SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGN

BACHELOR OF QUANTITY SURVEYING (HONOURS)

QSB1514 – Construction Technology 1

Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

April Semester 2013

Group Assignment: Group 4

Submission Date: 26th June 2013

Name Student ID Marks

Yam Yih Hwan 0305861

Tan Jia Jia 0307766

Yo Kai Sen 0310563

Teoh Tze Yoong 0314756

Background Information of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel (MBS) is an Integrated Resort fronting Marina Bay

in Singapore, which operated under Las Vegas Sands Corp. (Chua, 2011) MBS is designed by

Canadian Architect named Moshe Safdie with Local Executive Architects Aedas, Pte, Ltd. In

additional, Arup Group Limited is selected as the Structural Engineering for this project whereas

the landscape of this building is designed by Peter Walker & Partners. The entire project area

used is 845,000m2 and the site area used is 154,938m2. The estimated budget on this project is

USD $5.7 billion. (Safdie Architects, 2010)

MBS began operations on 27 April 2010, and officially opened on 23 June. MBS

comprises of three towers with 55-storey high topped by a 12,400m2 SkyPark. As for the Art

Science Museum, it is shaped like a lotus flower. (Chua, 2011) On top of its three towers, the

Marina Bay Sands was designed as a curious boat-shape and it is placed at the gateway to

Singapore's harbor with strong and highly iconic structure. (Apavisa, n.d.)

(Layout of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel)

Furthermore, MBS offers luxury hotel, casino, retail mall, convention facilities and

entertainment venues including theatres, nightclubs and a museum. It has 2,560 luxury rooms

across three 55-storey hotel towers, totaling 265,683 m2. (Safdie Architects, 2010) As we know,

Marina Bay Sands is one of the biggest hotels located in Singapore; it’s covering 12,400 m2, and

is over 200 meters altitude. It has a 150 meters infinity-edged swimming pool at 250 meters high

which overlook the view of Singapore skyline. There is a botanical garden which linked on top of

the three 200m high hotels of marina bays where you can find 250 types of tree and 650 species

of plants. (Apavisa, n.d.)

MBS is one of the most complex designs ever built; it is a slopping tower which its angle

as steep as 26 degrees and connecting legs at Level 23 to form a single building. The “Hanging

Gardens” provides a magnificent backdrop which the visitors can overlook the upcoming Gardens

by the Bay. (YourSingapore, 2012)

Structure & Materials used on Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

Shear walls are used as primary vertical and transverse structural system for all three

towers. (McCafferty, 2011) Additional of concrete core walls located within both legs of each

towers restrain the hotel in the longitudinal direction and help prevent out-of-plane buckling of the

narrow shear walls within both legs of the towers. (McCafferty, 2011) Post-tensioned 8-inch Flat

slabs span directly between the shear walls. (McCafferty, 2011) The flat slab scheme also

provides flexibility in the hotel room layout, to hold a relatively tight 9-foot 10-inch typical floor-to-

floor height, and accommodates flexibility of building services distribution and coordination

throughout each floor. (McCafferty, 2011)

(Diagram of Hotel Components)

At level 23, where the story-height steel trusses are located, mechanical floors connected

the legs of the tower to withstand the large shear forces that occur where these meet above the

central atrium. (McCafferty, 2011) The base slab at ground floor level is post-tensioned to resist

the horizontal thrusts produced by the inclined legs. (McCafferty, 2011) Each tower slab form is

also slightly changed in relation to its pair, to increase the slenderness of the buildings, resulting

in the appearance of six towers, instead of three. (Safdie, 2011) There is an energy efficient

double-glazed unit suspended at the edge of the slab and is resting on a frame. (Safdie, 2011)

Perpendicular to the façade, glass fins were installed to provide shading. (Safdie, 2011) In

order to allow it to radiate out in elevation, the glass fins are suspended out of the horizontal stack

joint. (Safdie, 2011) The glass fins are supported by a 3-sided aluminium frame, with the exposed

forward edge, the sun light is been catch, as well as reflections of the façade, to create a specials

effect. (Safdie, 2011) A 30%-reflective glass is used as the fins and to provide shading for the

façade up to 20% of all solar gain. (Safdie, 2011) The belly of the SkyPark is made of more than

9,000 silver-painted metal-composite panels, the panels encloses the mega trusses which bridge

the buildings at level 55, as well as a multitude of back of house spaces. (Safdie, 2011) Material

that mainly used to build Marina Bay Hotel are aluminium and steels as the structural frame and

reinforcement and as well as for the design. (Safdie, 2011)

The material to build the façade of the hotel was carefully chosen to ensure that the

building has a higher Envelope Thermal Transfer Value than the standard. (Mike, 2012)

Whenever possible during the hotel’s construction, the engineers try to use green materials

utilizing recycled products under Singapore’s Green Labeling Scheme – such as drainage cells,

timber decking, drywall partitions and fire-rated doors. (Mike, 2012)

Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) implemented in Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

Industrialized Building Systems, generally known as IBS throughout Malaysia. In

worldwide, IBS is also known as Pre-fabricated/Pre-fab Construction, Modern Method of

Construction (MMC) and Off-site Construction. Industrialized Building Systems is a method of

construction which uses techniques such as mass production of industrial components in a

controlled environment, and later transported to construction site for further assembly onto

specific buildings. Each and every one of the pre-cast concrete and pre-fabricated timber/steel

structures are customized and standardized making it more efficient and able to maintain it’s

persistent in quality and quantity. Such pre-cast concrete and pre-fabricated timber/steel

structures are particularly useful for high rise buildings or mass housing estates whereas similar

structure can be replicated.

In the construction of MBS, the foundations system used for the three towers was barrette

piles with a number of bored piles for lighter loaded elements of the structures. Piles are driven

into the soil for transferring loads and prevent deformation. Concrete piles are also used as pre-

cast beams to be placed in the structure of the building for the purpose on supporting the building

loadings.

(Foundation of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel)

Furthermore, pre-cast reinforced concrete shear walls, vary from thickness of 28 inches at

the base of the tower to 20 inches of higher floor levels, and are located within 33-foor centres for

each of the three towers. Shear walls are used as primary vertical and transverse structural

system for all three towers.

(Shear walls of three towers)

On top of the MBS is where the SkyPark located. Steel structure for the SkyPark was pre-

fabricated off-site in 14 primary segments. Then, truck the pre-fabricated steel structure to site

and lift them into place for assembly onto the top of the tower. The bridging sections extending

between adjacent towers each consist of three 400-ton bridge trusses that were pre-assembled at

grade. Total of 7,000 tons steelwork was erected into the SkyPark to maintain and support its

weight.

(Primary Pre-Fabricated steel segments)

Advantages of Industrialized Building Systems (IBS)

During the construction, Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) able to increase the

construction speed of MBS by providing pre-cast and pre-fabricated components. As compared to

normal build, it is much faster as it doesn’t required labours to construct it step by step. There are

factories that provide pre-cast/pre-fabricated components, saving up time and speed up the

process of construction. Industrialized Building Systems components only work at the site,

therefore pre-cast/pre-fabricated components must be brought over to site for further assembly. It

also provides flexibility in the design of pre-cast element so that different systems

may produce their own unique pre-fabrication construction methods.

(Fabrication The podium roofs) (Fabrication Sand SkyPark)

Besides that, Industrialized Building Systems also helped to save up costs on the

construction of MBS. Within Industrialized Building Systems, there is aluminum, steel, timber and

other materials of formwork that can be reused while pouring the concrete. By using these

systems, it can reduce the numbers of labours. For examples, the needs for skilled workers, bar-

benders and carpenters can be reduced.

Furthermore, Industrialized Building Systems allowed the construction of MBS to build in a

more eco-friendly environment. The usages of timber formwork will be lesser down and wastage

of construction materials can be reduced while using Industrialized Building Systems in the

construction. The system helps to increase the safety and neatness condition of site. The systems

also help to avoid the delay on construction works affected by weather. Due to the components of

Industrialized Building Systems, the effects of weather on construction operation became lesser.

In conclusion, Industrialized Building Systems able to save up time, cost, and provide a

more eco-friendly environment during the construction of MBS.

References:

Background Information of Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

1. Chua, A. (2011). Marina Bay Sands. SingaporeInfopedia. Retrieved from

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1607_2011-11-01.html

2. “Marina Bay Sands / Safdie Architects” (2010, 26 July). ArchDaily. Accessed 23 June

2013. Retrieved from http://www.archdaily.com/70186

3. YourSingapore. (2012). Marina Bay Sands® Hotel and Sands SkyPark®. Retrieved from

http://www.yoursingapore.com/content/traveller/en/browse/see-and-do/arts-and-

entertainment/architecture/sky-park.html

4. Apavisa. (n.d.). SKYPARK, MARINA BAY SANDS – SINGAPORE. Retrieved from

http://www.apavisa.com/en/proyecto-skypark-marina-bay-sands-singapore/

References:

Structure & Materials used on Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

1. Safdie, M. (2011, March). "Marina Bay Sand, Singapore." Council on Tall Building and

Urban Habitat. Retrieved June 22, 2013, from

http://www.ctbuh.org/TallBuildings/FeaturedTallBuildings/ArchiveJournal/

MarinaBaySands/tabid/1766/language/en-US/Default.aspx

2. McCafferty, P. S. & Brodkin, D. & Farnsworth, D. & Scott, D. (2011). Engineering an Icon –

The Marina Bay Sands ® Integrated Resort [Online exclusive]. Structure. Retrieved June

22, 2013, from http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleid=1273

3. Mike, W. (2012, March 13). In Marina Bay Sands: Singapore’s Top Eco-Friendly Hotel.

Argophilia Travel News. Retrieved June 25, 2013, from

http://www.argophilia.com/news/marina-bay-sands-ecological-moves/25349/

References:

Industrialized Building Systems (IBS) implemented in Singapore Gold Sand Marina Bay Hotel

1. Industrialised Building System (IBS). (n.d.). Retrieved June 22, 2013, from Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrialised_Building_System_(IBS)

2. Copyright © Kimlun Corporation Berhad (867077-X). (n.d.). Industrialised Building

Systems (IBS). Retrieved June 22, 2013, from

http://www.kimlun.com/industrial_building_systems.html

3. Soletanche-Bachy Group. (2007). Marina bay sands. Retrieved June 22, 2013, from

http://www.bachy-soletanche.com/SBF/sitev4_uk.nsf/technique/marina-bay-sands

4. McCafferty, P. S. & Brodkin, D. & Farnsworth, D. & Scott, D. (2011). Engineering an Icon –

The Marina Bay Sands ® Integrated Resort [Online exclusive]. Structure. Retrieved June

22, 2013, from http://www.structuremag.org/article.aspx?articleid=1273

References:

Advantages of Industrialized Building Systems (IBS)

1. Incik. Mohd Nazli. (2011, March 28). Engineer Thinking..; Advantages of industrialised

building system (IBS). Retrieved from http://inginiur.blogspot.com/2011/03/advantages-of-

industrialised-building.html

2.  Yong, E. (2011, May 7). Eric Yong’s Blog; The Advantages & Disadvantages of the

Industrialized Building Systems (IBS). Retrieved from

http://eforericyong.blogspot.com/2011/07/advantages-disadvantages-of.html

3. Juan Maier, B. M. (2012). The Marina Bay Sands Special Issue; the Arup Journal.

Retrieved from www. arup .com/Publications/~/media/Files/.../ Arup _ Journal _1_ 2012 .ashx