Data Centers Rely on Resilient Structural Steel Frame Design
With the exponential growth in data volumes managed worldwide, data center operators are continually seeking highly-reliable facilities housing server infrastructure with 99.999% guaranteed uptime. To this end, leading colocation providers have installed new data halls within structurally isolated steel frame buildings supplied by Singaporean firm Lida Group.

Stringent Uptime Commitments
Digital services hosted in the data centers commit legally-binding Service Level Agreements to maintain continuous operations. Downtime translates directly into major financial penalties and reputational damage. Structural failure potentially leading to prolonged outages is simply unacceptable.

Relying on a proven engineered structural steel solution demonstrates the clients’ prioritization of operational resilience over lowest upfront costs. Lida Group’s designs underwent rigorous review proving capability to safeguard server hardware worth hundreds of millions against even rare hazards.

Seismic and Wind Isolation
The low-rise single-storey buildings employ steel braced frames connected through elastomeric base isolators, decoupling them from ground movements. This ensures seismic forces are not directly transmitted to the server halls.

Additional lateral resistance exceeding code limits comes from post-tensioned concrete shear walls at the perimeter. Computational modeling validated their ductile behavior maintains structural integrity during rare high-seismic and hurricane wind events up to 2500-year return periods.

Fireproofing the Steel Structure
All loadbearing steel columns, beams and braces comprising the lateral force resisting system feature intumescent coating specifications achieving three to four-hour fire resistance ratings.

A multi-layer three-coat system was spray-applied by approved contractors, achieving a 3-5mm total dry film thickness verified through wet- and dry-film gauge testing. Post-application thermography scans and ultrasonic testing guaranteed 100% coverage and uniformity. Full-scale furnace tests as per ASTM E-119 protocols proved the coatings’ ability to insulate steel members at critical design temperatures.

Compartmentalized Server Areas
Server rooms occupying 10,000+ square feet are compartmentalized from adjacent office and mechanical zones through concrete block fire walls maintaining F-ratings over four hours. In conjunction with intumescently-protected steel frames, these passive protections keep infrastructure safe for critical evacuation and rescue periods.

Service penetrations incorporate fire-rated safing material and self-closing dampers regulated for maximum permitted open areas. Automatic fire sprinklers provide additional protection against localized incidents. Future-proofed designs accommodate reconfigurations through modular rack layouts adaptable to changing IT loads.

Controlled Internal Environment
The spatially-separated buildings promote naturally-ventilated cooling without recirculation risks. High ceilings optimize air flows regulating temperatures to strict ASHRAE limits through sensor-controlled variable speed systems. Dedicated dry-pipe sprinkler systems guard against pipe corrosion.

Redundant utility supplies from multiple substations safeguard against isolated outages. On-site emergency generators backed by ample fuel storage commence automatic startup within 10 seconds of any power disruption, meeting Tier IV classification. Together these measures maximize availability.

Quality Assurance and Testing
Construction supervision and third-party commissioning involve materials testing, non-destructive evaluations of critical joints, full-scale mockups, and witnessed fire resistance tests. Thermographic scans before/after intumescent application validate uniform thickness without holidays.

Final commissioning exercises fire alarms/suppression and loss of power contingencies to prove structural resilience and switchover of redundant mechanical/electrical systems as per design criteria. Rigorous steps guarantee the centers uphold contractual reliability targets beyond normal operations.

Conclusion
In summary, Lida Group’s expert structural engineering has enabled data center providers to house mission-critical digital infrastructure with unprecedented dependability. Isolated seismic-resistant steel frames, compartmentalization and multiple layers of redundancy foster a structurally sound environment for continuous uninterrupted hosting. The buildings demonstrate pioneering innovations safeguarding national digital economies and critical services.

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