Bitexco Symbolizing Vietnams Global Emergence through an Iconically Shaped, Structurally Sophisticated, and Sustainable Design

William J. Faschan, P. E., Partner, Leslie E. Robertson Associates Anthony Montalto, R. A., Principal, Carlos Zapata Studio Nayan B. Trivedi, P. E., Partner, Leslie E. Robertson Associates

A Beacon for Twenty-First Century Vietnam Located in Historic District 1 as well as the heart of Ho Chi Minh Citys Financial District, the 263 meter Financial Tower rises as a Beacon towards the future of Vietnam. The tower uses as its reference the Lotus ower (a symbol for Vietnam) in a mature blossomed state to build upon Vietnams history and make a statement that Vietnam has arrived and is capable of competing with the global marketplace. With the citys rapid population and business growth, the mixed use development, which includes a 68-story high-rise ofce building, a ve story retail podium, and four basement

Bitexco Financial Tower rises above Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Photo Courtesy: Bitexco Group

areas, eases the demand for commercial space, by providing approximately 93,500, 20,500, and 5,000 square meters respectively for ofces, retail, and below-grade parking / storage. Yet even as the tower meets modern day business needs while symbolically speaking to the nations future-driven aspirations and the thriving citys limitless potential, the design respects the historical context of the countrys early beginnings. While the tower is dramatically different in architecture and scale than the surrounding urban milieu (Figure 1), the ground oor design and relationship of the lower scale podium is very similar to other iconic and

Figure 1: Bitexco Financial Tower, view from Historic District 1 Photo Courtesy: Bitexco Group

important structures in Ho Chi Minh. The Opera House, a prominent, ornate, and culturally signicant building for the city, for example, is isolated from its traditional, French inuenced neighbors in a very monumental gesture and becomes a focal point for the area. In similar fashion, the ground oor plaza of the Bitexco Financial Tower becomes a public gathering space that releases the tower from its surroundings (Figure 2) and allows the structure to be Figure 2: Street View of Ground Floor Plaza and Public Gathering Space appreciated as a monument as Photo Courtesy: Carlos Zapata Studio well as a piece of architecture. vertising walls, the podium be construction completion in the The lower scale, glazed comes a living window display, fall of 2010. The typical lower retail podium is a modern merging the traditional street ofce oors are framed with a interpretation of the retail vendor with the modern mall. conventionally reinforced 10life on the streets of Ho Chi inch (250mm) thick at plate. Minh. As opposed to western The ofce tower is an all-concrete The upper executive ofce malls and department stores structure and stands about 50 oors are smaller in plan and that turn their back on the sur- stories above the surrounding are framed with a thinner 8-inch roundings and present solid ad- buildings, at least at the time of (200mm) thick at plate (Typical Floor Plans: Podium Figure 3a, on next page - Ofce, Figure Figure 3a: Retail Podium Elevation with Split-Four-Level Basement Scheme 3b, Ground Floor Figure 3c). and Shallow Diaphragm Wall Structural Creativity and High Construction Standards Lead to Completion by Targeted National Celebration Split-Level Basement Excavation and Donut In Ho Chi Minh City, where the construction standard is two basement levels for major projects, Bitexcos small site and tower height increased the requirement to four (Figure 3a). Faced with an aggressive schedule, property constraints, and a high water table, the project team developed a split-four-level basement excavation method

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with a shallow diaphragm wall which located the top of the tower mat foundation at the second basement. The design called for the perimeter diaphragm wall to be 800 mm thick and constructed using the slurry method. To provide a groundwater cutoff for the 14 meter deep excavation, the wall was constructed to a depth of 25 meters below ground. Because of poor soil conditions, closeness of surrounding buildings, and basement access needs, the structural engineers Figure 3b (Across): Typical Ofce Floor Plan Figure 3c (Below): Typical Ground Floor Plan
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chose not to use standard temporary bracing practices of tiebacks and rak-ers when building the perimeter diaphragm wall. Instead, the design team devised a partial top-down slurry method where the ground oor perimeter slab (donut) stabilized the top of the diaphragm wall before basement excavation started (Figure 4). The decision permitted excavation of the tower mat foundation without temporary bracing (Figure 5). After superstructure construction, the tower mat then served as a bracing point for temporary supports for ower excavation of adjacent areas.
Figure 4 Basement - Temporary Concrete Slab, Top-Down Erection Column

Unusually Deep Foundations The estimated 112.2 million kg weight of Bitexco Financial Tower and poor soil conditions necessitated very deep foundations. Design needed as well to address a soil-structure time analysis which predicted an approximately 100 mm settlement. To compensate, a 4m bored pile supported mat distributes the tower loads from the walls of the narrow services core over the extent of the mat. At the tower, 1500mm diameter bored piles extend to a depth of between 80m to 90m while at the podium and underlying basements, 1200mm diameter bored piles go down as far as 63m (Figure 6). Considerations in mat construction included building the large volume mat in multiple sections, embedding tubing in the mat for a temporary cooling system, and placing insulation on the sides and top of the mat to limit the potential top of each pile is a structural for cracking from the steel wide ange section which concretes heat of hydration. supported the perimeter of the ground oor during the topIn the basement, the one down excavation and basement pile per column have a cut- construction. Once completed, off elevation of the fourth the anges act compositely with basement level. Within the the concrete basement columns
Figure 5: Construction Site - including Foundation, Diaphram Wall, and Ground Floor Slab (Donut)

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to support permanent loads. Despite the extra time required to install the deep foundations, the split-level design and donut cut at least a year in excavation and construction time from the four basement design concept by enabling tower construction to start prior to completion of all basement levels. Helipad Test Assemblage Consistent with the national ower motif, the helipad and sky lounge taper off from the central area near the ftyfth oor, reaching into "/2%$0),%34/3500/244/7%2 the atmosphere as if a lotus bud in search of the sun. Figure 6: Basement and Tower Foundation Piles Supporting the helipad, with its touch-the-sky panorama (Figure 7) of the growing city,

Figure 7: Helipads Touch-the-Sky Panorama Photos Courtesy: Carlos Zapata Studio

are a pair of 25 meter long tapered steel cantilever girders which span from the core walls to the perimeter tower columns and extend outward to frame the platform (Figure 8). Perpendicularly oriented secondary structural steel beams cantilever beyond the primary girders to support the circular edge (Figure 9). While the choice of steel produced a lighter structure and sped fabrication, construction of the huge cantilever at the given height presented challenges. To ensure that parts integrated cohesively prior to Figure 9: Helipad Construction - Tapered Steel Cantilever Girders and Platform hoisting in the air, workers test assembled the helipad offsite. Yet, the skyscraper-free views, tional steel outrigger truss system. ovo-tubular design, and high For wind load resistance, the aspect ratio potentially create structural design interconnects Unconventional Outrigger Truss wind induced building sway the outrigger trusses and belt System problems for Bitexco Tower. To walls to the core walls and minimize this possible motion, perimeter columns at Floors 29 the structural engineering 30, and allows the outrigger and team developed an unconven- belt wall system to function with
Figure 8: Helipad Atypical Floor Plan with Built-Up Sections

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the concrete core walls (Figure 10). The outrigger trusses and belt walls stabilize the core by resisting a portion of the overturning moments associated with wind-induced east-west movements. Within the outrigger system, two of the four sets of doublestory trusses align with the two primary core cross walls and the other two trusses align with the re stair walls, while connections of the outrigger trusses (1000mm wide) to the cross walls (400mm) effectively transfer forces (Figure 11). Four, one-story tall belt walls, with two on each side of the tower, interconnect pairs of perimeter columns to each outrigger truss. The perimeter columns vary in size from 1400mm (Base Floor) to 850mm (Floors 42-52) with a 1200mm diameter at Floor 29. Structurally Independent Retail Podium Steel Vierendeel trusses at levels 2 to 4 act as transfer girders to create a column free space at Figure 10: Outrigger Truss and Belt Wall Systems the entrance for the structurally Figure 11: Outrigger Truss-Cross Wall Connections independent 17000 m2 glazed, steel-framed retail podium. The ve-story atrium features a sloping skylight with an 8m cantilever roof. Stainless steel grill panels in the roof which help diffuse the incoming light and three, ve story exposed concrete support columns in the atrium create atmospheric and visual ambiance. Introduction of International Construction Standards As an irregularly shaped megastructure, the Bitexco Tower

presented numerous safety challenges to the construction team. The exceptionally high ratios of gross oor area to site size as well as the complexity of the ovo-tubular design, which resulted in non-vertical columns and a unique layout for each oor, posed particular concern. Routine inspections of heavy equipment, equipping tower cranes with special collision prevention and wind alarm systems, the implementation of fall prevention policies, and the availability of re prevention equipment coupled with re drills aided in maintaining a high onsite safety record. As the rst mega-structure in Vietnam, the Bitexco project introduced most of the workers to not only new types of construction but to higher, international safety practices.To garner worker compliance, the construction management team used a three prong approach which included safe practice education, the provision of protective equipment, and an incentive program that rewarded compliant behavior. Figure 12: Bitexco Illuminated for 400th Anniversary Celebration
Photo Courtesy: Carlos Zapata Studio

Targeted National Celebration Completion Date Achieved Design Considerate of 21c. Ultimately, the innovative Sustainablility Needs approaches to the foundations excavation, helipad assemblage, To minimize transportation and and outrigger truss system as energy costs while stimulating well as the high safety standards the regional economy, the secured Bitexcos timely Bitexco Financial Centers completion, and enabled the structural design called for a building to be part of Vietnams high strength concrete supplied 400th anniversary celebration by the local Vietnamese market. Since the selected concrete (Figure 12). strength of 50 mega-pascals was

not in general use in Vietnam at the time of construction, the decision also helped advance higher strength technology within the country. Structural steel found in the outrigger truss and helipad cantilever offers another sustainable opportunity through the materials recyclability. At least in the helipad, the choice resulted in a lighter structure and speedier development, which ultimately

Figure 13: Night Time Illumination of Bitexco Financial Towers LED Fitted Pinnacle with View from the Saigon River Photo Courtesy: Carlos Zapata Studio

cut construction energy costs. Conclusion Other sustainable strategies included installation of: a high efciency double glazing to reduce solar load, a cooling tower in which the make-up water comes from water ltered through an onsite sewage treatment plant, all variable speed fans and pumps with high-efciency motors, energy meters for electricity and chilled water on each oor to encourage tenants to reduce energy use, and
typical oor lighting set to the low consumption standard of 10 wm2.

For the towers exterior lighting, the pinnacle area holds over 1500 LED ttings (Figure 13) which on activation use less than 3500W, yet produce lights visible for miles at night.

An iconic landmark, Bitexco Financial Tower provides a model for Vietnams global emergence through a sophisticated and sustainable structure built with 21c. construction standards. Innovative structural engineering decisions which inuenced basement excavation, helipad assemblage, and the outrigger truss design as well as high safety practices onsite ensured that construction nished before the targeted national celebration. Sustainable materials within the high-rise, such as the LED luminaries, enable the tower to appear as a symbolic beacon towards the future of Vietnam at all hours with an energy and material saving design considerate of the world of tomorrow.

Bitexco Financial Tower Data Block

Owner / Developer: Bitexco Group Structural Designer: Leslie E. Robertson Associates (LERA) Construction Manager: Turner International Design Architect: Carlos Zapata Studio Associate Architect: Arep Ville MEP Engineer: DSA Engineering Main Contractor: Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co. Ltd. Concrete (m3): 600,000 m3 Reinforcing Steel (t): 5500 t Structural Steel (t): 2700 t Design Start Date: 2005 Construction Start Date: 2007 Opening Date: October 2010