BSc Hons Quantity Surveying Design Economics Steelwork vs.

Concrete

Adrian Bell

Scenario Your client, Cordova Bay Holdings, a re-insurance firm, have appointed your firm to provide cost advice for the development of their new headquarters building in the centre of Chelmsford. The building is proposed to be 6000m2 of high quality office and associated facilities, eleven storeys high. Before proceeding further the client requires the following information upon which to make crucial decisions.

Tasks 1. Advise your client with respect to the cost implications of using steel and reinforced concrete for the structure. 2. The cost implication of a circular plan shape versus a square plan shape.

Marking Scheme Cost comparison of the material used for the structure Cost implications of plan shape Quality and usability of the report 50% 30% 20%

To look INTO Expanding the question Cost Implications Look at programme implications i.e concrete structures take longer Floor area - structural steel gives a larger net floor area Build ability

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BSc Hons Quantity Surveying Cordova Bay Holdings 30 West Drive Chelmsford Essex CM8 9AB 25th March 2011

Adrian Bell

Dear Sirs Steelwork and concrete structures are very different ways in which buildings can be formed, and both types of structure have different properties, advantages, disadvantages and cost implications. As both materials are very commonly used and cost implications vary from building to building generally which material is better and most cost effective depends on the key factors of that building. Firstly captivating the key facts of the building like the floor area of 6000m2 of high quality offices and this being eleven stories high Steelwork Advantages Structural steel is lighter than concrete framing material; therefore it needs a smaller and simpler foundation. This reduces both cost and the time spent on construction.

Disadvantages

Concrete is strong in compression, but weak in tension, thus adding reinforcement increases the strength in tension. In addition, the failure strain of concrete in tension is so low that the reinforcement has to hold the cracked sections together. For a strong, ductile and durable construction the reinforcement shall have the following properties:

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BSc Hons Quantity Surveying

Adrian Bell

High strength High tensile strain Good bond to the concrete Thermal compatibility Durability in the concrete environment

Advantages

Disadvantages

However, both materials are typically used together. Concrete without steel reinforcement (usually ribbed round bars called rebar) crumbles under tensile loads. Steel on its own, without composite or reinforced concrete floors, is likewise not a preferred building method. While rebar is almost always steel, it is not considered a structural steel and is described separately in the rebar and reinforced concrete articles. While both steel structures and Reinforced concrete cement(R.C.C)structures have their pros and cons,the steel structures have better strength to weight ratio than RCC, and can be easily dismantled(Steel structures, which have bolted connections can also be reused to some extent after dismantling).

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BSc Hons Quantity Surveying Executive Summary

Adrian Bell

Overall taking both forms of structure and there advantages and disadvantages into account I propose that steelwork would be the best of form of structure to use.

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