Engineering Linköping University Hospital

Clever foundations defy weak bedrock to support major extension

A major, three-part redevelopment is transforming this hospital in the Swedish city of Linköping into a modern, green and flexible facility, capable of adapting to emerging technologies in the decades ahead.

The first phase, completed in 2015, has added around 66,000 square meters to the hospital’s east and west wings in an energy-efficient expansion designed to keep power consumption below 60 kWh per square meter and minimize the lifecycle cost of key systems and products. The building is lined up for a silver rating under Sweden’s Miljöbyggnad environmental classification system.

Location

Linköping

Client

Östergötland County Council

Project Status

Phase 1 completed in 2015, Phase 2 and 3 due for completion 2018

Architect

White

66,000 square meters added to existing hospital

Groundwork Challenges

WSP provided geotechnical services for the extension, which faced significant groundwork challenges. The main building sits in a depression, posing difficulties for foundation design of the additional space. These were exacerbated by the discovery of weak bedrock way into construction. Faced with this hurdle, our world-class engineering team pulled out all the stops to find a piling solution that would keep the building stable and get the redevelopment back on track.

Power consumption below 60 kWh per square meter

Running Hospital during Renovation

Another key challenge was managing the works in a way that would keep the hospital up and running throughout construction while minimizing the impact of noise and vibration. The crowded site called for careful coordination with other teams, ensuring access for drilling and blasting when needed for instance.

Improving Patients Journey

Our engineers are also working on the project’s second phase, which is set to transform the hospital’s 1970s main block into a more comfortable – and safe – place for patients and visitors. Private rooms will replace open wards, for example, while fire evacuation routes will be brought in line with modern standards.