Complex Steel

Ashley has delivered a plethora of very interesting and complex steel structures

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore - MICE Roof. This 220m x 120m stadium-sized roof spans over the largest ballroom in the world. It has 4000t of steel (about the same as the MCG northern stand, AAMI stadium and Marvel Stadium combined), 8500 steel members, and possibly the most interesting collection of steel connections in the world, which Ashley learnt an incredible amount designing. He delivered this project from his Arup desk in Melbourne, and due to the efficient build-time, won Alfasi another major steel contract on this $5b job, which Ashley then delivered, under the tutelage of Sean McGinn from Arup on how to design and detail cable-stayed connections. These Retail Canopies form a 450m promenade along the waterfront in seven sections and another 4000t of steel. The tapered box rafters cantilever 34m, with a geometric array of cable-stays and back masts.

From these two projects, Ashley learnt an amazing amount about mega-structures and steel design. He implements these lessons on all his jobs, and applies the most appropriate parts of the British Code, Eurocode, American welding code along with Australian steel codes to design steel efficiently.

Thomastown Station and Footbridge. Ashley designed this entire package as part of the John Holland SMREP alliance. The Footbridge is particular is an impressive steel structure designed for derailment loads, and whose C-profile and tapered planes led to super-strong full-moment design to resist the bridge deck twisting due to its asymmetry. This is probably Ash’s favourite job ever, thanks to John Legge Wilkinson’s modelling, Frank Gargano’s input and Drew Trenberth for being a great construction PM. It was fabricated by Mud Murray at MacFab in Albury, for whom Ashley designed bespoke frames that were welded to the semi and its dolly so the main 22m long central bridge span could be transported down the Hume Highway late one Saturday night. Apparently it was mighty scene. And it got lifted into position during one occupation, onto the abutment-staircase frames at each end.

Ashley designed the steel supports for the $5m BMU at Aldar HQ in Abu Dhabi, to support the BMU and its pulley counterweight system. He re-checked the entire groyne structure and upsized the main double-V roof truss that spans 120m over the crest of this clam-shell shaped building.

Ashley used these steel design skills to deliver Mentone Grammar Creativity Centre, Brandsmart, Peters Butterfly Roof, UoM Pavilion, Beleura’s 4m cantilevers & its bridge, Templink for Melb Airport T4 Terminal, various hospitals, and the Gantry Frames he designs for HiLift in Melbourne.