Client: Government of Dubai Road & Transport Authority/RTA

Project managementand supervision: Systra-Parsons

Designer: WS Atkins & Partners Overseas -ATKINS

Main contractor: Dubai Rapid Link Consortium/DURL (Obayashi Corporation - Kajima Corporation - Yabi Merkezi & Mitsubishi Heavy Industrial)

Decking system: ComFlor® 80

Telephone: 0845 30 88 330

The Dubai Metro urban train network is a major transport infrastructure development that is already being used by over 200,000 rail travellers a day.

It carried 10 million passengers in its first six months of operation and will soon become the World’s longest fully automated metro network, surpassing the Vancouver Skytrain by one kilometre.

Over 60,000m2 of ComFlor® 80 composite floor decking has been used in 38 stations, on footbridges, walkways, platformsand all elevated public areas.

ComFlor® case studyDubai Metro Project, United Arab Emirates

The Dubai Metro is an ultra-modern,driverless, fully automated metro network inthe United Arab Emirates city of Dubai. It isthe first urban train network in the ArabianPeninsula.

It carried 10 million passengers in its first sixmonths of operation and will soon becomethe World’s longest fully automated metronetwork, surpassing the Vancouver Skytrainby one kilometre.

Two lines are nearing completion, withthree further lines planned. The Red Line isnow operational and The Green Line isexpected to complete in August 2011. Thesefirst two lines run underground in the citycentre and on elevated viaducts elsewhere.

All trains and stations are air conditioned.The Red and Green lines will ultimately beserviced by 35 overground stations, 12underground, three depots and three carparks. Each station has been designed toalso serve as mini shopping centre.

There are four themes used in the interiorsof the stations: Earth, Water, Fire and Air.Earth stations have a tan-brown coloureffects; Water stations are blue-white; Firestations are orange-red; Air stations aregreen.

Planning of the Dubai Metro began underthe directive of Dubai’s ruler SheikhMohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Thecombination of a rapidly-growingpopulation (expected to reach three millionby 2017) and severe traffic congestionnecessitated the building of an urban railsystem to provide additional publictransportation capacity, relieve motortraffic, and provide infrastructure foradditional development.

Japanese manufacturer Kinki Sharyo built atotal of 87 five-car trains for the Red andGreen lines. They are designed to carry 643seated and standing passengers, andunusually for a mass transit system, thetrains have three classes of accommodation:Gold Class, Women and Children class, andregular Silver Class (economy).Trainedwardens accompany passengers to helpwith emergencies.

ComFlor® case study Dubai Metro Project, United Arab Emirates

“The Dubai Metro willsoon become theWorld’s longest fullyautomated metronetwork.”

Dubai Metro features no less than 60,000m2

of ComFlor® 80 composite floor decking.

The large corner curvature detail ofComFlor® 80 provides a very efficient profile.In conjunction with the higher grade ofsteel (450N/mm2), it ensures typicalunpropped spans of 4.2m simply supported.Spans of 5.0m can be achieved in thecontinuous condition.

The achievement of such large spans meansless structural steel usage andconsequential savings in construction costs,providing more scope for architects andengineers in their design process.

The innovative profile design provides realbenefits. Central stud placement providessuperb composite action between thebeam and concrete, due to the stud beingpositioned exactly in the centre of thetrough. This ensures the correct concretecover to the stud and hence, the full designcapacity of the stud is developed. Thecentral location of the stud also reduceson-site checking to ensure that the stud hasbeen positioned correctly.

ComFlor® 80 was used on 38 stations onboth the Red and Green lines, onfootbridges and walkways, platforms and allelevated public areas.

Dubai Metro Project Maintenance DirectorMr Mohammed Shihab outlined the reasonsbehind the specification of ComFlor® 80.

“Due to the time constraints of this massiveproject, the decking had to be laid withoutpropping on site, something thatComFlor® 80 could achieve through its longspanning capability, which other options weexplored could not match.

“ComFlor® 80 could also achieve therequired two hour fire rating, withsupporting certification. Its compositeaction enabled us to reduce barreinforcement.

“The system offered the fastest possibleconstruction speed. It also eliminated thecosts of propping, reduced labourrequirements and there was no need foradditional fireproof coatings.

“Tata Steel also provided a technical servicewith schematic designs and methodstatements, something no other competitorcould provide to the same level.

We also received excellent technical support with detailing and the completionof drawings, together with assistance inplanning the production and transportationof the decking to site, which mainly tookplace at night, due to traffic restrictions.

“The end result is the successfulaccomplishment of one of Dubai’s mostimportant strategic infrastructure projects.With more than 200,000 daily users, theMetro is a source of pride to Dubai and TheUnited Arab Emirates.”

ComFlor® case study Dubai Metro Project, United Arab Emirates

Tata SteelShotton, Deeside, Flintshire, CH5 2NHT: +44 (0) 845 30 88 330F: +44 (0) 845 30 11 013www.tatasteelconstruction.com/comflorThe ComFlor Blog - comflorblog.com

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