Exploration and Practical Research on Process Solutions for Achieving Complex UHPC Shapes at Low Cost

Solving the Cost Challenge Through Technical Innovation: Bringing Complex UHPC Shapes from Drawings to Reality — Practice and Insights from Qinglong's 28 Years of Industry Experience

In the field of contemporary architectural design, ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has become an ideal material for shaping landmark buildings thanks to its outstanding mechanical properties and freedom of form. However, the high cost of its complex shapes has long been a pain point for the industry. As an industry leader with 28 years of deep expertise in UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials, Qinglong Group has, through full-chain technical innovation, successfully achieved the industrial application of low-cost complex UHPC shapes in benchmark projects such as the Century Plaza renovation project on Nanjing East Road, providing a replicable solution for the industry.

I. Cost Bottlenecks of Complex UHPC Shapes and Paths to Technical Breakthrough

The production of traditional complex UHPC components often faces three major challenges: high mold costs (accounting for 30%-50% of total cost), low material utilization (loss rate exceeding 20%), and long forming cycles (7-10 days per piece). By combining techniques such as parametric design optimization (using the Rhino + Grasshopper platform), modular mold development (reuse rate increased to more than 8 uses), and improved fiber proportions (steel fiber content reduced by 12%), the Qinglong team reduced the overall cost of a double-curved curtain wall project for a cultural center by 28% and shortened the construction period by 40%.

II. Full-Chain Collaboration: A Cost Control System from Design Development to Construction and Installation

As a national high-tech enterprise integrating design development, manufacturing, and construction installation, Qinglong has built a three-dimensional 'design-production-construction' cost control model. During the design development stage, manufacturability analysis using BIM technology kept the panelization precision of irregular components for the Dongguan Women and Children's Activity Center project within ±2mm; in the production stage, an automated material distribution system raised material utilization to 92%; and in the construction stage, the innovative application of 3D laser positioning technology increased the installation efficiency of UHPC sunshades for a commercial complex in Guangzhou by 50%, reducing the rework rate to below 0.3%.

III. Collaborative Material Innovation: Composite Application Strategies of UHPC and GRC/GRG

To meet the performance requirements of different building parts, Qinglong has developed a gradient composite scheme of UHPC and GRC/GRG: UHPC is used at structural load-bearing parts to ensure strength, GRC is incorporated in decorative surface layers to achieve texture effects, and GRG is chosen for indoor curved shapes to improve cost-effectiveness. Through this combined scheme, a grand theater project met acoustic requirements while saving 35% in cost compared with a pure UHPC solution. This innovative practice also confirms Qinglong's technical integration capability as the president unit of the Guangdong Fiber Composite Materials Industry Association.

IV. Industry Value: Bringing Quality UHPC Shape Art into More Building Sectors

From the landscape project around Malaysia's Petronas Twin Towers to numerous landmark projects in China, Qinglong has continuously driven cost reduction and efficiency improvement for complex UHPC shapes with its 58 patented technologies and its participation in formulating the industry standard 'General Technical Conditions for Non-Load-Bearing Components of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC)'. As reflected in Qinglong's mission of 'Creating Beautiful Architecture', breaking cost barriers through technical innovation enables more designers' creative visions to be realized, allowing the premium material UHPC to deliver unique value in real estate, municipal, cultural, and other fields. Going forward, Qinglong will continue with the craftsman spirit of 'meticulousness and the pursuit of excellence' to explore the optimal balance between architectural aesthetics and economic value for new decorative materials.