A comprehensive waterproofing and concrete reinforcement system has been specified for the building of a new district general hospital which is set to transform healthcare in Scotland.
The £270m unit on the outskirts of Dumfries and Galloway will have 350 beds as well as a new emergency care department, a combined theatre complex for day surgery, endoscopy and surgical patients, and consolidated ambulatory care.
Specified by architects, Ryder Architecture, and the project contractor, Laing O’Rourke, approximately 18,000sq m of Sika’s SikaProof-A will help provide a total waterproof solution for the hospital’s basement and below ground floor, which include kitchen areas, operational plant rooms and a morgue.
This unique and easy-to-use waterproofing system contains a pre-applied sheet membrane facility, the surface of which is embossed with a grid pattern containing a sealant and is topped by a thin layer of fleece which forms a mechanical bond to the concrete when it dries.
The grid pattern is also unique. It provides additional protection, due to the integrated sealant, which bonds tightly with the surface of the concrete, forming mini watertight compartments.
Therefore, even if the membrane is damaged or pierced, moisture or pressurised water cannot spread between the membrane and the concrete structure as it is contained within the small damaged grid square.
Sika has also been specified to provide its Watertight Concrete system – approximately 7,000m3 – for the project. Cost effective in comparison with membranes and other solutions, and able to deliver maximum usable area to the occupier, the product complies with BS 8102:2009 Type B Construction.
Building work on the new hospital, which will also include a helipad and 980 parking spaces, is due to be completed in 2017.