Yantian Port Cold Chain Service Warehouse Project

High-rise cold chain buildings face three overlapping structural challenges: 1) Lateral load control: as building height increases, wind and seismic loads significantly increase lateral forces on the structure; the post-tensioned flat slab layout must be coordinated with the overall lateral force-resisting system. 2) Long-term prestress loss management: with multiple floors and large slab areas, the cumulative effect of long-term prestress losses after tendon tensioning becomes more significant; the stress state of the entire building requires global analysis to ensure effective prestress on each floor meets long-term service requirements. 3) Anchorage reliability under low-temperature conditions: the prolonged low-temperature environment of cold storage warehouses imposes special requirements on the prestressing anchorage system—anchor materials must maintain stable efficiency under repeated thermal cycling, and sealing systems must prevent failure due to low-temperature shrinkage.

Structural system: A 12m×12m square large-span post-tensioned flat slab with two-way prestressing tendons concentrated in the negative moment zones at mid-span and support areas, combined with 3D finite element global analysis to verify the stress state of all floors. Technical analysis: Using a 3D finite element analysis program imported from the United States, combined with proprietary prestress optimization algorithms, a global building model was established to systematically analyze the stress state of each floor slab under combined vertical and lateral loads, ensuring reasonable design margin allocation. Anchorage system: The BICP-ST self-developed anchorage system was adopted, featuring low-temperature-adapted materials and specially designed sealing construction for cold storage low-temperature conditions, maintaining stable anchorage performance during long-term cold storage operation (detailed performance parameters are available in the BICP-ST anchorage system technical documentation). Construction was organized in a layered and segmented manner, with post-tensioning initiated after concrete reached specified age. Equipment was calibrated on-site before tensioning, and complete data records were maintained for each layer, forming a traceable construction archive. BICP technical personnel coordinated with the general contractor throughout, dynamically scheduling the interface between prestressing work and main structural construction to ensure quality and progress.

Yantian Port Cold Chain Service Warehouse Project: Application of Taiku Large-Span Post-Tensioned Flat Slab in High-Rise Cold Chain Buildings

Project Background

Shenzhen Yantian Port is a major port logistics hub in South China, handling large volumes of imported and exported cold chain cargo with sustained high demand for cold storage. Due to land constraints around the port, new storage capacity relies primarily on vertical expansion, making high-rise cold chain buildings the main form of cold storage construction in the region.

This project is a port-connected cold chain service warehouse designed for short-term transit and distribution of frozen and refrigerated goods, requiring high storage efficiency and density while meeting comprehensive structural safety, insulation performance, and refrigeration efficiency standards for high-rise cold chain buildings.

BICP undertook the post-tensioned structural design and technical services for this project, with a structural height of 64m and a column grid of 12m×12m, implementing a large-span post-tensioned flat slab system combined with the BICP-ST specialized anchorage system.

Technical Challenges

High-rise cold chain buildings face three overlapping structural challenges:

Lateral load control. As building height increases, wind and seismic loads significantly increase lateral forces on the structure; the post-tensioned flat slab layout must be coordinated with the overall lateral force-resisting system.

Long-term prestress loss management. With multiple floors and large slab areas, the cumulative effect of long-term prestress losses after tendon tensioning becomes more significant; the stress state of the entire building requires global analysis to ensure effective prestress on each floor meets long-term service requirements.

Anchorage reliability under low-temperature conditions. The prolonged low-temperature environment of cold storage warehouses imposes special requirements on the prestressing anchorage system—anchor materials must maintain stable efficiency under repeated thermal cycling, and sealing systems must prevent failure due to low-temperature shrinkage.

Solution

Structural system: A 12m×12m square large-span post-tensioned flat slab with two-way prestressing tendons concentrated in the negative moment zones at mid-span and support areas, combined with 3D finite element global analysis to verify the stress state of all floors.

Technical analysis: Using a 3D finite element analysis program imported from the United States, combined with proprietary prestress optimization algorithms, a global building model was established to systematically analyze the stress state of each floor slab under combined vertical and lateral loads, ensuring reasonable design margin allocation.

Anchorage system: The BICP-ST self-developed anchorage system was adopted, featuring low-temperature-adapted materials and specially designed sealing construction for cold storage low-temperature conditions, maintaining stable anchorage performance during long-term cold storage operation (detailed performance parameters are available in the BICP-ST anchorage system technical documentation).

Implementation

Construction was organized in a layered and segmented manner, with post-tensioning initiated after concrete reached specified age. Equipment was calibrated on-site before tensioning, and complete data records were maintained for each layer, forming a traceable construction archive.

BICP technical personnel coordinated with the general contractor throughout, dynamically scheduling the interface between prestressing work and main structural construction to ensure quality and progress.

Delivered Value

After project completion, the 12m×12m large-span layout effectively reduced the number of internal columns, enhancing flexibility in rack arrangement and meeting the diverse storage needs of port cold chain transit operations.

The 64m structural height of this high-rise cold storage facility was among the highest for similar completed projects in China at the time, validating the engineering applicability of large-span post-tensioned flat slab systems in high-rise cold chain buildings.

Reference Significance

This project provides a reference for cold chain logistics enterprises in land-constrained areas: by combining high-rise cold chain buildings with large-span post-tensioned structures, higher total storage capacity can be achieved on a smaller footprint while maintaining flexible rack layout. It is suitable for port logistics, urban distribution centers, and other land-constrained scenarios.

After project completion, the 12m×12m large-span layout effectively reduced the number of internal columns, enhancing flexibility in rack arrangement and meeting the diverse storage needs of port cold chain transit operations. The 64m structural height of this high-rise cold storage facility was among the highest for similar completed projects in China at the time, validating the engineering applicability of large-span post-tensioned flat slab systems in high-rise cold chain buildings. This project provides a reference for cold chain logistics enterprises in land-constrained areas: by combining high-rise cold chain buildings with large-span post-tensioned structures, higher total storage capacity can be achieved on a smaller footprint while maintaining flexible rack layout. It is suitable for port logistics, urban distribution centers, and other land-constrained scenarios.