Design and analysis of skywalk in aluminium

Abstract

During 2012 Aker Solutions will build new buildings in Stavanger. The buildings will be placed in Jåttåvågen and be completed towards the end of 2012. Two of the buildings will be linked together by a skywalk on the second floor. The alternatives have been to design a skywalk made of steel or use aluminium to utilize the positive characteristics of aluminium. Aluminium has been used.

The main focus of this thesis is to design and analyze a skywalk between two buildings and get an understanding of aluminium as a structural material.

The skywalk is modelled and analyzed using STAAD Pro v8i and the maximum utilization ratios for the ultimate limit state are listed below:

Beam members: 0.707 Local check joints: 0.956

The skywalk has sufficient capacity in the ultimate limit state.

Aluminium has a low modulus of elasticity and instability or the feeling of instability may be a problem. The skywalk is checked for displacement in serviceability limit state.

Maximum deflection: 20.320 mm

Neither the horizontal nor the vertical displacement will make the skywalk feel instable. However, the displacement of the glass facades may be too high and should be further checked.

Aluminium has a great future as a structural material, especially when weight or corrosion is a problem. For the skywalk neither weight nor corrosion is a problem and the method of jointing the structure with casted joints will be expensive. It is fully possible to design the skywalk in aluminium but steel would be a more natural choice and probably less expensive.