Comparative analysis of different construction solutions for industrial halls

Between 2010 and 2015 the number of new non-residential projects in Belgium grew by 9 % despite the economic crisis of 2007. On the other hand, construction and industrial sectors emitted 19.4 % of the carbon dioxide released in 2005 in our country. Hence, both technical performances and environmental impact are crucial factors to be considered. The aim of our dissertation is to design a large panel of building solutions in accordance with the Eurocodes and to make a detailed comparison between them in order to extract their assets and drawbacks. At first, we define the frame of the study and present the comparison methodology. Next, the design process is implemented and performed for three building sizes (16x42, 24x42 and 36x42) with four different methods (hot rolled steel, welded built-up steel, precast concrete and precast concrete columns associated with wood girders). It allows further analyses and gathers all the essential indications required to design an industrial hall. This document may constitute a valuable assistance for students or junior engineers. Then, the designed solutions are compared according to their mass, eco-efficiency and installation time. As a conclusion, the comparative analysis enables us to address some recommendations to anyone involved in an industrial hall project, from the engineer, contractors and subcontractors to project owners. Regarding the ease of design, the all-concrete solution is the best choice because catalogues provide all the necessary information. However, the welded built-up solution is the lightest solution regardless of the building size. There are two reasons for this: making use of variable inertia elements allows the engineer to optimize the structure and this structural solution requires a pinned connection between the columns and the ground, leading to light foundations. In terms of greenhouse gas emission, the welded built-up solution is the most eco-efficient if the recycling is considered and wood/concrete method is better otherwise. The study on the building envelopes shows that the choice of a highly insulated covering rather than a poorly insulated one becomes profitable (in term of energy consumption) after 4 years of building exploitation. Steel solutions with sandwich panels are much faster to build. Indeed, these elements are light and easy to handle. This dissertation compares the most common construction solutions regarding various aspects. The analysis shows that no universal solution exists, each of them presenting different assets. The right choice will be the result of compromises and depends on the context and purposes of the project. The aim of this dissertation is to provide the information required to make such a choice knowingly