Architect and Builder Dec 2017 / Jan 2018 | Page 94

2017
STEEL AWARDS
T
he highlight of the structural steel industry calendar,
the 36th Annual Steel Awards hosted by the
Southern African Institute of Steel Construction
in partnership with Aveng Trident Steel, took place in
September in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Kwazulu
Natal concurrently. Attended by close to 900 people the
event showcased projects completed in the previous year
that demonstrated excellence in the use of structural
steel. 56 Projects were entered into this year’s awards.
Sponsors for the event were: Main - Aveng Trident Steel,
Popular Vote Feature - Macsteel, Photo Competition -
Cadex Systems SA, Tubular category - The Association
of Steel Tube and Pipe Manufacturers, Light steel frame
building category - MiTek Industries South Africa, Metal
Cladding Category - Global Roofing Solutions, Factory and
Warehouse category - Safintra, and Innovation Category
Safal Steel. Partner Sponsors - ArcelorMittal SA, BSi Steel,
NJR Steel and Stewarts and Lloyds.
OVERALL AND INNOVATION CATEGORY WINNER
BMW Rosslyn Roof Lift
Building 50, known as the assembly building at BMW
Rosslyn is about 60 years old and consisted of a low saw-
toothed profile roof supported by numerous columns at
close spacings. In 2018, BMW Rosslyn will produce the
X3 model instead of the 3-Series and the latest assembly
line technology necessitated that a 4100 m² portion of
the current B50 structure be modified. The proposed
system, H-EMS (Heavy Electric Monorail System),
comprises overhead conveyors fixed to the roof, with
height-adjustable hangers that carry the vehicles being
assembled. The roof and column structure of the existing
assembly building was inadequate for this purpose. The
H-EMS system required a higher and stronger roof
structure with fewer columns.
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The Rosslyn Plant consists of only one final assembly
line, and since the Plant is very compact and congested,
the possibility of first erecting a new building adjacent to
the existing Building 50 and thereafter demolishing the
exiting was not an option. The only option therefore was
to erect a new roof structure over the existing Building 50
whilst the assembly plant remained operational.
The solution consisted of construction of an overhead
working platform adjacent to the tower crane on the
eastern end of the building. The platform had to be
constructed slightly lower than the new roof level. The
roof structure could then be constructed on the platform,
one roof bay at time. As a parallel process, columns had
to be installed on the foundations, penetrating through the
existing roof. This work was performed over weekends,
using a self-lifting hydraulic frame to lift and place sections
of each column in ‘Lego-block’ fashion.
With a roof bay completed and the columns in place,
the roof section was launched hydraulically – like an
incremental bridge launch - and then the process could
be repeated. Once the entire roof was in its final position,
the installation of roof sheeting and vertical cladding could
commence. The interface between the old (lower) and
new (higher) roofs needed to be completed along the
full perimeter of the new roof before the old roof could
be demolished. The old roof was demolished during the
December 2016/January 2017 shutdown and the rubble
removed. Access could then be handed over to the H-EMS
contractor to suspend the new assembly line equipment
from the new roof.
While some representatives at BMW were very appre-
ciative but overwhelmed by the innovative concept that
Steel Awards