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The Library of Birmingham replaced the existing Central Library with a state-of-the-art destination for learning and culture. Located adjacent to Centenary Square in the City Centre, the new library was integrated with the adjoining Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
This was a flagship project for Birmingham City Council and part of their 20-year Big City Regeneration Plan. The Library was designed by world-renowned architects Mecanoo to capture imaginations and incorporated a number of unique design features, such as the ‘Harry Potter’ central light well rotunda and a ‘Willy Wonka’ glass lift.
We were appointed to construct the superstructure, which consisted of two slipformed RC cores with typical storey heights of 5 m and nine post tensioned slabs – each with central voids to allow additional light to penetrate the various floors of the building from the glass roof. The structure’s unusual features presented a range of technical challenges.
Design
Value Engineering
02
The original structural design concept was for a steel frame with significant trusses at various levels. We proposed an alternative design involving post-tensioned concrete floor slabs and post-tensioned concrete transfer walls and arches. This offered substantial improvements to the design, allowing for larger horizontal spans across the public spaces, better light distribution and additional floor space, as well as programme benefits and commercial savings.
Cantilevered Floors
03
The first and second floors consisted of 10 m cantilever sections over the Centenary Square. The cantilevered spans were suspended from the storey height post tensioned concrete arches on level two with a 14.4 m backspan.
Several of the arches were connected to the slipformed core structures with connections capable of transferring working loads up to 2500 kN (250 tonnes). Each of these connections required up to 36 40 mm diameter coupled steel dowels to be accurately cast-in to the core walls during slipforming operations.
Central Rotunda
04
The striking central atrium through the full height of the building and internally overlapping rotundas (up to 21 m in diameter) was achieved by using post-tensioned floor slabs cantilevered up to seven metres in places and utilising the three-storey high ‘book-wall’ on the second, third and fourth floors as an integral part of the structure.
Hanging Structure
05
Storey height post-tensioned transfer walls on level 7 were used to accommodate the high-level hanging structure. These supported loads from the hanging floor slabs as well as loads from the five floor slabs above the hanging structure. Significant temporary works were used to support the slabs whilst building up to level 7 and bespoke temporary steel props and hydraulic jacks allowed a smooth transition of loads from the temporary to the permanent condition.
Archive Facilities
06
Archive storage located on the second, fifth and sixth floors shifted the loading on the structure to the floors further up the building. Heavily loaded floors with live loads of up to 17.5 kN/m² (1.75 tonnes/m²) were achieved with 275 mm thick post-tensioned concrete floor slabs, spanning 7.2 m, and 450 mm deep post-tensioned concrete band beams spanning 9 m. Structural loads were concentrated on relatively few columns and cores. We were able to achieve very slender column design for working loads up to 23,000 kN (2300 tonnes) by using composite high strength reinforced concrete combined with heavy structural steel UC sections.
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Structures
Cantilevered Floors
03
The first and second floors consisted of 10 m cantilever sections over the Centenary Square. The cantilevered spans were suspended from the storey height post tensioned concrete arches on level two with a 14.4 m backspan.
Several of the arches were connected to the slipformed core structures with connections capable of transferring working loads up to 2500 kN (250 tonnes). Each of these connections required up to 36 40 mm diameter coupled steel dowels to be accurately cast-in to the core walls during slipforming operations.
Central Rotunda
04
The striking central atrium through the full height of the building and internally overlapping rotundas (up to 21 m in diameter) was achieved by using post-tensioned floor slabs cantilevered up to seven metres in places and utilising the three-storey high ‘book-wall’ on the second, third and fourth floors as an integral part of the structure.
Hanging Structure
05
Storey height post-tensioned transfer walls on level 7 were used to accommodate the high-level hanging structure. These supported loads from the hanging floor slabs as well as loads from the five floor slabs above the hanging structure. Significant temporary works were used to support the slabs whilst building up to level 7 and bespoke temporary steel props and hydraulic jacks allowed a smooth transition of loads from the temporary to the permanent condition.
Archive Facilities
06
Archive storage located on the second, fifth and sixth floors shifted the loading on the structure to the floors further up the building. Heavily loaded floors with live loads of up to 17.5 kN/m² (1.75 tonnes/m²) were achieved with 275 mm thick post-tensioned concrete floor slabs, spanning 7.2 m, and 450 mm deep post-tensioned concrete band beams spanning 9 m. Structural loads were concentrated on relatively few columns and cores. We were able to achieve very slender column design for working loads up to 23,000 kN (2300 tonnes) by using composite high strength reinforced concrete combined with heavy structural steel UC sections.
07
07
click to open
Cantilevered Floors
03
The first and second floors consisted of 10 m cantilever sections over the Centenary Square. The cantilevered spans were suspended from the storey height post tensioned concrete arches on level two with a 14.4 m backspan.
Several of the arches were connected to the slipformed core structures with connections capable of transferring working loads up to 2500 kN (250 tonnes). Each of these connections required up to 36 40 mm diameter coupled steel dowels to be accurately cast-in to the core walls during slipforming operations.
Central Rotunda
04
The striking central atrium through the full height of the building and internally overlapping rotundas (up to 21 m in diameter) was achieved by using post-tensioned floor slabs cantilevered up to seven metres in places and utilising the three-storey high ‘book-wall’ on the second, third and fourth floors as an integral part of the structure.
Hanging Structure
05
Storey height post-tensioned transfer walls on level 7 were used to accommodate the high-level hanging structure. These supported loads from the hanging floor slabs as well as loads from the five floor slabs above the hanging structure. Significant temporary works were used to support the slabs whilst building up to level 7 and bespoke temporary steel props and hydraulic jacks allowed a smooth transition of loads from the temporary to the permanent condition.
Archive Facilities
06
Archive storage located on the second, fifth and sixth floors shifted the loading on the structure to the floors further up the building. Heavily loaded floors with live loads of up to 17.5 kN/m² (1.75 tonnes/m²) were achieved with 275 mm thick post-tensioned concrete floor slabs, spanning 7.2 m, and 450 mm deep post-tensioned concrete band beams spanning 9 m. Structural loads were concentrated on relatively few columns and cores. We were able to achieve very slender column design for working loads up to 23,000 kN (2300 tonnes) by using composite high strength reinforced concrete combined with heavy structural steel UC sections.
07
08
06
06
click to open
Cantilevered Floors
03
The first and second floors consisted of 10 m cantilever sections over the Centenary Square. The cantilevered spans were suspended from the storey height post tensioned concrete arches on level two with a 14.4 m backspan.
Several of the arches were connected to the slipformed core structures with connections capable of transferring working loads up to 2500 kN (250 tonnes). Each of these connections required up to 36 40 mm diameter coupled steel dowels to be accurately cast-in to the core walls during slipforming operations.
Central Rotunda
04
The striking central atrium through the full height of the building and internally overlapping rotundas (up to 21 m in diameter) was achieved by using post-tensioned floor slabs cantilevered up to seven metres in places and utilising the three-storey high ‘book-wall’ on the second, third and fourth floors as an integral part of the structure.
Hanging Structure
05
Storey height post-tensioned transfer walls on level 7 were used to accommodate the high-level hanging structure. These supported loads from the hanging floor slabs as well as loads from the five floor slabs above the hanging structure. Significant temporary works were used to support the slabs whilst building up to level 7 and bespoke temporary steel props and hydraulic jacks allowed a smooth transition of loads from the temporary to the permanent condition.
Archive Facilities
06
Archive storage located on the second, fifth and sixth floors shifted the loading on the structure to the floors further up the building. Heavily loaded floors with live loads of up to 17.5 kN/m² (1.75 tonnes/m²) were achieved with 275 mm thick post-tensioned concrete floor slabs, spanning 7.2 m, and 450 mm deep post-tensioned concrete band beams spanning 9 m. Structural loads were concentrated on relatively few columns and cores. We were able to achieve very slender column design for working loads up to 23,000 kN (2300 tonnes) by using composite high strength reinforced concrete combined with heavy structural steel UC sections.
07
08
09
10
Cantilevered Floors
03
The first and second floors consisted of 10 m cantilever sections over the Centenary Square. The cantilevered spans were suspended from the storey height post tensioned concrete arches on level two with a 14.4 m backspan.
Several of the arches were connected to the slipformed core structures with connections capable of transferring working loads up to 2500 kN (250 tonnes). Each of these connections required up to 36 40 mm diameter coupled steel dowels to be accurately cast-in to the core walls during slipforming operations.
Central Rotunda
04
The striking central atrium through the full height of the building and internally overlapping rotundas (up to 21 m in diameter) was achieved by using post-tensioned floor slabs cantilevered up to seven metres in places and utilising the three-storey high ‘book-wall’ on the second, third and fourth floors as an integral part of the structure.
Hanging Structure
05
Storey height post-tensioned transfer walls on level 7 were used to accommodate the high-level hanging structure. These supported loads from the hanging floor slabs as well as loads from the five floor slabs above the hanging structure. Significant temporary works were used to support the slabs whilst building up to level 7 and bespoke temporary steel props and hydraulic jacks allowed a smooth transition of loads from the temporary to the permanent condition.
Archive Facilities
06
Archive storage located on the second, fifth and sixth floors shifted the loading on the structure to the floors further up the building. Heavily loaded floors with live loads of up to 17.5 kN/m² (1.75 tonnes/m²) were achieved with 275 mm thick post-tensioned concrete floor slabs, spanning 7.2 m, and 450 mm deep post-tensioned concrete band beams spanning 9 m. Structural loads were concentrated on relatively few columns and cores. We were able to achieve very slender column design for working loads up to 23,000 kN (2300 tonnes) by using composite high strength reinforced concrete combined with heavy structural steel UC sections.
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