Application of Taiku® System in Suzhou Tianchen Cold Chain Phase 2 Project

Traditional cold storage column grids are too small, limiting rack layout, forklift traffic, and automation upgrades. Expansion joints, beam height, and insulation area affect construction cost, usable storage capacity, and operational energy consumption. A holistic approach integrating structure, insulation, racking, and operational efficiency is needed during the design phase.

Adopted a 10–14 m large-span post-tensioned flat plate structural system. Controlled cracks in super-long structures through prestressing. Reduced structural height with flat slab to minimize insulation area. Conducted 3D BIM coordination with racking systems. Shente New Materials provided low-temperature anchorage systems suitable for -70°C environments.

With the advancement of cold storage mechanization, traditional small-column-grid structures can no longer meet the spatial requirements for automated operations. Consequently, large-span post-tensioned flat plate designs have become increasingly popular for cold chain warehouses. BICP's registered sub-brand 'Taiku®' is specifically developed for post-tensioned flat plate solutions in cold chain warehouses, suitable for large-span, heavy-load, and super-long structures. Column grids can range from 8 m to 12 m, with live loads of 1–5 t/m², and typical building dimensions can reach 50 m × 100 m without expansion joints.

Project Overview: Suzhou Tianchen Cold Chain Logistics Co., Ltd. 1# and 2# cold storage are high-rise cold storage projects (hereafter 'Suzhou Tianchen'), a typical Taiku® case from 2020–2021. The buildings have 8 floors above ground and 1 basement floor, primarily for storing frozen meat, aquatic products, and other food items at -18 to -20°C. Total cold storage area is 92,000 m² with a total volume of about 550,000 m³. Each building has a loading dock on the east and west sides, with 16 elevators (5t capacity) and 8 evacuation staircases. BICP provided the overall cold storage solution and post-tensioning detailed design and construction.

Project Features: Single independent cold storage unit dimensions: 51.7 m × 65.6 m. Large-span structure: 10.5 m × 12 m column grid. 8 stories high.

Challenges: Super-long structure: single unit length 62.5 m, width 50.56 m, exceeding the 50 m limit for expansion joints in cast-in-place shear wall structures per code. Crack control grade II: the cold storage environment is class IIb, requiring generally no cracks; tensile stress at the concrete edge must not exceed the standard tensile strength. Super-long concrete slabs are prone to cracking during early-age shrinkage.

Solution and Advantages: Crack control for super-long structures: (1) set expansion joints; (2) apply prestressing early. The cold storage uses a reinforced concrete slab-column with seismic wall system, with post-tensioned flat slabs. Precompression reduces temperature and shrinkage stresses, and prestressing better controls deflection and cracks, enhancing durability. Compared to frame structures, post-tensioned flat slabs save 800 mm in floor-to-floor height, increasing storage capacity by 15%. The flat soffit facilitates polyurethane insulation spraying, reducing overall construction cost by 15%. The flat slab improves airflow distribution, enhancing refrigeration efficiency and reducing energy consumption, leading to significant operational savings.

Prestressing Construction Process: Laying corrugated ducts, installing anchor plates at stressing ends, installing vent pipes, and pouring concrete.

On-site Finished Product: Taiku® cold storage flat slab structure, completed flat slab, and actual cold storage operation.

Suzhou Tianchen cold storage was put into operation on January 3, 2022. Notably, the 'Zhumei' QC team, in which BICP participated, won the China Construction Industry Association QC Class I award for 'Improving the First-time Acceptance Rate of Post-tensioning Tendon Placement in Cold Storage Flat Slabs.' This demonstrates that BICP's Taiku® post-tensioning technology improved project quality, effectively reduced costs, and advanced the level of post-tensioned flat slab technology.

BICP continues to uphold the development philosophy of 'Digital Intelligence for Foundation, Quality Construction for Prosperity,' enabling more projects to solve prestressing challenges and support high-quality development for clients.

Applicability and Release Notes: Taiku® is suitable for large-span post-tensioned flat plate solutions in cold chain warehouses. Specific column grids, loads, expansion joint optimization, and floor height control should be verified based on project conditions. Shente New Materials, as a material and component supplier, should be selected in coordination with the structural system, floor system, and project conditions.

This article is compiled for the BICP official website resource center, rewritten according to current brand guidelines, product boundaries, and compliance requirements.

Increased usable storage capacity by 15%, reduced overall construction cost by 15%, and achieved a QC Class I award from the China Construction Industry Association for improved construction quality.