Discovery Yachts Boat Factory Building Sheds Steelworks UK

This modern, purpose built factory was constructed by ZHM for Discovery Yachts; a luxury yacht manufacturer based in UK. The project involved the erection of 2 separate industrial units.

Having been on a military site, the steel-framed buildings are designed to be blast resistant, to protect from any possible, although unlikely, explosions from the military site. In many cases, injuries are caused not by the explosion itself but from collapsing debris. ZHM designed the factory buildings so that in the event of a blast, the cladding to the walls and roof would fail but remain like 'washing on a line', and attached to the building frame. The purlins would fail, but would not break. Glass windows have a film membrane to prevent glass from shattering inside the building. The main frames are designed so that if there was an overload, they would form plastic hinges in the rafters and horizontal floor members without causing any hinging in the columns, which would remain elastic. This also ensures that no failings are caused in the bolted or welded connections. ZHM are specialists in blast design, seismic design and hurricane resilient buildings.

Photos: Discovery Yachts under construction

Boat building shed for Discovery Yachts

Discovery Yachts Boat Building Steelwork in

Discovery Yachts Boat Building Interior

A 10 tonne EOT crane was installed in the boat building shed. ZHM designed the steel frames to be able to withstand loads from the crane, and manufactured crane rails on pig's ear cleats.

Discovery Yachts Boat Building Exterior

Four non-slip durbar 'infills' were provided for inserting into the sliding door tracks when boats have to be rolled in and out.