Tata Steel | The ComFlor Blog

Project: Dubai Metro Project, United Arab Emirates
Client: Government of Dubai Road & Transport Authority/RTA
Project Management and Supervision: Systra-Parsons
Designer: WS Atkins & Partners Overseas – ATKINS
Main Contractor: Dubai Rapid Link Consortium/DURL (Obayashi Corporation – Kajima Corporation – Yabi Merkezi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industrial)
Decking system: ComFlor® 80

Project details

Construction of an urban train network – a major transport infrastructure enhancement for Dubai.
Project requirements: A rapidly-installed composite floor decking system, capable of meeting tight deadlines, offering long spans with no need for propping and a two-hour fire rating.

How Tata Steel responded

60,000m2 of ComFlor® 80 on footbridges, walkways, platforms and all elevated public areas in 38 stations on the Red and Green Lines. Comprehensive technical, design and logistical support throughout the project.
Project outcome: A World-class city rail system and a great source of pride to the people of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates.

The Dubai Metro urban train network is a major transport infrastructure development that is already being used by over 200,000 rail travellers a day.

Over 60,000m2 of ComFlor® 80 composite floor decking has been used in 38 stations, on footbridges, walkways, platforms and all elevated public areas.

The Dubai Metro is an ultra-modern, driverless, fully automated metro network in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. It is the first urban train network in the Arabian Peninsula.

It carried 10 million passengers in its first six months of operation and will soon become the World’s longest fully automated metro network, surpassing the Vancouver Skytrain by one kilometre.

Two lines are nearing completion, with three further lines planned. The Red Line is now operational and The Green Line is expected to complete in August 2011. These first two lines run underground in the city centre and on elevated viaducts elsewhere. All trains and stations are air-conditioned.

35 overground stations, 12 underground, three depots and three car parks will ultimately service the Red and Green lines.  Each station has been designed to also serve as a mini shopping centre.

There are four themes used in the interiors of the stations: Earth, Water, Fire and Air. Earth stations have a tan-brown colour effects; Water stations are blue-white; Fire stations are orange-red; Air stations are green.

Planning of the Dubai Metro began under the directive of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The combination of a rapidly-growing population (expected to reach three million by 2017) and severe traffic congestion necessitated the building of an urban rail system to provide additional public  transportation capacity, relieve motor traffic, and provide infrastructure for additional development.

Japanese manufacturer Kinki Sharyo built a total of 87 five-car trains for the Red and Green lines.  They are designed to carry 643 seated and standing passengers, and unusually for a mass transit system, the trains have three classes of accommodation: Gold Class, Women and Children class, and regular Silver Class (economy).Trained wardens accompany passengers to help with emergencies.

Dubai Metro features no less than 60,000m2 of ComFlor® 80 composite floor decking.

The large corner curvature detail of ComFlor® 80 provides a very efficient profile. In conjunction with the higher grade of steel (450N/mm2), it ensures typical unpropped spans of 4.4m simply supported. Spans of 5m can be achieved in the continuous condition.

The achievement of such large spans means less structural steel usage and consequential savings in construction costs, providing more scope for architects and engineers in their design process.

The innovative profile design provides real benefits. Central stud placement provides superb composite action between the beam and concrete, due to the stud being positioned exactly in the centre of the trough. This ensures the correct concrete cover to the stud and hence, the full design capacity of the stud is developed. The central location of the stud also reduces on-site checking to ensure that the stud has been positioned correctly.

ComFlor®80 was used on 38 stations on both the Red and Green lines, on footbridges and walkways, platforms and all elevated public areas.

Dubai Metro Project Maintenance Director Mr Mohammed Shihab outlined the reasons behind the specification of ComFlor® 80.

“Due to the time constraints of this massive project, the decking had to be laid without propping on site, something that ComFlor® 80 could achieve through its long spanning capability, which other options we explored could not match.

“ComFlor® 80 could also achieve the required two hour fire rating, with supporting certification. Its composite action enabled us to reduce bar reinforcement.

“The system offered the fastest possible construction speed. It also eliminated the costs of propping, reduced labour requirements and there was no need for additional fireproof coatings.

“Tata Steel also provided a technical service with schematic designs and method statements, something no other competitor could provide to the same level.

“We also received excellent technical support with detailing and the completion of drawings, together with assistance in planning the production and transportation of the decking to site, which mainly took place at night, due to traffic restrictions.

“The end result is the successful accomplishment of one of Dubai’s most important strategic infrastructure projects. With more than 200,000 daily users, the Metro is a source of pride to Dubai and The United Arab Emirates.