INTRODUCTION

The proposed construction of the city center car park in a prime location within the
commercial area in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is a daunting task. However, this report provides
a critical evaluation of current car park space allocation and constructional issues. In the report,
various issues are assessed and feasible solutions are proposed. The efficiency and
effectiveness of various construction technologies is critically evaluated and appropriate
solutions and alternative technical methods are offered.

BUILDABILITY ASSESSMENT
The buildability of the proposed city center car park within the commercial area of Kuala
Lumpur is generally viable. Not only does the proposed city center car park solve the problem of
high demand of parking space, site conditions are also quite favorable.

The site is located in the Bukit Bintang area which is the commercial heart of the city of
Kuala Lumpur. The entire neighboring locale surrounding the site is developed, functional and
currently in use by the public. There is ample and well-connected road network in the locale of
the site.

From a mere amateur observation, the soil type of the site appears to be clay soil.
Conversely, an explicit soil study and soil tests should be carried out by soil experts to
determine the factual topography of the site. The site has a humid tropical climate with heavy
rainfall (2540 mm p.a. and above), daily temperatures of 21-32oC and humidity averaging about
85%. Additionally, the site is largely flat with little or no trees and shrubs. However there is an
existing development on the site which is to be demolished.

INTEGRATION OF EXISTING BUILDINGS

The site is surrounded by commercial shop lots, hotels and office buildings and there are
major roads around the site. The existing developments and infrastructure around the site
enables for easy integration. In addition the proposed project solves a major problem of parking
which would enable parking decongestion.
CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR FOUNDATION
The proposed city center car park needs to a have a practical and well-built foundation
so as to support the dead load of the multi-storey building itself and the live load of cars and
humans. Based on the observation of the site, current construction trends and cost, precast-
prestressed displacement pile foundation is the most suitable choice. This is because the soil on
the site has good cohesion properties and makes the displacement piles to efficiently transfer
the load. Using end bearing piles would not only cause higher cost but also insufficient seating
and damage to pile tips can be caused due to irregular and sloping bedrock surfaces.

Precast-prestressed concrete piles are most suitable for the foundation because of the
following reasons:

High load and moment carrying capacity

Standardization in design for mass production
Excellent durability under adverse environmental conditions
Crack free characteristics under handling and driving
Resistance to tensile loads due to uplift
Combined load moment capacity
Good resistance to hand-driving loads and penetration into hard strata
Piles can be lengthened by splicing
Ease of handling, transporting and driving
Overall economy in production and installation
Adaptability to countries in tropical regions.
Use of solid and hollow cross-sectional configurations to suit design requirements
Ease of connections with pile caps to form pier, trestle and jetty bents to support bridge
or wharf decks
Effective use of fender piling to resist the kinetic energy of ship impact
Particularly advantageous for deep foundations to carry heavy loads in weak soils.

Installation method
Based on this project, displacement piles are favored over replacement piles because
the soil strata of the macro-environment of the site has cavities and pockets of very loose soil
which makes boring holes somewhat dangerous. The cavities also drive up the cost of
construction because the bored cavities have to be filled with concrete to make it stable.
Considering the site conditions and cost, drop weight method of pile driving is the most feasible.
In spite of the fact that Drop weight method produces noise, the availability of skilled workers
and machinery has made the cost of the method to be relatively low.
CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR BASEMENTS
Basement construction is a very delicate and risky task. It is important that necessary
preventative measures are taken to prevent any accidents. Every stage in basement
construction poses challenges that have to be conquered by efficient and innovative
construction methods.

Perimeter trench excavation method is seen as the most suitable choice in excavating
the site for basement construction. This method of exaction is recommended due to the
following reasons:

Perimeter trench excavation uses minimal space during exaction and only the needed
trench area is excavated.
Trench support is built even before excavation which helps prevent the trench to cave in
and collapse. It is also relatively time saving.
The trench support can be used as a permanent support and soil water exclusion
method.

Due to the multi-storey super structure construction on the basement, piled basement
method of construction of the basement structure is most suitable.

The main issue that affects basement construction is ground water. Ground water in the
subsoil can cause flooding if the water table is high. During excavation works, ground water
flows into the voids created by excavation works. Even after the basement is construction is
completed, ground water causes an unacceptable humidity level. However, advancements in
technology have helped in solving these issues. During excavation for instance, diaphragm
walls built in perimeter trench excavation prevents the inflow of water to the trench void.
Furthermore, a drained cavity system of water proofing with ventilation and drainage will
effectively lower the humidity level of the basement and permanently exclude soil water from the
basements.

The most suitable material in basement construction for the city center car park project is
concrete. This is because the material is durable and strong enough to meet the challenges of a
basement. Diaphragm walls are also recommended because they do not generate a lot of noise
or affect surrounding buildings during construction. Also, car park basement construction makes
diaphragm walls economical because the finished walls will be used.

Another problem faced by basements is that of insulation. Despite the fact that basements
considerably benefit from the insulating properties of surrounding soil, it alone does not satisfy
the for the wall and floor u-values. But insulation of the walls and floor of the basements
effectively solves the problem.
CONSTRUCTION FOR STRUCTUREL FRAMES
A multi-storey car pack should have durable structural frames to transfer the enormous
load down to the foundation. Pre-cast prestressed concrete is the meets all the unique structural
needs of a multi-storey car park.

This building material is proposed because:

Relative low cost

It is fire resistant
Sound control
Energy efficient
Durable
Unlimited architectural expression
Speedy erection
Ability to erect long clear span

Prestressed precast concrete structures need s professional expertise in assembly and

erection on site. It also needs a lot of heavy machinery like cranes during erection.

CONSTRUCTION METHODS FOR WIDE SPAN ROOFING SYSTEM

Due to the high rainfall of region, an effective roofing system must be constructed
to cope with the battering of the monsoon rains. Also a good drainage should be coupled
either the roofing so as to create an efficient system to deal with rain.

In todays technologically advanced construction industry, there are many types

of wide span roofing types. However, space frame form of roofing stands out of the pack
due to its incomparable qualities. Not only is the roofing frame light weight and rigid, it is
also fire resistant and economically viable. Not to mention the rapid construction and its
potential for different and wide variety of configuration.

The most suitable wide span roof covering for this particular project is aluminum
profiled sheets. This building material is readily available in Malaysia and it is light
weight, durable, long lasting and also fire resistant. Another advantage is that aluminum
profiled sheet is that it has a good appearance and it needs minimal maintenance.
DESIGN METHODOLOGY AND USER REQUIREMENT
Most users require no more than a service that is comfortable, safe and relatively
efficient. Efficient car park design enables easy access and circulation to the user thereby
enabling a comfortable parking experience for the user. The city center car park is designed to
be a multi storey building, therefore adequate lifts and escalators are necessary to provide easy
circulation to the users. Parking structures are subjected to the heavy and shifting loads of
moving vehicles, and must bear the associated physical stresses associated with them.
Expansions are used between sections not only for thermal expansion, but to accommodate the
flexing of the structure's sections due to vehicle traffic. Also to enable ease of access, a
pedestrian bridge over jalan Pudu and jalan Imbi is recommended.

CONCLUSION
In this report, various issues are evaluated and assessed and practical solutions are
offered. Different construction technologies are considered from excavation right up to
the roofing system. This report also includes issues concerning the site itself which is
must be seriously taken if a structure is to be strong and durable. Moreover user
requirements and design methodologies are also addressed in this report. In conclusion,
the report goes to extreme lengths to provide viable and effective technologies in car
park construction and there is no doubt that this report would benefit planners and
designers in final design of the project.