Construction Technology Report: Substructure and Superstructure

This report provides a detailed analysis of construction technology, focusing on a five-story Hotel Complex near Heathrow Airport in London, UK. It begins by differentiating between residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, and discussing ways to promote sustainability in building projects. The report then delves into the application of construction terminologies, pre-design studies, and foundation types, including deep and shallow foundations, and the impact of site information on foundation design. It further explores the functional characteristics of superstructure elements such as walls, roofs, floors, windows, doors, staircases, and finishes, along with their design selection criteria. The report also covers techniques for site remediation, substructure works, and the supply and distribution of primary services within the building. Finally, it concludes with a summary of the key findings and references used in the study.

CONSTRUCTION
TECHNOLOGY

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Differences between residential, commercial and industrial buildings.......................................3
Ways to promote sustainability in building projects...................................................................4
Application of terminologies used to construct the Hotel Complex...........................................4
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................5
Pre-Design studies and type of information to design most suitable foundation type................5
Construction of various foundations and their suitability for use with various structures.........5
Impact of Site Information on Foundation Design.....................................................................7
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................8
Description of the functional characteristics of elements of superstructure and design selection
criteria for their usage.................................................................................................................8
Pre-design studies carried out and information collected for the Hotel Complex......................9
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............................................................................................................................10
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................10
Techniques used for re-mediating the site prior to construction commencing.........................10
Types of substructures works required for the infrastructures..................................................11
TASK 5..........................................................................................................................................12
Supply arrangements for primary services................................................................................12
Distribution arrangement for primary services.........................................................................12
Elements of the superstructure used to facilitate the primary services.....................................13
Distribution of the primary services impact on the overall design of the building...................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Construction Technology is a very prominent Civil Engineering branch and involves the
study and application of various methods and technologies used in this aspect. This is an
important aspect that are considered in this field undertakes management of infrastructures (Gao,
Y and et. al., 2016). As per the current scenario, a five-storey Hotel Complex needs to be
constructed near Heathrow Airport in London, UK. The report would constitute the terminology
used in construction technology and different techniques used in construction of substructure and
super structure. It also involves various infrastructure technology used in supporting buildings
and supply and distribution of a range of building services.
TASK 1
Differences between residential, commercial and industrial buildings
There are various types of buildings constructed and used for different purposes. They are
quite different in nature and have different agendas to fulfil. Their differences are described
below:
BASIS RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL
PURPOSE
These structures are
constructed to
accommodate families
and provide people a
place to live.
The purpose of
construction of these
buildings is primarily
for commercial
purposes, for instance,
workplaces, stores,
offices etc.
The construction of
these buildings is to
fulfil industrial
purposes such as
warehouses and
buildings.
SIZE Depending upon the
nature, the size varies
from small individual
homes to big
apartments
accommodating
hundreds of people.
Commercial
construction is quite
large in size and
requires more floor
space, more square
footage and larger
beams.
The size of industrial
buildings is huge for
internal transportation
of large equipments
and for construction of
multiple units
depending on the

companies.
CONCERN
Residential buildings
are constructed using
simple technology
with general safety
measures.
The concern at the
time of construction of
these buildings involve
better safety measures
for its long-term use.
Concern is mainly on
functionality of the
building to
manufacture and
distribute effectively.
Ways to promote sustainability in building projects
It is imperative that companies ensure the sustainability of their building structures so
that these structures could promote better efficiency in serving their purpose. The building
projects are required to be developed in a way that its effectiveness is enhanced. Ways in which
sustainability of the building projects could be promoted are described below: Effective Planning: This involves a detailed planning which includes selection of site,
design and methods used to construct the structures. The agenda must be ensure a
powerful structure that could accommodate as well as provide a place of work to people
for long-term effectively. Advanced Technology: Efficient energy use enhances the sustainability for a way longer
time period that previously intended. Technologies like self-healing concrete and aerogel
insulations could be used to add years to the structures of building projects (10 futuristic
technologies that are changing construction, 2018).
 Construction Waste: Minimisation of waste incurred in construction must be the main
agenda for construction. This is because the waste not only damages the environment but
also having the impact upon cost of production. Reusable, durable and recyclable
materials must be used and waste must be effectively segregated to avoid burden on the
environment and the workers.
Application of terminologies used to construct the Hotel Complex
There are various terminologies used in construction technology which are necessary to
be understood to enhance the familiarity and better understanding of concepts. Few of these
terminologies which are used for the current Hotel Complex project are described below:

 Mastic: This is the term that is used for pasty materials that would be used as cement in
this project to settle tiles and to develop a protective coating for waterproofing and
thermal insulation. Plenum: This term in this project would be used and it denotes he main duct for hot-air
supply from furnace.
 Girder: During the construction, it is imperative that concentrated loads be supported at
isolated points to provide strength to the structure. For this purpose, a large steel beam
would be constructed which is referred as Girder.
TASK 2
Pre-Design studies and type of information to design most suitable foundation type
As per the scenario, there are various studies that must be carried out to construct the
most suitable foundation type for residential, industrial and commercial structures like Hotel
Complex and the Bridge. The pre-design studies and information gathered through these studies
are mentioned below: Geotechnical Reports: One of the most important pre-design study to be carried out is
out of geotechnical reports. These reports will provide the civil engineers a detailed
information about the geological and soil conditions below the site of building structures.
Information gathered from these reports would help in determining the geotechnical
hazards like areas likely to face liquefaction and faulty zones as well as soil
characteristics to effectively choose the foundation type for these characteristics.
 Hydrology Studies: To effectively manage and maintain the environment, it is essential
to carry out hydrology studies which would help to gather information about ground
water depth, recharge zones and aquifers, floodplain ones and drainage patters, etc. The
information gathered through these studies would influence the decision for choosing the
foundation type on these above factors that ensure its long term sustainability. For
instance if soil conditions are weak, deep foundation would be used.
Construction of various foundations and their suitability for use with various structures
After the pre-designed studies, it is imperative to choose the most effective foundation
type for different structures. These foundation types are described below:

 Deep Foundation: These foundation types are way below the surface to enhance the
bearing capacity and are mostly 3 meter below ground level (Various Types of
Foundation, 2018). These are constructed in a way that the load is transferred to a
competent and more deeper strata in case the condition of soil is unsuitable. Pile is the
most suitable type of deep foundation. These are required to transmit the load and even
deeper than the reach of shallow foundations. This type of foundation is most suitable for
the bridge that needs to be constructed over the stream. Shallow Foundations: Commonly, these foundation types are known as open or spread
footings seeing their nature of excavating the surface of earth till the footing's bottom.
The various types of shallow foundations are mentioned below:
▪ Pad Foundations: These foundations are constructed to support load at individual
points or structural columns. The shape could be square, rectangular or circular,
depending on the nature of construction.
▪ Strip Foundations: Construction of these foundation type is to support lines of
loads that help to support entire wall weight (Zhao and et. al 2015).
▪ Mat Foundations: The third type of shallow foundation are mat or raft foundation
and are constructed to support the load of entire structure of a building. These
support load from heavy structures such as walls or columns. Since this
foundation is best suited where basements are required to be constructed, Mat
Foundation could effectively be used to construct a commercial building like the
Hotel Complex.

(Source: Slab Beam Raft Foundation, 2018)
Impact of Site Information on Foundation Design
For effectively constructing the foundation design, it is very crucial for the civil engineers
to gather effective knowledge about the site as it has vital impacts on the design of the
foundation. These impacts are described below: Availability of energy: A major information about the site that must be gathered is the
easy availability of energy. With abundance of energy more investment could be made
regarding usage of effective technology for establishing better foundation design. Impact of studies: It is imperative for the engineers to determine the most appropriate
foundation type for their structures. For a commercial structure like the Hotel Complex,
the studies like geotechnical and hydrological studies would verify the strength of soil for
the foundation type of the structures.
Illustration 1: Slab Beam Raft Foundation

 Environmental Legislations: These refer to the legislations regarding the environment
concerns on the site of constructions. Information of these will help the engineers in
designing the foundation type that promotes environmental preservation and is in
accordance with the laws regarding the area like the Environmental Protection Act, 1990.
TASK 3
Description of the functional characteristics of elements of superstructure and design selection
criteria for their usage
Superstructure refers to the the structure that is made above the foundation. It refers to all
the building structure of the Hotel Complex. There are various elements of superstructures,
functional characteristics of which are described below: Walls: The most important characteristic of wall is that they provide immense strength to
the overall structure. Another characteristic is that it will provides the structure with
resistance to ground moisture and weather. The design selection criteria for the walls that
effectively helps to carry out its function must be to use concrete in the structure. Another
criteria would be the length of the wall that must be 10 feet for each floor. Roofs: These will provide effective weather resistance to effects of weather like rain,
snow and so forth. They will also provide effective sound insulation from external
sources. The design selection criteria for roof of the hotel is to construct roof which has
prefabricated trusses and sheathing material like fibreglass. Floors – Ground and Intermediate: Floors are an integral part of a structure. Their
functional characteristics must include effective durability to the overall structure of the
hotel. Another major functional characteristic of floor, both ground and intermediate
involves fire resistance to ensure safety of the people present in the building at the time of
contingency. The design selection criteria would be to use floor sheets and concrete in
ratios that enhance its functions. Windows and Doors: Both of these elements allow light and ventilation inside the
building which serves as one of its crucial characteristics. Another functional aspect in
windows and doors is that both of them would serve as a link to internal as well as
external parts of the Hotel Complex. These element must be constructed using wood,

aluminium and Glass-fibre-reinforced plastic (GFRP) that would contribute in its design
(Wullweber, 2015). Staircases: These elements within the structure of the Hotel Complex would allow
effective access to various floors of the Hotel. Staircases possesses another functional
characteristic of floors is that it provides means of conveying furnitures and fittings
between various floor levels. These must be at-least 36 inches wide and must be
constructed using concrete, marbles and wood that will serve as an effective design
criteria (Tay and et. al., 2016).
 Finishes: This element will provide the firm with outstanding texture. In addition,
another functional characteristic served by finishes is that it would provide the Hotel
Complex with corrosion resistance for a long period of time. Design selection criteria for
finishes would be usage of plaster on the walls as well as carpets that would improve its
design.
Pre-design studies carried out and information collected for the Hotel Complex
Before construction of the superstructure, it is prominent that pre-design studies be
carried out regarding the structure of the building. The pre-design studies required for this
project is mentioned below:
 Geodetic Studies: It is essential for the Hotel Complex to get effective geodetic support.
The Hotel Complex will have a five-storey structure, it is essential that it comply with
specific variances and tolerance. These studies would allow the engineers to gain the
knowledge about geometric shape of the earth and gravitational field on the area which
would allow them to accurately determine the design which enhances its load bearing
capacity (Safin, Sattarova and Khairullina, 2017).
These studies are imperative for constructing superstructure and contribute in
enhancements of understanding of concepts and as well as helps in determining the pre-stages of
construction.
How the component parts of an element allow it to fulfil its function
The various component parts of the building effectively help them to fulfil their
functions. These component parts are described below:
 Concrete: As per the scenario, this is an integral component part in the process of
building hotel complex that will provide the structure effective strength, durability as

well as resistance from fire, weather, water and sound. It also provides the structure with
a particular support.
 Floor Sheets: The capacity of the floor to be sound, water and fire resistance is enhanced
using floor sheets. Moreover, these sheets also help in overall strength as well as load
bearing capacity.
Different types of structural frame used to carry the primary and secondary elements of the
superstructure
It is essential for civil engineers to design structural frames that could be used to carry
elements of the superstructure effectively. While the primary elements constitute walls,
staircases, windows and doors, etc.; the secondary elements include external and internal walls,
balustrades, roof-lights, suspended ceilings, etc. These structural frames are described below: Rigid Structural Frame: These structures are those in which columns and beams are
constructed monolithically in a way in which they act collectively in resisting the load.
As compared to brace structures, these structural frames provide more stability.
Moreover, they also provide better resistance to torsions and shears than any other
structural types (Shim and Choi, 2017).
 Braced Structural Frames: Bracing is present between columns and beams in these
frames to enhance their resistance against forces both sideways as well as lateral. Under
this, bracing is provided by placement of diagonal components between columns and
beams. As compared to rigid structures, these provide better resistance against wind
forces and earthquakes and is more effective in terms of support.
TASK 4
Techniques used for re-mediating the site prior to construction commencing
It is imperative for the civil engineers to re-mediate the site prior to construction. Ways in
which this could be achieved are as follows: Biological Treatment: Biodegradation plays a prominent role in breaking down organic
compounds. Civil engineers in this case could use bioremediation techniques which
allows removal of hydrocarbon contaminants from soils. Air emissions from biopile are
treated effectively through bio-filtration (Pan and et. al., 2015).

 Chemical Treatment: There are various chemical treatments that could be used to
effectively re-mediate the site which are further discussed as under:
▪ Chemical Immobilization: This process could be executed by present various
treatment chemicals into the soil. Saturation of chemical solution with the soil is
required to use soluble chemicals. Whereas insoluble chemicals could be
presented in the ground by forced injections or suspension transport.
▪ Oxidation: This is an effective chemical treatment that ensures elimination of
both the toxicity and volume of contaminants. Methods like Chlorine dioxide and
hydrogen peroxide additives, photolysis and reductive dechlorination are
effectively used under this method (Mok, Shen and Yang, 2015).
Types of substructures works required for the infrastructures
For construction of huge infrastructures, it is imperative that various substructure works
be carried out to effectively conduct the construction. These substructure works are described
below: Propping: This method refers to adding temporary support to structure and adjacent
properties during under-development. There are various propping schemes that could be
used to provide support to the structure.
 Groundwork: This refer to the overall activity related to substructure which involves
bulk and sequenced excavations, poe probing, trimming, headings and shafts. It basically
means construction of sub-surfaces to begin the construction work. It is an essential
activity which could enhance the process of construction of infrastructure.
Superstructure, Substructure and Civil Engineering Structures necessary for Hotel Complex
For effectively carry out the construction of Hotel Complex, it is necessary to identify the
superstructure, substructure and civil engineering structures which are necessary for the project.
These three elements are described below: Superstructure: This is the whole extension of the structure above the baseline. The
superstructure of hotel complex would be constructed using Bricks, Mortars, Arches,
Columns, Slabs and Beams. For the complex, the layout will be rectangular structure
which could provide balanced load on the surface. The construction material to be used
will be concrete as well as steel in the beams to provide support and enhance durability
(Li, Xu and Zhang, 2017).

 Substructure: The part below the baseline, the substructure for the hotel used will be mat
foundation as a basement needs to be constructed for parking. Equal load will be
enforced on the structure that would be handled effortlessly by the beams (Lei, Pin and
Ming-min, 2016).
 Civil Engineering Structure: These structures are constructed for long term basis and
serve a unique purpose. For the given project, a bridge that is required to be constructed
over the stream define this structure. It will be made using deep foundation and a
combination of concrete and steel.
TASK 5
Supply arrangements for primary services
To effectively construct the Hotel Complex and bridge, it is essential to arrange primary
services which would support in execution of the overall construction project. These services are
mentioned below: Energy Supply: This requires supply of energy such as solar energy, geothermal, biomass
as well as wind. It is essential that these services be arranged in order to effectively
construct the hotel without any delay in the process. Alarm Systems: Another service which is necessary during and after construction is the
alarm systems. These services would allow effective alert of contingency and ensure
safety of the workers as well as the people.
 Lifts: Another primary service includes lifts and escalators to effectively transfer heavy
equipments and people on different floors during constructions without risking the safety
and within due time (Kadlec and et. al., 2017).
Distribution arrangement for primary services
There are various distribution arrangement that is required for construction workers as
well as engineers to carry out their construction tasks. These distribution arrangements are
described below:
 The most effective arrangement would be transportation of of the primary services in the
Hotel Complex. This would require the equipments, machineries and vehicles used to
transport lifts, alarm systems and energy supply equipments in the complex.
 Supply of 3-phase electricity which enhances the functions of alarm systems and lifts.

 The most important aspect however, is the construction of bridge to facilitate and speed
up the distribution of these primary services.
 Effective energy supply must also be regulated through employing various resources and
equipments that makes it flow consistent.
Elements of the superstructure used to facilitate the primary services
There are various elements of superstructure that would facilitate primary services. These
services involve escalators, lifts and energy supply which could be effectively used due to
presence of walls, floors, doors and windows. However, to ensure facilitation of primary
services, it is imperative that measures like fire safety through alarm systems are properly taken
through windows and exit doors.
Doors and windows could also be effectively be used to supply raw materials and lifts
would allow effective floor access to fasten the purpose. It is essential for civil engineers to give
appropriate design and size to doors and windows to provide easy access to electrical equipment,
effective supply of energy and movement of people through internal parts of the structure.
Distribution of the primary services impact on the overall design of the building
It is imperative that distribution of primary services be facilitated in a way that contribute
in outstanding design of the building. It is important for the design of the Hotel Complex to be
built in a way that it provides comfort to the staff as well as the guests. Sufficient energy supply
would allow the design to be constructed perfectly without any flaw. Escalators and lifts in the
building would ease the travelling of customers as well as their luggages on different floors. The
staircases inside and outside the complex would ensure and enhance the safety measures that are
necessary to be taken by the hotel staff as well as the engineers (Hager, Golonka and
Putanowicz, 2016).
CONCLUSION
Thus, it is concluded from the above report that construction technology is imperative in
construction of different structures effectively. It is imperative to understand various buildings
and how sustainability could be promoted in building projects. A detailed knowledge and studies
must be carried out for the substructures as well as the superstructures before commencing a
project. The techniques of re-mediations as well as substructure works must be carried out in

effective manner by the engineers to enhance the sustainability. Lastly, to successfully complete
the overall project, it is imperative to carry out the building services.

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