Design Essentials and Key Technologies of Lifting Plans for Large-Scale UHPC Artistic Forms

At the intersection of architectural aesthetics and engineering mechanics, the hoisting technology for large UHPC artistic forms is both an ultimate test of material performance and a comprehensive review of full-chain engineering capabilities.

As contemporary architectural design evolves toward the "sculptural" and the "parametric," ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC), with its ultra-high strength (compressive strength exceeding 150MPa), excellent toughness, and freedom of form, has become the material of choice for the artistic expression of landmark building envelopes. However, how to safely and precisely complete the "aerial jigsaw puzzle" of these complexly shaped UHPC components that often weigh dozens of tons remains a persistent industry pain point. As a full-chain service provider with 28 years of deep expertise in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group has systematically distilled the core essentials and technical breakthrough pathways for hoisting artistic components based on the practice of hundreds of large projects.

I. Particularities and Risk Control of UHPC Artistic Form Hoisting

Unlike traditional standardized components, large UHPC artistic forms often feature characteristics such as "asymmetric structures," "extra-large cantilevers," and "gradual curved surfaces," and their hoisting faces three core challenges: first, the dynamic balance between component self-weight and hoisting stress, requiring precise calculation of lifting point positions to avoid cracking; second, aerodynamic effects caused by irregular profiles, which easily induce swinging in strong wind environments; and third, millimeter-level precision requirements for multi-component assembly, which directly determine the final visual effect. Take the Nanjing East Road Century Plaza renovation project as an example: its translucent UHPC curtain wall units measure up to 6m×3m, and by using BIM technology to rehearse hoisting trajectories, installation errors were controlled within ±2mm. The project won the Silver Award at the first UHPC Construction Engineering Innovation Award (AALBORG WHITE Cup).

II. Four Key Technical Points in Scheme Design

1. Structural Deepening and Lifting Point Optimization Technology: Finite element analysis software is used to simulate the stress state of components. Combined with UHPC material properties (elastic modulus up to 40GPa), lifting points are set in areas with a stress concentration factor ≤0.8. The composite node developed by Qinglong—"embedded metal inserts + fiber-reinforced lifting lugs"—can increase hoisting load capacity by more than 30% and has been granted a national utility model patent (patent number omitted).

2. Dynamic Stability Control Technology: For large-span components, an innovative process of "dual-crane tandem lifting + dynamic guy rope adjustment" is adopted, combined with a real-time inclination monitoring system (accuracy ±0.5°), ensuring that the swinging amplitude during hoisting is ≤50mm. In the GRC/UHPC composite curtain wall project of the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center, this technology successfully solved the challenge of controlling the aerial attitude of a 12m cantilever component.

3. Precision Control and Positioning System: 3D laser scanning (point cloud accuracy 0.1mm) and BIM model comparison technology are introduced to complete deviation correction of the installation base surface before hoisting. Qinglong's independently developed "spatial coordinate conversion algorithm" can quickly match design coordinates with field-measured data, achieving "zero-contact" precise placement of components.

4. Emergency Plans and Safety Redundancy Design: All hoisting plans incorporate a "double insurance" mechanism, including backup lifting equipment, emergency anchoring points, and real-time structural stress monitoring systems. For projects in typhoon-prone areas, windproof cables and temporary fixing devices are additionally provided to ensure component stability under extreme weather conditions.

III. Unleashing the Value of Full-Chain Service Capability

As a National High-Tech Enterprise and a participant in developing UHPC industry standards, Qinglong Group regards design deepening, manufacturing, and hoisting construction as an organic whole: it engages in hoisting plan planning at the design stage, optimizing component segmentation through parametric modeling; the production process employs automated casting and steam curing (curing temperature 80℃±5℃) to ensure that UHPC strength meets standards; the on-site construction team has an average of more than 10 years of experience in installing irregularly shaped components, and with the company's independently developed modular hoisting tooling, construction efficiency is improved by 40%. This integrated "design-production-construction" model has been validated in overseas projects such as the Kuala Lumpur Twin Towers expansion project in Malaysia.

From material innovation to engineering practice, the hoisting technology for large UHPC artistic forms is driving building envelopes to leap from "functional coverage" toward "aesthetic expression." Backed by 28 years of full-chain experience, Qinglong Group, through the deep integration of technological R&D and engineering practice, continuously provides designers and owners with solutions that are "safe and controllable, reliably precise, and efficiency-optimized," helping more architectural and artistic visions become reality. In the future, as the application scenarios of UHPC materials expand, hoisting technology will achieve new breakthroughs in lightweighting and intelligentization, injecting more creativity into the construction industry.