Value Engineering. Outrigger System.

Value Engineering is a strategic process focused on maximizing value by optimizing cost, function, and quality in project development. While typically applied during the design phase, it can also be effectively utilized during construction.

Here's an example that demonstrates my commitment to Value Engineering during the construction phase. This project involved a 5-storey basement in a 19-storey development in central London, utilizing top-down construction with plunge columns installed before excavation. As the excavation progressed, the floors were constructed and served as the propping system for the perimeter diaphragm walls.

The challenge arose with the core construction, which was on the critical path of the construction schedule. The original plan required waiting until the basement excavation was complete before starting the pile cap construction at the bottom.

To address this, we developed a transfer structure at the B1 level, allowing the core construction to begin while excavation was still at the B1 level. This strategy resulted in significant program savings and justified the £1 million investment in the steel frame.

Plan view of the tranfer structure

3d Model of the temporary tranfer System

The core system was designed as two shafts coupled by spandrel beams at all levels.

In this approach, the two cores needed to be analyzed as uncoupled during construction, with the transfer steel structure introducing significant deformations. To address this, we implemented complex calculations, incorporating P-Delta analysis and the nonlinear behavior of the support system.

Core elevations