The magazine

of the Hilti Group

1/2008

Beijing: an Olympic birds nest

Dubai: the small seams in the big tower
Bern: making concrete decks stay put
Approvals: guaranteed safety

Contents
Page 2

Worldwide
4 Switzerland: safely across the high wire
5 Australia: working where others give up
5 Hilti production facilities: champions of improvement

Engineering
6 Making concrete decks stay put
26 Approvals: guaranteed safety

06

New solution to keep the decks of underground

garages and underpasses on their pillars.

Building construction
12 Beijing: the birds nest
20 Dubai: the small seams in the big tower

Innovation
30 The X-U premium nail does more
3 1 DD 110-D: for dry coring in masonry
32 GX 120-ME: all the rave among electricians
33 TE 500-AVR: premium breaker
34 Productivity in all trades

12

Beijings National Stadium attracts attention well in

advance of the Summer Olympic Games.

20

Fire protection is taken very seriously at the Burj

Dubai what will be the tallest building in the world.

Impressum
Publisher: Hilti Corporation,
Corporate Communications,
Postbox 333, FL-9494 Schaan,
Principality of Liechtenstein
Editor-in-chief: Ursula Trunz,
phone: +423 234 26 30,
ursula.trunz@hilti.com
Distribution: Tamara Eberle,
tamara.eberle@hilti.com
Layout / design: milano-graphic,
CH-8640 Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland
Composition / lithos / printing:
bmedien, CH-9471 Buchs, Switzerland

Publication frequency: twice a year

Circulation: 36,000 (17,000 English,
10,500 German, 3,000 Spanish,
2,500 French, 2,000 Japanese,
1,000 Italian)
Cover photo: Beijing National Stadium,
China (Photo: Andreas Keller)
The Magazine is also available
in electronic form under
www.hilti.com/magazine
The articles published in this magazine
may be regarded as official statements
by the Executive Board only when ex-

pressly marked as such. In the event of

differing interpretation, the original text
shall apply.
Hilti is a registered trademark of the
Hilti Corporation.
Hilti Corporation,
May 2008

Magazine 1/2008

Editorial
Page 3

Olympic Games
without Hilti?
ith the Olympic Games in
Beijing and the European
Soccer Championships in Austria
and Switzerland, 2008 looks to be
a very sporting year. Hilti plans no
public appearances at either of
these significant events, popular
among both the media and the public. Our presence in the stadiums of
the world is much more modest, yet
extremely effective. A crowd of
90,000 spectators will jam Beijing
National Stadium to voice their
enthusiasm at this quadrennial
event. The stadiums seats must
therefore be able to withstand a
good deal of movement, redirecting significant loads into the concrete base. This is a case for Hilti
anchors, proven in sporting arenas
around the world.

Whether youre attending one of

these huge events personally or enjoying the competition on television, you can be certain that almost
every stadium contains Hilti products and was constructed using
Hilti tools. In addition to the anchors used for the seats, Beijing
National Stadium contains other
Hilti products. Read more about
this in the report on page 12. It is
hoped that the impressive stadium
will become an icon of Beijing,
much as the Eiffel Tower is to
Paris. An icon for high-quality, in-

novative construction, as well as

for Hilti.
The story, on page 6, has an indirect link to Europes soccer championship. Fans arriving at the railway station in Switzerlands capital
city of Bern will pass by a Hilti innovation without noticing. This innovation has enthused engineers
and makes their life easier.
Were also continuing to work on
technical solutions that make con-

struction more efficient and that

increase safety both during construction and when the finished
construction is in use. Our commitment on behalf of construction
professionals goes much further
than sporting stadiums. In Dubai,
it reaches far into the sky as youll
read in a report on page 20.

Guangzhou. Mexicos Guadalajara

will be preparing for the 2011 Pan
American Games. Well have the
suitable solution for each construction problem that pops up.
These will not only provide safety,
but also economic efficiency for
the users.

In 2010 the world soccer championships will take place in South

Africa while the Asian Games will
be held in the Chinese city of

Bo Risberg
Chief Executive Officer

Worldwide
Page 4

Safely across the high wire

Preparation is everything. David Dimitri

crosses the town
square of Saint Gallen,
Switzerland some
55 meters above the
ground.

Swiss high-wire acrobat David Dimitri

leaves nothing to chance. Especially his
safety.

avid Dimitri would rather

travel the world with his
own circus and solo acrobatic act.
But now and then he makes news
with spectacular stunts. Hes
crossed St. Gallen, Switzerlands
town hall square at the impressive
height of 55 meters (180.4 ft) and
also crossed the Waldstadion soccer stadium in Frankfurt am Main,
Germany on a high wire.

He describes the feeling of being

alone on the high wire as unique.
But a great deal of time is required to prepare for an appear-

ance, he says. After all, he does attach his high wire to many historical buildings. Because safety is
paramount he has to develop the
optimal fastening concept together
with engineers.
The pulling force of the wire can
be up to ten tons depending on the
wires length. An error when fastening it could be fatal. This is
why I chose products from the pioneer in fastening technology,
says David Dimitri. Ive known of
and used Hilti products and tools
for a long time and also know that

I can completely count on each individual part. In addition to the

Hilti TE 6-S rotary hammer, he
also uses in his professional capacity the HAS segment anchor,
HST stud anchor or chemical anchors, depending on what is called
for. The artist finds the screws and
anchor rods pretty, in their own
way. One sees the first-class quality immediately.

Magazine 1/2008

Worldwide
Page 5

Working where others

give up
Chris Milne, in Sydney, sent Hilti
an image of himself. He knows
what he can trust when working
at heights.

eal Hilti fans will do anything. Chris Milne, of Edge

Rope Access in Sydney, was photographed using a Hilti TE 6 while
suspended by ropes at a dizzying
height. He has a friend, a professional photographer no less, who
took this picture. The image, with

the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, would have been impressive on its own merit. But Chris
Milne studied Hiltis corporate design and presented the touched-up
picture, in classic black and white
with a red tool, to Anthony Salvemini, the Hilti salesperson he deals

with. Weve built up quite an alliance with Hilti over the last five
years. The technical support from
Hilti is a valuable part of the service
that I provide to my customers, says
Milne. He goes on to say that, thanks
to Hilti, challenges become mere
formalities and also admits that he

pushes the tools to their limits under

extreme conditions. But the trust he
has remains. Ive got absolute confidence in the products and technical support provided by Hilti engineers, to be precise. Hilti products
allow me to find solutions where
others have given up.

Champions of
continuous improvement
H
eres an idea with sustainable results, and an anniversary to prove it. Some 25
years ago Martin Hilti, the
founder of the company, introduced the Continuous Improvement Process (CIP), which focused on teamwork in small
groups. Since then the power of
these improvement ideas has
largely been noticed in Hilti production facilities. They supported
and promoted employees and
teams, allowing them to grow
personally, and they increased
productivity. During the anniversary year Hilti handed out the CIP
award for the first time to the
team generating the best im-

provement idea in the Hilti world.

The award went to a five-person
team from the production facility
in Kaufering, Germany. The team
used simple means to make a production step in the manufacture of
motors more efficient, safe and environmentally friendly. At the
awards ceremony, Hilti Executive
Board member Stefan Nken said
Were not easily satisfied. His
statement can serve as a motto for
future improvement ideas that are
constantly developed and consistently implemented by Hilti employees. The beneficiaries of these
ideas are customers and personal
growth, which once again benefits
the customer.

Helmut Happach, Harika Glbahar, Sylvia Pckl and Karl-Heinz Mittl,

minus absent colleague Hedwig Derlich, accept the award from Executive Board member Stefan Nken.

Engineering
Page 6

Makin
decks

Magazine 1/2008

g concrete
stay put
The roof decks of many underground car parks and underpasses carry heavy loads
and have been found to require subsequent strengthening in order to ensure that they
stay where they belong on their supporting columns. A smart and cost-effective solution to this problem is currently enjoying its world premiere in the Swiss capital of Bern.
Manfred Schiefer (text) and Geri Krischker (photos)

Engineering
Page 8

Civil Engineer Martin Diggelmann: Classic solutions would not have been optimal.

ern is looking forward to the

European Soccer Championships, a very special event thats
due to begin in June 2008. Before
then, the huge square in front of
Berns main railway station, known
as the Bahnhofplatz, and located at
the edge of the historical old part
of the town, is to be given a facelift
that will bring it up to a standard
worthy of the capital city. A new,
light and airy glass canopy will
form the entrance to the old town
of Bern, emphasizing the bold conception of the square. Alongside
the aesthetic aspects of the structure this modern canopy must not
be allowed to detract from the im-

pact of the surrounding, impressive historic buildings are the

functional requirements it must
fulfill in its role as a hub of the
public transport system on one of
the main city-center routes. This
already bustling square will be required to handle an even greater
volume of traffic in future.
200,000 pedestrians presently use
the square every day to change
from one means of transport to another from bicycle or motorbike
to train, bus or tram and the number is rising every year.
Built in 1970 beneath the Bahnhofplatz, lies the Christoffel Shop-

ping Mall. As the safe load-bearing

capacity of the roof deck slab of
this underground structure was
found to no longer comply with
current standards, and the loads on
it had changed due to rerouting of
city traffic and relocation of bus
and tram stops, the roof had to be
strengthened. Above all, the roof
slabs punch-through resistance
was found to be inadequate. The
load-bearing columns would simply punch through the slab if the
critical load was exceeded, explained Martin Diggelmann, construction engineer and partner in
Diggelmann + Partner AG of Bern,
the engineering office responsible

Magazine 1/2008

Engineering
Page 9

This is how the new solutions works: drill

holes in the deck at an angle, be certain to
maintain the prescribed drilling depth.
Set the rebars with Hilti HIT-RE 500 injectable adhesive mortar and then additionally anchor below with a nut. As the effectiveness of the punch-through resistance is
largely dependant on the anchor, the selection of a strong adhesive mortar is decisive.
Close the opening with Hilti firestop mortar.
A further advantage of the solution is that it
saves usage of additional firestop material.

Engineering
Page 10

Ensuring that it can stand up to even more traffic, the square at Berns railway station is being renovated.

for planning the work carried out to

optimize the statics of the structure.
Rehabilitation of the shopping mall
therefore included work to significantly increase the loads that could
be taken up by the roof slab at the
intersections with the supporting
columns. And this presented an
exceptional challenge.
Conventional solutions such as
welded-on steel mushrooms or
heavy steel ribs were discussed during the preliminary stages of the
project. But these solutions
werent ideal in terms of the statics
involved, would be difficult and
costly to implement from the engineering point of view, and their appearance wouldnt have pleased the
architects either, Martin Diggelmann continued to explain. Steel
mushrooms are unsightly, they increase the diameter of the head of
each column and prevent a free line
of sight over the entire ceiling.
Despite the difficulties, a solution
had to be found and it had to be
found quickly. Marcel Schtz,
manager of the structural conservation department of Walo
Bertschinger AG, the company responsible for the civil engineering

contract, reminded us of other aspects: We had to adhere to a

clearly-defined budget and the
schedule was also extremely tight.
But thanks to Hilti, Marcel Schultz
had no need to worry. Costs are
now slightly below budget, he remarked with satisfaction. To ensure that the schedule could be
met, the Hilti engineers worked in
cooperation with specialists from
the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Lausanne, and deMarcel Schtz: We had
clear cost and time limits
in strengthening the
deck.

veloped an entirely new solution in

record time.
The initiative came from Martin
Diggelmann. Searching for the optimum solution, he contacted Professor Aurelio Muttoni of the
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. The professor drew Martins
attention to a proposed Hilti solution which had already passed initial tests with flying colors. We
knew immediately that this inno-

vative method could be employed

for the first time in the rehabilitation project for the Christoffel
Shopping Mall, recalled Martin
Diggelmann. The Hilti solution
was unique and pointed the way to
the future. We found the only possible answer to the problem and, at
the same time, worked out a solution that could be of great value for
many other similar structures such
as underpasses or multistory car
parks, explained Jakob Kunz, a
consultant engineer with Hilti and
specialist for structural reinforcement within the Engineering and
Application Support Team.
The new technique, in which reinforcing bars designed to increase
punch-through resistance are set in
Hilti HIT-RE 500 injectable adhesive mortar in holes drilled at an
angle, is both inexpensive and efficient. The reinforcing bars are inserted from below and disappear
out of sight in the overhead concrete deck. In order to ensure that
the necessary load-bearing capacity can be guaranteed, the steel reinforcing bars must be installed
very accurately to the specified
depth, and any misaligned holes or
holes where existing reinforce-

Magazine 1/2008

Engineering
Page 11

ment is hit when drilling, have to

be carefully sealed off by installing
dummy reinforcing bars and plugs.
We recommend that the team carrying out the work keeps an accurate record of the depths to which
they have drilled and the lengths of
the reinforcing bars inserted, suggested Martin Diggelmann. This
kind of verification makes sense
because subsequent checking isnt
possible after the rebars have been
set and the openings closed off.
Use of the Hilti solution to increase
the punch-through resistance of a
roof slab is of little hindrance to
other work on the jobsite and no
surface earthmoving is required as
all of the work can be carried out
from below. There is no through
penetration of the deck slab when
drilling, so the sealing layer on top
remains intact. Martin Diggelmann
mentioned yet another important
advantage of the system: A deck
slab that has been strengthened by
adding steel mushrooms exhibits
sudden friability in the event of
failure, whereas with the Hilti solution, considerable deformation
occurs before fracture. Anton
Hrlimann, who has managed the
project in his role as Field Engineer
for Hilti Switzerland, pointed out a
further positive aspect of the technique: With this solution, no additional firestopping measures are
required. The openings can simply
be filled with Hilti firestop mortar. Other advantages of this clever
and cost-effective solution soon
became apparent on the jobsite in
Bern. There was no disruption of
the project schedule due to this reinforcing work, and reconstruction
of the Bahnhofplatz could continue
while the job went ahead in the
shopping mall below.
For further technical information,
please refer to the article Reinforcing flat decks in Hilti Magazine issue 1/2007. The article can
also be found at www.hilti.com.
Above the square, below the stores. Between the two is the strengthened deck.

Building construction
Page 12

The

Magazine 1/2008

birds nest
One world, one dream, is the motto of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
The games have prompted the construction of numerous new sports venues in Beijing. The National Stadium has already been adopted by the city
as a modern landmark, an architectural dream made possible through innovative technology.
Manfred Schiefer (text) and Andreas Keller (photos)

Building construction
Page 14

Customer Xue Yong knows

exactly which products to use
if he wants to save time.

he people of Beijing made

the pilgrimage to their new
National Stadium long before construction was completed. They
came to admire the stadium and to
take a souvenir photograph in front
of the construction fence. There is
a steady stream of visitors who
stop on a strategically placed highway bridge, emerge from their
cars, take a photograph and then
continue on their journey. Shortly
after being greeted by their guide,
tourists on a trip to see the Great
Wall are informed that on the return trip to Beijing they will most
certainly have the opportunity to

view the new stadium. Even a reporter for Taiwan television uses
the new stadium as a backdrop
when making a report. Almost no
one in Beijing refers to the impressive structure as the National
Stadium. They call it the birds nest
and have taken the stadium to
heart. They are proud of the new
building and have a right to be. The
stadium, designed by Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de
Meuron, is simply magnificent.
The most beautiful stadium in the
world, is how my partner on this
trip, the sport enthusiast and architecture photographer Andreas

Heavy yet seemingly full of air. The steel beams used in Beijings National Stadium have a total weight of
42,500 tons and are impressively interwoven.

Keller, refers to it. He should know

as theres hardly a single renown
stadium in the world that he hasnt
seen from the inside.
It is Jacques Herzogs wish that the
National Stadium will one day be
Beijing what the Eiffel Tower is to
Paris. A wish that is in no sense arrogant. There is a reason the Birds
Nest sits at a historical junction
with symbolic buildings such as
the Imperial Palace, or the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square
which includes the Mausoleum of
Mao Zedong. The extension of the
path that was once reserved for the

Magazine 1/2008

Building construction
Page 15

A look into the

future
For more than a year, Xue Yongs
calendar has shown August
2008. Thats the magic date that
all our work is focused on, says
the Electrical and Mechanical
Works Deputy Minister at Citic International Contracting. He views
his work on the National Stadium
at times as many as 300 people
working on the low-voltage current security systems as a highlight, and not merely because of
the attention paid to the project
by the Chinese government.
This is the first time that this type
of system has been used in a stadium in China, he says before
adding the system has to work
perfectly from the first day of operation. There is no excuse for
delays or errors. To ensure this,
the most modern technology is
being used. The cable runs and
the components connected by
kilometers of wiring are fastened
to the ceiling with the Hilti MQ
system. The flexibility of the system and the fastening simplicity
are both ideal, confirms the
electrical and mechanical engineer. Hilti also provided him with
the optimal solution for fastening
the cable trays directly to steel
beams. The Hilti X-BT stud
proved to be the best possible
fastening solution. An opinion
shared by Xue Yong.

Hundreds of meters of cable and pipes, providing electricity and ventilation for the stadium,
circle beneath it.

Building construction
Page 16

Some 90,000 fans will experience the opening and closing ceremonies here.

The seat fastenings will stand up to

a great deal of fan enthusiasm. They are fastened
with Hilti HLC sleeve anchors.

Magazine 1/2008

Building construction
Page 17

Hilti firestop improves

acoustics

emperor leads directly past the new

stadium. Jacques Herzog and
Pierre de Meuron have proven
their spirit of innovation with other
courageous designs, including the
Allianz Arena and St. Jakob Park
stadiums in Munich and Basel, respectively. At the beginning of the
millennium they were awarded the
Pritzker Prize, the most renown architecture award in the world, for
the passionate manner in which
they handle the entire range of construction materials that they use to,
as the Pritzker jury stated, advance the art of architecture.
The comparison with the Eiffel
Tower can also be made by virtue
of the fact that the primary construction material of both is steel.
Beams having a total weight of
42,500 tons are impressively intertwined and give the gigantic stadium, that is 320 meters (1050 ft)
long and 70 meters (229 ft) high, a
light and breezy feel. Internally,
construction is solely concrete and
is not connected to the steel beams
at all a technology designed to
counter the effects of seismic activity. The crowd stands are covered by a special translucent plastic membrane while any annular
spaces between the steel frame are
also stuffed with this material, similar to how grass and leaves are
used in a birds nest. But, of course,
Herzog & de Meuron didnt use
grass and leaves, but pillows of extremely light plastic material
known as ETFE that can also be
penetrated by light and ultraviolet
rays. Depending on how they are
set, the pillows can hold an unpleasant wind at bay or allow a
cool breeze to filter through the
stadium, reducing energy usage, a
feature that is matched in the

neighboring swimming stadium.

Here the ETFE will pillows expand
in the sunshine to shade the inside
area from the suns heat. When the
weather is cool they are reduced in
size, allowing the few warming
rays to infiltrate into the swimming
hall.
Even though as little energy as
possible is to be used to cool the
birds nest, an effective cooling
system is required because of Beijings hot and humid summer
weather. The HVAC systems
heavy, 800-meter long (2624 ft) tubular steel piping, having a diameter of almost 50 centimeters (19.7
in), sits below ground level and
traces the oval of the stadium design. The piping is subject to significant pressure and temperature
fluctuations, placing special requirements on its fastening. The
weather and the operating condition of the system cause variances
in the temperature. So the pipe is
either expanding or contracting,
explains Uwe Forster, Market Development Manager for Hilti Installation Systems. The linear expansion is made up for by built-in
compensators that are evenly
spaced in the piping, adds Hilti
Chinas Wilson Wong. But the temperature variances also result in the
expansion and contraction of the
radius of the pipes. Heres Richard
Wang, a Field Engineer who looks
after Hilti customers in Beijing:
We selected a sliding fastening
that would give the pipe enough
room to expand and contract and
that would still stand up to the high
loads. After analyzing the task the
project team, also consisting of
Bernhard Kreidl, from Hilti headquarters in Liechtenstein, and
Michael Shui and Tony Yin,

Wang Qiang selected first-class

products for the extravagant architecture.
There is more being constructed
for the 2008 Summer Olympic
Games than sports venues. China
Central Television (CCTV), Chinas
largest and oldest broadcaster, is
building a new headquarters.
Once completed, the facility will
offer much more than the usual
corporate headquarters. The complex, consisting of three buildings
and an outdoor facility, will be fully
completed by 2012 and also in-

cludes a television cultural center

with theater, cinemas, restaurants
and a hotel. The center of the facility is an extravagant skyscraper
designed by Dutch architect Rem
Koolhaas. The television cultural
center building will house the radio
studios that will be finished in time
to broadcast the Summer Olympic
Games in 2008. Hiltis HDA undercut anchor was used here to secure the hand railings safely on the
exposed interior of this modern
building while Hilti also contributed optimal firestop solutions.
Wang Qiang of the Beijing Urban
Construction Group selected Hilti
firestop for safety reasons and for
the Hilti service that he raves
about. But he also found that Hilti
firestop board improves the
acoustics, something that we
place a particular emphasis on in a
radio studio, said the project
manager in explaining what had
until now been the little known yet
effective properties of Hilti firestop
protection.

China Central Television will soon begin broadcasting.

Building construction
Page 18

The National Stadium, fondly referred to as the birds

nest by the Chinese, is in reality a steel colossus that
requires innovative technology even where the smallest details are concerned. The stadium should
become to Beijing what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris.

quickly realized something: This

is the right situation for the Hilti
MQ fastening system as it is able
to flexibly adapt to the changing
requirements, something that
welded elements cannot do, says
Michael Shui. Just how significant
this advantage can be was seen in
this project. For whatever reason,
the loads that the pipes were subject to were greater than those indicated in the plans, says Richard
Wang. Thanks to the flexibility of
our MQ channel installation system we could quickly and simply
reinforce the clamps. The series of
tests that followed showed that,
even under greater loads, the safety
was assured.
The Hilti MQ channel installation
system was also used for electrical
installations. The main high-voltage cables, that provide power to
the whole stadium, are securely
supported by MQ channel system.
The same can be said for the kilometer-long cables of the low-voltage current security system, which
monitors both the cooling and
alarm systems and also bypasses
them if needed. The lighting system also runs in cable trays that are
fixed to the ceiling with the Hilti
MQ channels system. Hilti X-BT
studs were used to directly affix
cable runs to steel beams. This solution is not only outstanding from
an architectural point of view,
praises Xue Yong, Electrical and

Mechanical Works Deputy Minister at Citic International Contracting. If the fastening was made using a traditional process it would
not only damage the protective
coating but would also take a great
deal more time. We fastened the
trays in only two months, says
Xue Yong.
The stadium will host the opening
and closing ceremonies of the
2008 Olympic Games as well as
the track-and-field and soccer
competitions. The workers who
fastened the stadiums 90,000 seats
with Hilti HLC sleeve anchors not
only required a tape measure, template, drill, anchors and setting
tool, they also had to maintain a
specific plan that differed depending on the particular stand section,
fastening an odd red seat in the
midst of the many white ones.
From a distance one can see how
the symbolic arrangement imitates
the Olympic torchs flame as it
flickers over the stadium.

Magazine 1/2008

Building construction
Page 19

Building construction
Page 20

The
in th

Magazine 1/2008

small seams
e big tower

Building construction
Page 22

John Zerafa (left) and his team of

270 are hanging the faade on the
Burj Dubai. Hiltis Marvin Ronquillo
is there if he needs assistance.

The Burj Dubai, or tower of Dubai, will once touch the clouds at a height of
more than 800 meters. The tallest building in the world is protected against
flames, smoke and gasses in places most people could only imagine. The
seams between the buildings outer shell and the individual floors will be
sealed in such as way that temperature-related warping of the buildings
hung faade can be compensated for.
Ursula Trunz (text), Paul Macleod and Nadine Al Koudsi (photos)

he question of just how high

the tower is today comes up,
and John Zerafa appears to have expected it. Two inches, or about 50
millimeters less than 600 meters
(1968 ft), he says. A bit later the reinforced concrete core of the building, poured in 180 individual steps
on site, reached its ultimate height
of 601 meters, making it the tallest
in the world. This will be topped by
a spire some 200 meters high (656
ft). But the exact height is known
only by a few insiders. No one
wants to spoil the show in Dubai,
where exterior superlatives are the

only ones that are noticed. The spire

will give the building a height
somewhere above 800 meters
where it will truly scrape the sky.
The Australian John Zerafa heads
the Arabian Aluminium / Far East
Aluminium joint venture that was
chosen to carry out planning, manufacture and assembly of the buildings hung faade. The standardized frames, of stainless steel,
come from Germany and the aluminum panels are from China.
Thirty-to-forty containers are
constantly running between China

and Dubai for us, says John Zerafa. Panels and locally-procured
glass panes are joined to form the
finished elements, 100 per day, in
a hall adjacent to the airport. The
elements are fastened to the tower
at the same rate. In the six months
since assembly began, his people
have reached the 50th story and
have 110 left to go. Some 270 people work for the Arabian Aluminium / Far East Aluminium joint
venture. The assembly teams,
safely secured with ropes and carabiners, move at the outermost
edges of the corresponding floor at

Magazine 1/2008

Building construction
Page 23

Hanging the faade at dizzying heights, and secured with ropes and
carabiners, the assembly teams move at the outermost edges of the
buildings floors.

Building construction
Page 24

dizzying heights. John Zerafa admits that the risk level is high but
adds we pay the strictest attention
to safety.
The level of exactness required in
the assembly makes the work much
more demanding. The Burj Dubais
form is akin to cylinders of concrete, steel and glass that are both
bundled together and stacked on
top of each other. The faade has
few corners and, logically, no
room for error, adds John Zerafa.
Were working almost without
tolerance. If one of the panels, that
can be as high as 6.4 meters (21 ft),
does not fit exactly in its place we
must make up for this in assembling the next one. In summer
temperatures reach 50C and
more. Depending on temperature
the panels may expand horizontally and vertically by up to ten
millimeters in each direction. Sand
storms are also common in Dubai

and the buildings faade should be

able to withstand wind pressure,
according to tests, of up to 4.5 kilopascals. The bending or warping
of the faade either inward or outward, caused by temperature or
wind, will be a maximum of 20
millimeters (.8 in) per floor, summarizes John Zerafa.
The question of how to seal the
seams between the floor surface
and the hung faade is addressed
no later than this point in the
process. The seal must be able to
compensate for temperature- and
wind-related faade deforming as
well as protect against flames,
smoke, gasses and sound. I
looked at various solutions, summarizes John Zerafa. One of these
was Hilti CP 672 firestop joint
spray. John Zerafa was already
able to count on Hilti in the evaluation phase. This included the advice of a field engineer in Dubai,

technical support provided by an

engineering team specialized in
firestop products and stationed at
Hiltis German headquarters, and
on the Engineering Judgment
Team in the United States that
looked after other certification details for the specific application.
Hilti CP 672 firestop joint spray
was certified by the Underwriters
Laboratories and accredited by
Factory Mutual when it was
launched.
This comprehensive level of service was certainly a factor in convincing John Zerafa. So as not to
lose any time the Hilti engineers in
Germany worked on Saturday. In
the end, the international Hilti
teams high level of commitment,
along with the quality of the product, led to his decision.

Fire protection
for the tallest
building in the
world
The Burj Dubai, or Dubai Tower, is
outfitted with Hilti firestop products from head to toe.
Hilti CP 672 firestop joint spray:
seals all joints between the floor
and hung faade and from wallto-wall and wall-to-floor joints.
Hilti CP 606 firestop joint filler:
seals wall-to-wall and wall-tofloor joints.
Hilti FS-one intumescent firestop
sealant: sealing cable and pipe
penetrations.

John Zerafa knows who is busy

working on what and where. On

James C. R., project manager for Intherpro, a company specializing in fire protection and insulation (left),
discusses stock amounts with warehouse specialist
Brootes Baby to ensure that his workers can close the
seams without delay.

Magazine 1/2008

Building construction
Page 25

After six months, faades have

been hung, and seams closed,
on 50 stories. There are an additional
110 floors to go.

the 49th floor an employee of the

Intherpro company, specializing in
fire prevention and insulation, is
working on sealing the joints. The
joints are generally six inches (152
cm) wide and are first closed off
with compressed rock wool. Then
Hilti CP 672 firestop joint spray,
delivered to the construction site in
19-liter buckets, is applied. The
worker applying the spray must
pay close attention to ensure that
the coating extends about 12 millimeters (.5 in) beyond the actual
joint to cover the floor as well as
the same length vertically along
the faade. When the spray dries,
and shrinks slightly, it leaves a
membrane that adheres to both
construction surfaces.
The membrane and rock wool
would resist a fire on the lower

floor, allowing it to move to the

floor above only slowly and aiding
the evacuation of people. Hilti CP
672s acrylate coating reacts with
great elasticity in such situations,
expanding to cover any increase in
the joint that would be generated
by the faade warping outwardly
because of a fires extreme heat.
Traditional fire prevention solutions would fail in this case. The
coating also inhibits penetration by
smoke, making it extremely difficult for smoke and gasses, the main
cause of death in fires, to rise. The
coating also allows little air penetration, has sound insulating properties and is resistant to water,
mildew and aging. These types of
properties, as slight as they may
seem in light of the massive tower,
can save lives and material goods
in case of accident.

The tallest tower may face contenders to this title in the future.
People already speak of buildings
taller than one kilometer, one in
Dubai and one in Kuwait. Theres
even talk coming from Saudi Arabia of a building taller than one
mile. Fire prevention and protection appears to be a topic of increasing importance.

Engineering
Page 26

Certified
safety
Once a certain task is completed European Technical
Approval or U.S. approval by the International Code Council
has a calming influence. Planners can have a clear
conscience. Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth*, Ulrich Bourgund*
and Friedrich Wall* highlight additional advantages resulting
from official approval of fastening products, drawing
parallels to sports in the process.
Ursula Trunz (interview) and Uli Reitz (photos)

Selecting the improper means of

fastening or erroneously assembling an anchor can have catastrophic results. Manufacturers,
engineers and construction
companies can all be held ac-

ucts and their level of performance.

Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth: If
youre trying to draw a contradiction youre wrong. Anyone focus-

Approval also
increases efficiency and
profitability. Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth
countable. The responsibility
they have is great. Justifiably
the call for transparency and
safety is a loud one. But demands on construction call for
lower costs and greater speed.
Planners and users dont have
the time to intensively discuss
the selection of available prod-

that is most suitable for a specific

fastening task. If the requirements
of a particular type of fastening are
not very high, a less efficient products will suffice that may also be
less expensive. Approvals increase
the planning safety, efficiency and
profitability.
Friedrich Wall: The planner thereby

ing on safety and efficiency simply

uses approved construction products.

has an extremely effective tool for

selecting the correct product. This
creates trust and security. In terms
of efficiency planners dont have to
discuss content where they may not
be the experts. The approval has
done the work for them.

With fastening technology, for example, an approval shows the specific performance of an anchor or
a direct fastening nail or stud.
Planners may select the product

An approval may be a fairly dry

document for a lay person. But
for the engineer it opens an
exciting world. What can they
take from this?

Magazine 1/2008

Engineering
Page 27

Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth, Friedrich Wall and Ulrich Bourgund (from top-to-bottom) agree.
Approvals remove a great deal of work for planners. It provides them with an effective
means for selecting the right product.

Engineering
Page 28

Three experts in the area of

approvals: from left, Friedrich Wall,
Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth
and Ulrich Bourgund.

Ulrich Bourgund: Each approval is

based on guidelines that establish
how the product will be tested and
the scientific proof to be provided,
which is substantial. There are also
rules in football, for example, but
its only when the rules are ob-

pendent third parties who then establish the quality of the product
based on the data. To stay with the
football metaphor the testers are
referees. Their independence is a
must for the believability and reliability of an approval.

The manufacture of each

approved product is regularly
monitored by accredited
specialists. Ulrich Bourgund
served that one has a fair contest
and transparent comparison. The
guidelines explain what rules to observe in approvals, leading to fairness and transparency, as in sports.
Friedrich Wall: Theres a reason
that tests are carried out by inde-

Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth: The

tests are carried out with great precision. The durability of a type of
fastening is monitored just as
closely as the short-term loading capacity. This calls for a high level of
technical understanding from construction authorities, construction

and scientific representatives and

the manufacturer. They define the
guidelines jointly. Customers profit
on the one side because they receive
a product that has been proven safe.
It is shown that product was tested
according to the latest technology
by the fact that the approval covers
all significant aspects. It takes into
account temperature and environmental features such as corrosion.
The approval describes the scope
of application and possible areas of
usage. The planners can use the
performance data in the approval
to carry out reliable measurements. The measuring concepts,
developed by the experts responsible for the guidelines, are high
quality and very detailed in certain
facets, and also allow economic aspects to be considered.
Ulrich Bourgund: An approval is
also a living document. New tech-

Magazine 1/2008

Engineering
Page 29

nical knowledge can be included

on short notice. The manufacture
of each approved product is monitored once or twice a year by an accredited authority
Friedrich Wall: to ensure the

quality remains at the same

level
Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth: and
to ensure that the planner or user
can expect that a products safety,
as gauged in the approval, will also
apply to serially-produced products.
What other benefits does a user,
a general contractor or tradesman, get from an approval?
Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth: Appli-

cation safety, clearly! The manufacturer must provide installation

instructions that are clearly understandable while the specialists also
monitor the installation of the

product as part of the approvals

testing. The question of whether
the bearing capacity of an anchor

The regulations for European

Technical Approval are complex
even though its a young group.

An engineer no longer
needs to worry about special
national features thanks to
approvals. Friedrich Wall
changes if it is not precisely installed according to instructions is
of particular interest to the experts
and this is also included in the approval. An application safety coefficient characterizes the sensitivity
of the anchor versus deviations
from the manufacturers application instructions. The user is advised to follow the information in
the approval exactly. This allows
them, as well as the planner, to
limit their liability risk.

Friedrich Wall: Absolutely. 20

years ago the European Union created the legal framework, the socalled construction product guidelines, that allowed construction
products to be uniformly put to use
in the member states. This resulted
in guidelines covering the entire
EU regarding technical assessment
of construction products. The first
technical approval was granted exactly ten years ago to the Hilti HST
stud anchor. This is why it carries

Engineering/Innovation
Page 30

the prominent approval designation

ETA-98/0001.
A personal question Mr. PusillWachtsmuth: together with other European experts you put
together the guidelines for fastening elements. What was that
like?
Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth: It was

very exciting. Before this happened the individual EU countries

had various requirements for construction products. For anchors
this ranged from very strict approval procedures to very general
rules. We, the representatives of
anchor manufacturers, as well as
researchers, developers and users,
had to reevaluate all the parameters from the ground up, a process
that took about ten years. In doing
so, research took a great step forward as it had to explain the loadbearing behavior and modes of action of anchors in detail.
Establishing the European
Technical Approval and guidelines seems to be a pathbreaking step with sustainable
influence. Who can now take
advantage of this?
Friedrich Wall: Well, if an engineer

from Great Britain, for example,

needs to specify fastening products
for a construction project in Greece
he no longer needs to worry about
national specifics. This aspect
gains significance depending on
the degree of international emphasis of the engineer and construction
company.
What about outside Europe?
Ulrich Bourgund: Europe and the

United States have largely harmonized their bases. The testing criteria and measuring concepts are
very similar in both regions. This is
no surprise as they are based on the
latest technology that applies
worldwide. Compared to the European Union the USA is a step
ahead in terms of earthquake
safety. China, to name a significant

example in Asia, is now establishing similar regulations to those in

the European Union and the USA.
I recently visited a construction
site in India where I talked about
European Technical Approvals.
The topic is gaining attention and
significance in these emerging
countries as well. We are striving to
contribute to the corresponding authorities and also have people on
location who know both the local
circumstances and the valid approval standards.
* Peter Pusill-Wachtsmuth served
as a leading Hilti representative
for some 20 years as construction authorities, universities and
anchor manufacturers harmonized the standards in the European Union and developed the
initial European Technical Approval Guidelines (ETAG). He is
acknowledged as an absolute
specialist in this area both in
Europe and around the world. To
ensure continuity he has worked
for a longer period of time together with Hilti colleagues
Ulrich Bourgund and Friedrich
Wall. Once Mr. PusillWachtsmuth retires they will
continue to cultivate and develop Hiltis specialist knowledge
in this area.
For additional information please
contact:
ulrich.bourgund@hilti.com or
fritz.wall@hilti.com
For more in-depth information see
www.eota.eu

Nailed

Mike Coughlin and the Hilti X-U

premium nail did it. All other
nails failed because of the hard
surface material.
The nail is the smallish element that holds the
entire package together. In the U.S. city of
Seattle the new Hilti X-U nail is holding together
a large construction site. No other nail was able
to cope with the tough concrete conditions.

he view is impressive. A gigantic commercial and residential complex, The Bravern,

is taking shape in the midst of
skyscrapers. But Hilti Project
Manager John Forcade pensively
furrows his brow.

His customer, Mike Coughlin of

Skanska Steel Division, seeks a
solution for an extremely demanding task. The task was to
vertically fasten rebar-matting
that would serve as a stabilizer for
concrete walls that had yet to be
poured. Hilti X-CC floor clips
were also to be nailed to the existing foundation walls that were
approximately 20 meters (66 ft)
high. The rebar was then to be affixed to the clips with metal wire.
Two things make this a difficult
task. The inhomogeneous proper-

ties of the concrete foundation

walls and the additional coating
with a particularly hard, waterproof insulation material. The
nails used here have to be particularly robust.
John Forcade knows that and hes
worried. Until now all the nails
tried either bent or failed to hold.
After nerve-racking weeks of tinkering, the last nail they try is the
new Hilti X-U. And it holds! As
simple as that, and after the very
first test. One can say the problems were solved with a single
blow.

Magazine 1/2008

Innovation
Page 31

Masonry and more

Cutting sockets is easy.

If desired, with a dustremoval feature.

Specially designed for hand-guided dry coring in

masonry, the new Hilti DD 110-D offers a unique,
impressively high level of coring performance and
efficiency.

his new hand-held, high-performance coring machine for

heavy use on masonry has virtually defined a new tool category
for this type of work. Although the
compact and well-balanced Hilti
DD 110-D has been designed for
drilling holes of up to 162 mm (6.4
in) diameter in aerated concrete,
sand-lime block, perforated brick,
solid brick and clinker, it also
makes an excellent job of drilling
extra-large diameter holes in wood,
metal and plastics.

This dry-cutting coring system is

first choice where speed counts.
High motor performance and a
sturdy 2-speed gearing system
ensure optimum coring speed and
maximum productivity. Its entirely

new casing and grip based on the

latest ergonomic design principles
provide exceptional operating
comfort for all electrical installation, plumbing, heating and air
conditioning trade specialists.
The Hilti DD 110-D drills not only
extremely quickly and accurately,
thanks to its matched, optionally
available dust removal system it
also keeps dust to an absolute minimum. And when used in conjunction with the innovative new PCM
diamond core bits, this system,
1600 watts strong, is capable of
raising efficiency tremendously in
repetitive coring applications.
Even in extremely dense sand-lime
block with hard aggregates, the
PCM diamond cutters resist be-

coming polished and achieve

breathtaking performance in the
hardest materials. This cuts costs
per hole significantly.

Cutting edge

Winners

PCM diamond cutters transform

the DD 110-D into a world-class
system for maximum coring
speed and productivity. Up to
300 percent faster than conventional tools, its performance
speaks for itself.

The Hilti DD 110-D diamond coring system and Hilti TE 500-AVR

breaker are winners of the iF
Product Design Award 2008, one
of the worlds most coveted design prizes. The independent jury
of experts was highly impressed
by their level of innovation, functionality, formal design, brand value, ergonomic features and quality.

Innovation
Page 32

Love at first sight

Bram Vanderbeken and Steven Verdure hit the gas

when fastening FB clips with the new Hilti GX 120ME gas fastening system.
The two electricians were so enthusiastic about the live demonstration
of the GX 120-ME that they wanted to keep the tool right then and there.
Unfortunately, the product wasnt officially available at that point. So its
a good thing that Hilti salespeople are known for coming up with a quick,
simple solution.

he Cultural Heritage Center

in Ename, Belgium, is a good
environment for making a product
presentation. Once completed, scientists will study finds here from a
nearby archaeological excavation
site. Conventions and theater productions will be held at a neighboring auditorium.

At that time, however, the finished

buildings were still far off in the
future when, as part of a field test,
salesman Geert van Craen introduced his customers to the Hilti
GX 120-ME gas-actuated fastening tool, which is ideal for electricians. Steven Verdure and Bram
Vanderbeken, two electricians

from the Elektro Van De Maele

company, are enjoying themselves
as they set electric cables, with
Hilti nails and clips both on the
ground and overhead. Although
there are gas-actuated systems
from other manufacturers lying
around, they go unused as no one
is satisfied with them. Therefore
they have switched back to standard hand-driven nails and anchors, taking much more time and
effort.
The reactions to the Hilti GX 120ME, however, are sensational. The
two electricians are truly enthused
by the notable increase in comfort
and productivity. Of particular

praise is the handiness of the tool

and the fact that no batteries are required. The flexible tool nose and
the comprehensive program of fastening elements also receive an enthusiastic response. Steven and
Bram want the GX 120-ME. And
they want it now.
The only problem is that the tool
hadnt been officially introduced at
this point in time. But Hilti salesman Geert van Craen got together
with colleagues and made certain
that one of the tools from the presales campaign was delivered.

Magazine 1/2008

Innovation
Page 33

Off to a great
start
Full of enthusiasm for the new Hilti TE 500-AVR
breaker, the Danish Cramo Group ordered 200
of these tools without hesitation.

hat makes this breaker

unique is its very high performance-to-weight ratio and, at the
same time, extremely low level of
vibration, explains Anne-Mette
Andersen, marketing manager for
construction machines with Cramo,
the multi-national rental equipment
group. Hilti certainly works incredibly objectively when it comes
to achieving quality and improving
working conditions, continues
Anne-Mette Andersen in acknowledgment of the tools in the red toolbox. This is absolutely in line with
our own company policy, so its only
natural that Cramo would like to be
the first to offer the new Hilti tools.

All this praise is not without reason. The new Hilti TE 500-AVR
breaker is the result of more than
two years of intensive development
and testing. Hilti formed a team
specifically to improve the tools
starting characteristics, and thus its
ease of use. They worked together
with the simulation departments
experts to define the tools general
design concept. They have created
a powerful all-rounder which, in
terms of its performance-to-weight

ratio, has redefined the boundaries

of technical feasibility.
After countless test models, prototypes, ergonomic design studies
and practical testing by users, the
tool was finally unveiled. Featuring
Active Vibration Reduction, a very
sturdy and durable hammering
mechanism, a high-performance
cooling system and separate lubrication chambers, this new breaker
is a real workhorse. No matter
whether in construction work or
renovation, jobs such as chiseling
out channels for electrical conduits,
corrective work on concrete and
masonry or removing plaster or
tiles, this superb tool takes moderately heavy chiseling in its stride.
Anne-Mette Andersen of Cramo
continues: Our experience has
shown that Hilti products are ideal
for rental use because theyre extremely well designed and
ruggedly built. Moreover, Hilti offers exceptional support and
unique repair services. The new
TE 500-AVR was the obvious
choice to complement our existing
range of Hilti tools.

Award-winning tool.
With its powerful 1100 watt motor and weight of only 5.7 kg (12.5 lbs),
hammering speed of up to 3180 /min and exceptionally low vibration, the
Hilti TE 500-AVR demonstrates how apparently conflicting requirements
can be brought together in harmony. Optimally-balanced and featuring an
award-winning design (see more on page 31), this new tool combined with
the already legendary Hilti polygon chisels is the key to truly outstanding
chiseling performance. Its also available without AVR and in some markets with a HEX 17 chuck in a version known as the TE 500-X.

The Hilti TE 500-AVR breaker. Users rate it as having a great

performance for its weight.

Innovation
Page 34

Productivity in all
With systems and services provided by Hilti, customers from all sectors of
the construction industry are big winners, significantly increasing their
productivity while safely building quality construction. The right tools and
consumables offer pros from all trades new possibilities.

Building construction

Civil engineering

Steel & metal

When it comes to post-installed reinforcement, theres a comprehensive, high-performance, dependable system available. Use the Hilti
PS 200 ferroscan to locate the reinforcement in existing concrete,
the Hilti TE 50 or TE 70 combi
hammer and the Hilti TE-YX drill
to create the holes, and the Hilti
HIT-ED 3500 dispenser to apply
Hilti HIT-HY 150 or Hilti HIT-RE
500 injectable mortar into the drill
hole and, finally, to screw in the anchor rod.

When bridges are no longer fit for

the volumes of traffic they are carrying, they need reinforcement,
which is on average 60 to 70 percent cheaper than a new construction and takes considerably less
time. Hilti has devised a system to
increase efficiency further when
force-fitting a supplementary layer
of concrete to a bridge structure,
and to do so as early as during the
planning phase, thanks to sizing
concepts and design software. The
Hilti HCC-B concrete connector,
more secure and better performing
than a headed stud or a rebar, can
be very efficiently set and anchored in the existing concrete
with Hilti HIT-RE 500 injectable
mortar, and it can take as much as
a third fewer of them than conventional rebar to do the same job. And
heres a further efficiency gain: depending on the strength of the new
concrete, the reinforcement grids
can be fastened at different heights
without any extra effort. This
means that reinforcement work can
be done roughly twice as fast as
usual.

Steel and metal pros around the

world count on Hilti for high-performance systems and services
and first-class consulting. With the
Hilti DX 860 fastening system, for
example, they can fasten sheeting
for decks and roofs quickly and
safely, and do high-quality work
while virtually avoiding exhaustion. The system is three to four
times faster than conventional fastening methods like welding. Hilti
Fleet Management, Hilti Lifetime
Service, technical support for engineers, onsite training there are
plenty of reasons. But the products
are actually convincing enough all
on their own.

Hilti Fleet Management and Hilti

Lifetime Service make it easier to
deal with equipment. Hilti offers
software programs to help choose
the correct anchor and efficiently
calculate the reinforcement, while
its individual onsite training
courses teach workers to install anchors correctly. Hilti systems and
services mean higher productivity
and cost-efficiency.

Magazine 1/2008

Innovation
Page 35

trades

Interior finishing

Mechanical/HVAC

Electrical

Energy & industry

Efficiency counts especially

when it comes to interior finishing! Take measurements, open a
wall, fasten it and close it: and
make sure to do it all quickly and
reliably! To fasten a plasterboard
wall to metal rails, pros are best
served by the Hilti SD 5000 drywall screw fastener and the Hilti
SMD 57 screw magazine. The collated screw system means workers
need only half as long for assembly work as they would if they had
to set each screw individually. Not
a singly screw goes missing, and
workers can operate the tool with
one hand.

With Hilti, customers from the

plumbing and air conditioning
trade add value and can take advantage of top-of-the-sector products developed for their key applications. The latest innovation is the
Hilti MV ventilation rail for AC
engineers. Up to 70 percent lighter
than conventional rails and with
angles and rings specially adapted
for ventilation technology, the Hilti
MV system means a considerable
saving in installation time. Thanks
to Hilti, AC engineers can further
increase their efficiency on key
jobs, with distance and rotating
lasers, battery-powered rotary
hammers and drills fully adapted
to their needs, anchors for all base
materials, fastening tools and fasteners, and firestop products. The
best thing to do, however, is to lay
the groundwork for cost-efficiency
and success even earlier, with specially sector-tailored planning and
analysis software for installation
systems and firestop.

Nothing could be simpler for electricians than putting together a

winning team that helps them be
the biggest winners of all. They can
use the Hilti DD 110-D handguided diamond coring tool with
the Hilti PCM drill bit for socket
outlets to make holes in masonry
for electrical receptacles comfortably and with superlative cost-efficiency (more on page 31). Its hard
to beat the performance of this
duo, with the highest possible
drilling speed and unparalleled
efficiency. The dust hood that can
be mounted right onto the tool
protects its users health: both
the Hilti VC 20-U(M) and the Hilti
VC 40-U(M) vacuum cleaners can
be attached directly to work virtually dust and dirt-free, especially
in closed or inhabited spaces.

The Hilti MI modular pipe-support

system specially tailored to
industrial requirements increases
productivity in every phase of
planning, construction and maintenance.
The PDS (plant design system)
planning software makes design
work faster and easier, while comprehensive technical data make for
reliable planning. This means in
turn a decrease in time pressure on
both detailed planning and execution, since pipe supports can be installed afterwards. Savings on rail
and pipe-support installation time
can run up to 77 percent. The modular system also permits fine adjustment after installation, without
damage to paint work. This flexibility also makes maintenance easier, and increases the lifespan of industrial facilities, as existing pipe
supports can be moved without
welding. And the combination of
pipe and electrical cable support
reduces the usual number of support constructions required.

Hilti. Outperform. Outlast.