Singapore B001 National Research Building Project

Project Overview

This project is a key benchmark defense project of the Singapore government — the full UHPC supply project for the facade of the Singapore Defense Research Building, undertaken end-to-end by Guangdong Qinglong Construction Engineering Co., Ltd. It is a representative implemented case of domestic UHPC precast components exported for large overseas public buildings.

Our company provided one-stop detailed design, production, packing, and ocean shipping delivery of three core UHPC component systems: the hollow-out UHPC brick system at the defense building's main entrance, the asymmetric special-shaped UHPC roof on the left of the main entrance, and the curved travertine-pattern Logo UHPC panels in the indoor central lobby.

The project adopts a full-body high-performance UHPC exterior wall system. All components were finely segmented in design to match international ocean shipping standard container dimensions, meeting ocean transport requirements:

1.Component dimensions range from 4500–6800mm, with unit areas of 20–32㎡; the maximum single-piece self-weight reaches 4.2 tons, making them extra-large, extra-heavy special-shaped UHPC components;

2.The main entrance hollow-out wall has a total projected area of 1000㎡, a hollow-out thickness of 150mm, and an overall hollow-out ratio exceeding 30%, with prominent three-dimensional light-and-shadow layering;

3.The full range of UHPC components adopts a full-body color formulation, differentiated into three outdoor durable finishes: marble-look exposed aggregate finish for the hollow-out wall panels, acid-washed finish for the roof, and natural travertine finish for the curved Logo panels — all with long-term waterproof, stain-resistant, and weather-resistant performance.

I. Core Innovations in UHPC Detailed Design (comprehensively balancing form, structure, and transport implementation)

Drawing on more than a decade of UHPC curtain wall detailed design experience, the project established five core design principles to balance artistic effect, production feasibility, and overseas construction convenience:

1.Large-panel segmentation with fewer joints: the entire wall was split into full-face panels to minimize on-site jointing traces;

2.Integrated forming of thick hollow-outs: the 150mm-thick hollow-out structure was cast in a single pour, fully preserving the three-dimensional hollow-out texture;

3.Integrated differentiated full-body finishes: no later-applied cladding needed; exposed aggregate, travertine, and acid-washed textures were completed simultaneously with casting;

4.Monolithic casting of curved text LOGO: all signage letters were formed integrally with the components, eliminating risks of later adhesive failure, detachment, and color difference;

5.Prefabricated lifting points + shipping-adapted segmentation: each component is pre-embedded with standard lifting points, with dimensions strictly matching container loading specifications, ready for direct ocean shipping ex-works.

Four Distinctive Shape Design Solutions

1."Split First, Combine Later" jointing structure of hollow-out wall panels

On each side of the main entrance, 16 large hollow-out UHPC panels are installed, with standard brick joints reserved between panels; after all large panels are hoisted into place, independent UHPC hollow-out bricks are embedded to link the whole, eliminating large-area jointing gaps and achieving a translucent light-and-shadow effect of "split yet integrated, unified yet distinct".

In the central wall area, 28 small panels with fine deep hollow-outs are arranged. To address the demolding challenge of deep narrow openings, we independently developed movable modular molds, greatly reducing demolding losses in mass production.

2.380㎡ Multi-layer Shadow National Emblem LOGO 3D Form

The Singapore national emblem area at the center of the building covers 380㎡. Using multi-layer base mold platforms plus over 200 sets of movable inserts formed in layers, it creates a gradient-depth three-dimensional shadow visual on the 1000㎡ full-face hollow-out wall, with extremely strong layering.

3.Integrated Curved Travertine Logo Panel

The curved signage panel in the central lobby uses natural travertine texture. On the panel surface, 193 English letters were all cast integrally with the UHPC components. The molds precisely control letter curvature, depth, and spacing, with no secondary processing or jointing, balancing signage functionality and architectural artistic texture.

4.1:1 Replicated Asymmetric Canopy-type UHPC Roof

The special-shaped sloped roofs on both sides of the building adopt asymmetric curved forms, using Rhino 3D modeling throughout; 1:1 CNC-carved wooden negative molds reproduced the original building curves, and the acid-washed UHPC texture is uniform, perfectly restoring the design's unique geometric aesthetics.

II. Standardized Precision Factory Production Processes

To address the project's multiple production challenges of extra-large size, extra-heavy weight, deep hollow-outs, and special-shaped curved surfaces, we built a complete set of dedicated molds and a production control system to control component precision at the source:

1.High-Precision Custom Mold System

Special-shaped roof: Rhino modeling+ CNC-carved keel rib plates, with infrared reference positioning to build 1:1 wooden molds, ensuring zero dimensional deviation of curves and edges;

Large-size hollow-out bricks: base mold platforms with 185 sets of programmable movable boxes + integrated drip grooves;

Fine deep hollow-out small panels: custom 365 PEV rubber block molds, suited to forming slender hollow-out openings;

3D national emblem LOGO: multi-layer tiered base platforms + 200+ independent movable inserts, shaping three-dimensional shadows layer by layer.

2.Standardized Full Production Process

A combined spraying + composite casting process was used to integrally form the hollow-out components; after demolding, components underwent unified curing and factory pre-assembly calibration to correct jointing errors in advance; after repairs were completed, they were packed by category on custom dedicated metal racks and sealed with unique numbering; integral moisture-proof packaging suits the humid ocean shipping environment; lifting points are prefabricated ex-works, requiring no secondary processing at overseas sites.

III. Overseas On-Site Installation in Actual Photos

All UHPC components prefabricated in China were shipped in full containers to the Singapore site; relying on prefabricated embedded lifting points combined with aerial work platform vehicles, the extra-heavy components were hoisted:

1.High-altitude alignment and assembly of 4.2-ton-class extra-large UHPC roof panels;

2.Segment-by-segment hoisting of large-area hollow-out wall panels with integrated brick-infilled joint closure;

3.Rapid alignment of special-shaped curved components, greatly shortening overseas on-site construction schedules.

IV. Project Summary

The Singapore Defense Research Building UHPC facade project is Qinglong Construction's benchmark UHPC curtain wall project for overseas government public buildings, fully validating the company's full-chain service strength from detailed drawing design, independent mold R&D, and batch precast production, to ocean export packaging and overseas on-site installation adaptation.

The project team worked with the overseas owner and architectural design team throughout to collaboratively optimize solutions, overcoming the forming of extra-large, extra-heavy hollow-out UHPC and multiple technical challenges including deep-hole demolding, ocean transport protection, and overseas high-altitude hoisting, integrating complex artistic forms, structural safety, and long-term outdoor weather resistance, and creating a standardized implementation model for large overseas landmark UHPC facade projects.

FAQ

Q1: For large overseas government public buildings, what core advantages do UHPC exterior walls offer compared with natural stone and aluminum veneer panels?

A: 1.UHPC can integrally achieve complex forms such as extra-thick hollow-outs, special-shaped curves, and 3D embossed LOGOs, which natural stone struggles to form integrally; 2.Full-body coloring: no fading or efflorescence in long-term outdoor use, with waterproof and stain-resistant performance superior to natural stone; 3.Lower self-weight than stone, reducing load on the main building structure for the same form; 4.Factory prefabrication with integral forming requires only on-site assembly, greatly shortening overseas construction schedules; 5.All components can be prefabricated with lifting points and modular segmentation, suitable for container ocean shipping export.

Q2: For large hollow-out UHPC wall panels with a thickness of 150mm and a hollow-out ratio exceeding 30%, how are jointing gaps and leakage risks solved?

A: A "large panel + embedded hollow-out brick" combined structure is adopted: large main wall panels are hoisted first, and independent UHPC bricks are embedded later to eliminate vertical joints; components have built-in integrated drip grooves, and the full-body UHPC without layered cladding, combined with exterior wall sealing processes, eliminates water penetration at the structural level; meanwhile, the dense full-body UHPC substrate itself has extremely low water absorption, naturally providing waterproof performance.

Q3: For curved walls with extensive text LOGOs, can UHPC integral casting forming be achieved?

A: Yes. In this project, all 193 letters on the curved travertine Logo panel were cast integrally; custom tiered molds were made through 3D modeling, and the letters and curved substrate were cast in a single pour, with no later adhesion or engraving needed, no risks such as letter detachment, color difference, or jointing gaps, and an outdoor service life matching that of the wall substrate.

Q4: How do single-piece 4.2-ton extra-heavy UHPC components meet ocean export and overseas on-site hoisting requirements?

A: During the preliminary detailed design stage, panels are split strictly according to standard container dimensions, with the weight of each single piece kept within compliance limits for lifting and sea freight; each component is precast in the factory with standard embedded lifting points and supplied with dedicated lifting accessories upon delivery; finished products are secured as a whole on customized metal racks and wrapped in moisture-proof packaging to avoid damage from bumps during sea freight; on site, aerial work platforms and large cranes are coordinated to complete alignment and installation.

Q5: Can one building simultaneously achieve three different UHPC surface textures—exposed aggregate, travertine, and acid-washed finish?

A: Absolutely feasible. This project is a typical example. By adjusting the surface treatment process before casting, the aggregate mix ratio, and the surface acid-washing/retarder formulations, the same production line can simultaneously produce through-body UHPC components with different textures, with uniform, coordinated colors and consistent outdoor weather resistance.

Q6: Demolding deep-hole, finely hollowed UHPC components is difficult—is there a proven solution?

A: Our company has independently developed a movable modular mold system. For slender, deeply hollowed openings, retractable and detachable movable mold components are used, and demolding is carried out step by step after casting, reducing the breakage rate of hollowed edges and corners, enabling stable mass production of UHPC wall panels with high hollow-out ratios and thick hollowed sections.

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