Abu Dhabi (ADNEC and Guardian Towers) - Team 2

Team 2 returned to the AD_1 Project at ADNEC and discussed the minimum reinforcement needed for slabs, beams, and columns. The project manager discussed that a minimum of 0.12 % of a slab cross-section needs to be reinforced compared to 0.3 % for beams and 0.8 % for columns. We learned that post-tension slabs were preferable in this project because this design is best for larger spans. The project manager also clarified that the shoring system is secant piles with steel in between the piles. The client decided that he wanted two extra floors added to the design before including the penthouses above. We learned that although secant piles were used for excavation and shoring, tension piles were needed to attach the raft foundation to the hard strata. Dewatering was needed to account for the high water table, but could be cut off once construction reached the twelfth floor. The system could be cut off at the twelfth floor at the earliest because there would be no uplift due to the increased load of the superstructure.

After a nice lunch at the Holiday in, our group went to the Guardian towers in Abu Dhabi. The towers are located near the ADNEC building. A detailed tour was provided by Mr. Jihad, the project manager for the Guardian Towers. The towers were completed earlier this month. It was a nice to see the building in its completed stage. The finish of the multi use building was stunning. Marble and granite was used in several locations. Both polished and unpolished versions provided the building a clean and contemporary finish. The ground floor connects the two towers. A special feature of this project is that it uses an expansion joint spanning the width of the building to allow for the building’s material to expand and contract without educing failures.

After our sit tour was completed we stopped by the Sheikh Zayed mosque. The structure was large and elaborate. The clean white exterior with splashes of color throughout the detailing created an elegant atmosphere. We entered the mosque under the requirements that everyone take off their shoes and the females were robed. It was just as beautiful on the inside as it was on the exterior. It was a memorable visit and a good conclusion to our time in Abu Dhabi.