Craigavon Area Hospital – Mechanical Infrastructure

This scheme involved designing supporting structure to facilitate the replacement of the heating infrastructure at Craigavon Area Hospital. Carefully planned phasing was essential to ensure that the hospital’s requirements continued to be met without interruption.

Due to the deteriorated condition of existing tunnels; the limiting of space by roads and paths around buildings; and because complex existing services inhibited works below ground, it was necessary to design structures to support large diameter pipework across existing roofs as well as form bridges between various hospital buildings.

Back analysis of existing roof structures for the proposed additional loading concluded that only columns and foundations had sufficient structural capacity. Steel frames were therefore created which transfer loadings onto existing structural columns.

A steel bridge gantry was established between the boiler house and maternity blocks, crossing an internal access road. Careful phasing was required to minimize road closures. This gantry was designed for possible additional service loading in the future.

Additional suspended pipework within the boiler house required back analysis of the existing steel portal frame. A row of additional columns were required to strengthen the structure and were installed in sections due to space restrictions.

Construction of foundations for new oil storage tanks required careful sequencing to avoid undermining of adjacent structures or interrupting the plant which had to remain in operation throughout.

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