Peikko's lifting systems, bolt connections and rebar couplers were used in building the impressive precast dome for Flint's Imagination Lab Attraction. The technique of DfMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly) was used alongside digital engineering to create the Flint’s Dome.
At the beginning Flint's Dome was designed to be built with cast-in-situ method. However, it was later on converted to precast by Laing O'Rourke's Principal Engineer Ralf Hellrung. Due to high tolerance needed, precast was more reliable solution. Likewise, it was remarkably time-saving as the erection was finished in one week only. Precast also created cost advantage as labor costs and cranage time were heavily reduced.
Project leader Vijay Gangakhedkar from Laing O'Rourke explains: “It looks like a spaceship and contains a dome that would be too expensive and time-consuming to construct from in situ concrete.
“We spent a month using digital engineering to design the highly precise engineering and falseworks needed to support and align the segments during construction. The segments fitted together perfectly.”