Optimisation of large concrete DfMA structures for the Nuclear Industry

拟议项目的总体目标是优化核电和其他大型建筑项目中钢筋混凝土结构的大型预装部件的制造和组装设计(DFMA)。为了将这些好处和能力带给英国的核建设供应链，并建立世界领先的能力，该项目将验证目前在英国可用的预组装结构组件的可靠性，并开发满足核环境严格设计和组装要求的新组件。该项目团队包括LaingO‘Rourke(目前是一家核电站新建建筑商)、帝国理工学院(在优化、物流和智能运输系统方面的专业知识)、ARUP(新核电站设计专业知识)和BRE(原型设计测试能力)。该项目将探索一系列建造方法的潜力，包括一系列元素尺寸和连接技术，用于核建设中的子结构和上层建筑应用。研究的主要考虑因素是此类系统和接头的结构性能、其可靠性以及相关制造和组装技术方面的创新。因此，该项目包括六个主要的子项目：1)大型地下部件的设计，2)大型上层建筑部件的设计，3)联合小规模可靠性，4)系统的可靠性评估，5)制造技术的优化和自动化，6)组装技术的优化和自动化。伦敦帝国理工学院土木工程与环境工程系将领导组装技术的优化和自动化研究。在核建设中使用预装部件为在建筑部门应用这一专门知识提供了一个重要的机会。这些技术的结合将使该行业能够重新思考和简化核电站建设和其他领域的整个设计和组装过程。帝国理工学院进行的这项研究的目的是解决处理比通常更大的建筑部件以及利用它们的预制性方面的困难。待确定的三个关键数量将是施工过程中使用的塔式起重机的数量、大小和位置，每种组合对施工现场的总体布局和组装过程的完成速度都有直接影响。由于将考虑的预组装组件的规模可能会有很大差异(重量在20至1000吨之间)，因此将考虑各种情况。将开发的优化模型和解决方案将寻求平衡总体运输和处理成本与施工速度，同时确保满足安全和其他操作约束。模型和解决方案将通过使用真实数据的模拟进行测试，并以迭代的方式向负责设计所用部件的各方提供反馈，以确保整个设计和施工过程将能够从使用预组装中获得最大好处。

The overall aim of the project proposed is to optimise the design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) of largepreassembled components for reinforced concrete construction in nuclear and other large construction projects. To bringthese benefits and capability to the UK nuclear construction supply chain, and to establish a world-leading capability, theproject will verify the reliability of preassembled structural components currently available in the UK and develop new onesthat meet the stringent design and assembly requirements of the nuclear environment. The project team includes LaingO'Rourke (a current nuclear new build constructor), Imperial College London (expertise in optimisation, logistics andintelligent transport systems), ARUP (expertise in the design of new nuclear power plants) and BRE (capability of testingprototype designs).The project will explore the potential of a number of construction approaches, consisting of a range of elemental sizes andjointing techniques, for both sub- and super-structure applications in nuclear construction. Key considerations for researchare the structural performance of such systems and joints, their reliability, and innovation with regards to associatedmanufacturing and assembly techniques. Therefore, the project consists of six main sub-projects as follows:1) Design of large underground components,2) Design of large superstructure components,3) Joint small scale reliability,4) Reliability assessment of systems,5) Optimisation and automation of manufacturing techniques and6) Optimisation and automation of assembly techniques.The Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Imperial College London will lead research in the optimisation andautomation of assembly techniques. The use of preassembled components in nuclear construction presents a significantopportunity to apply this expertise in the construction sector. The combination of these technologies will allow the industryto rethink and streamline the entire design and assembly process in nuclear plant construction and beyond.The aim of the research carried out at Imperial will be to address the difficulties in handling larger-than-usual constructioncomponents as well as taking advantage of their prefabricated nature. The three key quantities to be determined will be thenumber, size and location of tower cranes to be used in the construction process, with each combination having directconsequences on the overall layout of the construction site and the rate at which the assembly process is accomplished.As the scale of preassembled components that will be considered can vary significantly (with weights between 20 and1000t) a variety of scenarios will be considered.The optimisation models and solution approaches to be developed will seek to balance overall transport and handling costsagainst the speed of construction, while ensuring that safety and other operational constraints are satisfied. The modelsand solutions will be tested through the use of simulation informed with real data and provide feedback to the partiesresponsible for the design of the components used, in an iterative approach that will ensure that the overall design andconstruction process will be able to extract the maximum benefit from the use of preassembly.