Gulf Construction Online - HEE meets challenge of high-pressure job

Higher Colleges of Technology

Coordination of work...a major challenge.

HEE meets challenge of high-pressure job

01 November 2003

Coordination of work on the Higher College of Technology for Men project to ensure its timely execution was a major challenge, says Richard Squire, project manager with Al Habtoor Engineering (HEE), the main contractor on the project.

This was because of the scale of the development, which involved various one and two-storey teaching and administration buildings with a built-up area of 44,000 sq m. These include an engineering block, a business studies block, a student services building, a library, workstations for the teachers, a multi-purpose hall complete with an auditorium, a communication block for the information technology department, an aircraft hangar for the aeronautical engineering department, and an administration block.

The campus also includes sports facilities for students, including an Olympic-size swimming pool, a football pitch, multi-use tennis and basketball courts, as well as changing and locker rooms.
Work on the project began on site in August last year and the campus is nearing completion.
The actual construction represented a departure from conventional building practices with the columns, beams, slabs and fa‡ade panels having been precast in concrete and then transported to the site where they were assembled.

'The project was originally designed to be built 'in-situ', but as part of the tender bid we had to put in an option for it to be of precast construction. At the initial tender stage, it was intended that it be clad with precast panels, but to make it cost-viable we implemented a complete change to the design so the entire frame became precast and these panels acted as the external support frame as well.

'We won the contract worth Dh111.2 million ($30.3 million), and were due to start construction in May 2002, but the changes to the design meant three valuable months were lost while the final design was approved and agreed upon by all the parties involved. The contract was for 15 months but in reality we had 12 months to complete the construction because of the lost time - so there was a lot of pressure involved,' says Squire.
'Despite the time constraints, we are proud to have completed the project on time, while maintaining the high-quality standards for which HEE is renowned, he adds.

This is believed to be the first Dubai Municipality project to be entirely constructed using precast concrete building systems.
The process has offered a number of benefits over traditional building techniques. 'Under the conventional method, we would have needed more than 2,000 people working on-site, whereas we actually had about 700 to 800 on average, so our labour input was more than halved because so much work was done off-site - that is probably one of the biggest advantages of doing it this way,' he points out.

Other benefits include a higher quality of finish - with an exposed aggregate concrete finish offering greater durability than conventional plaster, block work or tiling - while the process should enable the project to be constructed in a shorter period of time, Squire adds.
A precast concrete supplier would often use a mould about 60 times but on this job one cast could only be used about three times on an average. The individuality of the mould design for each panel in this job, he says, has caused problems.

The superstructure comprises specially-finished 400-mm-thick insulated precast concrete wall panels, which are erected on purpose-designed in-situ foundations. It also utilises lightweight hollowcore suspended slabs and other elements such as block internal walls or partitions to maintain flexibility of design.
Work at site was executed optimising daylight hours for the precast erection with other activities round the clock, and at the peak of construction there were around 1,500 people at site.

'This site probably had the most number of large mobile cranes (eight) ever used on one site in Dubai. Operating and moving the large cranes in desert conditions to lift up each block weighing up to 25 tonnes was a tough task. Around 1,500 to 2,000 precast panels have gone into constructing this project.
Interior finishes are designed to be durable and maintenance-free. Most areas have ceramic or marble tiles. Classrooms have vinyl flooring, laboratories have epoxy screeds and staff rooms are carpeted. Walls are painted.
Extensive electromechanical works ensure high quality climate control, fire and security protection.

Joinery works, including fire doors to international standards, was executed by Al Habtoor Interiors.
'This is a special project for HEE as we are always proud to be involved with jobs that help shape the development of the UAE. This project will provide excellent educational facilities for future generations of UAE nationals and give them a purpose-built environment for their studies as they prepare for their adult lives and future careers,' says Squire.

With the campus offering scope for future expansion, plans are under way to add more facilities. HEE is keen to be part of these plans and is currently in discussions with the client for another building on the campus.