Heavyweight Concrete Features In Cutting Edge Radiotherapy Centre
The Challenge: The Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, is the largest private hospital in Ireland. A new cutting edge radiotheraphy centre forms the centrepiece of a €77m expansion.
Conventional concrete is typically used to absorb radiation produced within a bunker such as a radiotherapy centre, this protects both staff and the general public from long term exposure.
In the case of the Bon Secours Hospital design restrictions, and in particular the limited floor to ceiling height, resulted in an alternative material being required. Heavyweight concrete was seen as the solution.
The use of heavyweight concrete allowed for:
A decrease in ceiling slab thickness from 2.8m to 1m
A decrease in wall thicknesses of 0.5m
Enhancing the shielding efficiency against radiation, making a safer environment in which people can work and receive treatment
Roadstone approached the supply of heavyweight concrete to the Bon Secours Hospital focusing on three key pillars:
Logistics – Due to the increased weight being carried the capacity of each truck was limited to just over half of the volume typically carried. Through communication and planning our logistics team ensured a consistent supply
Quality – Each load was assessed for consistency and plastic density at our readymix plant in Classis following batching and on site prior to placement to verify that the heavyweight concrete met the requirements of the specification
Operations – Additional measures were put in place prior to batching such as thoroughly cleaning aggregate stockbays and altering our batching methodology to ensure accurate batching
Over the course of four separate days Roadstone supplied in excess of 300m3 of heavyweight concrete.
