LSAA 2011 Workshop, Conference, Public Lecture and Design Awards
Venue: Novotel Sydney Olympic Park October 12-14 2011
1.Technical Workshop
"Design of Tensioned Fabric and Shadecloth Structures"
Wednesday 12 October 2011
Further information:
2. Main Conference.
"Collaborative Design of Lightweight Structures"
Thursday and Friday 13-14 October 2011
Further information:
3. Public Lecture "Lightweight Structures" Thursday 13 Oct
Professor Mike Schlaich
Part of Conference but the Public Lecture is open to others (registration and fee required - CPD Points):
4. LSAA Design Awards
Held as part of the Conference Dinner Thursday October 13 2011
Further information:
ENTRIES CLOSE SEPTEMBER 4th 2011
The Conference and Workshop is supported by Engineers Australia
The Lightweight Structures Association of Australasia (LSAA) is a not for profit Association for members with a passion for designing, fabricating, constructing and supplying materials and components for a range of lightweight structures.
The LSAA with support from Engineers Australia is organizing an exciting Conference on Collaborative Design of Lightweight Structures. It is being held in conjunction with a preceeding Technical Workshop on the Design of Tensioned Shadecloth Structures and the LSAA 2011 Design Awards.
Typical structures of interest are shown in the pictures on the side. They are typically large clear spans over public spaces. They require a deep understanding of structural behaviour and form to create exciting 3D curved spaces where often the structure is the main load supporting system as well as the environmental barrier.
The unique characteristics of such applications - stadia, transport hubs, exhibition spaces, clear span environmental protection - requires an added degree of collaborative design input to be successful. It is also a feature of these structures that the design details are exposed, very variable in 3D geometry and visible which in turn demands an extra level of design input. There is normally specialized expertise needed for the erection or assembly of such delicate but graceful structures.
Iconic Lightweight Structures therefore will only be deemed successful if there is a truly collaborative design team that includes the end client, project managers, architects, engineers (structural and for services in particular), specialized suppliers of high tech fabrics, cables, anchorages, glazing and other components.
Many solutions - particularly those involving architectural fabrics and cable supporting systems - will be prestressed and as such skilled installers are needed and their input is critical early in the design process.
More and more, these team members will need to communicate and build up a 3D virtual structure from which all members can both visualize the details, determine stresses and erection sequencing as well as provide costings and assurances that there are no clashes when constructed. This requires the different software systems to adhere to interoperability standards to reduce errors. The current Building Information Model software concepts and various related standards for information storage are seen to be central to the efficient working of the design team and the final realization of the project. This virtual model should be capable of simulating erection and be available for ongoing asset management of the facility.
CONFERENCE PROGRAM AND CONCEPTS
The LSAA has held two day Conferences basically every two years since inception. These events have been coupled with the LSAA Design Awards which are presented at the Conference Dinner on the first night.
The Design Awards are for lightweight structures which has had a major design or fabrication component by a Company and has been constructed (completed) since the previous Awards (2 years earlier in general). In 2009 there were 28 entries in the four categories.
In every other year, the LSAA holds a smaller Symposium, Workshop or a Seminar. Plans are underway for a day Workshop in Sydney in October 2011 in conjunction with the main conference.
The LSAA Conferences have attracted some high profile Keynote Speakers (normally Architects and Engineers) talking about a range of projects or changes in the industry as a whole. In several cases we have had well known International speakers. For the 2011 Conference we have an International Keynote speaker Professor Mike Schlaich
Mike Schlaich is Professor for Structural Engineering chairing the Department of Conceptual and Structural Design at Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin). He is also the Managing Director of Schlaich Bergermann und Partner, Consulting Structural Engineers, Germany - a company responsible for numerous long span stadia roofs and bridge structures.
The nature of the presentations is generally of practical detail rather than any slant towards academic theory and involved mathematics. Conferences have been viewed as successful as we have given priority to authors who discuss projects being constructed or have recently been constructed. Many papers are given by local people who have played a major role in the design of a significant structure located overseas.
In our 2007 Conference the presentations from the architectural and engineering viewpoints of the Beijing Watercube clearly illustrated the range of collaborative design skills and software tools that help generate, visualize, analyse and optimize the iconic structure.
Again at the 2009 Conference there were several keynote speakers that discussed the design development and construction of the new Rectangular Stadium in Melbourne.
These two examples were the inspiration for the LSAA to consider the proposed topic for its 2011 Conference as "Collaborative Design in Lightweight Structures".
Last update: August 26 2011.
|
