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16 Aug 2006  -  Bahrain

Enormous composite roof structure installed in Bahrain

The new Library and Conference Hall in Bahrain enhances the island nation’s reputation for dramatic architectural presentation. The complex is named in honor of the country’s late Amir, Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, and is noteworthy for its elaborate designs and grand scale. The Library and Conference Hall is prominently seen from the nearby waterfront and bay. 

Artistic expression is especially bold for the Conference Hall roof. Its five huge vault structures demonstrate the versatility of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites made with Firepel K133 flame-retardant polyester from AOC. Installed atop the Conference Hall 92 feet (28 meters) above ground level, the vaults represent one of the largest composite roofing structures in the world. Furthermore, the Library and Conference Hall is adjacent to the famous Al Fateh Mosque, whose architectural focal point is the world’s largest composite dome. 

Each vault is 164 feet (50 meters) long with a front overhang that is 52.5 feet (16 meters) wide and 30 feet (9.25 meters) high. The half-cone shape of the vault tapers to 26.2-by-19.7 feet (8-by-6 meters) at the rear. 

Engineering for the vaults was accomplished by Composite Designs & Technology of Pune, India. BFG International Ltd. Bahrain manufactured, assembled and installed the roof components following strict ISO 9000 procedures. 

“The desired architecture would not have been economically viable in conventional materials,” said Suhas Kolhatkar, director of Composites Designs & Technology. “Steel and concrete weigh about 40 to 50 percent more than composites and would have imposed tremendous dead weight on the building’s substructure and footing.”

For ease of molding and handling, each vault was divided into six sections of approximately equal weight. Each section was an assembly of molded panels which were bolted together using rigid, molded-in flanges. 

To eliminate the need transport the large vault sections over a long distance, composite panels were molded in a manufacturing facility built at the job site. CAD files were transferred to a CNC unit that cut wooden templates for each panel profile. Molds were then built of reinforced cement concrete and finished with a cultured marble surface. 

Workers for BFG International Ltd. Bahrain used hand lay-up to mold the composite sections. To achieve high stiffness at a low weight, a honeycomb core was sandwiched between composite laminates of fiberglass chopped strand mat and woven roving in Firepel K133 flame-retardant polyester.

Source : AOC