Construction Technology Report: Hotel Complex and Bridge Design

This report delves into the intricacies of construction technology, focusing on the development of a hotel complex near Heathrow Airport and its integration with a motorway. It explores the differences between residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, emphasizing sustainability practices in construction projects. The report examines key terminology, pre-design studies for foundation selection, and various foundation types, including deep and shallow foundations like pile, individual footings, strip footings, and raft foundations, with their suitability for different structures. It also covers the functional characteristics and design criteria of superstructures, techniques for site remediation, substructure works, and the identification of superstructure, substructure, and civil engineering structures. Furthermore, the report discusses supply and distribution arrangements for primary services and their impact on overall building design, offering a comprehensive overview of construction processes and technologies.

CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................2
Differences between residential, commercial and industrial buildings.......................................2
Ways in which sustainability can be promoted in building projects...........................................3
Terminology used in construction technology in construction of Hotel complex and bridge....4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................4
Pre-design studies to be carried out and the type of information gathered to design the most
suitable foundation type for different various structures............................................................4
Construction of various foundations and their suitability for use with different types of
structures ....................................................................................................................................5
Impact of Site Information on Foundation Design.....................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................7
Functional Characteristics and design selection criteria of elements of Superstructures...........7
Pre-design Studies carried out for the Hotel complex Construction Site....................................8
Illustration of how the component parts of an element allow it to fulfil its function ................9
Different types of structural frame used to carry the primary and secondary elements of the
superstructure..............................................................................................................................9
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
Techniques used for re-mediating the site prior to construction commencing.........................10
Types of substructure works required for the infrastructures ..................................................11
Identify superstructure, substructure and civil engineering structures necessary for a given
building construction project.....................................................................................................12
TASK 5..........................................................................................................................................13
Supply arrangements for primary services................................................................................13
Distribution arrangements for primary services........................................................................14
Demonstration of the elements of the superstructure used to facilitate the primary services...14
Impact of distribution of the primary services on the overall design of the building...............14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Construction technology is a term used for improvements in industrial methods and
processes by using different and more effective technology. This technology would help firms to
enhance productivity, save cost, enhance safety and optimise their resources (Chew, 2017). It
relates to the materials, methods and equipments required to build structures. The two main
elements of this concept are technology used in construction techniques and building materials
and technology required to develop effective software which could help manage the construction
process. The following report is based on construction of a hotel near Heathrow Airport, London,
United Kingdom. The agenda of the report is to successfully build the hotel complex and connect
it with the motorway near the airport. It includes terminologies used in construction technology
and techniques used to construct a range of substructures and superstructures along with their
design selection are and function. The report also involves different types of civil engineering
infrastructure technology used in support of buildings. Supply and distribution of a range of
building services and their accommodation within the building.
TASK 1
Differences between residential, commercial and industrial buildings
Every type of building structure is specific and made for a certain purpose. Before even
the construction of the building, it is necessary to determine the purpose of which it is being
built. Generally, there are three types of building structures used by civil engineers. These are
residential buildings, commercial buildings and industrial buildings. The differences between
these three types of structures are described below:
 Purpose:
On a practical basis, the purpose of constructing a residential building is to accommodate
people for living. These maybe constructed as condominiums, apartments, duplexes or even
small family homes. On the other hand, construction of commercial buildings is purely for
commercial purposes. This maybe for the purpose of retail chains, restaurants, offices,
entertainment hubs or offices. Industrial buildings however, takes into consideration industrial
zones or manufacturing units (Sim and Putuhena, 2015). It properly plans and undertakes civil,
electrical and mechanical construction work to successfully develop the structure of these
buildings.

 Consideration:
During the construction of residential buildings, the points of consideration would be
ample electricity supply, effective drainage system, convenient laundry set ups and so forth. For
commercial construction, the aesthetic appeal and design is very important (Pizzi and Mittal,
2017). This is because mainly the usage of these buildings lies with end consumers, this makes it
important for constructors to focus on even the most basic elements of the building. For
construction of industrial buildings, the top thing that needs to be taken into consideration is the
effective design and methodology to control pollution as well as smooth floor plans that could
effectively establish coordination between manufacturing and distribution.
 Construction Site:
For residential buildings, the site which has convenient access to markets, schools and
other commercial buildings serve as the best option. For commercial buildings, the appropriate
site is which could be easily accessed by the people with adequate parking space and other
facilities. Industrial buildings must have a connectivity with air, sea or land to conduct the basic
operations effectively.
 Infrastructure:
Residential buildings must have supportive infrastructure in terms of space, support and
adequate supply of electricity for daily usage. The infrastructure of commercial buildings must
support heavy footfall and reliable parking, elevator and escalator facilities. The infrastructure of
an industrial building with must be sufficient for huge machinery to operate and must be
supplied with ample load of electricity.
Ways in which sustainability can be promoted in building projects
For successfully make any construction sustainable, it is necessary that certain aspects be
taken into consideration that act as a method while ensuring its long term sustainability (Achal
and Mukherjee, 2015). For Hotel complex and bridge, there are certain steps that are explained
below: Prefabrication of Materials: It is necessary to construct a structure in a well-controlled
environment as it would enhance the quality of the complex. Cutting materials with
precision would result in enhancement in the strength and the quality of the Hotel
complex and the bridge.

 Waste Management: Better sustainability requires to effectively manage and reduce
construction waste. It is equally important for the construction firms to fulfil their
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) (Liu, Al-Hussein and Lu, 2015). Uses of
equipments like haulers would allow effective waste management in construction of the
Hotel complex as well as the bridge.
 Lean Manufacturing: This refers to eradicating the activities that unnecessarily add to
the cost of the firm. In construction of bridge and the Hotel complex, it is necessary that
these activities and resources that are inefficient be eliminated so that only those
resources are utilised that are actually adding to the value. This would provide better
sustainability to both the construction aspects.
Terminology used in construction technology in construction of Hotel complex and bridge
Before constructing the Hotel complex near Heathrow Airport, it is vital that certain
terminologies be understood to better understand the required concepts and necessary
equipments. These terminologies are as follows: Balusters: This is a term used for decorative pillars that support coping or rails. It is a
part of moulding shaft that is cut in a square or a rectangular shape. In the hotel, these
could effectively add to the design as well as could enhance the structure of the building. Concrete: This term is widely used in construction and refers to the material which is an
amalgamation of fluid cement, coarse and fine aggregates used to construct walls of a
building as well as bridges (Kibert, 2016). This component would be very essential as it
would provide strength, durability and sustainability to the Hotel complex structure and
even the bridge. Lumens: It is denoted by lm and it helps to determine the intensity of light emitted by
specific sources. The higher the rate of lumens the brighter would be the emission. This
could help the civil engineers to determine the efficiencies of the sources of lights like
bulbs tube lights, etc. In this manner, they could eradicate the ineffective sources that
adds to the cost.
 Pressure Relief Valve (PRV): This is one of the most important terminology used in
construction technology. For constructing the bridge and the Hotel complex, it is
necessary to monitor and limit pressures in systems. PRV is like a safety valve which
helps to reduce the pressure for smooth running of operations.

TASK 2
Pre-design studies to be carried out and the type of information gathered to design the most
suitable foundation type for different various structures
As per the current scenario, a hotel complex needs to be built near the motorway which
links to Heathrow Airport. To successfully execute and implement the project it is very
necessary to conduct pre-design studies and gather relevant information required to design the
most suitable types of foundation for various structures. The pre-design studies include a
thorough analysis of site and and cost of construction, programming, and engineering. The pre-
design studies include:
 Generation of Geotechnical report to determine the geological condition beneath the
surface of the construction site. It would help to identify if the area could be subjected to
liquefaction or subsidence in future and fault zones. This study would also determine the
characteristics of the soil (Yu and et. al., 2015). During construction, geotechnical
reports would help in decision-making as to if soil has to be replaced or measures
regarding the groundwater that could have an impact on the construction. Information
regarding this factors could be majorly used in terms of construction of bridge.
 Performing hydrology studies that would help in determining water drainage patterns,
ground water depth, areas for erosion hazards, etc. Since there is a stream flowing nearby
the construction site of the hotel complex, it is imperative that this study is performed
regarding to determine the most appropriate foundation type.
 Land surveys could be another major pre-design studies that would help to determine the
legal and project boundaries so that the construction could be conducted in an ethical and
rightful manner. It would also help in identifying various structures like trees, roads and
land formations. In the country like the UK, land surveys are very important to construct
hotels and bridges.
Construction of various foundations and their suitability for use with different types of structures
For any construction, it is necessary to use the most suitable and most effective
foundation to support the structure of any type of building. These foundations are divided into
two segments mainly, deep and shallow foundations (Types of Foundation for Buildings and
their Uses, 2017). The types and their suitability are discussed below:

Deep Foundation:
This type of foundation transfer the load down the surface at large depths through
compressible and weak soils. Pile is the major form of deep foundations used for construction.
These are long cylindrical structures made of concrete that are pushed deep into the surface upon
which the structures are built (Nicholas and Steyn, 2017).
Shallow Foundation:
These foundations are made by digging the surface of the earth. For this reason, these
foundations are also called as open footings. The land is dug up to the end of the footing in
shallow foundation. In its initial stages, footing is open and visible, hence, the name open
foundation.
There are various types of shallow foundations that must be taken into consideration.
These are: Individual Footings: These foundations are the most common and simple type of
shallow foundation. Under this, columns are used to carry the load of the building. Each
column would have its personal footing. The structure of footing is a concrete rectangular
pad upon which the column rests (Nawi and et. al., 2015). Strip Footings: These footings are most commonly used in masonry construction. The
structures of these footings are in a manner of long strips that support the weight of a
wall. The suitability of these footings is on the buildings where the load is carried out by
walls rather than columns.
 Raft Foundations: Often known as mat foundations, the suitability of raft foundations is
most when basements are constructed beneath the building structure. The floor of the
basement becomes the foundation. The weight of the building in raft foundation is
equally distributed over its entire footprint. The usage of raft foundation is best in cases
where the soil is weak and the columns are placed closely.

(Source: Raft Foundation, 2018)
For the construction of the hotel, the best type of foundation would be the raft or mat
foundation. This is because a basement for parking is required to be constructed. Moreover, it is
necessary to distribute the weight evenly in the building to ensure its sustainability in the long
run.
As per the scenario, a bridge needs to be constructed that could provide a connectivity in
the hotel and the roadway. The best type of foundation to effectively serve the purpose would be
deep foundation.
Impact of Site Information on Foundation Design
Before constructing a building, it is necessary that a thorough information of site is
collected before executing the project. There are major factors of a site that could impact the
foundation design of the Hotel complex being constructed. These factors are: Building Loads: Information about the expected structure of the building is crucial to
gather so that the load of the structure over the foundation could be determined. This
would have an impact on foundation as its selection will be based on this and other loads
such as wind, snow, earthquake (Higgins, 2015). Soil: Information on the type of soil is a great determinant for foundation design. This is
because it is necessary to determine soil's bearing capacity. Moreover it is necessary to
Illustration 1: Raft Foundation

have information about the type of soil. Reason for this is identification of the support
the soil type could give to a certain foundation.
 Foundation type: Correct information about the type of foundation could save the
building in terms of natural disasters. Moreover, it would ensure a long-term
sustainability of the Hotel structure (Labonnote and et. al., 2015.).
TASK 3
Functional Characteristics and design selection criteria of elements of Superstructures
Superstructure refers to the construction that is completely above the foundation. As per
the current scenario, superstructure is the whole Hotel complex above the basement. The
functional characteristics for each element of super structure is as follows: Walls: These provide support to the structure of a building. It is very important that these
walls are stable, durable, strong, weather and moisture resistance, immune from fire and
sound resistance. These characteristics are necessary for walls built in the hotel complex.
The selection criteria of the walls for the project would be the one which satisfy all these
characteristics. Roofs: These are an integral part of the construction of a building. As per the scenario,
characteristics of the roof must be to protect the people and their possessions. Protection
could be from the natural climatic issues like rains, sunlight, storms, etc. The selection
criteria regarding the roof of the hotel structure must be decided on the basis of the height
required for each floor as well as the design of the roof. The material used must be
concrete to ensure durability, sustainability and strength in the structure. Floors – Ground and Intermediate: Similar to the walls, the floor of the hotel campus
must be stable and strong, resistance to ground and weather moisture, durable, fire
resistance, and resistant to heat and sound passage (Baldwin-Philippi, 2015). The floor if
the hotel must be designed in a way that customers have no problems while walking over
and different equipments like trolleys, luggages could be easily transported within the
building. Windows and Doors: The characteristics of door includes giving access to people to
travel between rooms easily and internal connectivity in the hotel. Characteristics of
windows however, are slightly different. They provide ventilation and light which is

necessary in a hotel. Moreover, it is essential that the window must provide a soothing
and desirable view to the customers. Staircases: The utmost characteristic of stairs is safety. They must be safe to use and fire
resistant. They also must be stable and sound insulated so that the noise levels at the
Hotel complex could decrease.
 Finishes: These refer to the final finishing of civil engineers after the construction of the
building. The characteristics of finishing is that it must protect the structure from rain,
heat, water, etc. Another feature is that they provide the customers with decorative
outlooks which enhances the experience of customers (Jiang and et. al., 2015).
The selection criteria of the superstructure of the hotel would be the one that could satisfy
the characteristics and strengthen the structure of the Hotel complex.
Pre-design Studies carried out for the Hotel complex Construction Site
Before laying out the superstructure, it is very necessary to carry out pre-design studies
for the construction site as well as the superstructure.
 Information must be gathered about the basic equipments and tools available near the
construction site. The study of the types of equipments requirement would identify the
kind of labour force required to execute the project.
 Another pre-design study would be to identify the feasibility and the availability of the
workforce required to conduct the process.
 Pre-design study of environmental impact must also be performed.
 The study of electricity required to successfully execute the project must be conducted
and the information about its availability on the site must be gathered.
All these pre-design studies would enable to construct a hotel with effective structure
which enhances the experience of the customers as well as safety of the environment (Zhou and
et. al., 2015).
Illustration of how the component parts of an element allow it to fulfil its function
To completely implement the project, it is essential to determine the components used in
the elements of substructures in order to successfully fulfil their functions (Paslawski, Milwicz
and Nowotarski, 2015). The components that help walls to be reliable, durable, water and fire
resistant are as follows:

 Concrete: This is one of the major components of building a wall used in the hotel. The
concrete helps the wall to be fire resistant. This is because it does not burn and does not
emit toxic fumes. Moreover cement added with concrete has poor thermal conductivity
which is beneficial for the hotel as it would not catch fire under any circumstances. Drywall: This is a panel composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate. This would keep the
wall resistant from water.
 Plaster: Use of plaster coating during finishing would add to the strength and would
allow the walls to be sound resistant, durable and moisture resistant.
Different types of structural frame used to carry the primary and secondary elements of the
superstructure
Frame structures refer to amalgamation of columns, slabs and beam to effectively resist
gravity and lateral loads. The usage of these structures is to overcome huge developing by
applied loading. There are two different type of structures used to carry primary and secondary
elements of superstructures of the Hotel complex as well as the bridge:
 Rigid Frame Structure: These structures could withstand deformation, hence the name
rigid. These are the structures where columns and beams are developed monolithically
and together resist the load. Depending on the construction, curved or straight
components are interconnected in ways which resist movements at interconnected joints
of the components (Shim and Choi, 2017).

(Source: Rigid Frame, 2018)
 Braced Frame Structure: These structures are designed and developed to resist natural
forces like wind and earthquakes. Components of these structures are restricted to sway
laterally. Mostly these structures are concentric. This allows them to work effectively at
times of seismic risks.
To fulfil the needs of the scenario, rigid frame structure must serve appropriately for the
construction of the Hotel complex as it would help the building to resist the load and shocks
experienced by the roadway nearby.
TASK 4
Techniques used for re-mediating the site prior to construction commencing
Commencement of the construction are mainly involves with the commercial
construction projects along with the date of projects and overall project schedule. There are
various techniques that are used for re-mediating the site prior for the construction commencing.
Illustration 2: Rigid Frame