The number one priority in the design of any structure is the safety of the user. This is no more apparent than in the construction of a multi-storey car park (MSCP) where FP McCann have been key providers of precast solutions for many years.
In recent years, there have been a series of high-profile fires, the most recent of which occurred in October 2023 at Luton Airport. The fire which broke out on level three of the terminal carpark caused significant damage not only to the parked cars, but also the structure itself. A partial collapse of the carpark deck resulted in the MSCP having to be fully demolished. The concerning extent of the damage to the steel frame structure, has since given many structural engineers and designers more cause to consider precast concrete not only for key elements such as floors, lift shafts and stair flights, but also for the frame itself.
In the case of multi-storey car parks, the fire resilience of precast concrete is just one of the many benefits. By its open nature, a MSCP is exposed to the elements and is also subject to fuel and oil spills from vehicles. Its anti-corrosion properties means that unlike steel frames, no special coatings are required. Where fire sprinkler and M&E systems are specified, precast concrete MSCP’s are designed with pathways for installation. Fast, safe and efficient construction is a major advantage when utilising offsite precast concrete, with build times reduced by as much as 40%.
FP McCann precast concrete multi-storey car park structures are designed and manufactured using a precast frame which incorporates several structural elements, including columns, spine beams, spandrels, stairs and lift cores, hollowcore flooring and wall panels. Due to their reduced self-weight, prestressed hollowcore flooring slabs can achieve clear spans of up to 16m – this reduces the requirement for vertical columns, creating better manoeuvrability and therefore reducing the risk of damage to vehicles and the car park’s structure.
The beneficial effects of offsite precast concrete in modern methods of construction (MMC) continues to grow in recognition and developers and contractors alike are turning to this structural system particularly in the case of MSCP’s. Here, we highlight just two of FP McCann’s recent supply and install projects:
The company has recently completed the supply and installation of a five-level precast concrete MSCP at North Manchester General Hospital. If a location ever exemplified the need for safe accessible parking facilities it is a hospital. The 1,000 space MSCP has been built to provide much improved parking facilities. The MSCP is part of a £25million enabling works package being delivered by national construction and regeneration specialist Morgan Sindall. In this project the largest single span of hollowcore flooring is 15.6m long.
In Poole Dorset, a precast concrete ‘van deck’ superstructure MSCP has been constructed by FP McCann. The four-storey 633 capacity van park has been built to service a major distribution company warehouse. In total over 6,200 tonnes of precast concrete product was delivered and installed. For designers looking to learn lessons from fires like the one at Luton Airport, full frame precast concrete MSCP’s offer an offsite solution which provides not only the programme efficiency benefits synonymous with MMC, but also the peace of mind for users and clients which only concrete can provide.
For more information visit: www.fpmccann.co.uk
Image: Precast concrete is key to delivering safe multi-storey car park projects
Source: Offsite Magazine – Issue 44
