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In this episode, I talk with Phillip Quach, BASc, MASc, P.Eng., a structural engineer at RJC Engineers, about how tall buildings are transforming our approach to urban density. We also dive into why it’s crucial to validate design material standards through research and real-world testing to ensure they perform as intended.
***The video version of this episode can be viewed here.***
Engineering Quotes:
Here Are Some of the Questions I Asked Phil:
- How does the rise of tall buildings in Toronto address the city’s increasing density, and what long-term effects do you foresee for urban development?
- In 2023, Toronto had 240 active cranes, while the next-busiest city had just 50. What factors contribute to this significant disparity?
- With your focus on high-rise buildings, what are the typical height ranges of the projects you work on, and what are the main structural challenges you encounter?
- How do wind tunnel tests influence the structural design of tall buildings, and is this analysis typically handled in-house or outsourced?
- For most of your tall building projects, do you rely on wind tunnel testing, or do you sometimes use standard code-based wind loads?
- How have skyscraper designs become more complex over time, and how has this affected material standards and construction methods?
- Have current building codes resolved the issue of overestimating capacities, or does this problem still persist?
- For someone unfamiliar with high-rise design, how many viscous coupling dampers are typically needed for a 60-story residential building?
- How does the leaning design of Park Road introduce additional structural challenges, particularly in managing the forces on columns and walls?
- Was the construction slab used during the build integrated into the final structure of the building?
- How is the construction industry addressing the reduction of embodied carbon in building structures, and have you observed a growing trend toward more sustainable practices?
- What key advice would you offer to young engineers, particularly those interested in the tall building sector, to help them succeed in their careers?
- Your advice emphasizes lifelong learning, considering grad school for complex projects, and doing a gut check — do you find that gut-checking becomes easier with experience?
Here Are Some of the Key Points Discussed About How Skyscrapers Excel in Surging Urban Density Areas:
- Toronto’s skyline has rapidly transformed due to the rise in tall buildings, reflecting the city’s response to increasing urban density. This trend in vertical growth is a key factor in shaping the future of cities worldwide.
- Toronto’s 240 active cranes in 2023 highlight the city’s rapid vertical growth, far outpacing other global metropolises. This surge in tall buildings efficiently addresses urban density and reflects a broader trend in city development worldwide.
- The group’s focus is primarily on high-rise buildings, with projects typically reaching 60 stories for residential and 50 stories for commercial buildings. This trend reflects the growing norm for large developments in urban areas, where tall buildings are becoming increasingly common.
- Wind profiles and interactions with nearby buildings create complex challenges for tall structures, making wind tunnel testing essential. This testing accurately simulates real-world conditions, helping engineers design buildings that can withstand specific environmental demands.
- For all tall buildings, wind tunnel testing is preferred over standard building code loads to ensure accurate design. Early assessments might use computational fluid dynamics, but the final design typically relies on wind tunnel results to address complex environmental demands.
- As skyscrapers have become taller and more intricate, the structural designs have grown increasingly complex to meet the demands of modern urban development. This evolution requires updated material standards and innovative engineering approaches to handle the scale and challenges of today’s buildings.
- The size effect in reinforced concrete can lead to unsafe predictions in deep members if not properly accounted for, as shown in international codes. Recent research has influenced updates to the ACI 318 code, ensuring more conservative and accurate design standards.
- In a 60-story residential high-rise, viscous coupling dampers are typically used over about 40 stories, strategically placed on certain coupling wall lines to optimize building stability. This method of distributed damping saves space and can eliminate the need for more traditional mass dampers at the top of the building.
- Leaning and cantilevering buildings create unique structural challenges, requiring careful management of additional forces on columns, walls, and the building core. Projects like CIBC Square use innovative structural schemes to manage these forces, particularly when dealing with complex site constraints like active rail corridors.
- The ground floor slab in the project was integrated into the final structure, serving as both a construction platform and a permanent part of the building. Additionally, a crash wall was designed to protect the building from potential train derailments, highlighting the complex and robust engineering involved in this project.
- The industry is increasingly focused on reducing embodied carbon in building structures, aligning sustainability with cost-efficiency. By minimizing complex structural elements and optimizing material use, there’s a growing trend toward more sustainable and simpler designs in response to both environmental and economic pressures.
- For aspiring engineers, pursuing grad school can provide essential knowledge in advanced structural topics, especially for complex projects. Additionally, lifelong learning and maintaining a strong grasp of fundamental principles are crucial for success in the field.
- Continuous learning is crucial, and grad school can help tackle more complex projects. Building the habit of double-checking your work improves with experience and is vital for professional growth.
More Details in This Episode…
About the Guest: Phillip Quach, BASc, MASc, P.Eng.
Phillip Quach is a structural engineer at RJC Engineers with nearly a decade of experience in the AEC industry, working on complex projects across commercial, residential, and institutional sectors. His recent portfolio includes prominent developments such as Freed Hotel & Residences, Park Road, CIBC Square, 160 Front, and Concord Canada House. Phil excels in the analysis and design of reinforced concrete and steel structures, contributing to RJC’s ongoing technical advancements as a member of their structural technical group.
Phil’s pioneering research on the shear response of very thick reinforced concrete slabs led to the construction and testing of the world’s deepest shear specimen, a key component of his graduate thesis at the University of Toronto. His seminal findings, published in ACI’s Concrete International magazine in November 2015, earned the prestigious ACI Design Award in 2017, setting a new standard for shear tests and enhancing the understanding of shear behavior in massive elements found in many structures today.
Holding both a BASc in Civil Engineering and an MASc in Structural Engineering with honours from the University of Toronto, Phil is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario. He actively contributes to the industry as the co-chair of the CTBUH Toronto Chapter and the CTBUH Canada Future Leaders Committee.
About the Host: Rachel Holland, P.E.
Rachel is an experienced R&D engineer, developing and patenting multiple new structural connectors. She also offers her expertise to both the end user and specifiers as a branch engineering supervisor. She represents Simpson Strong-Tie as a deck expert, educating others how to properly build code-compliant decks. Before her career working for a manufacturing company, she spent many years working for engineering consulting companies. She earned her Architectural Engineering undergrad degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from California State University, Monterey Bay. Rachel is a licensed P.E. in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Sources/References:
RJC Engineers
ACI CI Magazine Article
ACI Journal Paper
RLB Crane Index
CTBUH (Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat)
RWDI
3M
SOM (Skidmore, Owings & Merrill)
UC Berkeley
AREMA Manual for Railway Engineering
University of Toronto Structural Engineering
Kinetica Dynamics
Cast Connex
Connect with Phillip Quach, BASc, MASc, P.Eng., on LinkedIn
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Please leave your comments or questions in the section below on how skyscrapers excel in surging urban density areas.
To your success,
Rachel Holland, P.E.
Host of The Structural Engineering Podcast
