BLOCKS OF FLATS IN ROUEN, FRANCE

This residential development comprises 500 flats in 25 blocks with a total floor area of 38 500 m². The blocks, each of which is a five-storey structure without a basement, are either isolated or arranged in interconnected groups. On the ground floor there are the entrance hall and heating plant. Each upper floor comprises five flats, with three to five rooms.

The individual blocks are rectangular on plan with overall dimensions 23.70 x 19.20 m. Each block height is 14.60 m above ground level.

Two types of large prefabricated units were used for the structural steelwork: shear wall assemb­lies consisting of columns and cross-bracings, extending the full height of the building, and space frame floor units, each corresponding in size to the floor area of one flat. After con­struction of the foundations, two shear wall units in each direction of the building were erected in such positions that the floor units of the staircase could be connected to their columns. The other floor units are joined to this stiffened staircase and transmit their loads to the shear wall units, to continuous columns provided outside the cladding and to storey-height columns within the flats. Before erection, the large floor units were assembled from elements of identical size, 3.60 x 2.40m, each of which comprises a top and bottom steel mesh mat. These mats, which are 30 cm apart, are staggered half a mesh width in relation to one another in both hori­zontal directions. The joints in the top and bottom mats are interconnected diagonally by round steel bars, 8 mm dia, to form a space frame. The mats themselves consist of 10mm dia bars at 300 mm centres in both directions. Each floor element is enclosed by 300 mm deep lattice girders composed of angle sections. The elements are joined to one another by bolting these girders together. After erection in the building these edge girders, interconnected in pairs, form a girder grillage spanning between the columns. The connections to the external columns are made with the aid of brackets.

Under the columns of the shear wall units there are eight concrete-filled tubular steel piles, 22 cm dia and 7.0 m deep. The other columns have individual foundations.

Notes:

isolate v. изолировать

mesh mat арматурная сетка

Ответьте на вопросы к тексту

1. How large is this residential development?

2. What are the overall dimensions of an individual block?

3. Which prefabricated units were used for the structural steelwork?

4. Where are floor unit loads transmitted?

5. How were elements of the structure connected?

6. What do the columns bear on?