Dubai, renowned for its iconic skyline and avant-garde architecture, stands as a beacon of innovation and engineering prowess. The construction of high-rise buildings in this dynamic city involves a meticulously orchestrated series of stages, each playing a pivotal role in ensuring structural integrity and stability.
Pile foundations: The Key of Stability
Both shallow and deep foundation stages are a crucial component in the creation of towering structures. The excavation and installation of foundations, including piles or raft slabs, are key elements in building construction. In Dubai, buildings often rest on embedded piles, ensuring stability amid the city's rapid growth. Therefore, the accurate determination of pile diameter and length emerges as a critical factor, directly shaping stability of the structure.
Pile Diameter and Length Determination: A Crucial Design Element
Recognizing the paramount importance of pile length and diameter becomes a key influencer of the structure stability in terms of settlements as well as bearing capacity of the foundation.
The meticulous process of determining both, pile length and diameter, involves site investigation and geotechnical and structural design.
This thorough undertaking based on rigorous testing and assessment, which spans several weeks to months, ensures the guarantee of structural integrity.
DAARWIN as a technology tool
The role of Daarwin as a technology tool for improving efficiency in determining pile length and diameter includes the following phases:
Phase 1. Ground investigation:
Daarwin enables the storage and analysis of geotechnical information obtained from boreholes, CPTs and Dynamic Probe tests. Consequently, an alternate dimension is unlocked, facilitating the visualization and consolidation of data to delineate the geotechnical characteristics of the ground. In this regard, original data can be inputted in various formats: PDF, AGS format or manual entry. Furthermore, Daarwin's impact extends further with its ability to digitize PDF borehole data. Using AI deep learning techniques and digital data extraction, Daarwin streamlines data accessibility and analysis, transforming traditional documentation into a dynamic digital format.
Phase 2. Pile design using Sensitivity analysis and Backanalysis with load test data: Daarwin allows to analyze static load testing and predictive models to expedite the decision-making process and contributes significantly to the safety considerations during the design stage. Hence, by calibrating and analyzing geotechnical and structural parameters based on static load testing, Daarwin aids engineers in designing pile length and diameter making choices that prioritize the safety and stability of the constructed structure.
Phase 3. Ongoing site construction control: Daarwin as a control tool during construction, plays a crucial role in enhancing safety protocols within the construction industry, controlling settlements, and bearing capacity, among others.
In essence, the integration of Daarwin's technological capability introduces an additional layer of assurance to ensure the structural integrity of high-rise buildings.
DAARWIN in Real Projects
In scenarios where Daarwin has been implemented, the tool has proven crucial in optimizing pile lengths and diameters for cost efficiency while ensuring adherence to the highest safety standards. For instance, a significant case study conducted in Dubai by Alzaylaie M. [1] exemplifies the methodology on which Daarwin is based. The author employed backanalysis and static load testing to better understand the stiffness and strength of Dubai Sandstone. A safely reduction of pile length without compromising ground and structural stability was achieved. Moreover, a collaboration with Dr. Alzaylaie using Daarwin software supported the acquisition of the results, speeding up calculations, and ensuring safety protocols, thus expediting decision-making.
In the dynamic landscape of Dubai's high-rise construction, where architectural marvels continually reshape the skyline, Daarwin emerges as a pivotal force in terms of advancing efficiency and fortifying the foundations of safety. Its seamless integration into the design and decision-making processes underscores how cutting-edge technology is an indispensable ally in achieving new realms of construction excellence, while prioritizing the safety of structures that define modern cityscapes.
[1] Alzaylaie, M. (2017). Stiffness and strength of Dubai sedimentary rock (Doctoral dissertation). Technische Universität Darmstadt.
