouraged to invest in technology
and innovation which will enable them seize
future opportunities.

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Inventing Concrete Systems

• Invention is essential to offsetting accelerated deterioration of

environmental conditions and the depletion of natural resources.
• The combination of strategically using concrete along with
structural steel have led to creative structures.
• In looking towards the future, using density optimization techniques
to remove material in concrete systems or introducing strategically
placed steel elements will lead to inventive solutions.
• Applying optimization principles for tall building frames to
horizontal framing or shear wall systems will also lead to inventions
that will impact even conventional structures.

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Historical Development of
Prestressed Concrete technology
1. Post-tensioned Perimeter Frames

• The system conceived to transfer the load was one that introduced
post-tensioning into the perimeter frame at each level with a
parabolic cable drape with the low points of the drape at the location
of the columns that required transferring.
• Loads were carefully balanced at each level so that no tension would
be introduced into columns below.
• Loads were incrementally transferred at each level allowing the
transfer system to include typical depth girders without the need for
deep girders.
• The perimeter frames serve a dual purpose of also resisting lateral
loads due to wind.

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2. Screen Frames

• The first challenge was to rationalize

seemingly random screen members into a
pattern that could serve as moment frames.
• This was achieved by creating a rectangular
multi-storey mega-frame of primary
members that carry the gravity loads of the
tower as well as provide lateral resistance,
and then using secondary infill member
within the mega-grid to provide lateral
stiffness only. 11
3. Mathematically Generated Tapered Post-
Tensioned Floor Framing Systems

• The use of pro of profiled post-tensioned beams for

the typical floor framing led to greater efficiency and a
material saving of 20%.
• The beams within the modules span the 19 m width of
each bar and are spaced 4.5 m apart.
• The curved profile of the beams is mathematically
define to closely match the gravity load bending
moment diagram.
• The width of the beams varies in plan, with the wider
cross-section occurring at the end to achieve the
required shear capacity.
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4. Tapered Shear Wall Core Systems

• The hyperbolic parabola form is integrated into a

regular closed form shear wall core to resist self-
imposed twist due to the structure’s own weight.
• Parametric modelling was used to define the shape of
the walls and used directly for self-climbing
formworks systems.
• A regular column grid is designed for a repetitive
office module.
• The south façade was reinforced with complex varying
geometries to allow force flow over the height of the
tower while allowing for angular cuts in the wall
system. 13
Examples of Structures that Used
Prestressed Concrete and
Summary of Their Construction
High-rise project DUO, Singapore:
Post-tensioning tendons keep
building elements in balance

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 A project undergone by the governments of
Malaysia and Singapore

Civil & Structural Engineering: BECA Carter Hollings &

Ferner (SE Asia) Pte Ltd, Singapore; Buro Happold
Consulting Engineers (Beijing) Limited, Beijing

Area: 26,700 𝑚2
Location: Historical districts of Bugis and Kampong Glam in
Singapore
Tower 1: 186 m high, 50 story tall
Residential
Tower 2: 170 m high, 39 story tall
Duo Tower
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Prestressing in the Construction

Since The two asymmetrical towers have concave shapes with very
large cantilevering elements that are causing permanent imbalance in
the towers. The Engineers used active prestressing in each construction
by tensioning vertical walls of both towers to counter the out of balance
forces.

Each of the three walls were prestressed using

10 vertical bar tendons

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 West Gate Shopping Mall

• Client: Capitaland
• Location: Jurong West, Singapore
• 7-level shopping mall, 20-level office tower & 2-level basement
carpark
• Consultant: RSP Engineers
• Area: 150,000 𝑚2
• Contractor: Shimizu Corporation
• Scope: Post-Tensioning Works
• Year of Completion: 2014

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References
• https://issuu.com/desmond6/docs/tse_jan_2019_web
• http://www.scinst.org.sg/
• https://www.omicsonline.org/conferences-list/concrete-technology
• https://structurae.net/en/products-services/high-rise-project-duo-
singapore-post-tensioning-tendons-keep-building-elements-in-
balance

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