THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER - Institution of Engineers Singapore

The Magazine Of 

The Institution Of Engineers, Singapore 

April 2012 MICA (P) 069/02/2012 

www.ies.org.sg 

THE 

SINGAPORE ENGINEER 

COVER STORY: 

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING 

Rolls-Royce opens new manufacturing and training facilities in Singapore 

FEATURES: 

Aerospace Engineering I Systems Engineering I Civil & Structural Engineering I Project Application

CONTENTS 

FEATURES 

10 AEROSPACE ENGINEERING: Cover Story: 

Rolls-Royce opens new manufacturing and training facilities in Singapore 

This investment by the company signifies not only increased employment 

opportunities for engineers and technicians, it is also a large step forward for the 

aviation industry. 

15 AEROSPACE ENGINEERING: ST Engineering showcases 

capabilities at Singapore Airshow 2012 

With the largest exhibit at the biennial event, the group presented a range of products 

and services, including some for commercial and military aviation. 

16 AEROSPACE ENGINEERING: Seletar Aerospace Park 

The integrated hub offers great benefits to industry players, individually and collectively. 

18 AEROSPACE ENGINEERING: 

A*STAR showcases 15 innovative solutions 

Research & Development efforts in Singapore are yielding valuable results. 

22 SYSTEMS ENGINEERING: Deployment of Requirements 

Management in Rolls-Royce 

The case study discusses the different implementation issues and parameters. 

28 CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING: My Waterway@Punggol 

- ensuring connectivity and accessibility 

The third and final article on the project looks at the engineering and construction of 

vehicular and pedestrian bridges. 

35 PROJECT APPLICATION: Liebherr tower cranes in Istanbul project 

The machines are proving their usefulness in the construction of high-rise buildings. 

36 PROJECT APPLICATION: One Central Macau 

Quality materials were used for waterproofing and for the installation of ceramics and 

stone, in this development. 

REGULAR SECTIONS 

02 IES UPDATE 

40 EVENTS 

42 NEWS 

Chief Editor 

T Bhaskaran 

t_b_n8@yahoo.com 

Director, Marketing 

Roland Ang 

roland@iesnet.org.sg 

Marketing & Publications Executive 

Jeremy Chia 

jeremy@iesnet.org.sg 

CEO 

Angie Ng 

angie@iesnet.org.sg 

Publications Manager 

Desmond Teo 

desmond@iesnet.org.sg 

Published by 

The Institution Of Engineers, Singapore 

70 Bukit Tinggi Road 

Singapore 289758 

Tel: 6469 5000 Fax: 6467 1108 

Cover designed by Irin Kuah 

Cover image by Rolls-Royce 

The Singapore Engineer is published 

monthly by The Institution of Engineers, 

Singapore (IES). The publication is 

distributed free-of-charge to IES members 

and affiliates. Views expressed in this 

publication do not necessarily reflect those 

of the Editor or IES. All rights reserved. No 

part of this magazine shall be reproduced, 

mechanically or electronically, without the 

prior consent of IES. Whilst every care is 

taken to ensure accuracy of the content 

at press time, IES will not be liable for any 

discrepancies. Unsolicited contributions 

are welcome but their inclusion in the 

magazine is at the discretion of the Editor. 

Design & layout by 2EZ Asia Pte Ltd 

Printed by Print & Print Pte Ltd. 

April 2012 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER 

01

IES UPDATE 

Message from the President 

The aviation industry is a very dynamic sector of the 

economy, as could be seen from the phenomenal success 

of Singapore Airshow 2012. 

What is important to note, is that for both civil and military 

aviation, practitioners from a number of engineering 

disciplines are involved in the development of the industry, 

from the construction of the infrastructure and facilities, to 

the design and development of aircraft and components; 

selection of materials; manufacturing; assembly; testing & 

certification; maintenance, repair & overhaul; training & 

education etc. 

Whilst improving safety and security, as well as comfort and efficiency of passengers and crew are 

particularly important, for obvious reasons, efforts are also currently being directed at replacing 

petroleum-based fuel as the source of energy. This has led to the development of biofuels for the 

aviation sector and its increasing use in the future, for environmental reasons and also to ensure 

sustainability of fuel supplies. 

There will always be an interest in the development of new technology and products for the 

design and manufacture of aircraft and for their maintenance. We can look forward to applications 

in the aviation sector, of breakthroughs in various engineering disciplines, including aeronautical 

engineering, mechanical and structural engineering, propulsion technology, materials technology, 

electronics engineering etc. 

At the same time, engineering expertise is also required for the creation of the infrastructural 

facilities – airport terminal buildings, runways etc. The training and education of engineers for 

suitable positions in the aviation industry has to keep pace with the changes in the industry and 

with the changes in the methodologies of training, which include the development and application 

of new training tools. 

In October of this year, Singapore will also host the 8th International Conference on Intelligent 

Unmanned Systems. Covering intelligent systems, robotics and biometrics, control and computation 

as well as unmanned systems, this conference will cover advances that include technology related 

to the aeronautics and aviation industry. 

With technology seamlessly integrated into our lives in the systems that surround us, we 

sometimes forget how efficiently they operate unnoticed. The Land Transport Excellence Awards 

2012 recognised companies and organisations as well as individuals for their contributions to the 

transportation system in Singapore. Information on the winners will be included in the next issue 

of ‘The Singapore Engineer’. 

IES recently organised the Humanitarian Engineering Alliance (HEAL) Simulation 2012, which had a full 

class of 26 participants. It was a two-day simulation-based training programme designed to introduce 

participants to fundamental ethics and standards. Because of the good response, IES is planning on 

organising another session in the near future and it might even become a regular course. 

A Management Committee has been formed for the College of Fellows and it is looking towards 

forming the framework of the organisation and running its first activity soon. More information will 

be available once details have been worked out. 

It is the efforts of many that allow IES to operate as well as it does. To show our regard for the 

volunteers who have participated on committees and have very generously donated their time 

and expertise to IES, they will be recognised at our upcoming Appreciation Night on 10 May. And 

at our Annual General Meeting on 26 May, outgoing IES Council members will be given awards in 

recognition of their contributions to IES. All members are invited to the AGM which will be held at 

the Furama Riverfront, starting at 12.45pm. 

Er. Ho Siong Hin 

President 

The Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES) 

IES COUNCIL MEMBERS 

2011/2012 

President 


Deputy President 

Prof Chou Siaw Kiang 

Vice Presidents 

Er. Chong Kee Sen 

Er. Edwin Khew 

Mr Neo Kok Beng 

Er. Ong Geok Soo 

Er. Ong See Ho 

Honorary Secretary 

Er. Ng Say Cheong 

Honorary Treasurer 

Dr Boh Jaw Woei 

Assistant Honorary Secretary 

Mr Oh Boon Chye, Jason 

Assistant Honorary Treasurer 

Mr Kang Choon Seng 

Immediate Past President 

Er. Dr Lee Bee Wah 

Past President 

Er. Tan Seng Chuan 

Er. A/Prof Foo Say Wei 

Er. Ong Ser Huan 

Council Members 

Er. Dr Chew Soon Hoe 

Prof Er Meng Joo 

Ms Fam Mei Ling 

Er. Dr Ho Kwong Meng 

Dr Ho Teck Tuak 

Er. Jee Yi Yng 

Er. Koh Beng Thong 

Dr Kwok Wai Onn, Richard 

Mr Lee Kwok Weng 

Mr Lim Horng Leong 

Er. Low Wong Fook 

Er. Prof Ong Say Leong 

Mr Tan Boon Leng, Mark 

Er. Toh Siaw Hui, Joseph 

02 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER April 2012


03

IES UPDATE 


Engineer (Er.) Ho Siong Hin, currently the 

Commissioner for Workplace Safety and 

Health with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), 

is the present President of IES and a member 

of the Professional Engineers Board. He chairs 

the Advisory Committee to the Chemical 

Engineering Department of Ngee Ann 

Er. Ho Siong Hin. 

Polytechnic and is also a member of the Singapore Accreditation 

Council which is managed under the aegis of SPRING Singapore 

and chairs the Council Committee on Inspection Bodies. 

After graduating from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, 

with a Mechanical Engineering degree, Er. Ho joined MOM in 1982, 

and in 1984 joined IES as a Graduate Member. He was a member of 

the Graduates and Students Executive Committee, soon becoming 

the Chairman of the Committee the next year and held the post 

for a year. He also contributed to IES by being part of various 

committees over the years: the Community Service Committee, 

which organised the Annual General Meetings, Dinner and Dance 

and Members’ Night; the IES Building Project Committee, which 

was instrumental in developing the present IES Building; and the 

Joint Activities Committee. After many years of active participation 

in the organisation, he became a Fellow of IES in 2002. 

In 2007, Er. Ho was elected as a Council Member and was appointed 

Chairman of the Membership Group. In his position of Chairman, 

he looked after the Social and Community Services Committee, 

Qualification and Membership Committee, Technopreneurship 

& Professional Development Committee, Young Members 

Committee, Awards Task Force and Toastmasters Interest Group. 

Er. Ho was elected as Vice President of IES for the 2008/09 Session 

and Deputy President for 2009/10. He took over as IES’s 23 rd 

President in May 2010. During his tenure as the President, Er. Ho 

helped to raise awareness and interest in the Engineering industry 

through the creation of National Engineers Day. The inaugural event 

in 2010 brought together 19 co-organisers and resulted in a fourday 

exhibition, with workshops and industrial visits which had the 

participation of thousands of students. He also oversaw the growth 

of both IES Academy and the IES Professional Registries during his 

years as President. 

Er. Ho was appointed to his current position in MOM to lead 

OSH reform in Singapore in 2005. In the time since then, he was 

instrumental in the formation of the WSH Council in which he is a 

member and also oversaw the establishment of the WSH Institute 

with a mission to enhance WSH through Knowledge, Innovation 

and Solution. 

In the regional and international arena, Er. Ho has presented papers 

on OSH matters in many places, including China, Hong Kong, 

Canada, Europe, Republic of Sprska, Slovakia and Australia. He was 

elected Vice President of the International Association of Labour 

Inspection (IALI) in 2008 and re-elected in 2011. 

Er. Ho is also an active member of the ASEAN OSHNET and played 

an instrumental role in capability building of OSH Inspection in 

ASEAN, especially in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. He chaired the 

ASEAN OSH Policy Dialogue held in 2007 and 2011. Some of the 

achievements at these dialogues were the agreements by all ASEAN 

member countries to implement the OSH national framework and 

the benchmarking of each country’s OSH performances. 

Dr Foo Say Wei – 

Leading with Initiative 

Dr Foo Say Wei joined the Institution of Engineers, 

Singapore (IES) in 1977. He was first elected as a 

Council Member in 1988. He went on to serve 

in various capacities in IES, as Chair of Electronics 

Engineering Technical Committee, Chair of 

Defence Engineering Technical Committee, Chair of 

Dr Foo Say Wei. Computer Engineering and Information Technology 

Committee, Chair of Qualification and Membership Committee, 

Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary, Vice-President, Deputy 

President and eventually President of the Institution (2004 to 2006). 

Dr Foo has a flair for doing things differently and is always up for new 

initiatives. When he was serving as the Territorial Chairman of the Pan 

South East Asia (Pan-SEA) Toastmasters Territory, he founded the IES 

Toastmasters Club for members to hone their public speaking skills. 

He was elected as IES TM Club’s first President in 1991. 

When he became the President of IES, Dr Foo made full use of his 

role by starting and overseeing many initiatives that are still in place 

today. In 2005, he started the get-together dinner during the Lunar 

New Year festivities, with the traditional dragon and lion dance 

performances. He also seized the opportunity to use this annual 

occasion to invite representatives of the neighbouring institutions, 

schools and organisations to the celebration to help foster greater 

neighbourliness and friendship with them. 

Furthermore, he tried to optimise the use of IES premises by setting 

up a manned karaoke lounge for members to meet and interact. 

Unfortunately, the patronage by members was not enough for a 

private operator to keep it running for more than a few months. 

Since the use of the lounge for recreation fell through, Dr Foo 

sought the Council’s approval to lease the space to IES’s immediate 

neighbour, the German European Secondary School. The deal 

brought in substantial income for IES. With this new source of stable 

income, IES is able to expand further. 

Travelling to the IES premises at Bukit Tinggi for work and activities 

had always been a problem for both members and staff without 

their own means of transport as the place is not accessible by public 

transport. To solve this problem, Dr Foo secured the approval of 

the Council to purchase the first IES van for ferrying members and 

staff and for official deliveries. In addition, an IES Town Office near 

the Tanjong Pagar MRT was also set up for greater convenience of 

members. At the same time, the IES Academy was formally established 

to take charge of the Town Office and run courses in the premises. 

Dr Foo has also been interested in genealogy and was instrumental 

in producing the first ever Compact Disc (CD) version of Foo’s 

Genealogy, compressing 36 volumes of print into one CD for 

easy storage and searches. With the experience gained from his 

involvement in the genealogy project, he oversaw the publication of 

the first ever ‘Who’s Who in Engineering’ published by IES. 

Dr Foo is currently the Deputy Director of Nanyang Technopreneurship 

Centre (NTC), Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The 

Centre runs courses in innovation and entrepreneurship for both 

undergraduates and postgraduates. Recently, a full scholarship worth 

S$45,000 has been offered to members of AFEO (Asean Federation 

of Engineering Organisations) to do a Master of Science degree in 

Technopreneurship and Innovation, a programme run by NTC. This 

is another initiative for and contribution to the engineering fraternity. 



05

IES UPDATE 

Delegations from three countries pay courtesy 

visits to IES 

Over a period of three weeks, IES had the pleasure of hosting 

guests from organisations representing engineers from three 

different countries. 

A delegation from the Beijing Association for Science and 

Technology, led by Mr Wang Xueqing, Member of Standing 

Board, visited IES on 22 March 2012. 

Mr David A Hood, the National President of Engineers Australia, 

and his delegation, came on 26 March. 

IES received Mr Botsile Gubago, from the Engineers Registration 

Board, Botswana, and his delegation, on 4 April. 

Group photo with Mr David A Hood (third from left) and IES Deputy President, 

Prof Chou Siaw Kiang (second from left). 

Group photo with Mr Wang Xueqing (front row, second from right), and IES 

Deputy President, Prof Chou Siaw Kiang (front row, third from right). 

Group photo with Mr Botsile Gubago (second from right) and IES President 

Er. Ho Siong Hin (third from right). 

IES Members’ Induction Night 

A total of 33 new members turned up for the IES Members’ 

Induction Night on 10 April at the IES Auditorium. The event 

was organised to welcome the members to the IES family and 

also to provide an opportunity for them to network and to find 

out more about IES. Membership certificates were also presented 

to the new members by IES President, Er. Ho Siong Hin. 

Er. Ho Siong Hin gave a welcome speech to all the new members of IES. 

06 THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER April 2012 

Er. Ho presenting a membership certificate to one of the new members, 

Prof Kam Chan Hin.


07

IES UPDATE 

HEAL Simulation 2012 

The four Disaster Response Teams taking part in the simulation were briefed by 

Nick Finney from Save The Children. 

Organised by IES, the Humanitarian Engineering Alliance (HEAL) 

Simulation 2012 is intended to serve as an introduction to the 

humanitarian help that is required in disaster-struck locales for 

both engineers and non-engineers alike. Participants were put 

through a simulation-based training programme which served 

to introduce fundamental humanitarian ethics and standards; 

illustrate the understanding of how the global humanitarian 

ecosystem operates; expose them to the issues facing vulnerable 

communities; practise performing a needs assessment; and learn 

how to engage local communities in a culturally sensitive manner. 

To that end, 26 members from four ‘Disaster Response Teams’, 

created by the participants, were deployed on the morning of 

14 April to ‘Aseania’. It had been hit by ‘Typhoon Badone’, a 

Category 4 super typhoon, which triggered a humanitarian crisis 

among the local population. 

The teams arrived at ‘Kampung’ the capital city of Aseania, which 

had a population of 6 million and consisted of three provinces 

- ‘Acorn’, ‘Biped’ and ‘Cozzie’ - that was home to the three 

main ethnic groups in the country. The teams came from four 

different NGOs: ASEAN Without Borders (AWB), Heal Asia 

Now (HAN), Free ASEAN from Poverty (FAP), and Relief and 

Development for Asia (RADFA). 

The four teams were briefed by Mr Nick Finney, Asia Emergency 

Director of Save The Children, on the current situation at 

Aseania. This 

required the teams 

to assess the 

different provinces 

after the ‘storm’ 

had passed. Each 

team was required 

to set up its physical 

office location 

with demarcated 

areas for planning, 

communications 

Each team went through a body mapping exercise. and hygiene; 

prepare a security and safety management plan; conduct a 

field assessment; and launch an appeal for funds to support 

the humanitarian situation. All four teams had to make all key 

decisions and put in place all practical arrangements by 1230 hrs 

and report back to the HQ. 

In the afternoon, Ms Angelina Theodora, HEA Capacity Building 

Specialist from World Vision, and her team role played with the 

four teams using various assessment tools that are used during 

the initial assessment of disaster response, such as body map 

diagrams, focus group discussions and household interviews. 

The second day of the simulation began with a critical 

moment of reflection by the teams on what they had learned 

the previous day. This was followed by the introduction to 

Community Development by Mr Ben Wolf, Asia Rim Director 

of BGR International. 

In the afternoon, members of the four teams then went through 

a second exercise on ‘Aseania II’ to recap what they had learned 

during the simulation course. This was followed by a Q & A 

session, which gave participants the opportunity to make queries 

to the panel of speakers. 

With the success of this simulation exercise and considering the 

demand for the programme, IES is presently planning on running 

it again on a regular basis. Further details on when it will be run 

again will be announced in the near future. 

Teams went through reflection exercises after the first simulation. 

Mr Ben Wolf provided an introduction on Community Development to the teams. 



09

COVER STORY 

Rolls-Royce opens new manufacturing and 

training facilities in Singapore 

The global power systems company has officially opened its largest establishment in Asia, at 

Seletar Aerospace Park. 

At the Official Opening, from left, Mr Eric Schulz, Chief Operating Officer - Civil Aerospace, Rolls-Royce; Mr John Horsburgh, Chief Operating Officer, Aerospace Singapore, 

Rolls-Royce; Mr Jonathan Asherson, Regional Director, Southeast Asia, Rolls-Royce; Mr Mike J. Terrett, Chief Operating Officer, Rolls-Royce; Sir Simon Robertson, Nonexecutive 

Chairman, Rolls-Royce; Singapore Prime Minister Mr Lee Hsien Loong; Mr Leo Yip, Chairman, Economic Development Board (EDB); Mr Cedric Foo, Chairman, 

JTC Corporation (JTC): Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chairman, A*STAR; Mr Manohar Khiatani, CEO, JTC Corporation (JTC); Mr Chris Cholerton, Executive Vice-President - Fans, 

Rolls-Royce; and Mr John Griffths, Director, Civil Operations, Rolls-Royce. 

Singapore Prime Minister, Mr Lee Hsien Loong, officially 

opened the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus on 13 February 2012, 

accompanied by Sir Simon Robertson, Chairman, Rolls-Royce 

plc; Mr Mike Terrett, Chief Operating Officer, Rolls-Royce plc; 

Mr Cedric Foo, Chairman of JTC Corporation; and Mr Leo Yip, 

Chairman of the Singapore Economic Development Board 

(EDB). The event was also attended by dignitaries, customers 

and partners of Rolls-Royce. 

Created with an outlay of over S$ 700 million, the campus will 

significantly increase the group’s manufacturing capacity and 

proximity to customers in the Asia Pacific region. The investment 

will create over 500 new jobs, bringing the total number of 

people employed by Rolls-Royce and its joint-ventures in 

Singapore to over 2,000. The group’s activity in Singapore 

supports around 25,000 jobs in the wider economy, and its 

value added contribution in Singapore is expected to increase 

from 0.3% to about 0.5% of Singapore’s projected GDP, by 2015. 

Constructed on a 154,000 m 2 site, the Rolls-Royce Seletar 

Campus houses the Seletar Assembly and Test Unit (SATU), 

the Wide Chord Fan Blade (WCFB) manufacturing facility, an 

Advanced Technology Centre, and a Regional Training Centre. 

Rolls-Royce chose to build the campus in Singapore because of 

the country’s status as a regional hub, the availability of a highly 

skilled workforce, and a business-friendly environment which is 

conducive to high-value manufacturing and innovation. 

Singapore Prime Minister 

Mr Lee Hsien Loong. 

Sir Simon Robertson, Non-executive 

Chairman, Rolls-Royce. 

“We congratulate Rolls-Royce on the successful completion 

and opening of its Seletar campus. This marks a major 

milestone in the development of Singapore’s aerospace 

industry, and we are delighted that Rolls-Royce has made 

such a significant commitment here. Manufacturing is fast 

emerging as a key engine of growth for our aerospace 

industry. We will continue to partner with industry leaders 

such as Rolls-Royce to build sophisticated manufacturing 

capabilities in Singapore” - Mr Leo Yip, Chairman of EDB. 

“This fantastic facility gives Rolls-Royce additional capacity 

to deliver our record order book. Importantly, this also 

marks an important new phase of our relationship with 

Singapore. For the first time outside our traditional home 

facilities, we will produce our unique Wide Chord Fan 

Blades and assemble and test large commercial jet engines. 

The Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus brings together state-ofthe-art 

technologies, advanced manufacturing techniques 

and highly skilled people to produce some of the most 

advanced aero engines in the world” - Mr Mike Terrett, 

Chief Operating Officer, Rolls-Royce plc. 


COVER STORY 

The Seletar Assembly and Test Unit (SATU) is the group’s first such facility in Asia. 

SELETAR ASSEMBLY AND TEST UNIT 

The Seletar Assembly and Test Unit (SATU) is the most modern 

Rolls-Royce assembly and test facility for large commercial aero 

engines and is also the group’s first in Asia. 

The new facility is designed to allow simultaneous assembly 

and testing of Rolls-Royce Trent aero engines. Initially, Trent 900 

engines for the Airbus A380 and Trent 1000 for the Boeing 787 

Dreamliner will be built here. 

SATU adds to the group’s existing production and test capability 

in Derby, UK. It will enable Rolls-Royce to meet global customer 

demand and increase proximity to its growing customer base in 

the region. 

Covering an area approximately the size of three soccer fields, 

SATU will be the first Rolls-Royce facility in the world to combine 

all stages of Trent aero engine assembly and test under one roof. 

A ‘moving mixed flow line’ manufacturing system enables 

simultaneous assembly of the Rolls-Royce Trent aero engines. 

When fully operational, the facility will employ 320 technicians, 

engineers, and support staff. 

TRENT ENGINE ASSEMBLY 

SATU’s comprehensive capabilities include module build, 

complete engine assembly, and test. The facility is designed to 

produce 250 large engines a year, at full capacity. 

The facility will help Rolls-Royce to increase capacity and fulfil 

deliveries in accordance with its more than £ 50 billion Civil 

Aerospace order book, and meet commitments made to customers. 

The mixed flow line manufacturing system allows for greater efficiency. 

TEST UNIT 

The cutting-edge test unit will perform testing of Trent aero 

engines in production, to ensure performance levels are met 

prior to customer delivery. 

The test unit is capable of accommodating an engine with a fan 

size of up to 140 inches and 150,000 lbs of thrust, providing 

greater flexibility for the future. To put this into perspective, the 

Trent 900 has a fan diameter of 116 inches and can produce up 

to 80,000 lbs of thrust. 

When fully operational, SATU will employ 320 technicians, engineers, and support staff. 

Trent aero engines will be tested at the cutting-edge test unit. 


11

COVER STORY 

WIDE CHORD FAN BLADE 

MANUFACTURING FACILITY 

Super plastic forming process at the Wide Chord Fan Blade (WCFB) manufacturing facility. 

The Wide Chord Fan Blade (WCFB) manufacturing facility 

at the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus is the group’s first facility 

outside the UK to manufacture hollow titanium WCFBs - based 

on unique technology that has played a key role in the success 

of the Trent aero engine family. 

This facility has been purpose-built to increase efficiencies and 

provide additional capacity to the group’s Barnoldswick factory 

in the UK. 

The Seletar facility is designed to simultaneously produce 

WCFBs for multiple Trent engine types. Initially, it will produce 

WCFBs for the Trent 900, beginning in mid-2012. At full capacity, 

the facility will be able to produce 6,000 blades per year. 

WCFB 

The hollow titanium WCFB was pioneered by Rolls-Royce 

and introduced into service in the 1980s. It has since set new 

standards in aerodynamic efficiency and resistance to foreign 

object damage. 

The blade’s hollow design allows significant weight saving 

of around 30% to be achieved in the fan blade, the fan disc 

structure, and containment features, which greatly improves 

performance and fuel efficiency. 

Moving a tonne of air per second, the fan produces over 80% of 

the engine’s thrust. 

The largest Rolls-Royce WCFB currently in service is on the 

Trent 900 for the Airbus A380. A total of 24 blades are needed 

to complete one Trent 900 engine with a fan diameter of 116 

inches. The Trent 1000 engine for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner 

requires 20 blades and has a fan diameter of 112 inches. 

The manufacturing process 

In total, about 80 complex processes are involved in producing 

the hollow titanium WCFB, which result in their very lightweight 

but exceptionally strong design. 

The blades feature an internal structure, created through a process 

during which three sheets of titanium are formed, representing the 

two outer skins and the internal corrugated structure. 

An inhibitor is applied to define the internal structure before 

the three pieces are bonded in a high temperature pressure 

vessel. This is done in an ultra-clean production facility through 

a process of diffusion bonding, for which Rolls-Royce has more 

than 60 patents registered, worldwide. 

Finally, the blade is twisted and the cavity is inflated at a very high 

temperature using an inert gas in a shaped die to yield its final 

aerofoil shape. 

Using millions of data points from advanced cameras, the dimensions 

of each blade are measured to the accuracy of 40 microns. 

The WCFB is subjected to linishing. 

The hollow titanium WCFB is lightweight but exceptionally strong. 


COVER STORY 

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTRE 

The Advanced Technology Centre plays a crucial role in the group’s strategy 

to pursue excellence and industry leadership through the identification and 

development of advanced technologies. 

Rolls-Royce invests in long-term Research and Technology (R&T) 

partnerships with universities and research centres around the 

world. In 2011, Rolls-Royce invested £ 908 million on research 

and development globally, two thirds of which had the objective 

of further improving the environmental performance of the 

group’s products, particularly by reducing emissions. 

The Advanced Technology Centre (ATC) at the Rolls-Royce 

Seletar Campus is an important part of the group’s investment 

in future technologies to continuously deliver innovation and 

value to customers. The ATC will play a crucial role in the group’s 

strategy to pursue excellence and industry leadership through 

the identification and development of advanced technologies 

for the next generation of environment-friendly engines. 

There are four key areas of activity within the ATC - materials 

support technology, computational engineering, electrical power 

and control systems, and manufacturing technology. 

MATERIAL SUPPORT LABORATORY 

The Material Support 

Laboratory within 

the ATC focuses on 

developing specialist 

forensic investigation 

capability through materials 

assessment and failure 

analysis as well as Non- 

Destructive Testing support 

for in-service engines in the 

region. In the near future, 

the laboratory will begin 

research and technology 

work on advanced materials. 

The laboratory also plays 

a key role in providing 

materials support capability 

to SATU and the WCFB 

manufacturing facility on 

The Material Support Laboratory 

focuses on developing specialist forensic 

investigation capability. 

the campus. In addition, it will support Singapore Aero Engine 

Services Limited (SAESL) and International Engine Components 

Overhaul (IECO). 

COMPUTATIONAL ENGINEERING RESEARCH 

Computational Engineering Research will provide support 

through development of leading edge technologies in 

optimisation, data mining, modelling and simulation, to improve 

the design of products as well as business processes. 

ELECTRICAL POWER AND CONTROL SYSTEMS 

RESEARCH 

Electrical Power and Control Systems research will support the 

increasing electrical technology requirements of all Rolls-Royce 

business sectors. 

A team will develop advanced health monitoring for electrical 

systems as well as an enhanced understanding of the interaction 

between electrical and mechanical systems. These technologies 

will help increase the robustness of electrical systems. 

MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH 

Manufacturing Technology Research will assist Rolls-Royce 

globally and has an extensive programme supporting the WCFB 

manufacturing facility at the campus. 

The research focus is on the development of surface modification 

technologies which include robotised finishing, media finishing, 

and sub-surface technologies. 

The technologies developed by this team will help in the 

understanding and automation of manufacturing processes 

which lead to reduction in cost, increased standardisation, and 

elimination of health, safety and environmental concerns. 

Research work will focus on areas such as surface modification technologies. 

PARTNERSHIPS IN SINGAPORE 

The ATC has strong engagement with local research partners in 

Singapore, which includes research agreements with the Agency 

for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Nanyang 

Technological University (NTU), and the National University of 

Singapore (NUS). 

Currently over 35 Rolls-Royce staff and 15 local secondees 

from A*STAR and local universities are engaged in technology 

development at the ATC which also actively provides internship 

opportunities to local university and polytechnic students. 


13

COVER STORY 

REGIONAL TRAINING CENTRE 

THE TRAINEES 

Approximately 4,000 people per year will be trained in the 

facility, with over 400 different modules being offered. 

The first technicians graduated from the RTC in September 

2011, and have taken up positions at SATU. 

ROLLS-ROYCE 

Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and 

services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established 

a strong position in global markets - in Civil Aerospace, Defence 

Aerospace, Marine and Energy. 

As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer 

base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and 

utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more 

than 4,000 marine customers including 70 navies, and energy 

customers in more than 80 countries. 

Annual underlying revenues were £ 11.3 billion in 2011, of 

which more than half came from the provision of services. The 

firm and announced order book stood at £ 62.2 billion on 31 

December 2011, providing visibility of future levels of activity. 

The Regional Training Centre combines the latest technology, equipment and facilities, 

to give customers and employees in the region access to world-class training. 

The Regional Training Centre (RTC) is an integral part of the 

Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus. It is the first such training facility 

in Asia and is part of the global network of Rolls-Royce Training 

Centres. The centre combines the latest technology, equipment 

and facilities to give customers and employees in the region 

access to world-class training. The RTC will help Rolls-Royce 

develop the talent pool it requires, while promoting a culture of 

engineering excellence in Asia. 

The RTC is equipped to deliver a broad spectrum of learning, 

from IT to management and leadership, as well as technical skills 

across all Rolls-Royce business sectors of Civil and Defence 

Aerospace, Marine and Energy. 

The RTC is a European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Part- 

147 approved training centre, as well as a Singapore Workforce 

Development Agency (WDA) Approved Training Organisation. It 

offers international and national accredited training programmes. 

The group has invested in advanced training equipment in the 

RTC. The centre provides: 

• Training through marine simulators, designed to provide a 

highly realistic training environment allowing people to become 

proficient in the complex operations of power and propulsion 

systems, deck machinery and manoeuvring equipment. 

• Training on energy equipment for oil and gas reclamation / 

transmission and power generation. 

• Training on Rolls-Royce aero engine assembly and test (the 

training equipment includes engine assembly simulators). 

Rolls-Royce employs 40,400 skilled people in offices, 

manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 

11,000 of these employees are engineers. 

Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University 

Technology Centres which connect the company’s engineers 

with the forefront of scientific research. 

The group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate 

recruitment and to further developing employee skills. 

The Rolls-Royce Seletar campus will significantly increase the group’s 

manufacturing capacity and proximity to customers in the Asia Pacific region. 

All images by Rolls-Royce. 



COVER STORY 

ST Engineering showcases capabilities 

ST Engineering presented its group-wide integrated capabilities 

at Singapore Airshow 2012 which was held from 14 to 19 

February 2012, at the Changi Exhibition Centre. In addition 

to staging a large-scale exhibition to reinforce its position as a 

credible and established global defence player, the group also 

showcased its core engineering solutions through a series of 

scheduled live demonstrations and presentations. 

As the largest exhibitor, occupying over 3,500 m 2 of space, the 

group displayed more than 50 exhibits in two main sections - 

Aerospace and Integrated Defence. 

THE AEROSPACE SECTION 

The Aerospace section centred on the capabilities of the group’s 

aerospace sector, and its role as a leading global integrated 

service provider in the aviation industry. The section showcased 

the sector’s expertise in providing integrated MRO and 

customised engineering solutions such as life cycle maintenance, 

customised modification and upgrades, refurbishment, as well as 

asset management. It also highlighted newly acquired capability 

in cabin interior design and engineering. 

ST Aerospace is the aerospace arm of ST Engineering. 

Operating a global MRO network with facilities and affiliates 

in the Americas, Asia Pacific, and Europe, it is the world’s 

largest aircraft MRO provider with a global customer base that 

includes leading airlines, and airfreight and military operators. ST 

Aerospace is an integrated service provider offering a spectrum 

of maintenance and engineering services that include airframe, 

engine and component maintenance, repair and overhaul; 

engineering design and technical services; and aviation materials 

and management services, including Total Aviation Support. 

ST Aerospace has a global staff strength of more than 8,000 

engineers and technical specialists. 

Integrated Airframe, Component and Engine MRO 

Solutions 

A leading MRO specialist, ST Aerospace leverages its global 

MRO network and its broad range of airframe, components 

and engines MRO capabilities to support the world’s leading 

airlines, airfreight operators and military forces. The company 

offers a fully customisable maintenance solution of high 

quality, timeliness and reliability, from aircraft maintenance and 

modifications; cabin interiors and aircraft conversions; engine 

total support and component total support; and engineering 

design and Maintenance-By-the-Hour (MBH) solutions. 

ST Aerospace has been a leader in passenger-to-freighter (PTF) 

conversions and has completed 175 freighter conversions for 

various aircraft types since 1992. The company showcased its 

Boeing 757 PTF and passenger-to-passenger/cargo (combi) 

conversion capabilities. 

ST Engineering showcased its range of indigenous unmanned air systems 

(unmanned aerial vehicles and their ground control stations) which are locally 

designed and developed to complement field operations. 

ST Aerospace also launched a new VIP aircraft interior 

completion brand, AERIA Luxury Interiors, with the formation 

of a new team of core executives to chart the growth of this 

new business area. The display featured the newly acquired 

VIP and airline interior design and engineering capability, in 

particular, 3D aircraft interior renderings for various VIP and 

passenger airline configurations on both narrowbody and 

widebody aircraft types. 

C130/L382 Centre of Excellence 

ST Aerospace provides one stop integrated MRO and 

customised engineering solutions for C130/L382 operators. 

Amongst its capabilities is the modernisation solution which 

resolves equipment obsolescence and allows seamless 

operations between civilian and military air space. Through 

interactive demonstrations and animation videos, ST Aerospace 

showcased a wide range of customisable engineering and design 

solutions, which includes the process of modernisation from 

design through testing. 

Indigenous Unmanned Air Systems Solutions 

Extending beyond MRO, ST Aerospace has designed and 

developed a series of innovative and indigenous unmanned air 

systems targeted for the civilian and military markets. The Skyblade 

360 - the latest product for its families of unmanned aerial 

vehicle (UAV) solutions, developed together with Singapore-based 

DSO National Laboratories - was unveiled at the exhibition. 

Also on display was the innovative Next Generation Control 

Station (NGCS) - a single common control station platform for 

multiple types of UAV. 

Customised Training Solutions 

ST Aerospace offers a complete training solution that is 

customised for every different customer need. From commercial 

and military pilot training services to technical training courses, 

ST Aerospace delivers an enhanced learning experience with 

well qualified instructors, comprehensive facilities and the use of 

training simulators. 


15

AEROSPACE COVER ENGINEERING 

STORY 

Seletar Aerospace Park 

Developed by JTC Corporation (JTC), the world-class integrated hub spans 320 hectares of 

purpose-built land and infrastructure. 

The masterplan for Seletar Aerospace Park: the integrated hub covers an area of 320 hectares. 

Seletar Aerospace Park is dedicated to hosting a wide range of 

activities including Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) 

of aircraft and components, Fixed-Base Operation (FBO), 

manufacturing and assembly of aircraft engines and components, 

business and general aviation, training of pilots and mechanics, and 

research & development. Companies that are located at Seletar 

Aerospace Park stand to reap the many benefits that come from 

being in an integrated environment, such as the increased scope 

for new industry collaborations, created by the park’s shared 

infrastructure and the close proximity of suppliers, customers and 

partners, within a tightly-knit aerospace business community. 

Following the implementation of Phases 1 and 2, JTC is 

embarking on Phase 3, the final part of the development. 

Two new buildings were completed by JTC in 2011. The Business 

Aviation Complex (BAC), a multi-tenanted high-rise facility, 

houses companies that support the business aviation sector. 

The Component Manufacturing and MRO Facility (CMMF) 

is a series of eight land-based factories which have been built 

for companies engaging in MRO activities and manufacturing 

of aerospace components. In 2010, JTC also completed the 

construction of a 66 kV substation. 

HUB FOR MAJOR AEROSPACE COMPANIES 

Several local and international aerospace players have already 

moved into Seletar Aerospace Park, including the following 

organisations: 

Air Transport Training College 

Air Transport Training College (ATTC) is a professional 

development centre of the Singapore Institute of Aerospace 

The Business Aviation Complex is a multi-tenanted high-rise facility housing 

companies that support the business aviation sector. 

Engineers (SIAE). With the completion of their new hangar 

facilities in the General Aviation Centre (GAC) by the end of the 

year, ATTC will be able to provide training in aerospace engineering 

and aviation management in an integrated training environment. 



COVER STORY 

Bell Helicopter and Cessna Aircraft 

Bell Helicopter is a leader in the global helicopter industry, 

specialising in both commercial and military helicopters and 

Cessna Aircraft is one of the world’s leading designers and 

manufacturers of light and medium size business jets. In 2012, 

Bell Helicopter and Cessna will be opening a combined sales 

and service centre. The facility will handle business jet and 

helicopter MRO activities, marking the Textron companies’ first 

factory-owned service centre in Asia-Pacific. 

Bombardier Aerospace 

Bombardier Aerospace will be opening a full-scale company 

owned and operated service centre in 2013. The new 

service centre will form the cornerstone of the company’s 

comprehensive customer service offerings in the Asia-Pacific 

region, and ensure that its business aircraft customers have even 

broader access to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)- 

backed services. 

Eurocopter South East Asia Pte Ltd 

Eurocopter South East Asia is part of the Eurocopter Group, 

a leading helicopter manufacturer in the world. The group 

undertakes the design, manufacturing, assembly, and aftermarket 

service of military and commercial helicopters. Its activities in 

Seletar Aerospace Park include sales and marketing, technical 

and support services, such as helicopter customisation and MRO 

for the region. Eurocopter’s facility in the park also supports 

ancillary training and related research and development activities. 

Fokker Services Asia Pte Ltd 

Fokker Services is a fully-owned subsidiary of Fokker Services 

BV, headquartered in the Netherlands. Fokker Services is an 

independent aerospace services provider, with the unique 

combination of aircraft OEM (design) knowledge and a 

broad range of support capabilities. The new facility in Seletar 

Aerospace Park provides heavy MRO capabilities for Fokker’s 

and ATR’s customer base in the region, as well as other regional 

aircraft types. 

Hawker Pacific (Asia) Pte Ltd 

Hawker Pacific has inaugurated its new aviation sales and 

customer service centre. This facility operates as the company’s 

headquarters for Asia and provides MRO services for private 

and business jets, aircraft management, complete aircraft 

refurbishment, full logistics services for avionics, spare parts and 

equipment, and FBO. 

Jet Aviation (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd 

Jet Aviation is one of the leading business aviation services 

companies in the world and operates a MRO and FBO facility 

at Seletar Aerospace Park. 

MAJ Aviation Pte Ltd 

MAJ Aviation is the first home-grown small and medium 

enterprise (SME) to have a presence at Seletar Aerospace Park. 

Its hangar in the General Aviation Centre (GAC) has a two-level 

rotating carousel which can park up to 14 light aircraft and which 

is the first of its kind to be used in the world. Their hangarage 

will be a one-stop service centre for light aircraft MRO and FBO, 

and related amenities and tenancy for the aviation community. 

Meggitt Aerospace Asia Pacific 

Meggitt Aerospace Asia Pacific will be moving its operations 

into a 2000 m 2 standard factory unit at the CMMF, making it 

the first tenant in the new facility. The company’s new facility 

will support and provide aftermarket support for an extended 

range of Meggitt products, including wheels and brakes, engine 

heat exchangers, solenoid and bleed valves, engine vibration 

sensing systems, fire detection and suppression equipment, crew 

restraints, and Emergency Passenger Assist Systems. 

Seletar Aerospace Park developer JTC Corporation signed a lease agreement with 

Meggitt Aerospace Asia Pacific. The picture shows Mr Leow Thiam Seng, Director, 

Aerospace, Marine & CleanTech Cluster, JTC Corporation, and Ms Lorraine 

Rienecker, Executive Vice President, Meggitt PLC, after the signing ceremony. 

Rolls-Royce Singapore Pte Ltd 

Rolls-Royce has officially opened its S$ 700 million manufacturing, 

research and training facility. It is the first time that Rolls-Royce 

is manufacturing the wide chord fan blade outside the United 

Kingdom. The investment will enable Singapore to play a key 

role in supplying aircraft engines for the latest jets like the Airbus 

A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. 

Pratt & Whitney Services Pte Ltd 

Pratt & Whitney Services has begun construction work on 

the company’s new facility. The new manufacturing facility and 

office building will be the latest addition to Pratt & Whitney’s 

comprehensive suite of businesses in Singapore, and will have 

an office area housing production management, various support 

functions, and Global Services Engineering-Asia which provides 

aftermarket repair design innovation to provide airline customers 

optimum airworthy, high quality, cost-effective, material 

reuse solutions. 

ST Aerospace Engineering Pte Ltd 

ST Aerospace expanded its presence at the Seletar Aerospace 

Park and will be constructing a Business Aviation aircraft hangar 

and a simulator centre for pilot training. The new Business 

Aviation hangar will double ST Aerospace’s current capacity to 

service business jets, helicopters, and light aircraft. 


17


STORY 

A*STAR showcases 15 innovative solutions 

At Singapore Airshow 2012, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) 

showcased 15 cutting-edge technologies to boost safety and productivity in the aerospace 

industry. This is another good example of how A*STAR’s R&D capabilities, in partnership 

with those of companies, can bring economic value to Singapore. 

Showcased by A*STAR’s seven science and engineering 

research institutes, the advanced technologies come under four 

key areas - Airframe; Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO); 

Electronics and Communications; and Aviation Logistics. 

AIRFRAME 

Sonic Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) technique 

With the increased use of composite materials in aircraft 

construction, the non-destructive inspection of adhesivelybonded 

structures is increasing for aircraft maintenance and 

repair. Defects encountered at the interfaces of adhesivelybonded 

joints, such as disbond and delamination, can impair the 

strength of the structure. Therefore, such structures are inspected 

non-destructively in production and maintenance before they 

are used in the aircraft. The ultrasonic testing technique is 

predominantly used for testing the defects. Even though the 

existing test equipment has benefitted from advances in digital 

technology, it has yet to provide comprehensive evaluation 

for a wide range of defects. Also, in most cases, rather than 

indicating pass or fail, the defect severity in the structures needs 

to be assessed. Knowing the type, size and depth of defects will 

provide the important information in the mechanical strength 

and quality assessment of the composite materials. 

A*STAR’s Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology 

(SIMTech) has developed a sonic Non-Destructive Testing 

(NDT) technique that uses a frequency lower than half that 

of conventional ultrasonic techniques. Unlike the time-of-flight 

parameter used in traditional techniques for flaw detection, 

the material to be inspected is excited with certain waveform 

patterns and processes the excitation response in several ways 

to extract defect signatures. The key features are its capability to 

detect, learn and identify the structural defects such as disbond, 

delamination, and crushed core in the composite honeycomb 

structures. An additional feature of the system is the capability of 

scanning the inspection area to generate a C-scan type of image 

with the defect type displayed. The system is tested on nonstructural 

defects such as incipient heat damage in composite 

laminates and water ingress in the honeycomb core. 

Fast-curing technology for aerospace sealants and 

adhesives 

Short curing time is a very important technical specification 

for adhesives and sealants. It can reduce the turnaround 

time for airplanes that need repairing and thus reduce the 

operation cost. Fast-curing technology aims to develop a curing 

technology for sealants which are used to repair fuel leaks, install 

windshields and windows, and seal out moisture. It usually takes 

a few days for existing sealants to achieve a full cure at room 

temperature. Thus a curing technology is urgently required with 

no operational hazards, to significantly reduce the curing time, in 

order to improve productivity. 

Using short wave IR radiation, A*STAR’s Institute of Materials 

Research and Engineering (IMRE) has developed a curing 

technology with no significant performance hazards. With this 

novel technology, the IR radiation can penetrate more deeply 

into materials and ensure more uniform curing through heating 

than medium wave IR radiation which is absorbed mostly in 

the outer surface of the materials. The short wave IR curing 

technology can greatly reduce the curing time from seven days 

to 1 - 2 hours without compromising the ultimate mechanical 

and thermal properties of the sealants and adhesives. 

Fast-curing technology for aerospace sealants and adhesives. 

Sonic Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) technique for detecting defects in 

composite structures. 

Nanoparticle-enhanced erosion resistant coatings 

Airplanes are exposed to severe external environmental stress 

while in flight, which is caused by high kinetic energy particles 

such as rain and dust, impacting on the leading edge of the airfoil. 

Currently, polymeric coatings are widely used to protect the 

airfoil structure. However, these coatings have poor durability 



COVER STORY 

and usually exhibit erosion damage in the form of deep pits, 

cracks and holes. The introduction of coatings built primarily 

from composite components demands that its protective layers 

act as a robust barrier against such impacts, thereby minimising 

damage and onset of corrosion. 

ASTAR’s Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences has 

developed a novel technology for making erosion resistant coatings. 

The coatings will combine functional nanoparticles with functional 

polymers or commercial paints to form a multi-phased network 

with homogeneously distributed discrete elastic phases in a 

coating layer matrix. The high erosion resistance stems from the 

ability of the novel composite network to efficiently absorb the 

impact energy from particles in flight conditions and thus reduce 

the probability of chain scission and cracking of the coating layer. 

In addition, the nanoparticles also enable the relaxation of internal 

stress generated from temperature fluctuations under rapidly 

changing environmental and weather conditions. 

Modelling of electromagnetic interactions in an aircraft 

The ever-increasing demand for communication, navigation, 

and entertainment leads to a heavy adoption of high-speed 

electronic devices and wireless networks inside the airplane. 

Wireless communication inside commercial aircraft has a great 

advantage over the available wired communication. It removes 

the weight of the connecting cables from the aircraft and reduces 

the corresponding maintenance fees, leading to cost savings 

for companies. This, however, also makes the electromagnetic 

environment inside the aircraft inevitably worse. It has become 

increasingly important to simulate and analyse electromagnetic 

interactions inside the airplane‘s closed environment for reliable 

aircraft operational functions. 

A*STAR‘s Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) 

has developed an advanced simulation technology to accurately 

model the electromagnetic interactions in a closed environment. 

The simulation technology makes full use of the structural 

features of the closed environment. It decomposes the original 

complex and large problem into several kinds of simple subproblems. 

These sub-problems are solved by using different 

optimised approaches respectively, and then recombined by 

the equivalent sources defined on their interfaces. Therefore, 

it benefits in terms of accuracy and efficiency. Hence, the 

developed simulation technology can help engineers design and 

efficiently analyse the channel performance and quality. It also 

allows engineers to provide suggestions for future selections 

of wireless technologies (in terms of frequency band, output 

power, receiving sensitivity etc). 

MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, OVERHAUL (MRO) 

Cost-effective method to repair damaged aero engines 

In today‘s competitive airline market, maintenance of aero 

engines is an important economic consideration for operators. 

Extensive efforts have been directed to the development of 

innovative repair techniques, processes, and use of materials to 

increase the fraction of aero engine components that can be 

repaired. Nowadays, laser-assisted processes, such as laser melting 

deposition (LMD), laser surface alloying (LSA), and laser-assisted 

mechanical micromachining (LAMM), are widely used in aero 

engine repairs. The common feature of these laser processes 

is the employment of highly localised thermal softening of the 

material by continuous wave laser irradiation focused in front of a 

miniature cutting tool. However, since it is a heat-assisted process, 

it can induce a detrimental heat-affected zone (HAZ) in the part. 

Metallurgical changes such as micro-segregation, precipitation of 

secondary phases, presence of porosities, solidification cracking, 

and grain growth, are frequently observed in the HAZ, which in 

turn lead to non-uniformity of microstructure and mechanical 

properties, and in some worst case scenarios, to the failure of 

aero engine components. Obviously, for the same material used, 

the magnitude of the HAZ would be directly determined by 

the heat input during the laser processes. In this context, it is 

desirable to lower the processing temperature to reduce heat 

input and hence minimise the HAZ. In response to this need, 

A*STAR‘s Institute of Materials Research and Engineering is 

focusing on nano-structured materials and their application in 

aero engine laser repair. 

Advanced metal forming technology for 

component fabrication 

Some types of high performance materials such as chromoly 

steel, nickel-base alloy and titanium alloy are used for aerospace 

engine components. The fabrication cost of these materials is 

high because these are difficult-to-form materials. Therefore, 

the improvement in the near-net-shape forming process for 

these materials is necessary to reduce the fabrication cost of 

aerospace components. 

A*STAR‘s Singapore Institute of Manufacturing 

Technology(SIMTech) has developed near-net-shape forming 

technology for thin walled components of light weight materials 

and high performance materials by using advanced combined 

sheet and bulk forming processes, and optimising forming 

process design and die design rules. 

Advanced metal forming technology for component repair 

Nickel-base and titanium-base superalloys are widely used for 

aero-engine components. The damaged parts need periodic 

repair or replacement, to avoid loss of engine power, efficiency 

and breakdown. In most cases, repair is a more feasible solution 

than replacement. However, these kinds of materials are difficult 

to repair due to the issues of cracking, oxidation, and maintenance 

of the grain size and micro-structure in the repaired region. 

A*STAR’s SIMTech has developed Laser Aided Additive 

Manufacturing (LAAM), a novel technology that can be used to 

accurately repair damaged parts and directly manufacture 3D 

components. Using low heat input and a high automation level, 

this technology has shown significant advantages over traditional 

repair processes. 

Health monitoring and diagnosis 

A*STAR’s Institute for Infocomm Research (I 2 R) has developed 

a monitoring and diagnostics system that provides contactless 


19


STORY 

detection of corrosion and the detection of defective parts in 

the aircraft. The early corrosion detection system can detect 

surface cracks measuring less than 1 mm. The defect detection 

system is capable of detecting disbond, delamination and impact 

damage in composites. With rapid scan rates of 0.06 m/min - 1.2 

m/min, non-visible surface cracks can be detected reliably and 

accurately, minimising potential downtime. 

In applying millimetre wave technology for both systems, there 

are a number of advantages. 

• The millimetre wave techniques are in real-time, fast, and contactless. 

• They have the ability to detect cracks under paint coatings. 

• They do not require a couplant to transmit the signal into the 

material under test (unlike ultrasonic methods). 

• Millimetre wave is capable of penetrating most non-metallic materials. 

• Millimeter wave systems are capable of producing robust 

inspections and can be manufactured for small, handheld, and 

inexpensive devices. 

• These systems use low microwave power (1 mW - 10 mW). 

ELECTRONICS AND COMMUNICATIONS 

SOI-CMOS Integrated Circuits for operation up to 300˚C 

Many industries such as oil exploration, aerospace and automotive 

require electronic circuitry that operate at high temperatures. 

To address these needs, the Rugged Electronics Programme 

of A*STAR’s Institute of Microelectronics (IME) develops 

sensor interface electronics that can reliably measure various 

physical parameters at temperatures of up to 300° C and at 

environmental pressures of up to 30 Kpsi. 

IME researchers are exploiting the low leakage current feature 

of the Silicon On Insulators-CMOS process to develop circuit 

devices that can work at temperatures up to 300° C. IME‘s 

new approach will address the limitations of conventional Metal 

Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors, to enable high 

resolution sensor interface circuits that can deliver critical data 

in harsh environments. 

Non-volatile memories for aerospace applications 

On-board applications in aircraft, such as in-flight entertainment, 

have increased the demand for high performance electronics. Thus, 

there is more reliance on electronically driven systems and extensive 

sensor networks of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems. 

The application of high-performance electronics allows for 

condition-based repair and maintenance of some aircraft 

components. By utilising integrated damage monitoring systems, 

it could decrease the cost of repair and maintenance by 20%. 

To fully realise this advantage, the memory needed for such 

applications should possess these key properties - large memory 

capacity, ability to operate at high temperatures, ability to lower 

power consumption, and radiation resistance. But current 

memory devices, which are based on flash and Static Random 

Access Memory technologies, tend to perform poorly. 

A*STAR’s Data Storage Institute (DSI) has developed the next 

generation of non-volatile memories - Spin Transfer Torque- 

Mangetoresistive RAM (STT-MRAM) and Phase Change 

RAM (PCRAM). The technology aims to achieve low power 

consumption, heat resistance to operate up to 200° C, radiation 

resistance for high-altitude environments, and high operability 

and reliability; and to ensure feasibility of non-volatile memories 

as well as deliver fabrication techniques. Importantly, it aims to 

provide the error correction codes that are specially designed 

for memories that are exposed to high temperature and high 

radiation environments. 

STT-MRAM and PCRAM technologies are two core competencies 

that DSI has developed, with more than 30 patents filed. 

High reliability package for harsh environments 

Aerospace control is vital and requires very high reliability. The 

current aerospace control system uses electrical signals instead 

of the bulky and heavy but robust hydraulic controls. In order 

to be cost-effective, the aerospace industry has been switching 

to off-the-shelf components. These commercial electronics 

components however are not designed to meet the long-term 

high reliability requirements beyond 150° C. The selection and 

development of materials for high temperature environments 

therefore poses a formidable challenge. 

To mitigate this problem, the package design should not only 

integrate and provide interconnectivity for the electronic devices 

but should also provide mechanical and thermal protection from 

harsh environments without compromising on performance. 

This requires electrical, thermal and mechanical design to meet 

the operating requirements. 

A*STAR‘s IME has looked into developing an electronic driver 

circuit package for supplying the electrical power for the aircraft 

braking system. The focus is to develop a high-performance 

packaging platform that can endure in harsh environments. This 

involves inter-connection, metallisation and protective coating, 

and the selection of the appropriate material for the coating, die 

attaching and metallisation to achieve the operating requirement. 

In addition, this includes the design of the process flow and 

assembly for the forming of the reliable interconnects for the 

package. The package is expected to use conventional industry 

packaging technologies and organic printed circuit boards, which 

can help to achieve a cost-effective solution. 

The project will develop mechanical, thermal and electrical 

packaging design rules for a multi-chip module package. It will 

also explore and evaluate electrical integrated passive circuits 

for the driver package. 

Next generation cabin communication platform 

In-flight entertainment and communication services are fast 

gaining importance for airline operators in their bid to attract 

customers by providing the best possible services. However the 

size, weight, and power constraints on aircraft systems, coupled 

with rapid advancement in and the multitude of communication 

and entertainment technologies mean that traditional methods 

of dedicated systems for each supported technology are no 

longer efficient. 



COVER STORY 

Autonomous systems (such as Software Defined/Cognitive Radios) 

that can adapt and reconfigure themselves provide an alternative 

that will provide the best mix of services, without provisioning for 

the worst case capacity of all supported technologies. 

A*STAR‘s I 2 R has developed a single platform to handle 

different communication platforms such as Global Systems 

for Mobile, Code Division Multiple Access, and Wireless Local 

Area Network. As the number of users for different access 

technologies changes, it can intelligently reconfigure the resource 

distribution among different base access point functions, ensuring 

a maximum number of users. 

Next generation cabin communication platform. 

AVIATION LOGISTICS 

Optimising decision-making through utilising 

advanced analytics 

A*STAR’s IHPC presented its technologies in data processing, 

monitoring and planning, analysis and prediction, with optimised 

computational resource allocation to showcase the utility of 

advanced analytics to the aerospace industry. Through its data 

processing, information is gathered and analysed for buyers and 

suppliers to maximise efficiency and cost savings. Through its 

analytics, suppliers can have a visualised display of historical buying 

patterns to predict buying trends. Buyers can have an interactive 

cost savings calculator for planning and purchase plans. 

Automated control and self-recovery system for 

airfreight terminal operations 

To build a world class fully automated airfreight terminal, 

A*STAR’s SIMTech took up the challenge to develop an 

automated control and self recovery system that executes and 

controls the transfer of containers [Unit Load Devices (ULDs) 

and Bins] across multiple material handling systems. The airfreight 

terminal contains over 80 different material handling systems 

which span eight storeys. It was designed to handle 800,000 

tons per annum. Key requirements include on-line configuration 

of material handling systems, on-line origin-to-destination route 

configuration, operation of vehicles in four different modes 

(Auto, Semi-Auto, Manual and Maintenance), handling of different 

containers, and transfer optimisation of equipment capable of 

handling two to six containers. A suite of methodologies and 

technologies was conceptualised, validated through simulations, 

developed, deployed and continuously enhanced for such a 

complex system. The project was one of the winners of the IES 

Prestigious Engineering Achievement Awards 2003, given out by 

the Institution of Engineers, Singapore (IES). 

This automated control system has been proven and enhanced 

over more than 10 years of operation. 

The key technologies developed comprise the following: 

• Intelligent Routing Engine for Automated Material 

Handling System. 

• Multi-Objective Multi-Transfer Optimisation for Material 

Handling Equipment. 

• Maintenance Diagnostic System. 

Simulation-based spare parts planning and 

optimisation system 

D-SIMLAB Technologies Pte Ltd is a leading Singaporeheadquartered 

provider of high-performance, simulationbased 

business analytics and process optimisation solutions 

for asset-intensive industries.The solutions are based on 

a distributed, grid-enabled simulation and optimisation 

platform that enables sustainable performance enhancement 

of complex, mission-critical processes that are subject to 

significant random effects and cannot be handled with 

sufficient fidelity by existing systems. A developed vertical 

with considerable traction is advanced optimisation of the 

US$ 16 b ‘rotable‘ (repairable) airline parts inventory. 

The company has demonstrated traction and validation in 

the civil aviation domain. Two of the top four civil aviation 

manufacturers are present customers and discussions are 

ongoing to engage the remaining two as well. In the MRO 

vertical, long term subscription and service agreements have 

been signed with major aerospace companies. Concurrently, 

the company has established a European subsidiary in Dresden, 

Germany and a US subsidiary in Silicon Valley. The company has 

also won a number of international awards validating its business 

and technological success. 

D-SIMSPAIR enables an ongoing paradigm shift in the aviation 

industry of moving to component support contracts being 

awarded by airlines rather than maintaining ownership and 

management of spares in-house. The product has seen increased 

acceptance by multinational customers. It aims to become the 

de-facto tool to design, analyse, and continuously re-optimise 

component support contracts in the aviation industry. 


21

SYSTEMS COVER ENGINEERING 

STORY 

Deployment of Requirements Management 

in Rolls-Royce 

Mr Lee Glazier, Chief of World Class Systems, Rolls-Royce plc, UK , was tasked, in October 

2007, with deploying Best Practice Requirements Management across the whole company. 

In this article, he describes the issues associated with the existent state of Requirements 

Management practice, information model options and selection, and formal codification in 

a quality process. The article also discusses the importance of recognising uncertainty, and 

change leadership methods used in deployment including process and tool training, support 

aids and the methodology selected to continue the deployment across Rolls-Royce. 

BACKGROUND 

Rolls-Royce is a global business providing power systems for 

use on land, at sea, and in the air. The company has a balanced 

business portfolio with positions in the civil and defence 

aerospace, marine and energy markets. It operates in five 

segments - Civil Aerospace, which is engaged in the development, 

manufacture, marketing and sales of commercial aero engines 

and aftermarket services; Defence Aerospace, which is engaged 

in the development, manufacture, marketing and sales of military 

aero engines and aftermarket services; Marine, which is engaged 

in the development, manufacture, marketing and sales of marine 

propulsion systems and aftermarket services; Energy, which is 

engaged in the development, manufacture, marketing and sales 

of power systems for the offshore oil and gas industry, electrical 

power generation and aftermarket services; and Nuclear, 

which will play a key role in the UK’s nuclear reactor new build 

programme, with the largest nuclear skills base in the UK, and an 

existing nuclear certified supply chain of 260 companies. 

This complex organisation presented particular challenges both 

in terms of scope (38,000 employees) and diversity of product/ 

service. A further complication was presented by the intention 

that Requirements Management was to also embrace the ‘nontechnical’ 

domains. 

EXISTENT STATE 

Before 2007, Rolls-Royce Requirements Management was 

formalised and mature in two main areas. Within Defence 

Aerospace, Requirements Management was very formalised 

for joint projects, for example, the F136 Engine for the F-35 

Joint Strike Fighter with General Electric. Also, the Controls 

departments had good, formalised and mature Requirements 

Management. Additionally, there were good, localised examples 

across the whole enterprise. There was no explicit requirements 

elicitation or management process beyond the definition of a 

range of requirement and definition documents in one top level 

engineering process. 

PROBLEM WITH EXISTENT STATE AND 

RESULTANT ORGANISATIONAL DECISION 

The most obvious issues with the above state are around 


consistency and governance. There are significant effects 

stemming from these issues - tools, training, resourcing, process, 

documentation etc that all add costs to a business. 

In 2007, Rolls-Royce appointed a Chief of Requirements 

Management with the role and objective of deploying Best 

Practice Requirements Management across the complete 

enterprise. 

INFORMATION MODELS 

Clearly, to be successful in a company-wide deployment, with 

a majority of employees who were inexperienced in formal 

Requirements Management tools and process, the chosen 

information model, principles, process and tools needed to be 

simple but effective. 

Is suspicion sufficient? 

The classic information model shows requirements linked to 

derived requirements or definitions. This provides traceability 

effectively between the solution and the requirement. If a formal 

Requirements Management tool is used, for example DOORS, 

then any change within the landscape will generate suspicious 

links. This is not helpful. Senior Management is not particularly 

interested in hearing that a particular change now makes an 

engineer ‘suspicious’ that the original requirement may now not 

be met. They want to know whether the requirement will be 

met, and if not, how big will be the non-compliance. A further 

issue with this classic information model is the complexity of 

linkages created when a number of requirements result in a 

large number of the same set of derived requirements - a ‘some 

to many’ relationship. In this circumstance, the value of suspicious 

links becomes questionable. In this case also, the number of links 

that needs maintaining can become prohibitively large. 

All requirements need to be complied with - do they 

all need to be managed? 

All requirements need to be complied with. Does this mean they 

all need to be managed? The answer must be ‘yes’. However, at 

first glance, the opposite may appear true and that depends on 

levels of abstraction. At the system level, one is unlikely to be 

devoting much attention to the requirements of screw threads

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING 

(as shown in the V Diagram). However, at the component level, 

screw threads may be seen as one of the key requirements to 

be complied with. So yes, all requirements need to be managed 

- at the correct level of abstraction. Do they all need to be 

managed in DOORS? 

The chosen few 

An interesting statistic is that more than 80% of the value of a 

project is represented by less than 20% of the requirements. 

If one has finite resources and budgets, the majority of one’s 

efforts should be applied to the ‘chosen few’ requirements, in 

managing towards compliance. They are the ones against which 

the project will be judged by the world outside, to determine 

whether it has been successful. 

Does the Systems Engineering V work? 

There is a Systems Engineering V, W, X, Y, Z, and even a U and 

an O. They all generally work for the person who created the 

diagram (often clarifying one particular aspect that the creator 

felt was deficient in one of the other diagrams). They do not 

necessarily work for those to whom they are being presented. 

But equally, that does not mean they are wrong. The ‘rightness’ is 

generally achieved when the diagram is explained. 

The Systems Engineering V is favoured, but with a clarification 

from Airbus 1 who differentiate Design Verification from Product 

Verification. This can be further extended to include the role of 

‘iteration tools’. 

Iteration becomes the first design verification 

If an engineer is given a requirement to meet, he/she will 

converge on a solution using various iteration tools ranging 

from a calculator to complex analytical software. Whatever the 

tool, the iterative process is similar - inputing parameters into 

the tool (as proposed solution) and assessing the output for 

compliance with the requirement(s). The inputs are changed 

(whilst considering the feasibility of the solution based on 

domain knowledge) to converge on a compliant output. This is 

then repeated as many times as necessary. 

When the output is compliant, this compliant iteration is the 

first Design Verification showing that the proposed solution 

(in terms of a ‘virtual’ design definition) is a compliant solution. 

Viewed another way, the definition parameters input to (satisfy) 

the verification ‘model’, the verification ‘model’ shows satisfaction 

of the requirement(s). These definitions (for example, system 

level definitions) become requirements at the next level down 

(for example, sub-system requirements). This is not dissimilar to 

the Rich Traceability principles described by Hull, Jackson and 

Dick 2 , as well as others 3 . 

The verification evidence changes, matures and (hopefully) 

increases in pedigree as the solution matures from a virtual 

definition to eventual product. Also, it is not dissimilar to the 

principle described by Dick in the INCOSE Autumn Assembly, 

November 2008. 4 

The Systems Engineering V diagram. 


23


STORY 

So the V does work! 

The Systems Engineering V diagram shows all the previously 

mentioned principles of design verification being differentiated 

from product verification, iteration equalling the first design 

verification and definition parameters at one level becoming the 

requirements at the next level down. 

These principles easily map onto the traditional Systems 

Engineering V. Viewed in this way, it is an enhancement of the 

traditional V and more closely reflects the way a product evolves 

from requirements, through iterations of definitions, to an 

eventual product. 

Any ‘suspicious linkages’ now include the verification evidence 

that should be interrogated to confirm (or otherwise) the 

‘suspicion’ and quantify the non-compliance. The number of links 

needing maintaining is also potentially reduced. Another major 

advantage is that the verification evidence is now visually part of 

the process rather than an ‘addition’. 

The chosen information model 

As indicated above, the Requirements Management process 

within Rolls-Royce was intended to be applicable outside 

the purely technical domain and thereby embrace business 

requirements, supply chain requirements etc equally well. It also 

had to be applicable at all levels from ‘the top’ layer down to the 

component layer. 

Inspecting the Systems Engineering V diagram, there is a very 

clear fractal. This was chosen as the information model - it is 

simple, completely scaleable between layers and scaleable 

across a whole enterprise and can be represented by a cluster 

of documents and/or modules in a formal Requirements 

Management tool. 

CODIFICATION IN A FORMAL PROCESS 

Clearly, the complete process of managing requirements consists 

of more than just the above information model. However, 

applying the above information model across a complete 

enterprise will ‘govern’ the Requirements Engineering aspect. 

Before the Requirements Engineering starts, requirements will 

need to be elicited and validated. The lifecycle also has to include 

the management of non-compliance. All aspects are shown in 

the process diagram. 

The process 

As can be seen, the process is conveniently divided into three 

distinct phases, all of which are codified in a formal, controlled 

Rolls-Royce Global Quality Procedure. 

Stakeholder Analysis and Requirements Capture 

There are many ‘elegant’, formal Systems Engineering tools 

that should be used, as appropriate, for this stage. These are 

not detailed here but merely acknowledged as potentially 

fundamental to this stage of the process. 

Requirements Engineering. 

In terms of the cascade, this is described in detail in the 

discussion around the Information Model. The method by 

which new requirements are derived as solutions to complex 

requirements is again, fundamentally dependent on formal 

Systems Engineering techniques. 

Documentation Structure 

Being pragmatic, it was accepted that it would be a cultural 

shift too far to manage all requirements only in a formal tool, 

including sign-off. It was therefore accepted that documentation 

would be expected. A document structure already existed 

Diagram showing the fractal cluster at the systems level. 


SYSTEMS ENGINEERING 

The process diagram. 

within Programme Management and this was used as the 

basis for a complete landscape of requirements and definitions 

documentation. 

This landscape is seen as the minimum for a project, against 

which it will be audited. Additional documentation may be used 

as necessary and indeed, additional layers. 

Uncertainty, gaps and review 

The above process will create a landscape of compliant 

requirements and definitions that, if achieved, will satisfy the 

stakeholders. However, it is to be expected that, as the project 

progresses, some solutions will fall short of their requirements, 

presenting a gap between compliance [requirement] and status. 

These gaps need managing. Before a strategy for closing a gap 


25


STORY 

Complete landscape of requirements and definitions documentation. 

is developed, the level of uncertainty associated with the status 

needs to be understood. Other work carried out by the writer, 

in Rolls-Royce, beyond the scope of this article, has formalised 

this in guidance documentation. This process has not been 

detailed here, as it needs to be aligned with an organisation’s 

internal trading processes. However, the principles will be the 

same whereby requirements will be traded, relaxed and/or 

more effort applied to achieving compliance. 

The issue of uncertainty is an important consideration in 

planning activities in the development of a complex system 5 . 

The information model described above gives a good 

framework for the assessment of uncertainty. Uncertainty 

can come in many forms. 

• Uncertainty in the requirement - either the stakeholder has 

not fully defined the requirement, or there is knowledge 

that it is likely to change, or it is new or novel and not fully 

understood, or it is challenging the bounds of feasibility. 

• Uncertainty in the evidence - there is uncertainty as to 

whether the evidence has the appropriate level of pedigree 

to show that the requirement has been/will be met - the 

means of producing the evidence may be new or outside 

calibration. 

• Uncertainty in the solution - the solution type may be novel 

or new, and so compliance with the requirements and/or the 

impact on other aspects of the system (particularly interfaces / 

interactions with other parts of the system) may be uncertain. 

With a technical review of a system, this framework again 

gives an opportunity to assess from a Systems Engineering 

perspective. The first issue should be an examination of the 

requirements - when viewed from a system perspective, are 

they complete, understood, and are the implications and key 

challenges clear? Are they stable? Without positive indications 

on these issues, further review of the solution is immaterial. 

Secondly, the evidence should be reviewed. Why do we think 

that the solution meets the requirement? The level of evidence 

should be tailored to the degree of certainty required at the 

particular project lifecycle stage, but if the evidence does not 

support the fact that the requirements can or have been met, 

then a clear indication for the rest of the review is defined. Only 

finally is the solution examined - to test whether the evidence 

presented matches the expectation (based on experience etc) 

generated by considering the solution. Without this structure it 

is too easy to jump straight to reviewing the solution, without 

understanding what it is required to be done. 

CHANGE LEADERSHIP 

The above process has been developed to be simple and 

scaleable. Creating compliant solutions can be a difficult task. 

Therefore, any support process needs are not to be seen as 


an additional burden. The main benefits of good Requirements 

Management come from the process - any tool should help 

execute the process more efficiently and effectively 

To this end, deployment of the above process has not included 

mandating the use of a formal tool. The only mandating was that 

only one tool would be approved if the tool route was chosen. 

In the case of Rolls-Royce, the approved tool is DOORS. The use 

of DOORS on a project is fully supported with a deployment 

guide including roles, training etc. 

The achievement of something simple then made deployment 

an ‘easier’ challenge. 

To ensure the success of deployment, the principles of change 

leadership were followed. 

Stakeholders - who needs to go on the journey and 

to where? 

Stakeholders who need influencing for a formalised process to 

be deployed span a company, from the highest management 

to anyone developing a solution. All have different wants/needs 

ranging from maximising profit, on-time delivery and reputation 

to just having an ‘easier life’. All of which sounds remarkably like 

the ‘vertical axis’ of a QFD. 

Motivation for change 

Clearly, many different motivational strategies were needed for 

the many stakeholders, ranging from business cases for DOORS 

licences, case studies for Senior Management, to full support 

structures for the practitioners. 

Support structure - help along the way 

The support for the practitioners was probably the most 

extensive of the strategies aimed at motivating change. It 

consisted of the above-mentioned formal Quality Procedure, a 

website containing guides, awareness material, support network, 

templates, Best Practices and useful links. Acknowledging the 

benefits of a formal tool necessitated development of a DOORS 

support structure of deployment plan, customised training 

courses, documentation and templates. Process training was 

also undertaken. Additionally, targeted one-to-one mentoring 

was undertaken. 

Continuing the deployment and extending 

the Influence 

The appetite for undertaking Best Practice Requirements 

Management at Rolls-Royce has been generally very good, 

which has resulted in a large increase in the number of projects 

undertaking good Requirements Management, but now in 

the above described standardised way. Clearly, the continual 

deployment eventually exceeds the capacity of a small support 

resource. To enable the deployment to continue requires the 

individual corporate sectors to be enabled to guide, mentor, 

organise training etc themselves. To this end, support has to 

switch to that of a ‘train-the-trainer’ type of support. This entails 

negotiating with the various sectors as to who these people 

should be and then establishing the necessary strategies to raise 

their capabilities to the level whereby they can be self-sufficient 

in supporting themselves. 

CONCLUSIONS 

The article has shown that recent proposals presented in papers 

for improvements to Requirements Management are worthy of 

consideration and can be incorporated into the Quality process 

of a major, complex organisation designing and producing 

complex, high value add products. 

The article has also shown that Requirements Management 

can be simplified as a ‘fractal’ that can be scaled both across a 

complex organisation and to the varying levels of the traditional 

Systems Engineering V. 

It has also shown that the traditional Systems Engineering V fits 

very well to the design process, with the recognition that Design 

Verification is different from Product Verification in that the very 

early Design Verifications are in fact, generally the compliant 

iterations that generate the requirements for the next level 

down. Also, the Design Verifications are conducted on a ‘virtual’ 

product whereas the Product Verifications are conducted on a 

‘real’ product. 

Furthermore, it has shown that, by following the principles of 

change leadership, a complex organisation can be motivated to 

adopt a better way of working. 

REFERENCES 

1. Williams R. 2007. Requirements for Systems and Cabin 

Item Designers. Airbus ABD0200.2.3 Issue G. Validation 

and Verification. 

2. Hull E, Jackson K, and Dick J. 2004. Requirements Engineering. 

2 nd Edition. 

3. Briggs C and Sampson M. 2006. Tying Requirements to 

Design Artifacts. Systems Engineering: Shining Light on the 

Tough Issues. INCOSE 2006 - 16 th Ann Intl Proceedings. 

4. Dick J. 2008. Using Requirements Tracing to Create an 

Assurance Case. UK INCOSE Autumn assembly, Nov 2008. 

5. Pickard A, Nolan A, Beasley R. 2010. Certainty, Risk and 

Gambling in the Development of Complex Systems. 

Presented at the 20 th INCOSE International Symposium in 

Chicago. 

(This article is based on a paper presented by Mr Lee Glazier, Chief 

of World Class Systems, Rolls-Royce plc, UK, at ASEC 2011, the 

Annual Systems Engineering Conference, organised by INCOSE UK 

and held from 9 to 10 November 2011 in the UK). 


27

CIVIL & STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING 

My Waterway@Punggol - ensuring 

connectivity and accessibility 

Location plan for the vehicular bridges. 

In the concluding portion of the three-part 

description of the project, ‘The Singapore 

Engineer’ looks at the creation of the four 

vehicular bridges and five footbridges across 

the waterway. 

Developed by the Housing & Development 

Board (HDB), My Waterway@Punggol 

meanders from east to west across Punggol 

Town, dividing the town into two halves, 

whilst connecting the Punggol and Serangoon 

reservoirs. 

PUNGGOL WALK ICONIC BRIDGE 

Of the four vehicular bridges, the Punggol Walk Vehicular Bridge 

is the most ‘iconic’. Designed with an extended footbridge from 

one side of the dual vehicular carriageway and suspended from 

an aesthetic arch, it provides a vantage view of the Heartwave 

Wall, a major feature of the development. The other three 

vehicular bridges, which are strategically located along the 

waterway, are designed as functional, pre-stressed, pre-cast 

beam structures. 

Layout plan for Punggol Walk Bridge. 



Layout plan, elevation view and cross section of Punggol Walk Bridge. 

The Punggol Walk Iconic Bridge has a heritage-inspired, crab 

net design, inspired by Punggol’s past as a fishing village. Both 

the vehicular bridge and the footbridge were constructed using 

single cell box girder sections. The vehicular bridge was designed 

as a triple span continuous frame structure, whereas the 

footbridge was designed to be supported by an inclined arch 

system with nine hanger rods along the length of the bridge. 

Structural Concept 

Reinforced concrete bored piles were constructed as the 

foundation for the vehicular bridge and concrete arch 

supporting the footbridge. Upon completion of the pile caps 

for the vehicular bridge, a total of four pier columns were 

constructed for the dual carriageway. The height of each column 

is approximately 9 m, measured from the top of the pile cap to 

the underside of the pier crosshead. 

The vehicular bridge is approximately 100 m long and each 

carriageway is made up of three bridge spans with the centre 

span across the waterway. The bridge was designed as a posttensioned 

single cell box girder, cast-in-situ. 

To address the horizontal forces arising from the inclination of the 

hanger rods, and to provide torsional rigidity to the footbridge, 

transverse beams were installed in between the footbridge and 


29


Punggol Walk Vehicular Bridge under construction. 

Typical stress bar details. 

Construction sequence for the vehicular bridge. 

Construction of box girder (top) and installation of post-tensioning system (bottom). 

Completed Punggol Walk Vehicular Bridge. 

the vehicular bridge at every hanger. The hanger system for the 

footbridge has been designed to allow for replacement of any 

one of the hanger rods. Due to the arch, there is an outward 

force at the base of the arch and a pre-stressed tie beam has 

been introduced at the deck level in the plane of the arch. The 

complete stage-by-stage construction sequence was set up in 

the analysis model to capture correctly the stress history in the 

structural elements from construction to completion. 

In consideration of future maintenance issues, corrosion-resistant 

Macalloy stainless steel stress bars (50 mm diameter), were chosen 

for the Iconic Bridge. These were imported from the UK. 

In consideration of the aesthetics of the bridge, the stainless 

steel stress bars have been encased in 200 mm diameter 

stainless steel pipes, to conceal the stress bars between the 

external face of the concrete arch and the footbridge structure. 

A small diameter cast-in conduit within the concrete arch and 

footbridge structure facilitated the installation of each stress bar. 

In order to ensure that the stress bar can be installed without 

any obstruction, great emphasis was placed on the accuracy of 

the alignment of the cast-in conduit, as every stress bar has a 

different inclination. In addition, the allowable gap between the 

stress bar and cast-in conduit was kept to a minimum. 

The diameter of the concrete arch is 1.5 m and it stands 

approximately 25 m above the promenade level. In order to 

plot out the exact alignment of the arch, a 3D programme was 

used to calculate the individual coordinates at 1 m apart and 

a similar programme was also used to design the temporary 

staging supporting this unique shape of the arch. 

PUNGGOL WAY VEHICULAR BRIDGE 

The construction of the Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge was 

another challenge. As the waterway intersects the existing 

Punggol Way and the LRT structures, it was necessary to realign 

Punggol Way with part of it becoming a vehicular bridge to 

overcross the waterway. 



The presence of the more than 3 m thick soft clay layer 

immediately below the waterway further aggravated the lateral 

movement that would be experienced by the earth retaining 

abutment wall. To limit the lateral movement of the existing 

LRT structures to less than 15 mm, in order to comply with 

the requirements of the authorities, a 6 m thick layer of grout 

was pumped into the ground below the waterway, through jet 

grouting, so that it would act as a brace between the abutment 

walls, thereby restraining the soft clay layer. 

Construction Methodology 

A balanced ground excavation construction sequence was 

adopted during the construction of the abutment. This critical 

construction sequence was modelled and analysed using 

geotechnical software PLAXIS until an acceptable lateral ground 

movement (15 mm limit based on the requirement of the Land 

Transport Authority) was reached with the corresponding 

excavating sequences. 

To facilitate real-time monitoring on site, a total of 11 inclinometers 

were installed. Several supervising officers were deployed to 

monitor the instrumentation data during the construction. With 

a close monitoring system in place, assessment on the ground 

movement could be made readily. 

Layout of Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge (top) and the temporary diverted road to 

facilitate construction of the Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge (bottom). 

Structural Concept 

The vehicular bridge deck is set at a Reduced Level (RL) of 

108.0 m, while the waterway promenade level is located at RL 

102.5 m. The waterway, with the invert level at RL 97.5 m, is 

located approximately 5 m away from the bridge abutment. A 

soft clay layer, more than 3 m in thickness, was encountered 

immediately below the waterway. 

Cross-section of the Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge. 

Compounding the problem due to the poor soil condition was 

the fact that the proposed Punggol Way is next to the existing 

LRT structure. Ground excavation was minimised to reduce 

possible movement of the pilecaps of existing LRT piers. 

With safety considerations in mind, the concept of a 30 m single 

span vehicular bridge (overcrossing the waterway) supported 

on abutment earth retaining walls was adopted. This structural 

concept would minimise the amount of foundation work and 

ground excavation, as opposed to that required for a multiplespan 

bridge. This single span structure called for rigorous 

structural analysis and detailed design of the bridge deck. 

Completed Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge. 

Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge under construction. 


31


CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTBRIDGES 

To allow seamless pedestrian connectivity between the 

two 10 m wide promenades on each bank of the waterway, 

five footbridges were built to span over the waterway at 

strategic locations. 

The emphasis in the design of the bridges was on both aesthetics 

and barrier-free functionality. The ramps for the footbridges 

were constructed with a gentle slope of 1 in 20, and grab bars 

have been provided for ease of mobility for the elderly and 

physically challenged. 

Two of the footbridges, located at the western and eastern 

mouths of the waterway, have a ‘horse-shoe’ layout. They are, 

respectively, the Jewel Bridge and the Sunrise Bridge. 

The Kelong Bridge has a ‘stilts-like’ theme while the Wave Bridge 

has a slightly curved bridge layout. 

The Adventure Bridge is a ‘suspended’ footbridge located in the 

middle of the Town Park. 

These footbridges were designed with sufficient height clearance, 

for passage of maintenance vehicles along the promenade and 

watercraft along the waterway - which was a challenge for the 

engineers, given the site constraints. 

The Jewel Bridge 

The Jewel Bridge, located at the western mouth of the waterway 

is a 160 m long and 4.3 m wide horse-shoe shaped footbridge 

that follows a 22.6 m radius. Intermediate spans, 22 m long, 

overcross the waterway. 

Located right on the bridge, at the mid-span, is an enlarged (8.6 m 

wide) space, with a jewel-shaped dome lined with vertical greenery. 

The design of the bridge was inspired by the concept of a 

precious jewel sitting atop a ring. 

The façade of the dome is made up of circular hollow sections 

of steel and acts as a focal point that highlights the confluence of 

My Waterway@Punggol and Punggol Reservoir. 

The bridge is fitted out with LED lights. Visitors can enjoy 

interesting views against the evening sky and admire the sunset. 

At the same time, from afar, against the backdrop of the setting 

sun, the dome resembles a ‘floating’ platform. 

The curved bridge has an equally curved concrete beam that 

produces considerable amounts of ‘twisting’ torsional stresses. 

Careful and rigorous structural design was required to deal with 

the ‘twisting’ stresses in the curved bridge beam. The resulting 

decision was to provide resistance by adding considerable 

amounts of steel link reinforcements to the bridge structures. 

This engineering option was adopted over the less aesthetically 

pleasing solution of increasing the size of bridge beam. These 

‘twisting’ stresses experienced by the curved bridge reached their 

maximum, at the transversely enlarged 8.6 m wide space at the 

bridge midspan. A few 300 mm thick concrete diaphragms were 

added transversely at the bridge midspan to brace and control the 

deflections at this enlarged space. Besides catering for pedestrian 

park users, the footbridge was designed also to cater for the 

accidental lateral impact loads caused by maintenance vehicles that 

utilise the footbridge for crossing the waterway. 

Footbridges crossing the waterway. 



The Kelong Bridge. 

The Jewel Bridge. 

The Kelong Bridge follows the alignment of the old Punggol Road. 

The Jewel Bridge under construction. 

The Kelong Bridge 

Located in the Heritage zone of the Town Park, the Kelong 

Bridge, being slender in structure (measuring 125 m long and 

2.3 m wide, and with a 28 m span), follows the alignment of 

the old Punggol Road and leads to the heritage trail. The design 

re-captures the idyllic mood of old Punggol and its fishing villages. 

The bridge sports a stilts-and-posts design element that props 

lightly over the waterway giving pedestrians an experiential 

journey, making them feel as if they are walking on water. 

It was an engineering challenge to design a structurally safe bridge, 

given the slender dimensions of the bridge beams and columns. 

The Kelong Bridge under construction. 


33


The Adventure Bridge 

This bridge also adopted a curved alignment, with a 14.2 m 

radius, to over-cross the waterway. This ‘horse-shoe’ shaped 

footbridge is supported by slanting columns to create another 

aesthetically unique bridge. The creation of the curved bridge 

beams with slanting bridge columns entailed painstakingly 

thorough computer modelling and design, which are not 

required for normal straight bridges. 

The footbridge is designed to cater not only for pedestrian 

traffic but also for the imposed and lateral impact loads from 

maintenance vehicles that use it to cross the waterway. 

The Adventure Bridge. 

The eye-catching steel bridge was designed to resemble a 

wooden suspension bridge that blends with the natural park 

setting. The prominent landmark provides visitors with an 

‘adventurous’ experience while crossing the waterway and 

enjoying the scenery in the park. Approximately 46 m long 

and 1.2 m wide, it utilises suspension wires together with 

steel trusses. 

The Wave Bridge 

The shape of the bridge, which connects the banks of both 

the promenades, represents a continuation of the undulating 

landform. The wavy railing design further accentuates the 

characteristics of the meandering and undulating landscape. 

The Sunrise Bridge. 

This slightly curved footbridge is 225 m long with widths varying 

from 2.4 m to 4.1 m, and it spans 30.5 m across the waterway. 

The Wave Bridge provides another pedestrian crossing at an 

important location. 

The Sunrise Bridge under construction. 

The Wave Bridge. 

The Sunrise Bridge 

The Sunrise Bridge is the highlight of the eastern end of the 

waterway. The bridge offers the best view of the waterway and 

Serangoon reservoir as it was designed to be slightly elevated, 

to enable visitors obtain a good view of the sunrise. The bridge 

design continues the language of the weaving boardwalk along 

the river banks, blending the rustic flavour with a modern twist. 

PROJECT CREDITS 

Developer: Housing and Development Board. 

Consultant: Surbana International Consultants Pte Ltd. 

Contractors: Eng Lee Engineering Pte Ltd (Punggol 

Walk Vehicular Bridge); Koh Brothers Building & Civil 

Engineering Contractor (Pte) Ltd (Punggol Road 

Vehicular Bridge and Punggol Way Vehicular Bridge); 

Lek San Construction Pte Ltd (Sentul Crescent Vehicular 

Bridge, Jewel Bridge, Kelong Bridge, Wave Bridge and 

Sunrise Bridge; and Kuan Aik Hong Construction Pte Ltd 

(Adventure Bridge). 

All images by HDB. 


PROJECT APPLICATION 

Liebherr tower cranes in Istanbul project 

Seven Liebherr tower cranes are being used to build Turkey’s 

spectacular new commercial and residential development, 

the US$ 1 billion Varyap Meridian project, on the Asian side 

of Istanbul. 

The development, which has five towers housing apartments, 

offices and a five-star hotel, covers just 10% of its 37-hectare 

(92-acre) land area and uses innovative green systems to 

conserve energy and minimise its environmental impact. 

Varyap Meridian, which is due for completion late in 2012, has 

already won several awards for its design and for its use of 

environment-friendly technology. 

The project is being built at Atasehir, on the Anatolian side of the 

city, which is being developed as Istanbul’s new business district. 

Developer and builder Varyap is the property, construction 

and contracting arm of Varlibas Group International, which 

was founded in 1975 and specialises in large-scale upmarket 

developments. 

Varyap appointed Robert Matthew Johnson Marshall (RMJM) as 

architect, with Buro Happold as structural engineer. 

The five buildings (60 floors, 45 floors, 41 floors, 24 floors, and 

24 floors high) have a total development area of 410,000 m 2. 

The 60-storey tower will be Turkey’s second tallest building. 

The development will include 1,500 apartments and 20,000 m 2 

of office space while the five-star hotel will cover an area of 

50,000 m 2 . 

Set on a highly prominent site that will provide occupants with 

panoramic views stretching from the Bosphorus Strait in the 

west to the Princes’ Islands and the Sea of Marmara to the 

south, the development has easy access to the highway system, 

the subway, and Istanbul’s new Sabiha Gökçen Airport. 

Green design features include rainwater collection sites 

and facilities to optimise water usage and reduce energy 

consumption, wind turbine technology, cooling water pools that 

enhance the external landscape and a co-generation plant that 

will produce electricity for the development. 

Six of the Liebherr tower cranes are 154 EC-H 6 FR.tronic 

high-top models, purchased new by Varyap from Liebherr’s 

distributor for Turkey, Atilla Dural Mumessillik Insaat Ltd. 

The seventh unit is a 130 EC-B 6 FR.tronic, a flat-top crane that 

has been supplied by Atilla Dural’s rental division, the largest 

tower crane hire business in Turkey. 

Work is proceeding on a tight construction schedule, having 

started on the structure of the towers only in 2009. 

The 130 EC-B Flat-Top crane was brought in later than the 

other cranes and is being used for the convention centre, which 

is a low-rise element that has a shorter construction schedule. 

The 154 EC-H 6 cranes are all standard specification, with 60 

m jibs and a maximum lift of 6 t, and 1.65 t at the end of the jib. 

These cranes are all tied to the side of the towers, and in order 

to achieve the necessary heights, Varyap has rented extra mast 

sections from Atilla Dural. 

The 130 EC-B, which has a compact head that includes the hoist 

gear, slewing gear and central switchgear, also has a 60 m jib and 

can lift 6 t maximum, and 1.5 t at full reach. 

This is a free-standing crane and can reach all areas of 

the building without the need for any other means of 

mechanical lifting. 

Enquiry No: 04/101 

The decision was taken to standardise on the 154 EC-H 6 

because the towers are, in construction terms, very similar and 

it would be possible to synchronise the working and logistics 

and achieve efficient usage. 

Liebherr tower cranes are deployed in the construction of the five towers that 

make up the Varyap Meridian project in Istanbul, Turkey. 


35


One Central Macau 

Building finishes for the luxury development were installed using Mapei products. 

One Central Macau encloses seven residential buildings, a world-class hotel, a shopping centre, a five-storey podium car park, and a basement car park. 

The Macau Special Administration Region is located at the 

mouth of the Pearl River and looks over the South China 

Sea in the east and west. Bordering the Chinese province of 

Guangdong, the small area of land is situated 60 km southwest 

of Hong Kong and 145 km from Guangzhou. It has an area of 

29.5 km 2 and an estimated population of 542,200. 

Macau was under Portuguese rule from the beginning of the 

16 th century until December 1999, when it was handed back to 

the People’s Republic of China. 

Multifunctional complex 

Macau is considered the ‘Las Vegas of China’, because of its 

numerous entertainment facilities. The grandeur is further 

heightened by a number of spectacular buildings. One of the 

latest landmark projects to be completed is One Central Macau, 

a mixed-use development located at Nape District, the heart of 

Macau Peninsula. 

Constructed at a cost of over 376.6 million Euros, One Central 

Macau covers a total ground floor area of 262,000 m 2 . 

This project combines exclusive residences and serviced 

apartments in seven buildings; a world-class hotel managed by 

The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group; a five-level club house with 

swimming pools, gardens and playgrounds for children; a threestorey 

retail complex offering the world’s leading luxury brands; a 

five-storey podium car park; and a two-storey basement car park. 

Mapei’s contribution 

The developers want to offer an urban, luxury lifestyle experience 

for the residents at One Central Macau. To fulfill such aspirations, 

the complex was planned and designed by world class firms 

such as Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates. 

For the construction, only materials with high quality and 

reliability were selected. Thanks to its Hong Kong subsidiary 

(Mapei China Ltd), Mapei had already gained a reputation in the 

local building industry and had supplied products and technical 

assistance in the implementation of prestigious projects such as 

Ocean Park, the new local branch of Barclays Bank, as well as the 

Venetian Macau and the City of Dreams resorts and the Four 

Seasons Hotel. 

Backed by this track record, Mapei’s waterproofing systems, 

ceramic and stone installation systems, rendering and floor 

screeding solutions and other complementary products were 

adopted for different applications in the One Central Macau 

project. The company’s work began in mid-2007 and was 

completed in January 2010. 

Laying stone materials in outdoor areas 

The external areas of One Central Macau enclose a podium, 

covered walkways, landscaped walkways, a relaxation fountain 

court, a seating area at the club house, and a residential garden. 

Marble and other natural stone slabs of different sizes (300 mm 

x 300 mm x 15 mm and 300 mm x 600 mm x 15 mm) were laid 



on the walkways and floorings 

with Kerabond and Keraflex 

cementitious adhesives, while 

Keracolor FF pre-blended, 

high-performance, polymermodified 

cementitious 

mortar with water-repellent 

DropEffect technology was 

used for grouting the joints. 

After laying and grouting, 

Keranet acid-based cleaning 

solution was used to clean 

the surfaces. 

Laying ceramics at the water features 

Mapei’s solutions were also used for the fountains and water 

display at the podium and driveway area, as well as for the water 

display at the residential tower lobbies and the water cascades 

in the gardens of the club house and residential gardens. For 

building the screeds, Topcem Pronto ready-to-use, controlledshrinkage 

mortar was used, while Nivoplan smoothing mortar, 

mixed with Planicrete synthetic latex rubber, was used to level 

the substrates. 

Mapelastic two-component, flexible cementitious mortar, 

strengthened with Fibreglass Mesh (this product has been 

superseded on several markets by Mapenet 150), and Mapeband 

(used as both alkali-resistant rubber tape and as sealing gaskets) 

were used to waterproof the surfaces. 

Keracrete+Keracrete Powder adhesive system was used to 

bond 600 mm x 600 mm x 15 mm stone slabs in the fountains 

and water features. Joints were grouted with Kerapoxy highperformance, 

anti-acid epoxy mortar. Pulicol (this product has 

been superseded in several markets by Pulicol 2000) solvent 

gel was used for removing adhesive and grout residues from the 

laid surfaces. 

Expansion joints were sealed with Mapesil AC pure, anti-mould, 

acetic silicone sealant. 

Waterproofing and 

laying ceramics in the 

swimming pools 

The above-mentioned 

products (Topcem Pronto, 

N i vo p l a n + P l a n i c r e t e , 

Mapelastic+Fibreglass 

Mesh, Mapeband, 

K e r a c r e t e + K e r a c r e t e 

Powder, Kerapoxy, Pulicol 

and Mapesil AC) used 

for the water features 

were also supplied for 

preparing the substrates, 

waterproofing the surfaces, 

In the outdoor areas, natural stone has 

been used for walkways and pavements. 

The stone was laid with Kerabond and 

Keraflex. The joints were grouted with 

Keracolor FF+Fugolastic. 

The products used for laying ceramics at the 

water features were also used for laying natural 

stone and mosaics in the swimming pools. 

Topcem Pronto, Nivoplan+Planicrete, Mapelastic, Fibreglass Mesh (this product 

has been superseded in several markets by Mapenet 150), Mapeband, 

Keracrete+Keracrete Powder, Kerapoxy, Pulicol and Mapesil AC were used for laying 

ceramics at the fountains and water features. 

and laying marble, natural stones and mosaics in the swimming 

pools located in the club house (a 50 m infinity pool, some 

indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi pools, some indoor and outdoor 

kids’ pools, and a padding/foot massage pool) as well as in the 

private pools located at the top of some residential units. 

Laying ceramics and stone in the apartments 

and club house 

Ceramic tiles measuring 45 mm x 95 mm x 8 mm and 300 mm x 

600 mm x 15 mm marble and natural stone slabs were laid on the 

floors and walls in the club house lobby, on the external façade, in 

the kitchen and bathrooms, in the residential tower lobbies, on the 

stairs, as well as in the service rooms, lifts and terraces. 

For bonding these surfaces, Kerabond, Keraflex and Keraflex 

Maxi (the latter has been superseded on several markets 

by Keraflex Maxi S1) adhesives were used while joints were 

grouted with Keracolor FF, Keracolor GG and Keracolor SF 

cementitious grouts, mixed again with Fugolastic. 

After preparing the substrates with Topcem Pronto and Nivoplan+Planicrete, the 

surfaces in the swimming pools were waterproofed with Mapelastic strengthened 

with Fibreglass Mesh, and Mapeband tape for the corners. Keracrete+Keracrete 

Powder adhesive system was used to lay the ceramic mosaics while joints were 

grouted with Kerapoxy. 


37


In the club house lobby and on the terraces of residential apartments, porcelain 

tiles and natural stone slabs were laid on walls and floors with Kerabond, Keraflex 

and Keraflex Maxi (the latter has been superseded in several markets by Keraflex 

Maxi S1). Keracolor FF, Keracolor GG and Keracolor SF, mixed with Fugolastic, were 

used to grout the joints. 

Porcelain tiles measuring 300 mm x 300 mm x 8 mm and 300 

mm x 600 mm x 15 mm natural stone slabs were laid on the 

floors and walls in the shopping mall and in some of the shops 

featuring famous brand-names, in the washrooms, in the toilets 

and service areas, as well as in the corridors and walking areas. 

The adhesive chosen for this application was Keraflex, mixed 

with Planicrete SP. 

This latex formula was specially developed and is distributed in 

Far East markets by Mapei Far East, the Singapore subsidiary of 

the Mapei Group. 

MAPEI PRODUCTS 

The products mentioned in the article belong to the ‘Products 

for Ceramic Tiles and Stone Materials’ and ‘Products for the 

Installation of Wooden Floors’ ranges. The technical data sheets 

are available at the web site: www.mapei.com. 

Mapei’s adhesives for ceramics and stone materials conform to 

EN 12004 and have been awarded the CE mark in compliance 

with Annex ZA, standard EN 12004. Mapei grouts for ceramics 

and stone materials conform to EN 13888. 

Almost all the Mapei products for laying floors and walls are 

also GEV-certified and have been awarded the EMICODE EC1 

(‘very low emission level of volatile organic compounds’) mark 

by GEV. Mapei mortars for renders have been awarded the CE 

mark in compliance with EN 998. Mapei products for repairing 

In the shopping mall, ceramic floorings were laid at numerous locations, using 

Keraflex+Planicrete SP. 

and protecting concrete structures comply with EN 1504 

standards. Mapei cementitious mortars and membranes used 

for waterproofing before installing ceramics comply with EN 

14891 standard. Mapei sealants conform to ISO 11600 standard. 

More than 150 Mapei products can contribute to obtaining 

the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) 

certification. 

Preparing the substrates and waterproofing 

Fibreglass Mesh is an alkali-resistant glass fibre mesh for reinforcing 

protective waterproofing layers, antifracture membranes and 

thermal insulation systems. The product has been superseded in 

several markets by MAPENET 150. 

Mapeband is an alkali-resistant rubber tape with felt for 

cementitious waterproofing systems and liquid sheaths. 

Mapelastic (CE EN 1504-2, coating (C), principles PI, MC and IR; 

EN 14891) is a two-component, flexible cementitious mortar 

for protecting and waterproofing concrete surfaces, balconies, 

terraces, bathrooms and swimming pools. 

Nivoplan (CE EN 998-1, type GP, cat. CS IV) is a smoothing 

mortar for internal and external walls and ceilings for thicknesses 

from 2 mm to 30 mm. 

Planicrete is a synthetic latex rubber to improve adhesion and 

strength of cementitious mortars. 

Topcem Pronto (CE EN 13813, CT-C30-F6 A1fl, EC1 R Plus) is 

a ready-to-use, normal-setting, controlled shrinkage mortar for 

quick-drying (4 days) screeds. 

Laying ceramic and stone material 

Fugolastic is a polymer liquid admixture for Keracolor FF, 

Keracolor GG and Keracolor SF. 

Kerabond (CE EN 12004, C1, EC1 R Plus) is a cementitious 

adhesive for ceramic tiles. 

Keracolor FF (CG2 WA, EC1 R Plus) is a pre-blended, highperformance, 

polymer-modified cementitious mortar with 

water-repellent DropEffect technology for grouting joints up to 

6 mm wide. 



Keracolor GG (CG2 WA, EC1 R Plus) is a pre-blended, highperformance 

polymer-modified cementitious mortar for 

grouting joints 4 mm to 15 mm wide. 

It is an improved (2) cementitious (C) grout (G) for joints of 

class CG2 complying with standard EN 13888. It is ideal for 

grouting interior and exterior floors and walls finished with all 

types of ceramic tiles (single fired, double fired, klinker, porcelain 

tiles, etc), terracotta, facebrick and stone material (natural stone, 

marble, granite, agglomerates, etc). 

Keracolor GG is a mixture of cement, graded aggregates, 

synthetic resins, special additives and pigments. The following 

features are obtained when mixed with the right water ratio and 

used correctly - good compressive and flexural strength, good 

resistance to freeze/thaw cycles, good durability, good abrasion 

resistance, low shrinkage, good resistance to acids with pH > 3. 

It can contribute up to three points towards obtaining LEED 

(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. 

Keracolor SF (CG2 WA, EC1 R Plus) is a fine-grained, highperformance 

white cementitious mortar for grouting joints up 

to 4 mm wide. 

Keracrete+Keracrete Powder (CE EN 12004, C2T, EC1 R Plus) 

is a two-component adhesive system made of a ready-to-use 

mixture of sand and cement and a latex. This mixture forms a 

high-performance adhesive with no vertical slip and is suitable 

for ceramic tiles, glass mosaic and stone material. 

Keraflex (CE EN 12004, C2TE, EC1 R Plus) is a high-performance 

cementitious adhesive with no vertical slip and extended open 

time for ceramic and stone tiles. 

Keraflex Maxi (CE EN 12004, C2TE S1) is a high performance 

deformable cementitious adhesive with no vertical slip and 

extended open time for ceramic tiles, and is particularly 

recommended for laying large porcelain and natural stone 

tiles. The product has been superseded on several markets by 

Keraflex Maxi S1. 

Keraflex Maxi S1 is a deformable (S1), improved (2) slip 

resistant (T) cementitious adhesive (C) with extended open 

time (E) of class C2TE S1 according to EN 12004 standard. 

It is particularly suitable for interior and exterior bonding, up 

to 15 mm thick, on floors, of ceramic tiles of every type and 

size on uneven substrates and renders, and of stone materials, 

provided that they are not sensitive to moisture. It is also used 

for the spot bonding of insulating materials in interiors etc. Its 

low dust technology ensures that the amount of dust emitted 

while mixing is drastically reduced compared with standard 

cementitious Mapei adhesives, making the work area more 

comfortable and healthy for floor layers. 

It features low viscosity and is easily workable. It is highly 

thixotropic and can be applied on a vertical surface without 

sagging or letting even heavy and large tiles slip. It ensures good 

adherence to all materials normally used in building. It has a 

particularly extended open and adjustability time. 

It can contribute up to three points towards obtaining LEED 

(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. 

Keranet is an acid-based cleaning solution for ceramic tiles. 

Kerapoxy (CE EN 12004, R2T, RG) is a two-component, highperformance, 

anti-acid epoxy mortar and adhesive with no vertical 

slip for laying and grouting ceramic tiles and stone material. 

Mapesil AC (F-25-LM) is a pure, anti-mould, acetic silicone 

sealant for movements up to 25%. 

Planicrete SP is a synthetic latex rubber that improves adhesion 

and strength of cementitious mortar. This product was specially 

developed and is distributed in Far East markets by Mapei Far East. 

Pulicol is a solvent gel that was used for removing adhesive and 

paint residuals from the laid surfaces. The product has been 

superseded in several markets by Pulicol 2000. 

Enquiry no: 04/102 

PROJECT CREDITS 

Project 

One Central Macau, Macau (People’s Republic of China) 

Client 

Hong Kong Land Ltd., Shun Tak Holdings Ltd 

Designers 

Wong & Tung International Ltd 

Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates 

Contractor 

Hip Hing Engineering (Macau) Co Ltd 

iTop Construction Material & Engineering Co. Ltd 

Period of Construction 

2006 – 2010 

INTERVENTION BY MAPEI 

Scope of work 

Supplying products for waterproofing and treating 

substrates; laying ceramic and natural stone wall and floor 

coverings in several residential buildings, in the external 

areas, in the club house and in the shopping mall. 

Period of the Intervention 

Mid-2007 - January 2010 

Laying Company 

Masterpoint, Yearfull, Sun Yu Chau, San Yiu Cheong 

Laid Materials 

Marble, natural stones, ceramic tiles 

Mapei Coordinator 

Roger Kwan, Mapei China Ltd (Hong Kong, PRC) 

This editorial feature is based on an article from Realta 

Mapei INTERNATIONAL, no 37. All images by Mapei. 


39

EVENTS 

Singapore Airshow 2012 attracts record 

visitorship to its biggest ever edition 

Singapore Airshow, Asia’s largest and one of the three most 

important aerospace and defence exhibitions in the world, drew 

a record number of trade and public visitors at this year’s edition. 

Singapore Airshow 2012, which was held from 14 to 19 February 

2012, at the Changi Exhibition Centre, hosted the products and 

services of some 900 exhibitors from 50 countries and attracted 

some 145,000 visitors. 

Visitorship over the four trade days from 14 to 17 February 

totalled nearly 45,000 from 128 countries/regions, with over 

30% coming from overseas. Singapore Airshow 2012 also 

played host to 266 top level delegations (the largest number 

ever) from over 80 countries. 

Trade days generate record value of deals 

Singapore Airshow 2012 emphasised its role as the platform of 

choice for industry leaders, government and military delegations 

to network and conduct business, with over US$ 31 billion 

worth of deals announced. This represents a three-fold increase 

over the total value of deals announced in 2010 and reaffirms 

Singapore Airshow’s position as a must-attend event in the 

global aerospace and defence industry calendar. 

Major announcements include contracts for Boeing, Airbus, Pratt 

& Whitney, CFM and ATR. 

Sell-out crowds on public days 

Tickets for the public day weekend over 18 and 19 February, 

were completely sold out, and Changi Exhibition Centre, the 

Airshow site, saw some 100,000 visitors over the two days, 

Singapore Airshow 2012 welcomed ministers, senior government representatives, 

chiefs of defence forces and service chiefs, and industry leaders at an opening 

ceremony and welcome reception held on the night of 13 February, at Sands 

Ballroom, Marina Bay Sands. The Guest of Honour, Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy 

Prime Minister, Co-ordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home 

Affairs, officially opened Singapore Airshow 2012. 

who were treated to breathtaking aerial displays and had the 

opportunity to view an impressive array of aircraft in the static 

display areas. 

“Singapore Airshow 2012 has been a success for everyone. We 

have set a new record for the value of deals announced, as well 

as the number of visitors on both trade and public days. As a 

testament to the show’s achievements, over 70% of exhibitors 

have already reaffirmed their commitment to take up exhibition 

Singapore Airshow 2012 opened on 14 February 2012 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony jointly officiated by Dr Ng Eng Hen, Minister for Defence, and 

Mr Lui Tuck Yew, Minister for Transport & Second Minister for Foreign Affairs. 


EVENTS 

space in 2014. The response from the record crowd that visited 

the event over the two public days was also overwhelmingly 

positive. We are looking forward to the next show and hope 

to deliver a more enhanced experience for all our visitors in 

2014”, said Mr Jimmy Lau, Managing Director of Experia Events, 

organiser of Singapore Airshow. 

Singapore Airshow returns from 11 to 16 February 2014 at 

Changi Exhibition Centre. 

Singapore Airshow 

The biennial Singapore Airshow is organised and managed 

by Experia Events and serves as a global marketplace and 

networking powerhouse for the world’s aviation community. 

Singapore Airshow also features a series of high level conferences 

dedicated to leading players in the global aviation industry - 

Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit (SAALS) and 

the Asia Pacific Security Conference (APSEC). 

International trade 

fair on cleaning of 

industrial parts 

The 10 th parts2clean trade fair will be held at the Stuttgart 

Exhibition Centre, Germany, from 23 to 25 October 2012. 

The parts2clean expert forum, which has established itself as a 

valuable source of knowledge and is in great demand, will also be 

held at the event, in both German and English, for the first time. 

The exhibits will include systems and processes, as well 

as process media and their conditioning, for degreasing, 

cleaning, deburring and pre-treatment of parts, parts baskets 

and workpiece carriers; handling and process automation; 

cleanroom technology; job-shop cleaning; quality assurance; test 

methods; analysis procedures; temporary corrosion protection; 

preservation; packaging; and technical literature. 

The Singapore Engineer 

Products & Solutions Enquiry Form 

Product Information 

I wish to receive more information on the following 

products that were featured in this issue of ‘The Singapore 

Engineer’ magazine. 

Please list the enquiry number(s) of the product(s) that 

you are interested in. (Information is provided free-ofcharge 

to all readers) 

________________________________________________ 

Full Name: (Dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms/Er) ________________________ 

Designation (Job title): ______________________________ 

IES Membership no. (if applicable): _____________________ 

Name of Organisation: ______________________________ 

Singapore Airshow 2012 featured the products and services of about 

900 exhibitors. 

Address: _________________________________________ 

________________________________________________ 

State/City: __________________ Postal Code: ___________ 

Country: _________________________________________ 

Tel: ___________________ Fax: ______________________ 

Email: ___________________________________________ 

Activity of Organisation: _____________________________ 

Please complete the enquiry form and fax to 6467 1108 or 

email Jeremy@iesnet.org.sg. 

The event attracted some 145,000 visitors. 


41

NEWS COVER STORY 

Enhanced suites and expanded cloud services 

help tackle engineering challenges 

Autodesk recently announced its 2013 software and services 

for building design and construction, civil infrastructure, and 

plant design professionals. 

Enhancements for Autodesk Building Design Suite 2013, 

Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2013 and Autodesk Plant 

Design Suite 2013, together with expanded cloud services and 

improved collaboration and data management tools, are aimed 

at helping design, engineering and construction professionals 

address today’s business challenges with improved Building 

Information Modelling (BIM) workflows. 

Meeting project workflow and business needs 

For design, engineering and construction professionals, a 

combination of Autodesk Building Design Suite 2013, Autodesk 

Infrastructure Design Suite 2013 or Autodesk Plant Design Suite 

2013 with Autodesk Subscription, Autodesk 360, Autodesk Vault 

Collaboration AEC 2013 software and Autodesk Buzzsaw 2013 

software-as-a-service, can help solve a wide range of today’s 

business challenges. These challenges include delivering projects 

with intelligent model-based design to meet increasing BIM 

mandates from government organisations and project owners, 

conducting energy analysis and construction simulation early and 

often to make more informed design and construction decisions, 

improving team collaboration by accessing cloud-based services 

and mobile applications, and winning new business by producing 

compelling visualisations. 

Expanded cloud services 

The 2013 software and services portfolio includes access to 

Autodesk 360, a cloud computing platform that helps users 

dramatically improve the way project teams design, visualise, 

simulate, and share work. Autodesk 360 offers secure access 

to project data anytime, anywhere, while taking advantage of 

virtually infinite computing power through a broad range 

of cloud-based services. Autodesk 360 is now available to all 

Autodesk design suite customers, with additional capabilities 

available to design suite customers who purchase an 

Autodesk Subscription. 

Advanced BIM for the building industry 

Autodesk Building Design Suite 2013 is the foundation of the 

2013 software portfolio for architects, MEP and structural 

engineers, and construction professionals. It provides a 

comprehensive set of tools to help users address a variety of 

workflow needs, from design, visualisation and simulation to 

documentation and construction. Available in three editions, 

Standard, Premium and Ultimate, Autodesk Building Design 

Suite 2013 updates include the addition of Autodesk Revit 

2013 software to the Premium and Ultimate editions; Autodesk 


Navisworks Simulate 2013 software for the Premium edition; 

and Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler 2013 and Autodesk Robot 

Structural Analysis Professional 2013 software for the Ultimate 

edition. Autodesk Revit 2013 is a new application exclusively 

available in the Premium and Ultimate editions that combines 

the capabilities in Autodesk Revit Architecture 2013, Autodesk 

Revit Structure 2013 and Autodesk Revit MEP 2013 software 

in a single, comprehensive application to help users support 

multidiscipline workflows. 

Enhanced BIM for civil infrastructure 

Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 2013 provides civil 

engineering, GIS, planning and utility design professionals with 

a comprehensive BIM for infrastructure solution for planning, 

designing, building and managing civil infrastructure and utility 

infrastructure projects. Available in three editions, Standard, 

Premium and Ultimate, Autodesk Infrastructure Design Suite 

2013 adds AutoCAD Raster Design 2013 software to all three 

editions. Autodesk Infrastructure Modeler 2013 software is now 

included in the Premium and Ultimate editions. AutoCAD Utility 

Design 2013 and Autodesk Revit Structure 2013 software have 

been added to the Ultimate edition. With these new tools for 

conceptual design, utility network design, structural engineering 

and working with raster imagery, professionals working on 

transportation, utility, land, and water infrastructure projects can 

more efficiently explore design options, better analyse project 

performance, and use visualisation to help communicate with 

project stakeholders. 

Improved intelligent 3D modelling for plant design 

Autodesk Plant Design Suite 2013 is available in three editions, 

Standard, Premium and Ultimate. The Premium and Ultimate 

editions provide a comprehensive intelligent 3D modelling 

and review software package for plant design, from small to 

large-scale projects, such as oil and gas facilities. The Premium 

and Ultimate editions offer enhancements to help simplify 

cross-department coordination among process plant design 

stakeholders. Other key enhancements for the Premium and 

Ultimate editions include improved AutoCAD isometrics and 

customisable report creation for AutoCAD Plant 3D 2013 

software, and drafting productivity enhancements for AutoCAD 

P&ID 2013 software (all editions). 

Enhanced collaboration and data management 

applications 

The 2013 software portfolio also includes collaboration and data 

management applications to help provide access to information 

across the project lifecycle from the office, the web, or the field.

NEWS 

Dow Corning opens new Business and 

Technology Center in Singapore 

Dow Corning, a global leader in silicon-based technology and 

innovation, recently inaugurated its new Business and Technology 

Center (BTC) in Singapore. The move is a significant part of the 

company’s sustained efforts to meet growing customer needs 

for silicone products and services in the economies of ASEAN/ 

ANZ. In this region, Dow Corning has a presence in Indonesia, 

Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines, Vietnam, Australia 

and New Zealand. 

The BTC will provide advanced research and development 

support for innovation and sustainability initiatives throughout 

this fast-growing region. 

The facility will be staffed by scientists, engineers, marketing and 

sales, and business support professionals whose goal is to help local 

industries accelerate innovation and sustainability through siliconeand 

silicon- based products that are unique to the region. 

“It is a very exciting time for us. This new centre is a demonstration 

of Dow Corning’s commitment to growing the region’s 

economies, improving quality of life for its citizens, and ensuring 

a sustainable future for us all. The BTC would enable Dow 

Corning to extend our current product and service offerings 

as well as provide required support and expertise to meet 

innovation needs. We are also committed to inclusive growth 

with businesses and local communities. Our lab facility at the 

BTC will not only be involved in the applications development 

but would also serve as the innovation centre for all regional 

requirements”, said Mr Scott Fuson, Dow Corning’s President 

for ASEAN/ANZ. 

“At Dow Corning, we believe in sustainability. ASEAN/ANZ offers 

a large pool of scientific talent that we will rely on to develop more 

advanced and sustainable solutions as we expand our relationships 

with local businesses and communities. The demand for siliconbased 

materials in a wide range of new and emerging applications 

is growing in the region. We are very confident that our focused 

efforts will continue to bring innovative silicon-based technology 

into applications that will enable us to meet the needs for a 

sustainable future”, said Mr Ian Wilson, Dow Corning’s Executive 

Director and Vice President - Geographies. 

Located in Solaris, Fusionopolis, a BCA Green Mark Platinuim 

Award winning building, the BTC was designed to reflect Dow 

Corning’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. 

With their diverse applications, silicones are present in all 

aspects of daily living. Silicones and silicon-based materials and 

applications are used to enhance performance of products 

in almost all industries operating in ASEAN/ANZ, including 

automotive, construction, electronics, renewable energy, textiles, 

personal care products and others. 

Mr Ian Wilson, Dow Corning’s Executive Director and Vice President - Geographies 

(on left) and Mr Scott Fuson, Dow Corning’s President for ASEAN/ANZ, at the 

ceremony marking the opening of the BTC. 

The lab facility at the BTC will be involved in applications development and will 

also serve as the innovation centre for all regional requirements. 

Dow Corning 

Dow Corning provides performance-enhancing solutions 

to serve the diverse needs of more than 25,000 customers 

worldwide. A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology 

and innovation, Dow Corning offers more than 7,000 products 

and services. Dow Corning is equally owned by The Dow 

Chemical Company and Corning, Incorporated. More than half 

of Dow Corning’s annual sales are outside the United States. 

Dow Corning’s global operations adhere to the American 

Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care initiative, a stringent set of 

standards designed to advance the safe and secure management 

of chemical products and processes. 

Dow Corning ASEAN/ANZ 

Dow Corning in ASEAN/ANZ has worked closely with 

customers for nearly 30 years to help them be successful in 

local as well as in international markets. The company serves 

customers across the region from its regional head office 

in Singapore and from offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, 

The Philippines and Vietnam, besides serving the customer 

requirements in Australia and New Zealand. Dow Corning’s 

Science & Technology facility in Singapore enables collaboration 

with ASEAN/ANZ customers to provide innovative siliconebased 

solutions that are new to, or customised for the region. 


43


Environmental biotechnologist wins 

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2012 

Singapore International Water Week recently announced that 

environmental biotechnologist Prof Mark van Loosdrecht has 

been awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2012 for his 

breakthrough contributions in creating sustainable solutions in 

the field of wastewater treatment. 

The highlight of the Singapore International Water Week, the 

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is an international water award that 

recognises outstanding contributions towards solving global 

water problems by either applying technologies or implementing 

policies and programmes which benefit humanity. 

Prof van Loosdrecht is responsible for introducing a paradigm 

shift in the understanding of the used water treatment process. 

As the fifth recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, chosen 

from over 61 illustrious nominations received from across 25 

countries, Prof van Loosdrecht is recognised for pioneering 

an innovative biological process that provides a cost-effective, 

robust and sustainable way to remove unwanted pollutants from 

used water. This was made possible by the discovery of a unique 

group of bacteria which removes pollutants in used water using 

less oxygen and with no added organic carbon, compared to 

conventional processes. 

Prof van Loosdrecht’s process, named Anammox, can greatly 

reduce the overall energy consumption, chemical usage and 

carbon emissions of conventional used water treatment plants. 

The use of Anammox shortens the conventional used water 

treatment process, where ammonia, a pollutant in used water is 

converted to harmless nitrogen gas, bypassing an intermediate 

nitrate form which is produced in the conventional used water 

treatment process. 

At the heart of the Anammox process is a group of bacteria that 

possesses a unique set of enzymes which enables them to convert 

ammonia to harmless nitrogen gas. The end result is a significant 

reduction in the energy consumption in used water treatment. 

Currently, used water treatment is an energy-intensive process. 

It is estimated that in most industrialised countries, the energy 

used in the water cycle takes up about 1% to 3% of a country’s 

total energy budget. A part of this energy may be considered 

wasted as the end product of used water treatment is discarded 

back into the environment. 

However, with the application of Prof van Loosdrecht’s Anammox 

technology in used water treatment, biological nitrogen removal 

systems worldwide will see substantial energy savings. 

Commenting on Prof van Loosdrecht’s achievement, Mr Tan Gee 

Paw, Chairman of the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Nominating 


Committee said, “Prof 

van Loosdrecht’s 

technology is set to 

create a paradigm shift in 

the used water treatment 

industry. The adoption 

of such energy-saving 

technology is essential 

for used water treatment 

plants seeking complete 

energy self-sufficiency 

and will be the future for 

the used water treatment 

industry. For that, the Prof Mark van Loosdrecht. 

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize celebrates Prof van Loosdrecht’s 

outstanding achievement in the development of Anammox and 

honours his relentless pursuit for highly sustainable technologies 

that are critical for the future sustainability of urbanised cities”. 

The road to the development of the Anammox process was 

not an easy one. Although the theoretical possibility of such a 

process was established as early as the 1970s, it was only in the 

1990s that researchers at the Delft University of Technology, in 

the Netherlands, discovered the group of bacteria responsible 

for this phenomenon. Prof van Loosdrecht then devised the 

engineering tools and systems to deliberately harness the natural 

properties of these bacteria. His ground-breaking work in 

marrying nature and engineering has formed the basis for many 

variants in use today and this technology is seeing increasing 

adoption worldwide. 

“I am truly humbled to receive one of the most prestigious 

awards recognised in the water industry and among our 

profession. With this award, I am further encouraged to ensure 

that my technologies and research will continue to help create 

more sustainable solutions that are applicable to our modern 

world while protecting the quality of precious water”, said Prof 

van Loosdrecht. 

Prof van Loosdrecht was instrumental in building the world’s first 

demonstration plant using the Anammox process in Rotterdam. 

As of January 2012, there are 16 referenced full-scale Anammox 

plants implemented by Paques (licensee of Prof van Loosdrecht’s 

technology) and more than 30 full-scale variant plants in operation, 

in Netherlands, Austria, China, Japan and USA. 

Singapore is currently conducting a pilot trial of the anaerobic 

ammonia oxidation process at its water reclamation plant and 

this has shown positive results.

NEWS 

PUB, Singapore’s national water agency is looking into the 

adoption of this technology to improve energy efficiency. 

“Mark van Loosdrecht’s career is an outstanding example of 

academic achievements translated into innovation as a result of 

interdisciplinary research. His research will undoubtedly lead to 

further innovation, which makes him an excellent role model for 

young scientists and engineers studying at the Delft University 

of Technology as well as those that he touches through his 

international activities.” said Dr James L Barnard, winner of last 

year’s award and Global Practice & Technology Leader in Black 

& Veatch, USA. 

Prof van Loosdrecht has dedicated his career to pushing 

the boundaries and challenging the paradigms in used water 

treatment. Aside from Anammox, Prof van Loosdrecht is also 

credited with the development of Sharon, Nereda, CANON 

and BABE. 

Prof van Loosdrecht is currently a full Professor and the 

Group Leader of Environment Technology at Delft University 

of Technology. He did his Master of Science in Environmental 

Engineering at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and 

obtained his PhD in Microbiology and Colloid Chemistry at 

the same university in 1988. He has been lecturing at Delft 

University of Technology since 1988. 

The Lee Kuan Yew Prize award ceremony and banquet will 

be held at the Marina Bay Sands, on 2 July 2012 during the 

Singapore International Water Week 2012, the global platform 

for water solutions. As the winner of the Lee Kuan Yew Water 

Prize 2012, Prof van Loosdrecht will deliver the 5 th Singapore 

Water Lecture prior to the award ceremony, where both the 

Water Prize and the World City Prize will be presented to the 

respective laureates. 

The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 

Launched in 2008 to honour outstanding contributions by 

individuals or organisations towards solving the world’s water 

problems by applying innovative technologies or implementing 

policies and programmes which benefit humanity, the 

Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize is the highlight of the Singapore 

International Week. 

Named after Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, 

the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize comes with a cash prize of S$ 

300,000, an award certificate and a gold medallion. The award 

is solely sponsored by the Singapore Millennium Foundation, a 

philanthropic body supported by Temasek Holdings. 

The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2012, together with the Lee 

Kuan Yew World City Prize 2012, will be presented at the Lee 

Kuan Yew award ceremony and banquet on 2 July 2012 to 

honour the laureates’ outstanding contributions towards liveable 

and sustainable urban development solutions. 

Singapore International Water Week 

The Singapore International Water Week is the global platform 

for water solutions. It brings policymakers, industry leaders, 

experts and practitioners together to address challenges, 

showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate 

achievements in the water world. Comprising the Water Leaders 

Summit, Water Convention, Water Expo and Business Forums, 

it culminates in the presentation of the Lee Kuan Yew Water 

Prize, a prestigious international award to recognise outstanding 

contributions in solving global water issues. 

The 5 th Singapore International Water Week, themed ‘Water 

Solutions for Liveable and Sustainable Cities’, will be held from 1 

to 5 July 2012, in conjunction with the 3 rd World Cities Summit 

and the inaugural CleanEnviro Summit Singapore. 

CSC releases free design review tool 

Leading structural software developer, CSC, has released 

Fastrak Reviewer, a brand new viewer and design review tool. 

This new and free software enables structural engineers to 

share the models they create using CSC’s steel building design 

software, Fastrak, with the entire project team including 

architects and clients. 

In practice, structural engineers will often develop their 

first model in Fastrak, very early in the design process. To aid 

both internal and external collaboration, project managers 

can now walk through and review the Fastrak model using 

intuitive controls to rotate, fly through and slice through the 

model. Fastrak Reviewer allows them to annotate the model 

with comments and points for clarification, using red-lining 

mark-up tools. 

“This new free product adds huge value to senior project 

managers who do not typically get involved with the detail 

of the Fastrak model. Using Fastrak Reviewer, they can now 

visualise, review and discuss the design with stakeholders 

and make comments without being involved in the in-depth 

detail of the Fastrak model”, said Mr Barry Chapman, Regional 

Director at CSC. 

Fastrak Reviewer is available as a free download at 

www.cscworld.com. 

With CSC’s Fastrak Reviewer, structural engineers can share models 

created with Fastrak, with the entire project team. 


45


My Waterway@Punggol receives 

international accolade 

Singapore’s first man-made waterway meanders through the entire Punggol eco-town to connect Punggol and Serangoon reservoirs. 

Developed by Housing & Development Board (HDB), 

My Waterway@Punggol received the Environmental 

Sustainability Grand Prize at the 2012 Excellence in 

Environmental Engineering Awards. It is the only Asian 

project to be among the winners this year. 

This is the first award for My Waterway@Punggol since its 

opening in October 2011. 

The Excellence in Environmental Engineering Awards are 

presented by the American Academy of Environmental 

Engineers, to recognise and promote quality in 

Environmental Engineering. 

The Environmental Sustainability Grand Prize recognises 

projects that support the quality of life while functioning 

within the carrying capacity of all systems, and seek to 

attain long-term balance of environmental stewardship, 

economic development, and social well-being. 

The Iconic Bridge at My Waterway@Punggol. 


Bentley donates software to 

Engineers Without Borders 

Bentley Systems recently announced that it has donated a 

selection of 24 Bentley software products, including MicroStation 

and ProjectWise, to Engineers Without Borders (EWB) at the 

EWB International Conference in Las Vegas. 

The products will be available for use by EWB’s 12,000 volunteer 

members in the USA, most of whom are university students, to 

help them design, engineer, and construct essential infrastructure 

in emerging economies throughout the world. 

EWB Australia currently has field volunteers across countries 

including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia and Timor. Bentley is a 

proud and ongoing silver partner of EWB Australia. 

The volunteers will access the software through Bentley’s 

STUDENTserver self-service site, which will enable them to 

download, at no charge, current and future versions of the 

software as well as training and technical support. In addition 

NEWS 

to MicroStation and ProjectWise, EWB volunteers will have 

access to WaterGEMS, WaterCAD, Bentley Map, and Structural 

Modeller, among other offerings. Valued at approximately US$ 

500,000 annually for a three-year period, this in-kind donation is 

the largest Bentley has made to EWB in its five-year relationship 

with the organisation. 

Bentley Systems 

Bentley is a global leader dedicated to providing architects, 

engineers, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owneroperators 

with comprehensive software solutions for sustaining 

infrastructure. Bentley’s mission is to empower its users to 

leverage information modelling through integrated projects 

for high-performing intelligent infrastructure. Its solutions 

encompass several platforms for infrastructure design, modelling 

and operation. 


47


BCA’s plan for improved accessibility 

Accessibility in Singapore’s built environment has improved 

over the years. In response to the recommendations of the 

Committee on Ageing Issues, BCA developed its Accessibility 

Masterplan in 2006. Since then it has facilitated the following key 

improvements in the built environment: 

• Close to 100% of public buildings that are frequented by 

general public are provided with at least basic accessibility. 

These include community clubs, government offices, hospitals / 

polyclinics, libraries, MRT stations, bus interchanges / terminals, 

sport facilities, market and food centres, etc. 

• 88% of buildings along Orchard Road are now provided with 

at least basic accessibility, up from 41% in 2006. 

• More than 2,000 buildings have at least basic accessibility 

features, and it is published on the Friendly Buildings Portal. 

(http://www.friendlybuildings.sg) 

The first strategic thrust of the masterplan is to improve the 

design of new buildings and infrastructure so that the built 

environment is seamlessly connected and accessible not only to 

wheelchair users but also the elderly, families with children,and 

people with other disabilities. The mandatory requirement in 

the Accessibility Code, which was introduced in 1990, has led 

the way in achieving barrier-free accessibility in new buildings 

and those undergoing major addition and alteration works. 

The code was reviewed and enhanced thrice. It incorporates 

principles of Universal Design (UD), which take into 

consideration the physical, social and psychological needs of all 

possible users. UD features go beyond basic accessibility and 

include the provision of nursing rooms, smaller sized toilet 

facilities for children, and ergonomic features such as rounded 

edges. In the current review to be completed by the end this 

year, BCA together with the key stakeholders such as developers, 

architects, relevant government agencies, along with volunteer 

welfare associations and educational institutions will consider 

the inclusion of some of these Universal Design features in the 

Accessibility Code. 

Specifically, the stakeholders include Singapore Institute of 

Architects (SIA), Real Estate Developers Association of 

Singapore (REDAS), Singapore Association for Occupational 

Therapists (SAOT), National University of Singapore (NUS) 

and voluntary welfare associations such as Handicaps Welfare 

Association (HWA), Disabled People’s Association (DPA), 

Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped (SAVH) and 

Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE). 

The second strategic thrust is focused on tackling future 

challenges in improving the accessibility of existing buildings built 

before 1990, as the mandatory requirements in the Accessibility 

Code do not apply retrospectively. Since upgrading to provide 

at least basic accessibility for pre-1990 buildings is on a voluntary 

basis, the challenge is to improve accessibility to these older 

buildings. 

Since 2006, BCA has been working with other public agencies to 

put in place a medium-term plan to upgrade their building stock. 

As of February 2012, almost all these public buildings frequented 

by the public have achieved at least basic accessibility. Examples 

of such buildings are community clubs, government offices, 

hospitals/polyclinics, libraries, MRT stations, bus interchanges/ 

terminals, sport facilities, market and food centres, etc. 

To incentivise the upgrading of existing private sector buildings, 

BCA introduced a five-year, S$ 40 million Accessibility Fund (AF) 

which was set up to help defray the cost of upgrading. As of 

February of this year, 101 applications were approved. These 

include buildings like hotels, commercial and religious buildings. 

To encourage more owners of existing private sector buildings 

to upgrade their buildings, BCA will be extending the fund by 

another five years to 2016. 

The fund co-pays up to 80% of the cost for providing basic 

accessibility features to existing private buildings (except landed 

residential properties), subject to a cap of S$ 300,000 per 

project. BCA hopes that more building owners can benefit 

from the funding and consider coming on board to enhance 

the accessibility and user-friendliness of their buildings, which will 

eventually benefit users of these buildings and infrastructure. 

The third thrust of the masterplan sets out to ensure that 

accessible facilities provided are still available for their intended 

use and not removed or altered (for example, using the toilet 

for wheelchair users for storage, or converting accessible car 

parking lots to normal car parking lots). 

Regulations are in place to ensure accessible facilities are maintained. 

To-date, BCA has sent out a number of advice notices to ensure 

continued compliance, upon feedback from the public. 

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX 

ESTEEM INNOVATION –––––– INSIDE FRONT COVER 

JEC COMPOSITES ––––––––––––––––––––––– – PAGE 47 

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SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SINGAPORE ––––––– –– PAGE 5 

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WESTRADE GROUP LTD ––––––––––––––––––– PAGE 9 



49

THE SINGAPORE ENGINEER - Institution of Engineers Singapore

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