Dual-Scheme Design: Steel Portal Frame & Post-Tensioned Concrete Frame with Heavy VAT Loads and Tension Piles

This solution compares two structural schemes for a museum and distillery: a steel frame with hollowcore planks and a concrete frame utilizing post-tensioned (PT) slabs and outriggers. Key challenges include managing 36m spans, heavy VAT loads, and soil heave from tree root influence.

Engineering checks include lateral stability via diaphragm action and braced bays, portal frame sizing, and foundation design using both shallow pads and tension piles for outriggers. Calculations follow Eurocodes (EC1, EC2, EC3, EC7) for wind, gravity, and geotechnical loads. Deliverables include plan extracts, elevation sketches, load run-downs, and a comparative appraisal focusing on embodied carbon and construction complexity.