MODULAR CONSTRUCTION


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 modular contractor’s designers to create and install the bridge, and ensured that the concrete foundation slab could adequately support the building over the tunnel.


Appointing a specialist structural engineer Appointing a specialist structural engineer, with expertise in below ground services, can bring more cost certainty to a modular project, and help to streamline the process. The skills and knowledge of the engineer will ensure that the foundation and drainage design is appropriate for the ground conditions, and interaction with the existing surroundings can also be considered. Any potential structural challenges can also be identified and addressed at an earlier stage. If a modular building is to be constructed in built-up residential areas, or close to existing hospital buildings, the impact on people and local communities must also be assessed. This often requires different construction solutions to be developed. For foundations, driven pre-cast concrete piling can be cost-effective, but may not be appropriate if there are residents living nearby. Alternatives such as continuous flight auger (CFA) piling may be more suitable; this cast in-situ method can help to minimise noise and vibration that could easily blight the lives of nearby users and residents during the construction phase.


Effective sequencing 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 and Facilities 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


Shanco using a concrete pump on a London hospital. The beams are tied to CFA piles with infill sections to create a foundation slab.


weeks. This structure was located on 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


Declan Armour


Declan Armour is the founder and managing director of Shanco Contracts. He has led the team for nearly two decades, and has more than 25 years’ experience of the construction sector. He began his career as an apprentice draughtsman with an engineering firm while studying for a BSc (Hons) in Building Engineering & Management at the University of Ulster. After graduating, he moved to Leeds, and began working for construction companies across Yorkshire. He worked as a site engineer, senior engineer, and in technical advisory roles before establishing Shanco Construction with his business partner, which later became the Shanco Group, including Shanco Contracts. The company now delivers the full range of groundworks services and reinforced concrete works, collaborating with partners to effectively deliver complex projects which meet both client and end-user expectations.


March 2022 Health Estate Journal 45


When access and space is so limited, deliveries have to be booked well in advance and co-ordinated with the hospital where necessary.


deliveries were carefully co-ordinated, 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.


Strategic partners 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 deliver 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.


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