Sunderland Royal Hospital
2007
Sunderland Royal Hospital's steel-framed five-storey extension was opened Spring 2006. The 15,000m² development incorporates three general and two ultra-clean operating theatres as well as sterilising facilities for the theatres and a mortuary.
The frame comprises 450 tonnes of steelwork, including asymmetrical beams supporting the Slimdek flooring system. The structure was built on a varying grid of 8m in one direction and up to 6m in the opposite direction.
The need to maximise vibrations in the existing structure during construction was paramount. The chosen construction system allowed the new extension to be built as an independent structure and linked to the existing building.
The Slimdek system offered:
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speed of construction, minimising the impact of the development on an already occupied hospital site
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environmental benefits, as an in-situ concrete frame would have involved more wagon movements around the congested city site
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inherent fire resistance, as the beams were cast into the structural topping
Fact file
Client
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Design and Build Contractor
Kier Northern Limited
Structural Engineer
Arup
Steelwork Contractor
South Durham Structures Ltd
