Extension to Glass Float factory
Guardian Glass
2020 - 2021
Guardian Glass had commissioned the construction of an extension to their existing glass float factory in Goole, East Yorkshire. GGP undertook the civil and structural design on their behalf. Part of our remit was to design and detail various hoppers including the new 30tn furnace hopper.
The 30tn furnace hopper is a plated, stiffened structure carrying a significant volume of sand to be used in the production process. The hopper was to be hung at its top face from a supporting structure. The hopper was not a straightforward design to traditional steel Eurocodes as it consisted of a mixture of traditional steel beams, columns, belted and welded connections and large plate elements. Due to construction programming constraint the hopper design and detailing needed urgent attention.
Using Robot Structural Analysis by Autodesk, GGP produced a 3D finite element meshed model to analyse the hopper in its fully loaded condition. Design was then carried out to Eurocodes BS EN 1993-1-1, BS EN 1993-1-8 BS EN 1991-1-1 & BS EN 1991-4. Our design team then worked together with our steel detailers to undertake full fabrication level drawings for the completed hopper.
Detailing was carried out using Solidworks software, with a suite of drawing produced along with a Bill of Materials and Bolt Lists.
Our in-house design and detailing team work hand-in-hand to produce a high class, fully code complaint design for the furnace, along with all other hoppers on the project, and the full extension structure. The steel fabricators and installation teams undertook their respective duties without problems or alterations. The furnace hopper was installed in 2021 and has been in use since.
GGP Consult is a trading name of Gabbitas Gill Partnership Limited. Registration Number: 03017428. VAT Number: 599250007
