How to Control the Jointing Precision of Multi-Curved UHPC Shapes: Key Technologies and Practical Strategies

【How to Control the Splicing Precision of Multi-Curved UHPC Shapes—Research on Key Technologies and Practical Strategies】

Driven by both contemporary architectural aesthetics and engineering technology, multi-curved UHPC (Ultra-High Performance Concrete) shapes, with their exceptional plasticity and mechanical performance, have become a “trending element” in high-end projects such as landmark buildings and cultural venues. However, the seamless splicing of complex curved surfaces has always been a widely recognized technical challenge in the industry, and its precision control directly determines the integrity of architectural artistic expression and structural safety. As an industry veteran with 28 years of full-chain experience in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group has summarized a whole-process precision control system from design to construction based on the practice of hundreds of complex projects, providing designers and owners with practical, actionable technical solutions.

1. Digital Design: Controlling the Precision of Multi-Curved UHPC Shapes at the Source

Controlling the splicing precision of multi-curved UHPC shapes requires establishing a digital baseline right from the design stage. Qinglong deeply integrates a parametric design platform (Rhino+Grasshopper) with BIM technology, decomposing architectural curved surfaces into quantifiable geometric units and achieving millimeter-level precision surface fitting through mathematical models. Taking the Nanjing East Road Century Square renovation project as an example, for the translucent concrete double-curved curtain wall, the team obtained on-site baseline data through 3D scanning and built a 1:1 digital twin model with Revit, keeping design errors within ±2mm. Meanwhile, finite element analysis software was used to simulate the forces on curved splicing joints, avoiding in advance splicing gap problems caused by material shrinkage or temperature-induced deformation, and laying a data foundation for subsequent production and installation.

2. Intelligent Mould Manufacturing: Industrialized Assurance of UHPC Component Precision

Moulds are the “matrix” of UHPC component precision, and their machining accuracy directly determines product quality. Qinglong has introduced five-axis machining centers and 3D printing technology to achieve integrated manufacturing of irregular moulds. For complex shapes such as double-curved surfaces and hollow-out patterns, moulds are made of glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP), whose light weight, high strength and smooth surface ensure the surface smoothness and dimensional stability of the formed components. In the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project, for continuous curved components with a radius of 300mm, the combination of CNC mould machining and laser scanning inspection kept the dimensional error of a single component within ±1mm, providing a “zero-tolerance” basis for on-site splicing. In addition, the modular design of moulds enables batch production of curved components of the same type, balancing precision and efficiency.

3. Construction and Installation: On-Site Precision Control of Multi-Curved UHPC Splicing

On-site installation is the “last mile” of precision control for multi-curved UHPC shapes. Qinglong innovatively adopts a “3D positioning + modular installation” process: using a Leica TS60 total station to establish a spatial coordinate system and comparing the BIM model with real-time measured on-site data, component installation achieves a spatial positioning precision of ±3mm; for super-large curved shapes, a “block pre-assembly + overall hoisting” scheme is adopted, in which components are pre-assembled and numbered in the factory and then installed in sequence on site, reducing errors from cross trade operations. Taking a double-curved UHPC curtain wall project at an exhibition center as an example, this process achieved the seamless splicing of more than 3,000 irregular components with a joint flatness error of ≤1mm, delivering a “mirror-grade” visual effect. Meanwhile, to counter the effects of thermal stress, elastic buffer layers are set at the splicing joints to ensure long-term precision stability.

4. Full-Chain Quality Control: Qinglong's Core Competitiveness in UHPC Splicing Precision

As a national high-tech enterprise and a participant in formulating UHPC industry standards, Qinglong has established a full-chain quality control system covering detailed design, production and manufacturing, construction and installation, and after-sales maintenance. From laboratory optimization of material mix ratios (e.g., fibre content controlled precisely to 0.1%), to RFID chip traceability during production, to 3D scanning acceptance after installation, every step is managed with data. The “Nine-Step Precision Control Method”, distilled from 28 years of industry experience, has been successfully applied to hundreds of projects at home and abroad, including the UHPC double-curved skin of a landmark building in Malaysia and GRP daylighting roofs at an airport in Saudi Arabia, confirming Qinglong's technological leadership in the field of complex-shaped materials.

Precision control in the splicing of multi-curved UHPC shapes is a deep integration of materials science, digital technology and engineering experience. With the mission of “Creating Beautiful Architecture”, Qinglong transforms designers' creativity into reality through technological innovation and full-chain services, injecting more possibilities into architectural art. In the future, as technologies such as 3D printing and AI simulation develop, the precision control of UHPC shapes will advance to a higher dimension, and Qinglong will continue to explore cutting-edge technologies, contributing “Chinese intelligent manufacturing” solutions to the industry.