The New Wellington Children’s Hospital: Pioneering Seismic Resilience and Engineering Excellence:
Situated with an Importance Level 3 classification, the new Wellington Children's Hospital stands as a testament to cutting-edge seismic resilience. With a robust rating capable of enduring a once-in-a-2,500-year seismic event, the hospital not only safeguards patients and staff but also ensures swift recovery and operational continuity after a significant earthquake.
At its core lies a ground-breaking foundation: Triple Pendulum Base Isolators, meticulously designed and manufactured in San Francisco. These specially engineered isolators grant the building the ability to sway up to an impressive 1.5 meters in two directions. This ingenious design pre-empts potential risks to critical sanitary sewer and stormwater infrastructure, strategically mitigating large displacements during seismic events across the base isolation plane.
Aurecon Hydraulic Building Services Engineers collaborated with the Hynds Group to orchestrate the specific engineering design of the Hynds proprietary Flex-Tend® Flexible Expansion Joint. In synergy with the main contractor's BIM team, each connection was developed in Revit, ensuring seamless integration within the digital realm, before submitting as shop drawings for procurement with EBAA USA.
Senior Project Engineer Ray Yee commented that: "From concept, construction and hand-over to Te Whatu Ora late 2022, Hynds have been exemplary in the development of this critical component for this world-class medical facility. Aurecon New Zealand highly recommend Hynds for their commitment, innovation, and expertise in seismic engineering design."