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97.315 First published 1991 Reprinted 1992 ISBN 0 7210 1398 8 Price Group C British Cement Association 1991

Published by the British Cement Association on behalf of the industry sponsors of the Reinforced Concrete Council. British Cement Association Wexham Springs, Slough, Berks 5L3 6PL Telephone: (0753) 662727 Fax: (0753) 660399 New address from 1 January 1993 Telford Avenue, Crowthorne Berks Rh11 6Y5 Telephone: (0344) 762676 Fax: (0344) 761214

All advice or information from the British Cement Association is intended for those who will evaluate the significance and limitation of its contents and take responsibility for its use and application. No liability (including that for negligence) for any loss resulting from such advice or information is accepted. Readers should note that all BCA publications are subject to revision from time to time and should therefore ensure that they are in possession of the latest version.

G Baird BSc(Eng), ACGI, CEng, FICE AJ Giddings BSc, MCI0B C H Goodchild BSc, CEng, MCIOB, MiStructE

FOREWORD
This publication was commissioned by the Reinforced Concrete Council, which was set up to promote better knowledge and understanding of reinforced concrete design and building technology. Its members are Co-Steel Sheerness plc and Allied Steel and Wire, representing the major suppliers of reinforcing steel in the UK, and the British Cement Association, representing the major manufacturers of Portland cement in the UK. Graham Baird is Deputy Managing Director of James Longley & Co Ltd and was closely involved with the design and construction of Parkside House. Tony Giddings acted as Project Manager for the developer, Woodstock Land plc, a Chartwell Land and Argent Group joint venture. Charles Goodchild is Senior Engineer for the Reinforced Concrete Council.

CONTENTS
s s

THE PROJECT BUILDING SPECIFICATION Description

Space provisions
Structure Enelope Internal finishes Services

3 3 3 4 4 4 4 6 6 8 8 9 10 11 12

DESIGN AND PROCUREMENT

Architecture Procurement Structure Services Structure Following trades Fitting out

CONSTRUCTION

s s

THE IN-SITU CONCRETE SOLUTION APPENDIX Project details

THE PROJECT
Parkside House is a high-quality office block on the south-west outskirts of London. It occupies a narrow site adjoining Roseberv Park in Epsom, Surrey, and is a handsome addition to the 18th and 19th centurv character of the surrounding area. The building has three storeys of office accommodation above ground, and two levels of basement car parking below. It provides a modern working environment close to the busy town centre with its excellent road, rail and motorway links. The project was conceived as an in-situ concrete frame with the intention of using traditional forms of contract. However, delays in planning approvals, and the need for faster procurement and cost savings, led to the adoption of a design and build form of contract. Many different structural solutions were proposed by the contractors invited to tender. However, the successful contractor chose in-situ reinforced concrete for the basement and frame. In-situ concrete construction reduced the overall height and minimized excavation in potentially verv difficult ground conditions. Using the same type of construction in the basement and superstructure gave continuity of work and distinct programme advantages. In-situ concrete also gave greater flexibility for management control, and above all, it gave the most economic solution. Built within budget and completed four weeks ahead of programme, the structure set the standard for this highly prestigious 5 million project.

The south elevation from Rosebery Park

BUILDING SPECIFICATION
Description
The building is relatively large but traditional in appearance with clean and elegant lines. Its principal features are as follows: three levels of office accommodation basement and surface parking for 184 cars ground-floor client reception area air conditioning raised floors automatic lifts flexible office planning traditional cavity walls and pitched roof roof-level plant room and open areas. The specification sought to describe a high-quality speculative office development in order to attract institutional funding. It also reflected the needs and aspirations of the proposed tenants, one of the countrys leading firms of actuaries.

The approach to Pakeside House

Spacious parking is provided in the two basement levels

Space provisions
The building provides 3200 m2 net lettable space on three floors, with an internal clear height of 2.60 m in all office areas. The basement has 133 car parking spaces on two levels each with a clear floor-to-soffit height of 2.3 m. Another 51 spaces are provided at ground level.

Structure
A reinforced concrete raft foundation supports the basement walls and the concrete frame, including four levels of in-situ concrete floors. A steel-framed mansard roof is fixed to the second floor columns and incoiporates precast floor units for the flat roofs and plant areas. The structural grid is generally 6.0 x 7.2 m to suit both office and basement car parking layouts. Office

Second floor offices a versatile working environment

areas arc designed for an imposed load of 4 kN/m2 plus 1 kN/m2 for partitions. Basement parking areas are designed for 2.5 kN/m2. Plant areas and oflice storage zones are designed for 7.5 kN/m2. Envelope The elevations are traditional brick and insulating block cavity walls; they are highlighted with reconstituted stone features and rendered areas. A pitched slate roof surrounds areas of flat roof. Internal finishes Offke areas have suspended ceilings with exposed grids, lay-in tiles and 675 mm ceiling voids; highquality carpet tiles cover the 150 mm raised floors; painted walls and columns are enhanced by the extensive use of maple joinery. Basements are fairfaced concrete. Services The offices are air conditioned with zonal controls for optimum comfort. Lighting is provided by antiglare luminaires. Reception and lobby areas feature low-voltage halogen downlighters, and two ten-person hydraulic lifts give direct access to the car park levels. Many other services are provided, giving the building a comprehensive range of facilities and environmental control.

Traditional in character modern

in concept

Architecture A team of consultants was appointed to produce a conceptual design and to secure planning approvals. The brief called for a design which reflected the character of Epsoms elegant buildings and which maximized the development potential of the site. The site measures 120 m long by 30 m wide with mad access at one end. It has parkland on one side and a substantial four-storey office block on the other. The site was laid out to maximize surface parking and to give good access to the offices and basement. Two levels of basement were necessary to provide the required number of parking spaces. The office floors were designed to bc a maximum of 14.5 m in width, to give the occupiers natural light and commanding views over the park. The floors provide flexible space based on a 600 mm square grid. They were planned around a central

maple joinery
in a /ifi lobOy area

core, with escape stairs at each end. The building was arranged to be symmetrical about the central reception area and was placed centrally over the basement, with the main elevation facing the park. The elevations were modulated to ensure that views from the park are interesting and broken into well proportioned elements - a design that makes the building appealing yet unobtrusive. Facades of yellow stock brickwork contrast with cream-coloured render above ground floor verandas and windows. Light reconstituted stone cornices, lintels, colonnades, architraves and decorative arches feature in all elevations. The windows and doors have a grey anti-sun coating to the outer pane of double glazing, and their frames are white polyester powder-coated aluminium. The pitched roof is finished with dark grey fibrous cement slates, a feature bell tower, lead flashings and copper finials. It is punctuated by dormers clad with white UPVC boarding. Rainwater goods match the colour of the roof. The main plant room is located within the roof space over the central core. Chillers are positioned in open areas at either end of the building, well screened behind the line of the pitched roof. These areas allow room for any future increase in plant requirements. Extensive hard and soft landscaping complements the building and surroundings.

External details complement local architecture

Open plant area at roof level

Groundfloor

windows - contrasting colours and textures are used on all

elevations

Procurement The site was acquired in November 1988 with the intention of providing additional office space in Epsom using a traditional procurement route. A detailed planning application, which had the support of a pre-let agreement, was made in December 1988. The application was refused but overturned on appeal in January 1990. With the prelet agreement running, the developer needed to reduce the overall programme and costs. He therefore opted for a two-stage design and build procurement route. This was seen as the quickest and most cost-effective way forward whilst achieving a truly competitive and fixed price. The original scheme and lease agreement called for an in-situ concrete frame. However, the developer did not wish to inhibit other contractorled design solutions, so the frame material was not specified. The original design team was not novated but was retained for advisory and monitoring services, and for the development of the design during the negotiation stages. When six first-stage tenders were received, the developer was surprised to find five different design solutions for the basement and three alternatives for the superstructure, including in-situ concrete, precast concrete and steel. Two contractors were invited to respond to the second stage tender. They provided fully quantified allinclusive construction prices together with workedup architectural, structural and M&E drawings. Following contract sum analyses and interviews, James Longley & Co Ltd were appointed under a JCT 81 form of contract. Their successful bid hinged on economies resulting from their structural solution - an in-situ reinforced concrete basement and frame. Structure The contractors structural design was geared towards saving costs and simplifying construction as much as possible. The soils investigation report showed the site to consist of Reading beds overlying Thanet sands, with water under artesian pressure close beneath the intended formation level. Piezomcter readings indicated that the water could rise to the level of the upper basement slab. This had obvious implications for design and construction. It featured heavily in the report and had a great influence on the ultimate choice of foundation. After careful consideration, it was decided to USC a 750 mm thick raft foundation. By using a raft and

October 1990: work starts with probing for obstructions to temporary works pi/es; previous
buildings were demolished under a separate contract

February 1992: Parkside House is complete; the pond gives an indication of the potential ground problemsfaced by the design and build contractor

Site plan

trough slabs with flat soffits, the excavation depth was rninimized, and the risk of the ground boiling during excavation was reduced. The roof level was maintained by adjusting the ground floor level. The raft avoided piling and the need for major de-watering during construction. It also reduced risks of differential settlement and of concentrated pressures overloading an existing contiguous-piled retaining wall. The raft automatically provided a running surface at lower basement level which, together with the use of simple prefabricated main steel reinforcement, gave a positive programme advantage over other types of foundation. To speed the critical basement construction, it was decided to reduce the number of pours by constructing the 275 mm thick walls two storeys high (i.e. from top of raft to underside of ground floor in one pour). A combination of flexible rubber waterbars and water-activated expansion seals was used to ensure the water-tightness of all construction joints. For additional protection, the outside of the basement walls was painted with bitumen and the outside of the kicker joint was covered with rigid sheets of bentonite. The upper basement, ground, first and second floor slabs were all designed as one-way spanning troughed floors with integral flat soffit beams. This optimized thickness and weight, and by using the same moulds, gave maximum repetition, continuity and speed of construction. Fire and load considerations dictated 350 mm slabs for the suspended basement and external ground floor slabs, and 325 mm thick slabs for the offices. Above ground floor level, frame action was used to reduce the number of time-consuming concrete walls. Stability against lateral loads was achieved by moment connections between columns and floors. All superstructure columns are the same size, 400 mm square, and they align with basement columns and walls to avoid costly transition beams. The roof profile and shape, coupled with the many dormers, lent itself to traditional timber rafter construction supported on a steelwork frame. It was decided that the transition from concrete to steel should occur at eaves level to suit the sequence of trades. The various Reading beds of clay plant areas were supported by

Section through south elevation

with screed

Clear office

OFFICES ,. ,,-,,,+v: Reconstituted stone cornice and features W I T Ceiling and floor voids for services

All superstructure columns one size

OFFICES

CAR PARK

over Thanet sands

precast concrete hollow-core units spanning onto steelwork with shelf angles. Fire ratings were achieved primarily by using concretes inherent fire resistance. Sprayed thermal insulation to the underside of the ground floor offices gives an additional two hours fire resistance. Services
77~ east elevation and entrance to the basement car park

The 6 m deep excavation for the raft foundation was bounded by the crane runway, a king post retaining wall and by an existing contiguous bored pile wall

Basement wall kickers were cast integrally with the raftfoundation

The building services were designed for an occupancy of one person per 10 m2 and an air supply of 12 litres per person per second. Internal design temperature is 21C with 50% RH. Lighting levels were set at an average of 500 lux. Air conditioning is provided by 80 four-pipe fan coil units per floor. Air is taken from the office space via luminaires, passed through the fan coil units and mixed with a ducted air supply. It is then heated or cooled as required before being returned through ceiling vents. Extract air is ducted and dispersed into the atmosphere. Zone sensors and time switching give optimum environmental control. Staircases are heated by panel radiators with thermostatic control valves. Office lighting is provided by 600 x 600 mm modular recessed fluorescent luminaires suspended from the false ceiling grid system. Other services include lifts, kitchen and toilet ventilation, hot and cold water supply, water softening, sanitation, drainage, fire alarms, hose reels, lightning protection and, within the raised floor void, facilities for power, telecommunications and data wiring. The basement car park is lit using moistureprotected fluorescent fittings. It has a comprehensive sprinkler and hose reel installation, and fan units at either end provide six air changes per hour. One set of fans pushes, the other pulls.

Structure Construction started in October 1990. The early stages were dominated by restricted access and by work on the large double basement. The buildings basement area occupies the vast majority of the site, which left only a very small space at the entrance for storing materials and site accommodation. On the park elevation, a thin strip of free land was needed for a rail-mounted tower crane with its 32 piles, tracks and supporting steel grillage. Temporary works for the 6 m excavation included the construction of a king-post retaining wall at the west end of the site. and the re-use of the existing

Ready to cast basement walls full height

contiguous-piled wall on the northern boundary. The other sides were battered and a ramp gave access to the deep excavation. Formations were concreteblinded as soon as they were exposed, and surface water was controlled by pumping from four sumps. The external water bar was welded and laid in the configuration of the raft and wall pours. The raft slab was completed in eight pours with falls, drainage channels and cast iron pipework cast in. Kickers for the basement walls were formed integrally with the raft slab. Water did seep through a few of the basement kicker and wall joints, but these leaks were later sealed using epoxy mortar. BS 8102: Protection of structures against water from the ground was used to assess the performance of this type of construction and its suitability for car park use. The basement walls were cast in two-storey high bays with keys and continuity bars included for the suspended basement slab. Construction of the suspended basement and ground floor slabs followed in quick succession and led to the terraced sequencing of the remaining structure. The suspended slabs were formed using a proprietary falsework system supporting trussed timber beams, plywood strips and polystyrene trough moulds. Reinforcement was fixed and checked before the slabs were concreted using a pump or crane and skip, depending on demand. During construction of the ground floor, the site was beset by severe weather and heavy snowfall. To enable work to continue, the snow was cleared manually, the open ends of the formwork were enclosed and blower heaters installed; formwork was protected with polythene sheeting and cast slabs were covered with insulating blankets. Concreting was able to continue by using heated mixing water. The first and second floors were poured in 400 m2 bays with 1 m strips left between each pour to allow for early-age thermal shrinkage. The 1 m strips were cast five days after the last adjacent pour. One 20 mm expansion joint was incorporated. The in-situ staircases were cast with adjacent pours to give easy and safe access throughout the construction period. The concrete frame was completed four weeks ahead of schedule. The steel mansard frames were subsequently erected onto the second floor columns, and the precast concrete flooring units were then placed. Following trades The external cavity walls were started as sections of the second floor slab were struck, giving safe and

A wall construction joint alro showing continuity bars and keys for the suspended basement slab

Pouring the upper basement slab

The terraced sequence of construction: ground floor and upper basement slabs

The first floor slab remains propped as external walls start

The reconstituted stone features were built into the insulated cavity walls

Second floor columns support the roof steelwork

The cornices
are supported by stainless steel fixings

Services riser duct

clear access below. Galvanized steel wind posts were fixed ahead of the bricklayers. The walls, complete with ties, insulation and the reconstituted stone features, were then built. The reconstituted stone cornices weighed up to 1.4 tonnes per metre run. These units were supported by stainless steel fixing systems connected to a concrete upstand beam at second floor level and to the steel frame at the upper level, where torsional distortion caused some delay before the problem was resolved. The pitched roof frame was completed with timber rafters, battens over felt, slates and architectural finishing details. The building was made watertight by mastic asphalt to the inverted flat roofs and profiled sheeting to the surrounding vertical faces. The weathertight nature of the basement allowed the sprinkler system, electrical first fix and ductwork to begin at an early stage. Installation of the office heating and air conditioning started at ground floor level once the superstructure was weathertight. Progress in the risers and main plant room was critical but the majority of the work lay in installing the four-pipe fan coil system. The ceilings consist of an exposed grid and 600x600 mm lay-in tiles. They incorporate the lighting system and 240 individual fan coil units above discreetly marked 1200x600 mm access points. Raised floors are steel-encapsulated panels on pedestals. Internal columns and blockwork walls are plastered and incorporate crack control joints using back-to-back beads and silicone joints. Maple window boards, skirtings, frames, veneered fire doors and lobby screens provide a high-quality joinery finish. Staircase finishes include decorated mild steel balustrades with either maple rollmop or moulded handrails. Screeded treads were provided to receive carpet. Toilets are fully tiled and fitted with highquality cubicle partitions and vanity units. External works included road improvements, the access road, parking bays, drainage, lighting, an electrical substation, refuse and escape stair enclosures, security gates, a timber-crib retaining wall, planters and other hard landscaping. Trees and beech hedgerows completed the soft landscaping scheme. Parkside House was completed in 69 weeks, two weeks ahead of programme. Fitting out The design and build contractor was also awarded the tenants fitting-out works. This 18-week contract included additional air conditioning; security systems; data and voice transmission wiring to 400

10

terminals; and extensive internal partitioning, fittings and fixtures, notably in the reception area for clients. The adaptations needed to the buildings services and partitions were facilitated by the flexibility given by the flat concrete soffits and uniform ceiling voids.

Many factors swayed the contractors decision in favour of an in-situ concrete frame. The double basement was clearly a case for reinforced concrete, but a steel-framed solution was the more obvious choice for the mansard roof Somewhere between these two points, the material had to change. It was essential to avoid the danger of the ground boiling during excavation. By using a raft foundation and in-situ trough floors, it was possible to minimize structural zones and raise the general founding level without increasing the buildings height. Risks and costs were therefore reduced. Alternative frames required downstand beams and hence suffered from the unnecessary risks and costs of digging a deeper basement. Minimizing structural floor zones also reduced the amount of external cladding. As for speed of construction, there was little to choose between steel, precast or in-situ concrete on the three-storey superstructure alone. However, by continuing the in-situ concrete construction of the basement through to the superstructure, there were distinct advantages in overall speed and economy. Good production rates were established early and maintained throughout. In-situ concrete gave flexibility. It allowed effective management control of progress and gave time for finalized detailed design (particularly important under design and build forms of contract). Tenant requirements, including a late variation in imposed loading to an area of floor, were easily accommodated. The level soffits of the trough slabs gave a great deal of freedom for the alternative M & E design solutions under consideration at the beginning of the contract. The final installation and later modification of services were simplified by having no downstand beams. In summary, the in-situ reinforced concrete frame proved to be the best option for Parkside House. It ensured buildability, flexibility, speed and economy: a range of advantages that were ideal for such a prestigious and demanding project.

Clients reception lounge

Parkside House.. . a story of cowete quality, speed, economy and versatility

11

X
Developer Woodstock Land plc, a Chartwell Land and Argent Group joint venture Broadway Malyan Campbell Reith Hill Kenchington Ford Turner Fletcher Mills James Longley & Co Ltd

Developers Design Team Conceptual Architect Structural Engineer Services Engineer Cost Consultants Design and Build Contractor

1990
OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY

1991
JUN JUL AUC SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN

1992
FEB

ESTABLISH SITE BASEMENT

mm

FINISHES EXTERNAL WORKS COMMISSION & HANDOVER

Gross floor area Basement car park (gross) Net lettable area Number of storevs Number of basement levels

8050 m2 4166 m2 3202 m2 3 2

Substructure

/m2 84.44
64.65 28.06

% 13.1
10.0 4.4

s
r.

Frame Roof

External walls Internal walls and doors Finishes Fittinm Services, M & E, lifts etc External works etc Preliminaries Design fees and LA fees Total

65.68 12.84 49.22 8.81 207.68 31.24 49.91 40.23 642.76

IO.2 2.0 7.7 1.4 32.2 4.9 7.8 6.3 100.0

12

Start Finish Duration

October 1990 February 1992 16 months

Second Jloor

6000

I-

6000

Ground floor

3000 5800

7200

7200

7200

7500

7500

7200

7500

7500

7200

7200

7200

5000

6000

6000

PROJECT PROFILE: PARKSIDE HOUSE, EPSOM

G. Baird, A.J. Giddings and CH. Goodchild 1 693.95:725.23 (410.111.51)

BRITISH CEMENT ASSOCIATION PUBLICATION 97.329

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