Atrium Health Levine Cancer Proton and Advanced Radiation Center
Charlotte
Better project
Sent by DPR
Owner Atrium health
Lead design firm E4h architecture
General contractor DPR
Civil engineer Block design
MEP engineer Br+a
The addition of 34,500 square meters to the Carolinas Medical Center campus combines innovative treatment technologies such as proton therapy, gamma knife radiosurgers and radio treatments for adult patients and pediatrics with cancer and neurological disorders.
The central part of the addition is a three -story proton therapy lap that houses a proton accelerator that will be mounted on a rotary £ 300,000, the first setting of its type in the world.
As the 30-foot concrete walls 7 feet thick had to fulfill extremely tight tolerances and built without traditional bonds with the adjacent formulas, the team used advanced modeling technology for the pre-visualization of all elements, identifying conflicts and plan strategies for a detailed forms.
To reduce the risk of thermal cracked during the cure of the dense concrete mix, the temperature sensors embedded throughout the vault supervised the internal conditions.
Photo Cortesy DPR Construction
DPR Construction’s autonomous concrete team worked for months in advance with the structural engineer, the design team, the commercial partners and the DPR internal BIM group to completely coordinate the geometry of the vault and the embedded disposition.
The team used the 3D model to visualize all the elements, identify conflicts and plan strategies in detail of the formwork. This early coordination ensured zero tolerance clashes during execution.
Radiation shielding requirements also demanded a dense custom concrete mix, increasing complexity. To reduce the risk of thermal cracked during healing, the DPR provided a concrete engineering specialist to help in thermal analysis and mix design. The temperature sensors were embedded in the entire lap to control internal conditions and thermal blankets were used to retain heat during the winter.
The dumping sequences were limited to volume carefully, allowing each lift to be cured evenly and reduce the internal stress.
The weather during the High Winter season added additional complications. With the freezing temperatures that prevent concrete for several days, the team resumed the work to focus on the installation of the vault lid and the sealing operations, helping to maintain the activities of the critical way.
Photo Cortesy DPR Construction
Through a combination of accurate planning, technical innovation and discipline teamwork, the team successfully gave the specifications, avoiding re -elaboration or structural problems.
Security was a main focus, and contractors ultimately registered about 230,000 hours of registered zero workers and incidents or lost time accidents.
An early and critical security decision meant access to the site. Although the original plan aimed to maintain the main entrance of Atrium Health at the Institut Levine Cancer Open throughout the construction course, an evaluation of the project team showed that this was unacceptable risks to patients, staff and visitors.
Meeting with the project owner, the construction team proposed alternative routing options and the decision to close the main entrance of the installation during the duration of the project was reached.
