LONDON, UK (Smartgeometry 2013), Apr 20, 2013 - Civil engineering firms work on the grandest scale. pushing back the sea,
building dams, bridges, highways. Tristram Carfrae, structural engineer,
director and Arup Fellow and keynote at Smart Geometry 2013, is used to overcoming the
vast forces of nature. Carfrae and his firm, Arup, have built many big projects, including tall
buildings, bridges, the Birds Nest Stadium and the Water Cube for the Beijing
2008 Olympic and plenty more. He is accustomed to moving heaven and earth. But
when came up against a frog, he had to back down.
The diminutive green and golden bell frog (litoria aure) was endangered, and lived where Arup was digging for bridge.
The Kurilpa Bridge in Brisbane, Australia. (picture courtesy of Arup)
The distinguished and accomplished Carfrae admits to being "out of phase"
here at Smartgeometry, where a decidely more youthful crowd forms clusters to build structures
which can resemble modern art and playful experiments without immediate practical
application. But Carfrae’s use of digital tools are lesson to all, especially in
simulation. He is able to combine aesthetics with the practical… and deliver
results.
One of his creations is in Brisbane, Australia, a cable-stayed bridge like no
other, is as likely to invite criticism as it is praise. “I love that it has a
polarizing effect,” says says Carfrae. What might appear as a random jumble of
rods actually is. A spreadsheet produced random numbers which determined the length of each supporting rod. All in one shot. "We liked it, and left it alone.”
The Helix Bridge, Singapore (image courtesy of Arup)
But Carfrae really let the computers hammer away
during the digital simulation of a high rise office building that employed
twisted columns. It took millions of iterations to get the columns to twist yet
still be able to sustain wind and structural loads. The tower was grown one
floor at a time, each time satisfying structural criteria, until all floors were
created. After 20 towers were declared okay by the computer, the final design
selection was based on aesthetics – by humans.
But it was another aquatic creature that almost stymied Carfrae once again.
This time, fish. He was pitching a bridge in Singapore. The design was inspired
by a Malaysian fish net. A local touch sure to be appreciated, right?
“Mr. Carefrae, what makes you think Singaporeans would like to get to get
caught in your net?,” he was asked. He was also getting vibes that Singaporeans
and Malays were not exactly friends. It seems that Singapore, a city state of 5
million, maybe be the most modern of Asian cities, was cautious of its more
backward neighbors. in fact, the bridge was over a body of fresh water source, meant to reduce
Singapore reliance on Malaysia.
Changing gears, Arup looked into a spiral construction. But a single spiral
is not structural, something easily observable when a Slinky droops as its ends
are held apart. But combine that with an opposing Slinky and connect them?
Bentley BIM, in conjunction with Geometric Components (GC), allowed Carfrae to
analyze various possibilities, including repetitive components with the spirals.
GC was key in the modeling of the complex details before finalizing the overall
geometry. Flexible modeling technology within GC enabled Arup to update the
geometry in minutes rather than hours, including options they could not have
imagined.
But the maintenance cost would go way up, unless the bridge was built with
stainless steel.
“What would that add to the project?," the customer wanted to know.
“$15 million.”
The Singaporeans didn’t blink. They were already in love with the design. The double helix would link Singapore forever to biotechnology, a business they were chasing, and one with a ridiculously high economic potential. Singapore was already in love with the design. The double helix would link Singapore forever to biotechnology, a business they were chasing, and one with a ridiculously high economic potential.
Arup got the job, now worth $45 million.
For more information
Tristram Carfrae - a Retrospective
building dams, bridges, highways. Tristram Carfrae, structural engineer,
director and Arup Fellow and keynote at Smart Geometry 2013, is used to overcoming the
vast forces of nature. Carfrae and his firm, Arup, have built many big projects, including tall
buildings, bridges, the Birds Nest Stadium and the Water Cube for the Beijing
2008 Olympic and plenty more. He is accustomed to moving heaven and earth. But
when came up against a frog, he had to back down.
The diminutive green and golden bell frog (litoria aure) was endangered, and lived where Arup was digging for bridge.
The Kurilpa Bridge in Brisbane, Australia. (picture courtesy of Arup)
The distinguished and accomplished Carfrae admits to being "out of phase"
here at Smartgeometry, where a decidely more youthful crowd forms clusters to build structures
which can resemble modern art and playful experiments without immediate practical
application. But Carfrae’s use of digital tools are lesson to all, especially in
simulation. He is able to combine aesthetics with the practical… and deliver
results.
One of his creations is in Brisbane, Australia, a cable-stayed bridge like no
other, is as likely to invite criticism as it is praise. “I love that it has a
polarizing effect,” says says Carfrae. What might appear as a random jumble of
rods actually is. A spreadsheet produced random numbers which determined the length of each supporting rod. All in one shot. "We liked it, and left it alone.”
The Helix Bridge, Singapore (image courtesy of Arup)
But Carfrae really let the computers hammer away
during the digital simulation of a high rise office building that employed
twisted columns. It took millions of iterations to get the columns to twist yet
still be able to sustain wind and structural loads. The tower was grown one
floor at a time, each time satisfying structural criteria, until all floors were
created. After 20 towers were declared okay by the computer, the final design
selection was based on aesthetics – by humans.
But it was another aquatic creature that almost stymied Carfrae once again.
This time, fish. He was pitching a bridge in Singapore. The design was inspired
by a Malaysian fish net. A local touch sure to be appreciated, right?
“Mr. Carefrae, what makes you think Singaporeans would like to get to get
caught in your net?,” he was asked. He was also getting vibes that Singaporeans
and Malays were not exactly friends. It seems that Singapore, a city state of 5
million, maybe be the most modern of Asian cities, was cautious of its more
backward neighbors. in fact, the bridge was over a body of fresh water source, meant to reduce
Singapore reliance on Malaysia.
Changing gears, Arup looked into a spiral construction. But a single spiral
is not structural, something easily observable when a Slinky droops as its ends
are held apart. But combine that with an opposing Slinky and connect them?
Bentley BIM, in conjunction with Geometric Components (GC), allowed Carfrae to
analyze various possibilities, including repetitive components with the spirals.
GC was key in the modeling of the complex details before finalizing the overall
geometry. Flexible modeling technology within GC enabled Arup to update the
geometry in minutes rather than hours, including options they could not have
imagined.
But the maintenance cost would go way up, unless the bridge was built with
stainless steel.
“What would that add to the project?," the customer wanted to know.
“$15 million.”
The Singaporeans didn’t blink. They were already in love with the design. The double helix would link Singapore forever to biotechnology, a business they were chasing, and one with a ridiculously high economic potential. Singapore was already in love with the design. The double helix would link Singapore forever to biotechnology, a business they were chasing, and one with a ridiculously high economic potential.
Arup got the job, now worth $45 million.
For more information
Tristram Carfrae - a Retrospective
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