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Transactions on Engineering and Computing Sciences - Vol. 12, No. 2
Publication Date: April 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/tecs.122.16501.
Wong, S., Heng, K. H., Maey, L. G. M., & Tan, T. H. (2024). Case Study: The Use of Concrete Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric
Construction (Ppvc) For the World Tallest Two Blocks of 56-Storey Residential Towers in Singapore. Transactions on Engineering
and Computing Sciences, 12(2). 174-194.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Case Study: The Use of Concrete Prefabricated Prefinished
Volumetric Construction (Ppvc) For the World Tallest Two
Blocks of 56-Storey Residential Towers in Singapore
Wong, Seng
TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd
Heng, Kim Huat
TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd
Maey, Leow Geok Mui
TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd
Tan, Teng Hooi
Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)
ABSTRACT
In an effort to minimize dependence on foreign labor and enhance productivity in
the construction sector, Singapore's building industry is urged to adopt the Design
for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) approach, which shifts a significant
portion of construction activities to an off-site, controlled manufacturing setting.
The Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (PPVC) method, a notable
example of such technology, markedly reduces the need for on-site labor and
accelerates construction processes. This paper discusses the pioneering use of a
patented reinforced concrete composite structural wall system in erecting two 56-
story residential towers, featuring an innovative approach where adjacent PPVC
modules are connected by self-levelling concrete, resulting in a robust combined
wall system. Through prototype testing, including compression and shear tests, the
effectiveness of this system under various stresses was confirmed, making this
development a landmark in the use of reinforced concrete modular construction for
high-rise residential buildings. The project saw the final PPVC module installed in
January 2022, leading to a Temporary Occupation Permit by March 2023.
Keywords: prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction, reinforced concrete
composite structural wall system.
INTRODUCTION
The Avenue South Residence (Fig. 1) is a residential high-rise development at Silat Avenue (Fig.
2), Singapore. It is developed by United Venture Development (SILAT) Pte Ltd, a joint venture
of UOL Group Ltd, United Industrial Corporation (UIC) and Kheng Leong Co Pte Ltd. The project
comprises two tower blocks of 56-storey apartments with ancillary landscape, a swimming
pool and communal facilities at ground level. A multi-storey car park is included with a
basement level linking the two towers. In total, there are 505 residential units in the
development.
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Wong, S., Heng, K. H., Maey, L. G. M., & Tan, T. H. (2024). Case Study: The Use of Concrete Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (Ppvc)
For the World Tallest Two Blocks of 56-Storey Residential Towers in Singapore. Transactions on Engineering and Computing Sciences, 12(2). 174-194.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/tecs.122.16501
Fig. 1: Project Perspective
Fig. 2: Site Location Plan
To further enhance construction productivity, the Singapore Urban Redevelopment Authority
(URA) encourages the building industry consultants and builders to construct higher-level
building using Prefabricated Prefinished
Volumetric Construction (PPVC) technology, which is an advanced and highly productive
construction methodology that speeds up construction works significantly.
The Avenue South Residence has adopted the reinforced concrete PPVC system for the two
tower residential blocks in accordance with the requirements outlined in the Singapore
Building Construction Authority (BCA)’s Code of Practice on Buildability 2015 [2]. Design of the
reinforced concrete PPVC modular system was undertaken by the Civil & Structural consultant,
M/s TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd.
With support from BCA and working in tandem with the builder, TW-Asia Consultants Pte Ltd
has pioneered the design of the reinforced concrete PPVC technology using its patented
Composite Structural Wall system under the European Patent no. EP3263795 entitled
“Composite Structural Wall and Method of Construction Thereof”. It was through research,
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Transactions on Engineering and Computing Sciences (TECS) Vol 12, Issue 2, April - 2024
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
testing and continual development that this unique structural wall system was devised as the
key technical component for the PPVC system.
The Avenue South Residence is the tallest building project in the world adopting the reinforced
concrete PPVC modular system when its last module was installed in January 2022. Some
salient project data and records are shown in Table 1 and 2 below:
Table 1: Project Data
Site area 22,851.60m2
Proposed GFA (including bonus balcony & PES GFA): y 92,876m2
Proposed gross plot ration (including bonus balcony & PES GFA): 3.70
No. of tower block 2
Total no. of storeys 56
Proposed building height(m) AMSL: 200m
Typical storey heigh: 3.15m
Total no. of residential unit: 988
Project contract period: 36 months
Contract commencement date: 16 August 2018
Project TOP (Phase 1 – tower blocks/podium/E-deck) 27 Mar 2023
Table 2: Project Timelines and Records
Piling commencement Jan 2019
PPVC module installation commencement Feb 2020
Covid-19 lockdown April – July 2020
Tower 1 PPVC completion of module installation 27 Nov 2021
Tower 2 PPVC completion of module installation 11 Jan 2022
PPVC installation duration 18 months
Floor cycle 8.4 days (average)
Total PPVC modules 3,034
Module weight 30+ tonnes
Safety Record 750,000-man hours
ARCHITECTURAL CONSTRAINTS
As part of the planning design requirement, pocket sky gardens and a refuge floor (Fig. 3a & 3b)
are required to be provided in the two towers as follows:
• 16 nos. of pocket gardens at different levels of the towers
• Refuge floor at 36th storey of the towers
These constraints have resulted in the discontinuity of PPVC module adoption at these
floors/areas. Consequently, this has impacted the construction efficiency & productivity as
these affected areas are constructed in conventional in-situ methods which are more labour
intensive.
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Wong, S., Heng, K. H., Maey, L. G. M., & Tan, T. H. (2024). Case Study: The Use of Concrete Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (Ppvc)
For the World Tallest Two Blocks of 56-Storey Residential Towers in Singapore. Transactions on Engineering and Computing Sciences, 12(2). 174-194.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/tecs.122.16501
Fig. 3a: Pocket gardens and refuge floor
Fig. 3b: Close-up view of pocket gardens
STRUCTURAL SYSTEM
The structure primarily consists of two 56-story towers, featuring two basement levels and a
two-story car park podium, grounded on bored pile foundations. The substructure uses a pile
raft for the lower basement, while upper levels incorporate a flat slab design. The third story
uniquely employs a beam slab construction. For the tower blocks, a reinforced concrete (RC)
PPVC modular approach covers at least 65% of the floor space, adhering to BCA’s Buildability
standards. The remaining areas, chiefly corridors, use traditional precast or in-situ RC beams
and slabs, ensuring structural integrity by distributing lateral forces to the core. walls.
PPVC SYSTEM
PPVC Module – Weight Constraint
The composite shear walls have a total thickness of 300mm, enhancing the building's ability to
withstand lateral forces like wind and notional loads by providing necessary stiffness. To
facilitate easier handling and transport, the walls of each module are designed to be 100mm
thick. A 100mm space between the walls of adjoining modules is then filled with self-levelling
Refuge floor at 36th
storey
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concrete directly at the construction site to achieve the desired stability and structural
integrity.
PPVC Modularisation
The dimensions of PPVC modules are determined by local transport limitations and the lifting
capacity of construction cranes. To comply with road transport regulations and eliminate the
need for police escorts, modules are designed to fit within a 3.4m wide transport vehicle. Height
restrictions are also considered to ensure modules can safely pass under bridges and gantries
with a 4.5m clearance. Effective site management is crucial for the delivery, storage, and
installation processes. For optimal efficiency, PPVC modules should be rectangular, with
uniform wall thicknesses and aligned walls. The Avenue South Residence project utilized 3034
PPVC modules across its two towers.
Fig. 4: Tower 1 & 2 PPVC Modularization Plan
PPVC Concrete Carcass Components
A typical PPVC concrete carcass (Fig. 5a & 5b) comprises two structural shear walls, a floor slab,
a non-structural ceiling slab and non-structural end wall with window opening. The M&E
services conduits and pipes are embedded in the floor slab, ceiling slab and walls of the module.
Fig. 5a: Typical PPVC concrete carcass
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Wong, S., Heng, K. H., Maey, L. G. M., & Tan, T. H. (2024). Case Study: The Use of Concrete Prefabricated Prefinished Volumetric Construction (Ppvc)
For the World Tallest Two Blocks of 56-Storey Residential Towers in Singapore. Transactions on Engineering and Computing Sciences, 12(2). 174-194.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/tecs.122.16501
Fig. 5b: Typical PPVC module floor plan
Floor Slab
The reinforced concrete (RC) floor slab extends to the walls of the module, acting as a horizontal
diaphragm. This structure is crucial for transferring lateral forces to the core walls of the lifts
and staircases, ensuring stability against movements such as wind or seismic activity.
Ceiling Slab
The ceiling slab serves a non-structural role, enhancing the module's stiffness and providing
support to the walls during transport and installation. Additionally, it functions as a platform
for workers during the assembly of the module.
RC Walls
The structural reinforced concrete (RC) walls are strategically positioned along the longer sides
of the modules, tasked with supporting both the ceiling and floor slabs.
Upon installation, these walls are linked with those of neighbouring modules through
reinforcements set in self-levelling concrete at the joints, creating a unified composite
structural wall. This integrated wall system is engineered to function cohesively under both
compression and bending forces, making every module wall an essential component of the
building's overall lateral force resistance mechanism.
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Fig. 6: Composite shear wall system
Horizontal Floor Diaphragm
Horizontal floor diaphragm action is achieved by connecting the adjoining PPVC modules’ walls
and slabs together with in-situ concrete & reinforcement. The linking modules are connected
to the in-situ floor slabs and lift/storey shelter core walls with adequate reinforcement
anchorage.
Module Typical Connection Details
Vertical and horizontal ties are provided across adjoining modules. Typical connection details
of PPVC modules are shown in Fig. 7a & 7b below:
Fig. 7a: Floor slab connection between modules
Fig. 7b: Module floor slab connection to in-situ slab