The development of the digital economy and cold supply chains has opened up new market segments for the steel structure industry. No longer just monotonous factory buildings, Cold Storage, Data Centers, and Food/Electronics factories require sophisticated structural solutions to address complex architectural physics problems such as thermal bridges, vibration, and hygiene. This chapter will analyze these specific technical requirements and Hai Long's solutions.
1. Cold Storage and Thermal Bridging Challenges
Cold storage facilities operate at extremely low temperatures (potentially as low as -40°C for freezers), while outside temperatures in Vietnam can reach up to 40°C. This temperature difference creates a large heat flow through the building envelope.
- The Steel Problem: Steel is an excellent thermal conductor ($\lambda \approx 50 W/mK$), thousands of times better than PU/PIR insulation materials ($\lambda \approx 0.022 W/mK$). Steel structural elements penetrating the insulation layer (such as roof supports, floor beams, and purlins) form "thermal bridges". The consequence is energy loss, condensation, and icing at the joints, causing material damage and compromising hygiene and safety.
- Technical Solution:
- Structural Thermal Breaks: Use load-bearing pads made from special composite materials (such as Armatherm, Fabreeka) placed between the column base plate and the foundation, or between beam-through-wall connections. These materials have very high compressive strength (> 200 MPa) to transmit the building load but have low thermal conductivity, effectively cutting off heat flow.
- Link details: Design the details of the purlin and wall bracing connections to minimize the area of direct contact with or entirely within the "warm" zone of the insulation layer.
2. Data Center: Vibration Control and Security
Data centers contain servers and hard drives (HDDs) that are extremely sensitive to vibration. Even a small vibration can disrupt data read and write operations, causing system downtime.
- Vibration Standard: Data center floors typically have to adhere to stringent vibration criteria (VC curves), such as VC-A, VC-B, or even VC-C, depending on the density and type of equipment.
- Steel Structure Design: To achieve high stiffness and natural vibration frequencies (avoiding resonance with vibrations from pedestrian traffic or electromechanical equipment), steel beam and floor systems typically use large cross-sections, shorter beam spacing than usual, and are combined with reinforced concrete decks to increase mass and damping capacity.26
- Resilience: Data centers require Tier III or IV certification from the Uptime Institute, demanding that the structure withstand extreme loads (earthquakes, high-level storms). Steel frames with high ductility are a superior choice over concrete in absorbing seismic energy without collapsing.
3. Food and Electronics Factories: Hygienic Design
Projects such as seafood processing plants (e.g., Hai Long's Sheng Long Hai Duong project) or electronic component factories (GIS Technology) have strict requirements for hygiene and dust control.
- Closed Components: Instead of using I-beams or H-beams with sharp edges that easily accumulate dirt and bacteria, hollow structural sections (HSS) or box sections are often preferred for columns and bracing in production areas. The ends of the tubes must be completely sealed by welding.
- Surfaces and Coatings: Use specialized epoxy coatings that are resistant to cleaning chemicals, resulting in a smooth, glossy, dust-free surface. In areas in direct contact with food or corrosive chemicals, stainless steel (Stainless Steel 304/316) is mandatory. Stainless steel structural design follows specific regulations (such as AISC Design Guide 27) due to its different local instability behavior compared to carbon steel.
- Cleanroom: In electronics factories, the cleanroom enclosure structure (ceiling, walls) typically consists of independent panel systems or panels suspended from a main steel frame. The main steel structure must ensure minimal deflection to prevent gaps in the panel joints, guaranteeing airtightness and room pressure control.
4. The role of TCVN 170:2022 in Fabrication and Assembly
To realize these complex designs, the fabrication and erection process must comply with TCVN 170:2022 “Steel structures – Fabrication, assembly and acceptance testing”.
- Tolerance: TCVN 170 specifies very strict tolerances for manufacturing (cutting, welding, punching) and installation (verticality, height). For data centers or high-tech factories, these tolerances must be controlled even more rigorously to ensure the accurate installation of equipment and machinery.
- Korea and NDT: Welding procedures (WPS) and welder skill levels must be standardized (typically according to AWS D1.1). Non-destructive testing (NDT) such as ultrasonic testing (UT), radiographic testing (RT), or magnetic penetrance testing (MT) is mandatory for major load-bearing welds, especially in fatigue-prone structures such as crane girders or vibration-bearing structures.
Conclusion
Entering the Cold Storage, Data Center, or High-Tech Factory segments requires Hai Long Construction to be more than just a construction contractor; it must be a technical solutions partner. Understanding of thermal and vibration requirements, and hygienic design, combined with precision manufacturing capabilities according to TCVN 170:2022, creates a distinct competitive advantage, enabling Hai Long to meet the most stringent requirements of international investors.
