FiberHome 5G Project A2 Building: 3,778 m2 Steel Space Frame Roof Jacked into Place at 19.5 m
2025/07/24
On-Site Record: Jacking a 3,778 m2 Steel Space Frame Roof for the FiberHome 5G Bearer Application Project
The steel space frame roof of the A2 Comprehensive Building at the FiberHome 5G Bearer Application Project has been lifted into position in Jiangxia District, Wuhan. It is a textbook case of a large-span, irregularly shaped space frame — the type of structure where the erection method, not the fabrication, decides whether the schedule holds.
Project Overview
| Item | Parameter |
|---|---|
| Project | FiberHome 5G Bearer Application Project — A2 Comprehensive Building |
| Roof structure | Steel space frame, square pyramid (orthogonal) configuration |
| Roof area | 3,778 m2 |
| Support elevation | 19.5 m |
| Longitudinal length | 92.2 m |
| Span | 52.4 m |
| Nodes | 1,113 bolted sphere nodes |
| Members | 4,255 steel tubes |
| Supporting structure | Cast-in-situ concrete frame, 3 storeys with perimeter mezzanines (partial 4th storey) |
Method Selection: Assemble on the Slab, Lift Synchronously
With a 52.4 m clear span, a double-curved surface and 1,113 bolted sphere nodes, tolerance left no room for correction after assembly. The roof was not assembled at 19.5 m. The team built the frame as a complete unit on the third-floor slab in divided panel units, then raised it with hydraulic synchronised jacking — lifters plus a temporary support system carrying it upward synchronously and at uniform speed to the design elevation.
| Rejected method | Principal problems |
|---|---|
| High-altitude piece-by-piece assembly | Every node connected at height; prolonged high-altitude work; geometry control deteriorates as work spreads upward |
| Block hoisting | Needs large open working areas and hardened site roads for large crane mobilisation and access |
After multiple rounds of technical review, jacking won on two counts: it sharply cuts high-altitude work risk and raises construction efficiency, while removing crane-access constraints on a built-up site.
One Month of Preparation Before the First Lift
- Technical briefing and scheme optimisation. Design, construction, supervision and monitoring parties met in a dedicated technical review; the scheme was refined around this frame's behaviour and passed expert review on 28 June 2025.
- Jacking unit division. The frame was split into one jacking zone and six loose-assembly zones, with eight hydraulic jack lifting points.
- Temporary support system. Lattice steel columns with levelling devices at the top kept the frame stable through every lift stage.
- Training and emergency drills. 40 project personnel trained on hydraulic equipment operation, monitoring data interpretation and handling of unexpected conditions, then drilled for lifting interruption, support instability and collapse.
Where the Control Really Sits: Synchronisation
In multi-point jacking, synchronisation is the most critical variable. The project ran a "data control plus manual fine-tuning" strategy: electronic displacement sensors collected stroke data, a central processor processed it and raised over-limit warnings, closing the loop.
- Unified command. The master control system issued a common command to every pump station at a preset rate — for example 50 mm/min.
- Live monitoring. Numerical control screens displayed stroke data live. Where a point lagged from friction — a 5 mm deviation — lifting stopped immediately and pressure was topped up through the manual valve so all points advanced together.
- Staged lifting. Every 770 mm the lift paused to inspect frame deformation, support stability and equipment status; work resumed only after sign-off.
Real-Time Monitoring: Verified to the Millimetre
- Stress monitoring. Strain gauges bonded to critical members — mid-span tension chords and compression members near supports — streamed stress data live to confirm values stayed below the design allowable (for Q355 steel, 215 MPa).
- Displacement monitoring. A total station tracked support-centre coordinates; deviation held within ±5 mm, well inside the ±15 mm allowed by code.
Holding the Line: Wind and Heat
Gusting winds. Level 4-6 gusts during construction threatened lateral sway. The team deployed a wind cable plus guy scheme: φ16 mm wire ropes at the four corners, fixed to ground anchors at one end and to lower-chord bolted-sphere nodes at the other, tensioned by turnbuckles at 21.4 kN per cable — holding measured sway below 50 mm.
38 °C heat. Crews kept splicing and bolting through peak summer heat, holding the programme without discounting safety: no retreat from the heat, no compromise on safety.
Results: Three Zeros, and Time Back in the Programme
The completed lift met the project's "three zeros" objective: zero safety incidents, zero quality defects, zero schedule delay. The team also pioneered a "zoned and staged synchronised jacking with high-altitude loose-assembly relay" process, resolving the core difficulty of controlling synchronisation and stability in long-span jacking. Against conventional high-altitude assembly, the programme saved 15 days and cut high-altitude working hours by 30% — reinforcing the company's long-span credentials.
Conclusion
The 92.2 m by 52.4 m roof shows that geometry is only as good as the lifting scheme behind it — a model that carries directly to airport terminals, sports halls, logistics hubs and industrial plants.
On-site record — FiberHome 5G Bearer Application Project, A2 Comprehensive Building steel space frame roof jacking.
