Effects of Height and Plan Geometry on the Costs of Tunnel Form Residential Buildings

Abstract

Tunnel form systems, which are industrialised construction systems developed in the last century, are widely used in reinforced concrete projects. Accurate determination of the costs of the building properties in the design phases of construction with the tunnel form system can lead to lower construction costs. The purpose of this study is to examine the cost variations resulting from changes in geometrical characteristics of buildings in the architectural design phase. The research was carried out on residential projects, which have the biggest share in the construction sector. Six housing projects with different plan geometries were designed, and these projects were examined for nine different numbers of floors. The study aims to reveal the extent to which both the plan shape and the number of floors influence the building costs. During the design phase, recommendations are given for reducing the building costs and finding the optimal form. It has been shown that tunnel form projects are not cost-effective in low-rise buildings and after a certain height. Furthermore, when different geometries are examined, the most economical cost is obtained in square form, and the cost increases as the two dimensions in plan plane move away from each other. As a result, the data obtained from this study will provide a better assessment of the relationship between building properties and unit cost in buildings constructed with tunnel form systems.

Geometric Design in Architecture: Examination of Tessellation Configurations in Structural Systems

“…In addition to the durability parameters and risk assessments of the buildings, geometric designs in the structural systems create diversity in the architectural building stock (Sarıcıoğlu and Ayçam, 2021;. Geometric design features may also change depending on the space requirement, function, area data, and building materials of the building (Bekler et al, 2022;Eastman, 2018;İlerisoy and Tuna, 2018).…”

Discussion of the Structural Irregularities in the Plan for Architectural Design within the Scope of Earthquake Codes

“…In this phase, earthquake-resistant structure design should be considered if the structures are constructed in regions of high earthquake risk. A suitable structural system for architectural and functional design is determined by architects during the preliminary design phase (İlerisoy and Tuna, 2018a). Architects need to comprehend the concepts of the necessary structural system and earthquake-resistant design to produce quality structures.…”

“…Buildings differ from other sectors' products because they incur high costs and are unique and irreversible. Achieving a building at the most reasonable cost is crucial for many people or organisations involved in the construction sector, regarding making appropriate decisions and using the budget in the most efficient way (İlerisoy and Tuna, 2018a).…”