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Virgin Voyages’ new ‘palm grove shaped’ port terminal delivered with zero quality issues

Image courtesy - Telge Projects

“The main reason to use Tekla Structures for this project was to eliminate inefficiency and create accurate models with zero quality issues. The user-friendly interface of the solution offered a smooth experience. Exporting data to other formats was easy too, enabling the project team to produce models in DWG, IFC format for coordination along with many reports and lists. In addition, using Trimble Connect, the team could share models, drawings and other documents with designers, developers and fabricators which is a great way to consolidate the information across the departments enabling them to take unitary control over all work processes.” 

Mr. PVS Ramana, Executive Vice President, Arteras Engineering.

Company overview

Arteras Engineering is a comprehensive structural steel detailing services company established by steel detailing professionals with nearly two decades of experience. Established in 2018, the company’s business model focuses on developing the structure with precision and quickness using intelligent resources such as Tekla Structures for North American fabricators.

Headquartered in Plano, Texas the company has regional offices in India. The team has experience in all type of commercial structures such as schools, office buildings, warehouses, industrial platforms, and renovated structures. The company demonstrates their commitment by providing a superior quality service that customers can expect and depend on.

Virgin Voyages’ cruise line terminal at Port Miami

Virgin Voyages’ new palm grove shaped home terminal at Port Miami is located on the northwest side of the port, just off the side of the main terminal row that caters to all the major cruise lines. The Port Miami terminal V superstructure is a 100,000 square foot terminal with two storeys and a roof. The sea port terminal’s rooftop is designed to resemble a palm tree grove with rooftop pockets that allow natural light to flow into the building by day, and lighting by night that will light up the company’s iconic Virgin Voyages red logo and allow the facility to shine bright.

 In this project, the structure of the columns resembles palm grove coconut trees, and the openings on the roof top are called skylight openings. Also, the project includes shear walls, expansion joints, the roof structure includes shims and shifts of beams to allow natural loads. Building an exterior fascia system is a well-defined design which makes the buildings more elegant.

Challenges surrounding the construction of Virgin Voyages’ new sea port terminal

  • This sea port project is a design-build project, therefore continuous co-ordination with the design team was required to develop a fully accurate model without any erection and design issues
  • Developing the complex structured curved columns like palm grove coconut trees, roof skylights, exterior fascia & moment connections played a key role. The executing team started developing these complex structures during the COVID19 pandemic induced lockdown and the job was executed remotely, demanding seamless co-ordination amongst various teams and at every step of the project.
  • Connections to the columns are complicated as the columns are curved columns
  • Fabrication of these complex structured members was another challenge

Tekla’s as built 3D modeling for complex structural detailing and seamless co-ordination

  • Tekla Structures’s 3D visualization feature allowed the project executing team to eliminate errors from low level to the higher level in all aspects like erection, feasibility, etc.
  • Apart from providing accurate connection, the team could check for fabrication and erection issues with a single click. Using Trimble Connect, the models were shared with the fabricators and other trades associated with the project regularly, which enabled project completion with zero quality issues.
  • Development of curtain wall connections was trouble free upon coordination with curtain wall manufacturer
  • Tekla provides a vast catalogue of ready to use connection macros for quick use and these connections can be further customized as per the structures requirements. This custom connection feature made the Virgin Voyage project accurate.
  • Providing connections to the columns were complicated as these columns were curved. Tekla made the drafting and the scrubbing of complicated curved columns effortless.
  •  Tekla EPM enabled us to share NC files, XML files and report to the fabricators which made the fabrication output precise and exact

“Tekla Structures is used for its most efficient, accurate, user-friendly options to feed any client detail like Canva. It can handle any number of vast jobs in the easiest way possible to achieve client’s required output. Tekla helped us execute complex structures and provide custom requirements of clients in a smoother way. Tekla can enable users to create and manage 3D structural models in concrete and steel from concept to fabrication” shares                   

Mr. Katchuta Rao, Sr. Project Manager, Arteras Engineering.