Cambridge University
Jul ’08 – Mar ‘09
Groundworks, External Works, and 2 Storey RC Frame
The works were for the new Physics of Medicine Building, and comprised the installation of RC foundation beams and ground floor slab, a 2-storey RC frame, new storm and surface water drainage systems for the area, and external hard landscaping.
Each floor was aprox. 1200m².The above ground floors were supported on circular RC columns that required a high quality exposed concrete finish. The same quality finish was required to the soffits of the floors/roof, as these formed the exposed concrete ceiling within the building.
One end of the building was designated for the housing of a large nuclear magnetic reactor, with a floor to ceiling height of 13m, and was formed by the construction of a series of rectangular RC columns and beams. The roof was supported in the middle by one circular RC column. To prevent interference with the proposed magnetic field that was to be generated, all the reinforcement in this section had to be made of stainless steel.
The roof was facetted into 7m long sections, each inclined at a slightly different angle, which resulted in the roof having a curved profile when viewed from the ground.
The external works included the installation of a cantilevered exposed timber retaining wall, exposed concrete footpath retaining walls, and high quality block and slab pedestrian paving.
Value of Works : £1.4m
