SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
SCDM71-316 - Structures and Materials
Submission Summary
Due date 17:00 Wednesday, 22nd of November 2023 (Week 11)
Submission Type Group Submission (No more than two students)
Submission Type iLearn submission through SafeAssign (plagiarism checking)
Assignment weighting 30% of the overall grade for this subject
Project details
This project requires you to interpret and evaluate a structure in the built environment. Engineers make
decisions on materials, member shape and the connections for the individual members that make up a
structure based on their understanding of how each of them performs under loading and over time. This
project requires you to be that engineer and consider how these factors influence material choice and
building shape.
You (an engineer) have been approached by a client who wished to build a tall timber building in Robina
on the Gold Coast. The client recently visited Canada where he was inspired by the innovative timber
building named, “Origine” and now wishes for a very similar building to be built in Robina.
In preparation for the future development, you will need to assess the “Origine, - a 13-Storey Timber
Building” from an engineering point of view. The following tasks are to be completed as you assess the
structural performance of the building and prepare some details for the design and construction of the
same building in Robina, Gold Coast, Australia.
Getting Started:
Some of the resources for the building have been provided on iLearn. This is not an exhaustive list and
therefore you are encouraged to seek additional resources where necessary (e.g. other Tall Timber
buildings) to assist with your understanding of how structures behave and in particular tall timber
structures. You will need to review how each of these structures have managed durability and load paths
(vertical and lateral) to complete your understanding of how Origine building has been designed.
The following prescriptive tasks have been prepared to guide you through your analysis of this building
and the considerations required for its construction locally.
SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
Respond to the following tasks in your report:
Introduction
1. Provide a summary of the structure detailing the design philosophy of the structure (consider
aesthetics, function and design statements) (~150 words) (3 marks)
Loading
Dead loads
2. Provide your understanding of the elements contributing to the dead load. Annotate on
pictures/drawings of the existing Origine building all elements that contribute to the dead load.
For each element, also indicate the material used. Be sure to include items that are also
considered super-imposed dead loads. You may need to use at least four different pictures to
show all internal and external elements. (3 marks)
3. What is the total mass (dead load) of timber structural elements including CLT walls, CLT floors,
glulam beams and glulam columns? Detail all calculations and state any assumptions that you
have made. The presentation and explanation of the calculations is more important than the final
quantitative answer/numbers. (8 marks)
Dynamic loads
4. The Origine is a residential building. What are the live loads that this structure has been designed
for? Create a live loading plan for a typical two-bedroom unit of the building. Values are to be
based on those from AS1170.1 Table 3.1. The live load plan should consist of a floor plan with
different areas highlighted based on its usage (e.g. storage, kitchen etc.) and a legend indicating
the associated design pressure (e.g. 3 kPa) based on the area’s use. (3 marks)
5. Determine the VR for the structure based on AS1170.2. You may assume the structure was built
on the Bond University Campus. Ensure that you detail all assumptions/factors that you have
used. (you only need to calculate the VR which is the regional wind speed. So, do not consider
shielding, terrain, topography etc.) (3 marks)
Materials
Material choice
6. The predominate structural material of the Origine building is timber. Outline five reasons why
timber was chosen as the main material for the Origine building (instead of steel or concrete).
Each reason should be justified by references that support the claims. (~100 words per reason).
(5 marks)
SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
7. Concrete and steel have also been selectively used throughout the building. Identify where each
material has been used and comment on why the element is made from concrete or steel instead
of timber. (3 marks)
8. The design of a building made primary from timber often requires extensive management
strategies around the control of fire and durability. What strategies (give at least 2 for each) were
employed by the designers of this building for:
i. fire
ii. durability
In addition, for each issue identified above, describe other solutions available for the
management/design of the specified issues that was not used in the Origine building. (4 marks)
Structural material performance
9. Your initial investigations for the supply of timber here on the Gold Coast have found that glue
laminated timber (GLT) is difficult to obtain and therefore you are suggesting a new material as
a replacement. This alternative material is laminated veneer lumber (LVL). Upon request from
an Australian LVL manufacturer you have been provided with some compression testing data
for the LVL product. Three LVL samples were tested using a compression test and the data is
supplied with this task sheet under iLearn – Assessment folder.
You have been informed the GLT used in the existing Origine building had an ultimate
compressive capacity of 53 MPa and a Young’s Modulus of 12 GPa.
You are required to analyse the results of the LVL compression tests by presenting the stress-
strain curve for the LVL samples and then making a recommendation if the glulam can be
replaced by the locally sourced LVL.
Your recommendation (i.e. GLT or LVL) should be justified based on your analysis of the testing
data and understanding of strength and stiffness.
(7 marks for data presentation and summary and 3 marks for recommendation/justification)
Structural elements and systems
Vertical System
10. Describe the vertical structural system. i.e. how is the building transferring the dead and live
loads to the foundations. Be sure to identify the key design elements. (4 marks)
SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
Load path
11. Describe in words the load path for the wind and then draw the load path on plan view for both
main wind directions. (hint: You will first need to identify the stability systems for the structure
and consider how the wind is transferred from the façade to the structural systems). (4 marks)
Stability
12. How is stability provided to the building? You must consider both primary directions (i.e.
longitudinal and cross wind directions) (3 marks)
13. Give two alternative stability systems and for each alternative, describe how it would affect the
architectural layout of the building should that method be adopted (e.g. floor to floor height). (4
marks)
Earthquake
14. The Origine building accommodated earthquake loading through the CLT walls and sufficient
flexibility of connections within the lateral system to absorb energy without breaking during an
earthquake. This is a relatively simple approach and was deemed appropriate for the earthquakes
expected in Quebec City. However, the earthquake code in Australia was recently amended and,
in many cases, earthquake is the governing design load for mid-rise structures (5-20 stories) on
the Gold Coast (and often by a significant margin depending upon structure system and materials
used). Describe two earthquake design/management systems that could be implemented into the
structure. Which one do you think would be most suited to this building? Justify your choice. (4
marks) Pictures of earthquake design systems are recommended.
Flooring systems
15. This structure uses a floor system made up of CLT panels resting on Glulam beams supported
by columns and CLT walls. How could the structure be different if a “flat-plate” system like that
used in the Brock Commons Tallwood House was adopted? (4 marks)
16. Your client is interested in having a large open space media room for the first story of the
proposed structure in Robina. Describe how incorporating this feature would influence the
design? (4 marks)
Connections
17. Balconies are made from precast concrete supported by metal angle sections connected to CLT
walls. List and describe two reasons this type of balcony connecter was chosen (e.g. size/type
of force, constructability). Then discuss the load path through the connection and identify the
types of forces (e.g. tearing) in each element of the connection. (5 marks)
Soils and Footings
Footing systems
18. Describe the likely footing system of the building. Details of the foundation may be difficult to
find for this building so you may provide your recommendation for the footing system. How
would the footing system be different if the structure was predominately made from concrete
instead of timber? (4 marks)
SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
Geotechnical testing
19. Choose two soil tests that wound need to be performed before the foundations are designed for
the Gold Coast structure. In detail, describe: (5 marks)
• the purpose of each test
• how to perform the test (including the equipment/materials required) and
• how the test will influence the foundation preparation and footing system
Pictures/sketches are recommended, the response should be less than 150 word and occupy up
a maximum one page per test.
Other considerations
Deflection
20. Considering the serviceability criteria of deflection, identify and calculate the limits (e.g. rafter
= span/300 = 6000/300 = 20 mm) for all relevant building components of the Origine building.
Use the limits prescribed by the Australian Standards. (See Table C1 AS1170.0) (3 marks)
Floor vibration
21. Evaluate some of the ways that this structure may have integrated vibration management.
(4 marks)
SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
Additional Assignment and formatting information:
• The remaining 10 marks is attributed to formatting, sentence structure, use of concise
and effective language and presentation throughout your assignment. Hint: all figures
and table need a number and a description!
• Where you cannot find information on a certain topic specific to the Origine building,
you will need to research how other high-rise timber buildings have design for said topic.
• There is no set word limit for this assignment. Tasks will be marked based on the
appropriate formatting and expectations as outlined in rubric.
• A marking rubric will be provided which will detail the expectations for each response.
• Concise ‘short-sentence’ style responses are encouraged where appropriate while some
may require a paragraph style response.
• You are encouraged to use sub-headings to make your report easier to read.
• As part of a research assignment, you are expected to use referencing (including in-text
citation and a suitable reference list). Harvard referencing style is preferred. You will
find information on this on the library website.
Library Support – 10% of your marks are for referencing, presentation and expression!
This may be the first research-based assignment for many of you at Bond University, so we encourage
you to use the resources available at the library when referencing and writing your report. While they
cannot help with the actual content, they can help you find reliable sources and help you structure your
sentences and report.
The person to contact is:
Bronwyn Linthwaite: blinthwa@bond.edu.au
More information is available in the student learning support website.
https://bond.edu.au/current-students/services-support/student-support/student-learning-support
SCDM71-316 Structures and Materials
Assignment checklist
□ Title page
□ Report summary (or executive summary) - max 200 words
□ Contents page
□ Written report with clear and appropriate headings, relevant and necessary photos/imagery,
sketches, figure titles, in-text referencing etc.
□ Reference list
□ Appendix (information in the appendix will NOT be marked but can be used to support your
answer)
Note: There is no need for assignment cover sheet due to the electronic submission.