Freight forwarders building at the Port of Motril

For the new pavilion in Puerto de Motril consist of a precast concrete building with a rectangular plan of 150 m2. The external envelope is to be subjected to the impact of the marine environment, which can jeopardize the durability and aesthetic of the component in case of using steel-based reinforcements. In this context, and to overcome these aspects, the use of polypropylene (PP) macrofibres as structural reinforcement of the precast panels was analysed and finally implemented. To this purpose, 2250x3480x150mm panels were designed and optimized by considering PP macrofibres as unique reinforcement.

The new freight forwarders pavilion in Puerto de Motril is a precast fiber reinforced concrete system (FRC) building designed as a low cost and high durability prototype responding to the real and widespread need to provide sustainable port buildings facilities in the south of Europe.

The PPFRC panels resulting from this optimized-oriented design resulted to be more sustainable than the other alternatives due to the use of a holistic design by integrating aspects concerning to material properties, structural behaviour, constructions process and production.

To develop a really efficient system two novel aspects have been considered in the project:

1. The design of optimized precast modular panels capable of maximizing sustainability (cost, environmental impact and social aspects) by considering the use of hybrid fibre reinforced concretes (macro-polymer fibres without steel bars).

2. The use of a new typology precast building systems, thanks to heuristic strategic research by the combined use of case study and theoretical calculation.