Healthcare

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SUCCESSFUL MODULAR BUILDINGS

Declan Armour, Managing Director of Shanco Contracts, explains the importance of effective groundworks for modular buildings and how the healthcare sector can avoid unnecessary costs and delays.

The speed and ease of modular construction are two of its major benefits for the healthcare sector. However, the success of a modular building project relies on several elements and one of the most important is the groundworks.

Difficulties with planning and inadequate site research can diminish some of the benefits of offsite construction, leading to programme delays and unexpected costs. To avoid these risks and drive efficiencies across the project, there are several factors to consider.

Early engagement

An experienced groundworks contractor should be involved in a modular build project at the earliest opportunity – ideally the tender stage. This enables any potential challenges, which could affect the construction programme and costs, to be identified from the outset.

To assist with this process, a groundworks contractor should be provided with as much information as possible about the site and the building’s design. This means all eventualities can be considered and, if necessary, incorporated into the budget and the projected duration of the project.

For example, limited site access may affect the type of plant and equipment that could be used for groundworks, which, in turn, may impact the overall construction programme. Similarly, constrained sites may present difficulties for work further down the line, limiting space for jobs, such as the building installation or cladding and roofing, as well as the crane and access equipment required to carry them out.

Like most large construction projects, modular builds are likely to require alterations to the site’s entry, surrounding roads and drainage connections. These elements, including the required approvals, should also be considered during the planning stage to avoid costly delays. Ground conditions

No matter how poor the ground conditions, it should be possible to create a foundation solution that supports the modular structure. However, it is essential to investigate the site at the earliest opportunity to identify any potential problems and how these can be resolved.

The type and condition of the ground will determine what foundations will be required to support the structure. For example, if the ground consists of clay, this can be problematic for water retention and drainage. This may require additional measures to be put in place to control surface water, such as the installation of attenuation tanks and SUDS designs.

Some clays may also mean the ground has less load-bearing capacity, so specialist piling solutions could be required. Similarly, sandy and loose soils can present comparable challenges in terms of the stability of foundations.

A modular project for a Bolton hospital highlights the potential impact of ground conditions on projects. Working within a highly constrained site next to the main hospital building, we had to overcome several challenges to deliver the groundworks for the modular build. As ground conditions were poor, it was not possible to lay pad foundations. Instead, a reinforced concrete raft slab had to be laid under the building’s entire footprint followed by plinths for levelling.

Adding to the complexity of the work, a service tunnel ran diagonally through the site under the concrete slab providing electricity as well as medical gases into the hospital. To reduce the heavy loadings over the tunnel from plant and machinery, a temporary crossing bridge was built over it for the construction phase. We worked closely with the structural engineers to create and install the bridge, and ensured the concrete foundation slab could adequately support the building over the tunnel.

Logistics

Sequencing is crucial when working on a live site to avoid any potential disruption and prioritise health and safety. This will often require deliveries and plant movements to be carefully timed. Some aspects of the work may also need to be carried out outside normal working hours, including at weekends.

A groundworks contractor will need to take a proactive approach, working closely with estates managers to agree a comprehensive logistics plan outlining how the site will be set up and managed.

Every hospital site is unique and will bring its own set of challenges as evidenced by recent projects we have delivered.

In Stockport, Greater Manchester, we completed a groundworks solution for a new modular facility within three weeks. This structure was located on existing parking bays at the side of a road and adjacent to an accident and emergency (A&E) department.

Prior to beginning the groundworks, we worked with the hospital to devise a pedestrian and traffic management system so that patients, visitors and staff were directed along a safe route away from the construction area. Deliveries and vehicle movements were carefully sequenced to prevent the road from being blocked, with only one vehicle permitted to visit the site at any one time. Our team also worked longer shifts and at weekends to deliver the groundworks within the tight timescales.

A similar approach was adopted in Cambridge where a modular building was constructed between two existing buildings in the heart of the hospital’s complex. The highly-constrained space required stringent planning and sequencing to avoid any disruption to emergency services, including ambulance access to the A&E department.

All deliveries were carefully coordinated, with suppliers redirected to the working area via the back of the hospital complex. We also had to ensure that a fire tender vehicle could access the site at all times in case of an emergency, which further restricted the team’s working area and the job sequencing, including contingency measures that had to be in place.

Partnership working

The need to build more quickly and effectively is driving the use of modern methods of construction across the healthcare sector. With a growing number of hospitals seeking to create modular buildings, groundworks contractors have a broad and crucial role to play in the process. A collaborative approach with the right level of planning, knowledge and research should result in a tailored groundworks solution that establishes greater cost certainty and efficiencies for modular buildings of all sizes and complexities.  www.shancocontracts.co.uk