Project
The USD 11 million Oviedo Automatic Parking System solved the severe parking shortage at the expanding Oviedo Shopping Mall in Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia. Designed by Estaco, a Colombian engineering company dedicated to the design, manufacture, and assembly of metal structures, the unmanned parking facility provided slots for 210 vertically stacked vehicles within an existing concrete building. Earning regulatory approval for the unprecedented design was a major challenge.
Solution
Estaco used STAAD.Pro to simulate design scenarios in which the metal building and its electro-mechanical components could be installed without compromising the concrete building’s structural integrity. An integrated model of the metal and concrete structures validated the scheme for concrete reinforcement, steel structure erection, and metal-concrete connection. STAAD.Pro produced the models required for the stringent third-party reviews and certifications.
Outcome
The intelligent parking system allows shoppers to leave their vehicles in compartments that are automatically stacked and stored until their return. The innovative design met expectations for cost, operational speed, and safety. As the first of its kind in Colombia, the system demonstrated world-class engineering using advanced applications such as STAAD.Pro. Estaco subsequently completed five similar projects, creating a new product line for the company.
Software
Estaco used STAAD.Pro to develop the designs for concrete reinforcements, then synchronized the structural analysis with the engineering applications used to develop the designs for the metal systems. Integrating the concrete and metal designs in a single model provided insight into the effects of the constructed building on the existing foundations and columns. The integrated model also facilitated third-party reviews and design validation.