The
difference
We, as structural engineers, work on a wide range of projects, from residential high-rises, commercial buildings, and housing projects. Apart from new builds, we have also worked in the repair of damaged structures and the extension of existing structures.
In all these cases, just as every responsible structural engineer, we are responsible for addressing critical issues of robustness to create safe and comfortable structures. However, it's the experienced engineer with a keen eye for details and optimisation that understands the importance of creating buildable and economically efficient structures. For the astute clients, those are the engineers who can drastically outweigh the costs involved in appointing them.
₹100 Cr
Savings on the structure's cost
During the peer review of DB Crown (now Rustomji Crown), a project already under construction, we improved the lateral stability system of the towers.
We carried this out through the introduction of outriggers and belt walls as well as by optimising the core and structural walls.
This resulted in savings of over ₹100 crores.
11%
Savings on floor cost
During a project in Manjiri, Pune, containing 21 buildings of 20 storeys each, our value engineering efforts resulted in the removal of a number of internal beams by strengthening slab panels.
This resulted in sizeable savings in concrete and steel quantities, and savings in the order of 11% of floor cost.
Furthermore, this simplified formwork ensuring overall shortening to the construction program.
4.6 kg/sq.ft.
Reinforcement consumption
For a project in Mulund, Mumbai, aggressive structural core optimisation combined with shrewd slab design for a 53 storeyed tower, resulted in an extremely low reinforcement consumption of 4.6 kg/sq.ft.
For a project at Majaswadi, Mumbai, we placed emphasis on the construction technology while planning the structural system.
By pushing for standardised room widths we created the opportunity to use tunnel formwork system as the construction method.
The initial cost of using tunnel formwork was overshadowed by the cost savings in reduced material consumption and reduced costs of finishes.
Furthermore, the swift turnover and repitition of tunnel formwork enabled a higher speed of construction as well.
These methods of optimisation play significant roles in reducing costs when it can be repeated throughout the project. The perfect examples of these are when we've reduced slab thickness from 140mm to 125mm through rigorous finite element analysis and being able to repeat this over multiple floors, saving crores of rupees, or in this ₹ 1.2 Crores (18%) of floor cost. Other instances can be for mass-scale housing projects such as the one below.
Clients can look to Structural Engineers to add value to projects at every stage - concept through to detailed design, construction, operation and demolition - through their ability to provide appropriate solutions.
Hence, clients tend to achieve the greatest value by involving structural engineers at an early stage when the opportunity to explore the best available options exists. Particularly by engaging engineers who understand your ultimate goal, from creating architectural marvels to squeezing every bit from your investments.