Technical Specificaions for Hospitals 1

[Kaiowas]

There is a project for the design of a hospital, a seven-floor building. I am a young civil engineer and please, if somebody could tell me about some infomation relating special details for hospial design I would really appreciate it. All he information will be welcome, but my interest is specially about structural design. The company which I work for is in charge of the project, and they are also young engineers, and we all need all the information that can be gathered.

 

[ctmtwilliams]

Wouldn't "special details" as you call them be requirements of the local regulatory agency/code inforcement of where the building is being constructed? For example, here in California there are set backs for earthquake falt zones. I sugest you contact those who would be doing the plan check.

 

[greenone]

Perhaps you need to partner with a firm that has experience in hospital design? I know there are several architecture firms that specialize in it, and so are familiar with the "details". Don't forget,there is a lot of specialized equipment to be installed that needs to be planned for.

 

[pba]

Hospitals are no different to other building structures - Expect the client to supply you with their specified needs and standards. This is the design brief. If you don't understand these - ASK THE CLIENT.

If the client can't (or won't) give you a clear brief, write one yourself outlining what you are going to provide and to what deign code you will be doing the design. State any assumptions and design criteria as clearly as you can. GET THE CLIENT TO SIGN UP TO YOUR BRIEF.

Now, if you want to seem to be more experienced than you actually are, be careful that you don't cross over the line into fraud.

Hospitals are often keen on the following.

Floor vibration response - especially of whole systems rather than simple natural fequency checks of individual elements. - Mode shapes.

Open plan structure to accommodate furture changes in layout.

Easy access for services - big service risers and distribution spaces free of obstrutions such as beams.

Wide variations in imposed loading are common between different medical functions but locations may not be clear or even known at the early stages.

 

[cvg]

why don't you take your client around to several local hospitals and see for yourselves what is good and what isn't?

 

[jheidt2543]

While pba may be correct in saying "Hospitals are no different to other building structures" in the general sense that you apply loads and size members, hospital design is very much a specialty in the detailed sense.

Greenone's comment about specialized equipment is very important. The special requirements of medical equipment can play a major roll in the structural design of a medical facility. Shielding for some types of X-ray machines can require very thick concrete protection, vibration control for MRI machines and other lab equipment can be very strict. Most of this information is available from the equipment manufactures. There are also specialty consultants that can provide this.

I would think one of the first steps would be to get a list of all the new and used equipment to be installed in the facility. Then, start contacting the manufacturers for their design criteria.

Just a few thoughts!

 

[Kaiowas]

I would like to everyone for your comments. I really appreciate your dedication on my thread. First, ctmtwilliams, the code specifications for concrete in my country comes since 1987, so you can imagine how delayed we are, but that's not an impediment. I actually use de ACI 318-99 code, and I am allowde to do it. About the requiremnts, it's true that a hospital has many details to take them in mind, well, now we began the project I am introduced completely in the scope of the project. Now, pba, thank you very much for your advises. I'd like to give you (to all) a brief descriptions of the project. Weel the building will be divided in two separated blocks, and one is bigger than the other. About the special requiremnts my company suplied me with the actual equipment that will be in use. It's true, they must to be cosidered carefuly. But some details are not well defined, for example, the necesary space for elevator's machine are not well visualized, specially for the architects (they are two). Now they have to make a lot of corrections, and I am just waiting.