Structures Congress 2019
Medical Office Building Structural Design Considerations
Publication: Structures Congress 2019: Buildings and Natural Disasters
ABSTRACT
As the population of the United States both grows and ages, the demand for healthcare facilities has grown steadily. Within the healthcare industry, new construction has been trending towards outpatient facilities, like medical office buildings (MOBs) and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). In this paper, the special structural engineering considerations common to MOB design are discussed. With healthcare buildings, flexibility of future use is an important consideration. MOBs, in particular, are often delivered in two phases. The first phase delivers a core and shell package, and the second addresses tenant improvements (finishes). Strategies for success with this delivery method will be discussed. Additionally, code minimum design loads are often insufficient for heavy imaging equipment. X-rays, CTs, and MRIs can have special requirements for vibration response, structure levelness, and magnetic interference. Final designs require an understanding of the manufacturer’s equipment specifications and specific building criteria. However, those specifications are not always available to the design team during the core and shell design. For that reason, this paper provides appropriate design assumptions and highlights best engineering practices for successful MOB design.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Martin/Martin co-workers Dan Mullins, PE, SE, and Amy Vance, CPSM, for help reviewing and editing this paper.
REFERENCES
Beam, C, Black, C, Chui, S, and Barton, C. (2018). “Changing Dynamics of Medical Office Space”, Petra Integrated Construction Strategies.
FGI (2018), Guidelines for Design and Construction of Outpatient Facilities, Facilities Guidelines Institute, Dallas, TX.
Murray, T., Allen, D., Ungar, E., Davis, B. (2016). “Vibrations of Steel-Framed Structural Systems Due to Human Activity,” AISC Design Guide 11. Second Edition. AISC.
Norton, Elizabeth (2018). “Medical Office Space Gets Tight”, Transwestern.
Schmidt, Chris (2018). “MCD Industry Pulse Survey: Building & Design Trends in Healthcare”, Medical Construction and Design Magazine.
Silvis, Jennifer (2018). “A New Day”, Healthcare Design Magazine, April, pp. 28-38.
Ungar, E.E. (2007). “Vibration Criteria for Healthcare Facility Floors”, Sound and Vibration, September, pp. 26-27
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Structures Congress 2019: Buildings and Natural Disasters
Pages: 23 - 29
Editor: James Gregory Soules, McDermott International
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8222-3
Copyright
© 2019 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Apr 22, 2019
Published in print: Apr 22, 2019
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