Universal Beijing Resort, the world’s fifth, largest and most high-end Universal Studios theme park, started business operation in Beijing. The composite structure and advanced concrete structure research group led by Professor Feng Peng from the Department of Civil Engineering participated in constructing the dome structure, the topside part of the Universal Studios Grand Hotel in the park. The research group encountered great construction difficulties during the construction process: the hotel’s highest point is 67.3m, and to achieve unique architectural effects and functions, only composite materials can be used.At the same time, the lightness of the structure must be ensured and the requirements for combustion property, fire resistance limit and structural safety must also be met. For modern civil engineering, most building structures use steel bolts, steel bars and other steel materials. The rigid requirement of an all-composite framework structure system made the dome part an “impossible” project.

Based on the requirement of a composite framework system, the research group proposed and developed an innovative FRP-concrete composite structure scheme and applied for a patent for it. Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP), a composite material, is a new material formed by continuous fiber-reinforced Vinylite or epoxy resin. It has the mechanical properties of lightweight and high strength. The composite material’s specific strength (tensile strength/specific gravity) is 2 to 8 times that of the steel. Also, it can be used as a component in all non-metal structures and has the advantages of corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, water resistance, flame retarding, and good electromagnetic wave permeability. The composite material-concrete composite structure system includes composite framework columns, framework composite beams, beam-column composite nodes, external protection system and concrete floor slab. No metallic materials are used in components.

After the scheme received strong support from the proprietor, the research team worked closely with Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, MCC Group Central Research Institute of Building and Construction, and Guangzhou Style Arts to design and construct the main structure of the dome.