Case Study: The Use of Concrete Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction for Two Blocks of 40-Storey Residential Flats (The Clement Canopy) in Singapore

Abstract

The Singapore Building Construction Authority (BCA) is transforming its built environment sector into one that is advanced in technology to raise the productivity. The Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) approach has been identified as a key strategy to raise the productivity in the construction industry. This paper outlines the pioneering approach of using reinforced concrete sandwiched composite shear wall system as the Prefinished-Prefabricated-Volumetric-Construction (PPVC) technology in construction of two residential towers of 40-storey high in <i>The Clement Canopy</i> project in Singapore. The technology involves a LEGO-like construction method by joining the PPVC modules of the same floor side-by-side; followed by modules of the upper level stacking on top of the completed modules below and the cycle repeated until completion. The gaps in between the adjoining modules’ walls were then filled with high-strength grout to connect them together such that the combined walls behave in a composite manner under loadings. Prototype tests had been carried out on the sandwiched wall panels with strain gauges installed to evaluate their behaviour under the actions of compression and bending. The test results showed that the sandwiched wall panels were able to withstand the loadings without delamination at the wall/grout interface, demonstrating that the designed sandwiched wall panel are able to behave in a composite manner under loadings. Installation of PPVC modules for the two towers was completed in approximately one year. The project achieved a manpower productivity data of 0.613 m²/man-day, a marked improvement of 72% in productivity as compared to the Singapore Year 2017 Industry Average Project Productivity Data for Residential (non-landed) figure of 0.357 m²/man-day. The project was successfully completed in Q1 of 2019 and is the tallest residential tower in the world at the time of project completion using the reinforced concrete PPVC technology. Advantages realised from the adoption of PPVC technology in this project includes improved productivity, early project completion; improved site safety, improved quality of end product and vast reduction in noise & dust pollution at the project site.