The last decade of innovation for creating sustainable concrete structures several of which hold world records

C.R. Alimchandani, Chairman and Managing Director, STUP Consultants Pvt. Ltd.

This paper introduces some of the world's records in structures designed for India/Overseas. A good conceptual design requires an inventive mind, an excellent grasp and understanding of the main parameters which have to be optimized in order to achieve the best results whilst conceiving a structure. The best results are obtained when the structure fulfills its function at the minimum initial cost, minimizes carbon emission, has low maintenance cost, has the required durability of around a 100 years (with normal maintenance), has good aesthetics and utilizes technology which maximizes the use of less expensive local resources.

Introduction

STUP Consultants Pvt. Ltd. (STUP) has been Engineering Sustainable Structures from the time it was founded on 9th May 1963.

I worked under M. Pierre Xercavins at Paris for 2½ years during the period 1958 to 1963. He was one of the 2 most eminent disciples of M. Eugene Freyssinet and his Associate M. Yves Guyon.

France had been at war from 1939 to 1962, their standard of living was, therefore, very low and M. Freyssinet's inventions were aimed at creating very sustainable structures.

When STUP was founded in India the cost of materials to labour in Structural Concrete was 75%:25% respectively and is today in the range of 65% to 70%:35% to 30% respectively. A structure to be economic has to consume the minimum cement and steel which are the most expensive components of Materials used for Structural Concrete.

I am presenting to you the most outstanding 17 structures which were engineered in the last decade by our 1400 person consultancy team.