A historic Grade I building in the heart of Glasgow's financial district is being transformed into a new huge office space.

Mabey is collaborating with BAM Construction on the project, supplying its unique propping system and BIM (Building Information Modelling) services to support the development for BAM Properties and TCP Developments.

The temporary propping system will hold up the building's original and listed façade while construction takes place.

The façade was supported by an existing façade retention system on its inside face, which was replaced by Mabey's MASS 50 solution. This façade-retention system provides transitional building support on the building's outside face as construction is finalised and the permanent supports are put in place over the next year.

Alongside retaining the historic façade, BAM Properties, TCP Developments and Glasgow Council required a solution which would avoid full road closures in a busy city centre location. Mabey implemented a unique technique based on extensive previous façade propping experience, which reduced the width of the propping system, using the weight of the façade to create a seesaw arrangement and therefore avoiding the need for excessive kentledge. It has ensured one of Glasgow's main city centre one-way road networks has remained open and running throughout the project.


To aid this bespoke and technical project, Mabey is using its BIM solution, which includes the creation of a highly accurate 3D model to produce a digital representation of the 175-tonne façade retention system. Through this modelling software, Mabey could test in advance how its MASS 50 solution would work, monitoring for any potential clashes with the façade in advance, so measurements could be tweaked accordingly. Through this, Mabey's engineers and construction team in Garswood have made virtual 'site visits' through Virtual Reality (VR) systems, using the information to keep the customer updated on a day-to-day basis and showing them via digital images how the propping system works. 
The more traditional and established approach would have used 2D drawings to assess how the retention system performs and holds under different propping arrangements.


Malcom Boyd, Construction Manager, BAM Construct UK, said: "One of the key challenges of this development is the replacement of the existing façade support to release the development site area, and for this to be done without damaging the existing façade, which forms part of Glasgow's unique history. Due to their experience in this area, Mabey was able to provide a unique and quick solution which is enabling the development to progress without significant disruption to one of the city's main road networks. As one of the leading temporary works providers of BIM, Mabey has worked with us collaboratively to develop and provide a solution which allows the main works to progress as planned. We are looking forward to expanding this partnership during the construction phases."

Dave Holland, Engineering Director at Mabey, added: "Digital engineering is transforming the speed, safety and efficiency of delivering construction projects such as this. BIM played a key role in ensuring that all the parties involved in this project had a clear understanding of how our propping solution would work, whilst enabling us to make faster and more accurate calculations."

The new Grade A office space will be ready for use in 2020.

(CM/LM)