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Estimated Duration for High Rise Buildings

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PRABHATH PREMASURIYA
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First of all Hello to Everybody!
Can anybody suggest a calculation method or formula to calculate estimated duration for a high rise building project?
Variables should be
A. Type of construction (i.e. Steel structure, Concrete Structure or Composite Structure)
B. Length and Width of the Building (Area of foot print)
C. No of Levels / Floors
D. Type of foundation ( Piles, Raft, Combined)
Normally we will cosider typical floor duration and multiply by number of floors plus the duration for tailed activities (finishes).

Replies

Vishwas Bindigana...
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I don't know if it is a good practise to estimate the construction duration based on the built-up (floor) areas; but, based on my experience and observations I think the "thumb rule" one can use to estimate construction duration is say ~ 120-150 Sqm per working day. This is for normal, cast-in-situ construction, without any complicated logistics. if the construction is precast, the rate increase to upto 250 Sqm / day.

 

Look forward to other planners' views / inputs.

 

Cheers

sandesh snv
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Floor Installation [link removed by moderator]

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Sandeep M
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The formwork I am suggesting is temporary. For the cores we normally use either slipforming or tylor made systems from reputed formwork manufacturer. For areas other then the cores,Table from work has proven to be the fastest method.
Philip Jonker
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What are you suggesting, permanent formwork or temporary
Sandeep M
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I do not see anyone taking into consideration the formwork system used for Highrise building construction. To my knowledge this is the most important aspect for the floor turnaround time. All high rise have a central core and the areas away from the core. If you have a efficient core formwork system and table formwork for the remaining areas then one can achive phenomial turnaround times per floor.
Alex Wong
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Dear All

I think if we excluding the short cut methodology "building in a unsecure platform..." - there are other possible way to reduce your construction time in a highrise.

Thats why planner is so important, we are the one who need to think innovative and learn from the past and other. Yes I agree not to take short cut. But there are ways that others a doing without causing injuries.

Precast structure, transportable supporting structure & platform, splite the construction site by area. ...

We have to keep ourself up to day with the modern construction methodology and open minded with new concepts.

To my knowledge, in Hong Kong they can finish a floor typical in a week in a single shift.(6 days/week)

I know that it is very efficient in Hong Kong for building Highrise, imagin over 50% of the pollpulation is living in higher than 10th floor. Can some Hong Kong Planner share their experiences.

Cheers

Alex
Philip Jonker
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As a matter of interest ALALALA, had some problem with your name. If you have a vague understanding about concrete, there is very different practices in curing techniques, you can get concrete up to strenght within hours, if you understand the science behind it. A planners job is also keeping up with technology, to know the best method /engineering practise available.
Philip Jonker
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Well said Jaco,

The last thing we need is cowboy planners, that does not take the safety considurations into mind when they plan. There is a lot of loose cannons around, that plan a do not have consideration for humans, however it is all our job to help in the field of safety
ALALASUNDARAM RAV...
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Hi
I would like to highlight on curing.

There are some tested products namely "curing compounds" which will help the concrete to cure faster.

The important thing is the level of supervision which must ensure that correct dosage of curing compound is added with concrete.

Also the tests must be done sincerely.

Regards
Ravi
Anand Kulkarni
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Yes Jaco,

We all agree that safety is culative responsibility & not any individuals area of concern.

And as a planners we should play our role.

Logistic plan should highlight all the possible hurdles & hazards of the project with agreed approach to it.





Jaco Stadler
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Hi Anand

I Tend to agree a bit but the planner needs to keep safety in mind when scheduling the plan. Even if he just uses the basics.

Example concrete Curing (No Gues work required all you need to do is have a look at the design and find out what the curing time is before it can take the load easaly available at the concrete instutue) / One on top of the other etc.

I Know we tend sometime to blame the "workers" but they only do what they are told.

Wall Colapsing has nothing to do with PPE or workers attitude.

Below some of the incidents in the last 6 months in the UAE.

In the first incident at Dubai Health Care City (DHCC), an Indian worker was believed to have been working underneath an unsupported concrete retaining wall at a Bauer site, when part of it collapsed, crushing him to death.

In the second incident which took place at Dubai Media City (DMC), another worker was also killed by a collapsing wall.


2004-09-28 01:19


A wall collapsed at an airport construction site Monday, killing more than eight workers and injuring many more, a contractor said.


Workers at Dubai airport said they saw up to 40 casualties being taking away, but the toll could not be immediately confirmed. The airport issued a lower casualty toll, saying in a statement that five workers were killed and 12 were injured. It did not give the extent of the injuries

Keep on planning safe
Raj Maurya
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My reply is not on estimated duration but on safety. It is always better to put the line items of HSE in your plan and show how you are going to take care of safety training etc. Accidents are not only due to workers attitude towards work, might be due ignorance or unawreness of safety measures. As Joco said you can’t reduce the time half way working in double shift (due to curing tuime)but yes you could reduce the some time.
Anand Kulkarni
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Good morning Jaco,

Yes agreed in todays fast track & complex projects role of all the department has become critical.

But durations are based on footprint of previous travellers & some guess work!

As far as safety aspect is concerned on any project it is prime duty of the organization to provide safe environment not only to workers but staff, visitors & neighborhood also.

And as far as accidents are concerned they cause due to more of workers attitude,faulty PPE,work place hazard etc. rather than the tight schedules.

Yes the site logistic plan should cover all these kind aspect in anticipation.

After a successful project is good team work only.


Jaco Stadler
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Good morning all I see you all are saying that you can cut the time down by half if you work two shifts. Tell me does concrete cure faster if if you work two shift. It is one thing to build a tower fast it is another thing to build it fast and safe.

The major Item is the curing time of concrete. I know in Dubai the results seem fast but are all these results true.

In the construction enviroment you must alway’s think about safe planning as well. Remember if somebody gets hurt and it is because your schedule is to tight you are guilty.

Cheers
Anand Kulkarni
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Hi waseem,

Completly agree with you, here also cycle time is 4-5 days provided working is allowed in 2 shifts & achieved also.

But now a days due to court orders, no noise making activity is allowed after 19:00 hrs.

which puts lot of restrictions on working.

Waseem Saber
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Hi,

to continue from anand, i would like to add, presently the towers are constructed at a good pace these days in the middle east and the experienced contractors have developed their own cycles for the typical floors construction and at times the cycles have been reduced to 5 day cycle to achieve the completion date,for projects 40 storey or more the duration alloted is 24 months and therefore effort should be made to make sure atleast 4-5 floors are added everymonth, don’t forget this is achievable only when we can make 2 day out of 1 day (i,e 2 or 3 shifts/day) and since it is presume the resource is not the constraints for this type of jobs.

hope this helps

cheers
Anand Kulkarni
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Hi Prabhat,

I’m involved here in 60 storey twin towers with first 9 levels for parking with external podium.

But only thing is our consultancy moved in after quite some floors & now structure is on hold due to many issues.

Cycle time for slab works out to 8 days for 625 sq.mtrs.
The cycle time is based totally on resources such cranes, placer boom,conc.pump etc. and the logistics of site.

As a thumb rule in high rise buildings the services takes around 150 days more & finishes around 200 days more than RCC time (exculding the foundation time).

hope this adds value.