|
|
 |
|
|
Formwork from Doka has been successfully used in the rapid rise of elevator and stair cores at a prestigious hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Doka was awarded the contract by Cleveland-based contractor Donley’s, Incorporated.
|
|
|
|
Seven 170’-high cores were built in just seven months and dominate the site of the latest expansion of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic. The cores were built in lifts of 14’ to 16’ using 31,700 sq ft of pre-assembled Doka Top 50 formwork and 11,000 sq ft of pre-assembled platforms. The platforms consisted of telescopic shafts and the MF240 climbing system. Work continues on other elements of the new hospital building, which is due for completion in 2008.
“This is the first time we have used Doka formwork,” said Mike Hess – General Superintendent. “We have been impressed with Doka´s engineering expertise and the high level of service.” A site visit to Washington DC offered Donley’s the opportunity to see Doka´s capabilities before awarding the contract. “Doka has really lived up to our expectations. They have always reacted very quickly to give us what we wanted. It was extremely beneficial to work with a formwork supplier that was reliable and responsive to the needs of the project,” said Mike Dilley – Project Manager.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation is a not-for-profit academic medical center, integrating clinical and hospital care with research and education. Cleveland Clinic is ranked as one of the USA's top four hospitals. This latest project to meet growing demand for its services follows a US$70 million gift made by the co-founder of beauty products company Matrix Essentials, Sydell Miller, and her daughters. The Arnold and Sydell Miller Family Pavilion will be the clinic's main entrance and home to the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center as well as other departments.
One of the factors that convinced Donley’s to choose Doka was the lack of space available on the site. Doka was able to overcome this difficulty by supplying the formwork pre-assembled into 16’-tall sections and platforms into 30’ long gangs.
Individual formwork and platform sets were provided for each core, allowing all the cores to be built at the same time to meet the demanding schedule. Formwork and platforms for each of the cores were delivered during a seven-week period. Doka field technicians were on site during the early stages to help Donley’s staff set up the system.
Engineers from Doka and Donley’s worked closely together to develop the formwork design and respond to any late changes such as new doorway positions. Doka produced all the formwork, lift and engineer-approved drawings. Getting the details right the first time avoided the need to carry out any redesign in the field. “Doka’s field technician at the start of the job was extremely helpful and Doka´s close involvement was a key to the project’s success says Joe Hricovec - Superintendent.
There was one pour every week on each core, for a five-day cycle. A typical pour cycle would start on Monday when the formwork was jumped to its new position. Tuesday and Wednesday would be taken up fixing rebar, anchors and so on. Thursday was pour day, and a 3-day cure took from Friday through the weekend. Monday morning the cycle was ready to begin again.
“We were surprised by how few carpenters we needed,” says Bill Lapham – Carpenter General Foreman. The total crew size was just 26, including five laborers, for the four multi-cell and three single cell cores. The cores were divided into two groups, with a team of carpenters and laborers allocated to each. Only two people were needed to supervise each crane lift to the next level, enabling the others to continue working on the other cores.
One of the key benefits of the MF240 system was that it only took two hours of crane time for each core cycle. This allowed for the cranes to be available for other tasks. The site had two tower cranes as well as an 80-ton crawler.
All the formwork was chosen to give a smooth finish. An even higher quality was specified for three stair cores, where top-of-the-line all birch plywood achieved a superb finish.
Facilities in the 970,000 sq ft pavilion will include a large outpatient area, a hospital tower and a state-of-the-art technology building. The portion of the project dedicated to the cardiac program alone includes 128 examination rooms, 155 physician offices and 294 in-patient rooms. The pavilion will also contain a winter-garden atrium, restaurants, gallery space and shops.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
)
)
