The Challenge
The ground floor was operating within a live hospital, making noise control a critical requirement. Uncontrolled construction noise could disrupt patient care in the wards and treatment areas above and around the work zone.
At the same time, the strengthening solution had to do more than restore the existing structure. It needed to reliably support the additional load transferred from the expanded first floor above. That meant accurately determining the new loading requirements and engineering the strengthening system around the actual demand & because getting the calculation right was just as critical as getting the installation right.
Our Approach & Result
We sealed off the construction zone with barriers to contain noise before any works began, keeping the surrounding hospital environment undisturbed. CFRP was selected as the primary strengthening material and applied to the affected 8 columns and 4 beams on the ground floor, chosen over conventional methods such as steel plate bonding or section enlargement for several reasons:
- Faster installation, reducing time on a site with a restricted working environment.
- Negligible added weight, important when working within an occupied building with limited access and load already at capacity.
- High strength-to-weight ratio, comparable or superior to conventional strengthening methods.
Because CFRP’s resin matrix is vulnerable to heat, we applied fireproofing over the same 8 columns and 4 beams to protect the system and meet the required fire rating. Our team also maintained strict housekeeping throughout the works, actively controlling and clearing dust and debris to keep the work area clean. At handover, we left the completed area clean and ready for use and an essential requirement for a healthcare facility where residual contamination cannot be tolerated.
When a building takes on more load than it was originally designed for, structural strengthening needs to happen without slowing down the people and operations inside it. Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) offers a lightweight, high-strength solution that can reinforce existing structures with minimal disruption.
A hospital in Kuala Lumpur expanded its first floor to create additional ward and treatment space while introducing new medical equipment. The expansion increased the load transferred to the ground floor structure beyond its original design capacity.
Sonicon stepped in to strengthen the affected structure using CFRP on 8 columns and 4 beams, providing the additional capacity required to support the new loading from above. Despite working on the ground floor of a fully operational hospital, the strengthening works were completed in just 12 working days with zero disruption to hospital operations.
Planning an extension, retrofit, or equipment upgrade? Don’t wait until additional loads become a structural concern. Request a structural assessment to understand what your existing structure can safely support. We respond within 8 working hours.
