Water and Soil Retention System from Cementaid

Australian Engineering Excellence Awards 2011 - Small Company Projects - Award Winning, Sustainable Project: State Theatre Centre of Western Australia - Redefining Structural Elegance

Airey Taylor Consulting

Airey Taylor Consulting offered an elegant, advanced structural engineering resolution to provide 100 year design life for the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia.

Large portions of the Centre were submerged "membrane-free" below the water table to reduce the building footprint and height impact on adjoining low-rise heritage buildings. Airey Taylor developed a unique system to "anchor" the complex.

The Main Theatre was placed on top of the Studio Theatre, and the foyers connecting the various entry points to the building were vertically stacked.

Due to the presence of Potential Acid Sulphate Soils (PASS) on the site, the design team selected diaphragm and secant-pile walls made using Self Consolidating Concrete (SCC) containing Cementaid "Everdure CALTITE" and "3CC" integral Hydrophobic Pore-blocking Ingredients (HPI), to form the water and soil retention system.

Everdure CALTITE HPI was used in casting the top 300mm of the 600mm thick Basement Raft Slab, as well as in the exposed concrete cladding panels.

The use of CALTITE concrete reduced construction-time & cost and increased safety, by eliminating the need for membranes and/or applied coatings to bars or concrete.

Acoustic excellence was attained through creation of independent shells, where each compartment became structurally independent, with their own floating floor.

Perth can now boast of its world standard performing arts centre. Congratulations are due to all who took part in its creation.