MLPL3 project: this multi-storey parking lot in Pune (India) is a multi-purpose building.
The complexity of this project, from design to construction of this multi-functional multi-storey parking lot, was absolutely unprecedented. The complex geometry of the project area and the profile of the terrain were two major challenges for the team. Added to this were the inclined grids and the multiple use of the building, which required special layouts on each floor.
"By using precast concrete elements, we enter the world of production and assembly virtually and in advance. To do this, we need design tools that are sufficiently powerful to generate precise calculations and drawings of the elements, their geometries, connections, reinforcing bars, anchoring elements, and so on.
In the case of the MLPL3 project, which was of unprecedented complexity, the various parties involved, well aware of the difficulties likely to be encountered in their respective disciplines, all agreed that 2D design software like AutoCAD would not suffice and that our only option, if we wanted to make this project a reality and a success, was to use Tekla, the BIM software with its 3D digital model."
Mr. Kapilesh Bhate, Managing Director, Precast India Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd.
Company profile: Precast India Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd.ompany
Precast India Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd (PIIPL) - an initiative of Bhate Raje Construction Company Pvt. Ltd. - has forged a solid reputation in the Indian industrial sector, where the company is recognized as one of the most reliable for construction projects in the field of IT and industrial applications, as well as commercial complexes.
Founded in 2010, it is based in Wade Bolhai, a suburb of Pune in the federal state of Maharashtra. PIIPL's huge, single plant produces a full range of reinforced and prestressed concrete elements, from small parapets and railings to large-format wall panels with lengths of 16 to 20 m. With an automated reinforcing steel cutting and bending line, a versatile production fleet and an independent assembly department equipped with a slewing tower crane and a very high-capacity overhead crane, PIIPL has established itself as a major player in the Indian concrete industry.
The superstructure was built entirely of precast reinforced concrete and designed to withstand dynamic traffic loads
A multi-purpose concrete tower for Infosys
The multi-storey parking lot built for Infosys on the outskirts of Pune is a multi-purpose building designed for multiple uses. It includes seven levels of parking for two-wheelers, an underground water tank with a capacity of 5,667,000 liters, two floors with restaurants, and an adjoining bridge to exit the parking lot. The project also involved external development work: premises for gas reserves, a tech- nical area with safety cabin, various access doors, etc. In all, some 18,000 mÂł of concrete and 1,614 tonnes of steel were used.
The superstructure was built entirely in precast reinforced concrete and designed to withstand dynamic traffic loads. The project included a wide variety of prefabricated concrete elements: retaining walls and braced structures, columns, honeycomb floor slabs, TT floors and solid slabs, prestressed and non-prestressed beams, non-load-bearing walls, and more.
Tekla made modeling and designing the concrete elements child's play.
A complex structure that defies the laws of geometry
The PIIPL team was faced with a number of challenges in both the design and construction of this multi-storey parking lot. The two major problems were the geometry of the project area and the profile of the terrain. In addition, the inclined grids and special fittings on each floor of the building, depending on its intended use, also proved to be relatively complex. Pre-stressed beams and honeycomb floor slabs up to 12 metres long were used to reduce the number of columns required. Nor was the design of the columns easy, as the supporting beams were not orthogonal to each other.
After the structural calculations and dimensioning phase, the second challenge was to carry out the work and complete the project on schedule. Over 6,500 prefabricated elements had to be produced, transported and assembled on site in just 10 months. The client had to complete the structural work within the agreed timeframe, and defects or too-frequent repairs would have caused delays that would have been impossible to make up. Other peculiarities of the project included height differences, retaining walls at the edge of the site, integration of the underground water reservoir, level differences between the restaurant and parking areas, various ramps, but also the integration of sleeves, splitting of elements due to weight constraints, and finally the slope of the terraces, which influenced the length and height of the elements.
Over 6,500 reinforced concrete elements were manufactured in the factory, transported to the site and assembled in around 10 months.
Architects, structural engineers and developers were able to work simultaneously on a single 3D model, generate consistent 2D and 3D drawings, create analyses and reports, and much more.
The solution: the most versatile and powerful BIM software for prefabrication
With Tekla Structures, the PIIPL team was able to manufacture a large number of concrete elements with complex geometries, integrate building services equipment (MEP) and much more - all within an efficient collaboration, without any difficulties and on schedule.
For the on-site assembly work, Tekla software made it possible to overcome the many technical challenges inherent in the project and to reap certain benefits, which are as follows:
transparent, multi-disciplinary collaboration based on a common digital model: this Tekla 3D model was used throughout the project by the architects, engineers and design office, who were able to generate 2D plans, create models, carry out analyses and simulations, and so on. On this interactive 3D model provided by Tekla software, all necessary modifications could be made in real time by the various parties involved, who could easily access and analyze the data, wherever they happened to be at the time.
Thanks to the parametric objects available at all times in the Tekla Warehouse, the PIIPL team could modify the digital model according to design requirements, and visualize the consequences of these modifications.
Provision of all construction data in an ultra-precise 3D model: given the extreme complexity of the MLPL3 project, the use of a common 3D model containing all relevant information was the only way to ensure an efficient workflow. Tekla made modeling and specifying the concrete elements very easy. The software was able to convert all the 2D plans and quantity surveys produced by the architects and structural engineers into a 3D digital model containing all the technical specifications and ultra-precise levels of detail and development (LOD, Level of Development). For example, in the bar bending schedule (BBS), Tekla delivers the exact dimensions of the reinforcing bars in the elements.
Rapid identification of a particular section of the 3D model thanks to the Floor Plan tool, a very useful Tekla function that made a real difference to the project team: on the one hand, this tool considerably simplified the positioning of prestressed concrete floors, and on the other, it enabled the rapid generation of production plans by cloning 2D plans. This made it possible to design, develop and visualize specific sections for the entire virtual model.
Simple task automation thanks to custom-made parametric objects: the models available in the Tekla Warehouse enabled the PIIPL team to modify the virtual model according to design and development requirements. Normally, modeling reinforcement is a complex and time-consuming task, but this feature enables several tasks to be automated, improving the efficiency of the entire team. As a result, the design and specification stages of the project were rapidly completed, enabling specific sections to be identified on each floor of the 3D model.
Tekla: easy design of prefabricated concrete structures
Tekla proved to be extremely useful in many respects throughout the project lifecycle, including the automatic generation of 2D production drawings, the creation of reinforcing steel bending drawings, dimensioning plans and so on. This modern BIM software supported the entire project, from the design of the buildings and infrastructure, through factory production and on-site construction, to operation and maintenance.
Thanks to standardized tools for designing parametric objects, generating 2D drawings and managing information from a single 3D virtual model, it enabled the team to identify and eliminate design errors and potential conflicts at the design stage, rather than at the factory or on site. This saved an enormous amount of time and reduced construction costs, as subsequent rework was avoided and material requirements could be better planned.
Last but not least, various small tools, such as the creation of floor plans and staircase components, proved very useful and further enhanced the team's productivity.
"Of course, at first, new team members had to familiarize themselves with this virtual platform and the digital mock-up, but the tutorials available and the assisted self-information videos were a great help, and in the end, the return on project delivery far exceeded the initial investment."
Kapilesh Bhate, Managing Director, Precast India Infrastructures Pvt. Ltd.
This article was published in CPi Worldwide magazine #6-2021.
