Project Description
RBG were engaged by Besix to provide structural and construction engineering consultancy services for the first super tall tower in the Uptown Dubai district. Uptown Tower’, the 345m tall 78-storey building provides breath-taking views of Dubai’s waterfront and iconic skyline. Designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture,
Uptown Tower replicates the brilliance of diamonds through its faceted glass façade that illuminates the interior spaces with natural light while filtering out harsh glare.
The supertall tower project was a fast-tracked Design and Build (D&B) project for one of the largest contractors in the Middle East (BESIX). RBG were engaged by
BESIX to provide the full structural and construction engineering consultancy services for the first super tall tower in Uptown Dubai district.
Project Challenges
RBG performed the value engineering re-design of the tower including the redesign of the vertical elements and the lateral stability system of the tower whereby one
outrigger level was removed from the tower (originally two outrigger levels reduced to one outrigger level). RBG team was engaged by BESIX in order to verify and perform the full-strength analysis for the redesign and further value engineered the structural quantities.
RBG team was also responsible for the detailed axial shortening analysis for BESIX which allowed BESIX to compensate for axial shortening effects in the perimeter
columns. This study was performed with a full sensitivity study considering various stiffness parameters and the survey results ultimately indicated very close relationship with the expected values.
RBG team also performed the full outrigger structural analysis to ensure the lateral stability effects of the tower were appropriately catered for in terms of expected wind
and seismic effects. Multiple means of analysis were considered including detailed strut-and-tie analysis as well as flexural methods to ensure redundancy.
The team has also helped BESIX with the Construction Engineering on the project having performed reviews of all critical temporary works and falsework across the project.
RBG’s Construction Engineering services included temporary works design, reviews and inspections as well as permanent works verifications for temporary loading and complex construction sequencing (including outrigger activation staged analysis).
Added Value
Specific innovations on the project that RBG employed were the fast-tracked structural analysis modelling of the building, using RBG’s in-house intellectual property. This allowed the project to be submitted and approved by the Dubai Municipality and Engineer of Record on time without any design related lost time which is otherwise often a problem on D&B projects within the MENA region.