Case Studies
Wellington Hospital - temporary ward on the roof
For: Naylor Love
At: Wellington Hospital
The project involved building a temporary ward (“decant” ward) on the hospital roof so that contractors can replace copper pipes in the existing wards at Wellington Hospital.
Prefab Pods: Eight prefabricated pods, each measuring 7m x 7m x 3.5m and weighing 14.5 tons, were built offsite in Upper Hutt by Naylor Love. These pods were designed to serve as the temporary ward.
The prefabricated pods were transported to Wellington Hospital on house moving trucks.
Crane Operations: Various cranes were employed during the project:
A Liebherr LTM1060 60t Crane was used to lift 1.8 tonne steel beams for the pods to sit on and also for positioning the Linkway bridge steel.
A Demag AC130 130t crane (pictured) loaded the pods onto house moving trailers in Upper Hutt and was used in conjunction with a Franna crane to move roof cassettes out of the warehouse used for construction.
A Liebherr LTM1350 350t crane (pictured above) with Y-Guy and 100t counterweight was used to lift the 8 14.5 tonne decant pods up to Level 4 at Wellington Hospital.
The Demag AC130 130t crane was used to lift 8 roof cassettes, each measuring 8m x 8m x 1.5m, to the roof.
Lift Planning: Detailed lift planning was crucial to ensure the safety of the operation. Factors considered included the crane's proximity to helicopter flight paths, weight, radius, and rigging planning. CAD modelling (see 3D drawings below) was used to ensure the lifts stayed within the safety parameters. Other factors included ensuring the hospital's emergency entrance remained accessible, conducting lifts mainly at night, and in addition considering the challenges posed by Wellington's wind patterns.
The proximity of services and an underground carpark, a services investigation and ground bearing pressure testing were conducted to determine crane positioning and outrigger mat size.
Overall, this project required careful coordination, engineering expertise, and precise execution to ensure the Hospital operations weren’t impacted.
