BWB Consulting - Integrated Engineering and Environmental Consultants
The Newarke Building
De Montfort University in Leicester
Services:
- Geotechnical
- Environmental
- Drainage Engineering
- Due Diligence
- Urban Regeneration
- Civil Engineering
- Structural Engineering
Sectors:
BWB were appointed by the Design & Build Contractor William Davis to provide a comprehensive environmental and structural service for a new student scheme in Leicester for De Montfort University.
The project consisted of two 9 storey high student accommodation blocks on a city centre site in the centre of Leicester. The site was tight, bounded by a public highway, Newarke Close, on one side, existing building of two other sides and the canalised River Soar on the remaining boundary.
Remediation of contaminated ground was carried out in a localised area due to leakage from above ground tanks.
During the piling works the archeological survey was also carried out. A buried roman wall was located cutting across one of the building. This had to be retained and so the sub structure was redesigned to bridge this roman artifact. The bridging structure had to span approx 10m and had to support the 9 storey frame above.
Due to the proximity of a high voltage electric cable that runs along the side of the river the piling for the smaller block had to be carefully positioned to avoid the cable.
The superstructure consisted of a steel frame and to save on the height of the building the floor construction consisted of precast concrete planks spanning onto fabricated slimfloor beams. This construction saved approx 400mm for each floor. To provide a cost effective walling system the construction consisted of the outer skin which comprised of either brick, rendered block or composite panels with the inner skin being an insulated timber stud wall system. This allowed the building to become water tight early in the programme to allow the first fix items to proceed with the external cladding being off the critical path. This is also saved time on the overall build programme.
The penthouse was constructed as a timber framed structure placed on top of the precast roof slab.
