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May 19
for the varying bay sizes needed and did not
fall within their budget.
“A steel frame provided a lightweight
and relatively quicker option in comparison
with a concrete frame structure. The
reduced weight of the superstructure was
also beneficial for the foundation design,
especially along two elevations where due to
the close proximity of existing foundations,
cantilever RC pile caps were designed to
support steel columns above,” explains
Gyoury Self Project Engineer Monika
Koclega.
A steel-framed solution also offered a
much greater ability to accommodate the
desired long clear spans and minimise
column sizes, which resulted in a more
aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly car
park.
The structure is generally based around a
column grid pattern of 8.5m × 15.6m, with
a centrally-positioned vehicular ramp.
The floors are formed with steel beams
supporting steel decking and a concrete
topping.
Steel decking provided a more flexible
option to suit the existing site constraints, as
the new Piries Place car park was designed
to fit around some existing residential
buildings.
“A steel decking option with 150mm deep
concrete slabs was considered to be a cost
and time-effective solution in comparison
to precast flooring, as well as providing a
cleaner soffit,” says Ms Koclega.
The main floor beams for the longer
spans are 610mm × 229mm cambered UB
sections, while the shorter 8.5m-long beams
are 457 UBs. All of the project’s columns are
either 305 or 254 UC sections, which were
all brought to site in complete 20m-long
sections that required no splice to reach the
full height of the car park.
Stability for the structure is provided by
vertical bracing in the building’s two lift and
stair cores.
Caunton Engineering Contracts
Manager, Adrian Downing says: “This is
a very tight town centre site and a lot of
coordination was needed between trades.”
Summing up, Ms Koclega says: “Offsite
fabrication allowed steel elements to be
installed quickly, accurately and assembled
with proven techniques.
“Steelwork also provides a solution that
reduces waste material and improves site
safety.”
Parking
University challenge
The University of Brighton car park
will provide 550 spaces for staff and
visitors on six levels.
It will also be able to accommodate 330
bicycles, while the structure’s ground floor
will include showers for cyclists, a parking
office and a recycle bin storage area.
Based around a 4.8m x 15.9m column
grid pattern, the structure has been
designed with cambered 610 x 229 UB
sections for the longer spans, and 305 UBs
for the shorter spans. Either 305 or 254
columns have been used throughout and
these are spliced at the underside of level
four.
According Stripe Consulting, the
project architect and engineer, speed of
construction was one of the main reasons
for choosing a steel frame design with
metal decked flooring.
“This solution also provided us with a
lightweight structure that required less
foundation work,” says Stripe Consulting
Engineer Enrico Tomasi.
There are two lift and stair cores
positioned at either end of the structure,
but these provide no stability as the car
park gains all of its rigidity from braced
bays.
The steel-framed car park has been
designed as a Vertical Circulation Module
(VCM), which is said to offer a more
efficient solution for confined city plots,
like the Brighton site. The design contains
no external ramps as all of the circulation
is via slopes within the floors, which
creates more parking spaces.
Caunton has also erected some
additional steelwork features to the
uppermost level of the car park. This
includes a canopy over the central vehicle
access route that will prevent rainwater
from running down the slope to the
covered floors below.
A series of secondary beams has
been added to two elevations along the
top floor. These members will support
planters, which will contain hanging vines
that will form architectural living ‘green’
walls.
As well as the car park, the overall
University of Brighton scheme, which
has been dubbed the ‘Big Build’, will also
include five new halls of residence, a new
academic building, a new students’ union
building and fitness facilities, and a new
footbridge over the A270 linking both
parts of the campus.
FACT FILE
University of Brighton
Multi-Storey Car Park
Client:
University of Brighton
Architect and
structural engineer:
Stripe Consulting
Main contractor:
Kier Regional Building
Steelwork contractor:
Caunton Engineering
Steel tonnage: 750t
The Horsham car park
was erected in a very
confined site
The Brighton car park
has a core at either end
Visualisation of the
completed Brighton
car park
/The_case_for_steel#Take_a_load_off_your_foundations
/The_case_for_steel#Speed_of_construction
/Long-span_beams
/Concept_design#Floor_grids
/Floor_systems#Composite_slabs
/Floor_systems#Composite_slabs
/Floor_systems#Precast_units
/Steel_construction_products#Standard_open_sections
/Fabrication#Handling_and_transportation
/Simple_connections#Column_splices
/Concept_design#Structural_options_for_stability
/Braced_frames#Vertical_bracing
/Fabrication
/Construction_and_demolition_waste
/Health_and_safety
/Steel_section_sizes
/The_case_for_steel#Take_a_load_off_your_foundations
/Concept_design#Concrete_or_steel_cores
/Construction#Steel_erection
/Facades_and_interfaces#Steel_in_atria_and_canopies
/Residential_and_mixed-use_buildings#Student_residences
/Design_of_steel_footbridges