concrete level, resulting in a significant hydrostatic pressure. Several design considerations had to be adopted, which included:
• designing the raft for both upward and downwards loading;
• designing for specific crack width to limit water ingress;
• using special watertight concrete;
• the adoption of special reinforcement detailing;
• watertight ferrule holes used during the construction.
The pour sequence had to be coordinated with the contractor to reduce the slab restraints as much as possible.
Designing office, retail or residential structures above parking structures does result in various structural and architectural challenges- this project was no different. The configuration of the parking and driveway circulation in the basements presented a unique challenge with regards to the lateral stability of the central office tower. The driveway is situated directly below both of the central tower’ s lateral stability shear walls. A full-height transfer wall had to be introduced between the parking 1 and ground floor slab in order to transfer gravity and lateral loads to the piled foundations.
A series of strut-and-tie models were developed for the various load conditions, i. e. gravity and lateral loads in both directions, which were used to design the transfer wall on P1. The transfer wall considered several structural design criteria, such as designing the wall for cracks under serviceability loads( including wind loads), designing the wall for over-strength under seismic loads and of course designing the wall for all ultimate limit state load conditions.
The high strut forces in the model required special reinforcement detailing. To accommodate these forces an inclined internal column was detailed within the transfer wall’ s vertical and horizontal reinforcement. The installation of this rebar was closely coordinated with the contractor as this was a critical piece of reinforcement.
Conclusion With sustainability, efficiency and inclusivity at its core, Amazon’ s Cape Town campus is more than a corporate office- it is a destination that fosters innovation, connection and environmental responsibility.
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