NSC
15
Apr 20
May “This transfers any imposed loads into
the ground either side of the pipeline, not
through the pipe. All works on the pipeline
have to be supervised by the pipeline’s
owner’’
Once these preliminary tasks had been
completed, along with the installation
of retaining walls, Caunton Engineering
was able to begin its steelwork erection
programme in November. Working on
a design and build contract, Caunton
designed all of the steelwork and erected
approximately 1,000t of the material for the
two distribution centres.
Unit three is approximately 110m-long ×
115m-wide with a 15m clear height to the
underside of the haunch. The structure will
offer 11,900m2 of industrial or warehouse
space and features three internal spans
of 38.33m. It also includes a three-storey
integral 930m2 office block and plant deck
positioned at one end of the building.
The neighbouring unit four is
approximately 115m-long × 85m-wide and
is a twin-span portal frame warehouse,
with a 12.5m clear height to the underside
of the haunch. This structure will be
an 8,800m2 single storey in-flight meal
manufacturing warehouse including an
integral three-storey 700m2 office area and
plant deck.
The three spans in unit three are formed
with two rafters, each weighing 2.1t, which
were spliced at height during the erection
process. Likewise, a similar procedure was
undertaken to form the twin spans in unit
four, although here the rafters weigh 2.4t
each.
Supporting the distribution centre’s long
rafters are a variety of columns, varying
from 533 × 267 members to 762 × 267
sections and 406 × 140s. The column
spacings also vary between each of the
buildings, with a column bay width of 4.8m
in unit three and larger 8.2m spacing in
unit four.
“We used a combination of 40t-capacity
and 50t-capacity mobile cranes to erect
all of the steelwork, with the heaviest
element being the 3.5t valley beams in
both distribution centres,” says Caunton
Engineering Contract Manager Stuart Cree.
“However, our biggest challenges were
the inclement weather, which meant the
erection programme was winded off on a
number of days, while on a technical note,
the lifting operations had to be pre-planned
as there was a maximum height of 38m
which couldn’t be exceeded by the crane’s
jib due to the proximity of the airport.”
Summing up and explaining the use of
steel, Mr Percival says: ‘Steel is the most
viable material for industrial warehouses,
whether that’s from an affordability,
durability, sustainability or erection speed
point of view.
“It is versatile and allows fewer columns
to intrude into the industrial facility, which
of course means the space can be used in a
flexible way.”
Both units are expected to be complete
later this year.
Distribution
Steelwork erection began after a
protection slab was installed over a
fuel pipeline that runs under the site.
The crane's jib heights were restricted
due to the proximity of the airport's
runway.
Steelwork offered the most viable
solution for the construction of both
distribution centres.
/Construction#Steel_erection
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings#Design_.26_Build
/Retail_buildings#Distribution_centres
/Portal_frames
/Steel_section_sizes
/Construction#Mobile_cranes
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings#Sustainability
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings#Speed_of_construction
/Single_storey_industrial_buildings#Flexibility_and_adaptability