Reaching New Heights in Medicine and Beyond!
Drive around Houston, Austin, Dallas, or any other major Texas city and you’ll probably see a new high-rise being constructed. When you’re in Houston, however, you’ll probably see more of these high-rises being built near and around the Texas Medical Center, which is currently the world’s largest medical complex. This is in part due to the fact that it contains burgeoning biotech start-ups organized by some of the world’s brightest life science experts along with world-class institutions like The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson for short). The prestige and reputation that MD Anderson has earned around the world through decades of life-saving cancer treatments and ground-breaking cancer research has allowed it to grow and provide care for many people from all over the world who go to MD Anderson for world-class care and treatment.
A New Endeavor
A drawing of the new South Campus Research Building 5 at MD Anderson (Courtesy of MD Anderson Cancer Center)
More recently, this has led MD Anderson to collaborate with Vaughn Construction, Elkus Manfredi Architects and Kirksey Architecture to create a new high-rise multi-purpose research center that will be known as South Campus Research Building 5 (SCRB5 for short). This space aims to continue MD Anderson’s work of creating breakthroughs by creating a 600,000 square foot collaborative space where all can join and create the ideas for tomorrow. What a huge boon to the healthcare of the future this facility will be!
While this goal is commendable, is it realistic to create such a space? What kinds of engineering will need to take place in order to make this building a reality? Even though we don’t have the engineered construction drawings they’re using to create the building, we can still make a deduction by utilizing engineering concepts whether or not this project is feasible and how engineers, architects and construction crews can turn this idea into a reality.
The answer to those questions lies in understanding the engineering concepts from Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Telecommunications Engineering. Let’s dive deeper into these concepts.
Standing on Solid Ground
Construction crews preparing site for high rise building (Courtesy of Pile Buck International, Inc.)
Before a structure can begin construction, a team of engineers, known as geotechnical engineers, will need to evaluate the kind of soil and whether these soils exhibit any sheer stress when a force is acted upon it (sometimes this could be similar to what’s seen in fluids). This article from Pile Buck International, Inc. provides a far better explanation of each soil type than I could and also explains how they are able to address the challenges that arise using each different soil type.
Something else that geotechnical engineers probably consider when building in an area such as Houston is that the ground tends to be, on average, a bit softer than the soil in other parts of the U.S. This PDF from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service explains the different soil types in and around the Houston area and their various characteristics. If, by chance, MD Anderson was planning to build a research facility along the West Coast of the U.S. such as San Francisco, California or on one of the volcanic islands of Hawaii, Geotechnical Engineers would also need to consider the seismic activity that occurs in those areas.
Giving it Good Bones
Construction of the Brooklyn Tower in Brooklyn, NY (Courtesy of the ULMA Group)
Once geotechnical engineers have finished analyzing all the data and completed creating a plan to construct a sufficient foundation for the state-of-the-art high-rise research facility, the structural engineers will begin to create the high rise’s rigid and durable frame. They’re also going to be primarily using steel and concrete along with possibly other materials that not only need to be up to code but also need to fit within the confines of a proposed architectural design.
This is where the process can get a bit sticky and could potentially lead to conflicts between architects and structural engineers. Both the architects and the structural engineers work very hard on their respective roles within the project; the architect wants to design a functional yet aesthetically pleasing space while the structural engineer wants to ensure that the high rise is structurally sound for years to come. A qualified professional structural engineer might need to step in and let the architect know that a design can’t go the way the architect originally planned for it to go for a wide variety of reasons.
Maybe it could be that the stress and strain on the frame due to the weight of the materials would cause plastic deformation, or when the material is under so much stress that it can’t return to its original form, to the metal beams and cause a part of the building to fail. Maybe the load from the anticipated number of occupants and the machinery on particular levels could cause the floors to collapse or columns to buckle, which is just another way of saying that the columns would fail. Maybe the structural engineers analyzed how the forces exerted on the building from anticipated weather conditions that sometimes come through the area would cause either that section of the building or the building as a whole to fail.
There might have been a situation where there wasn’t enough room in the original architecture plans that gave enough space to put in the high rise’s electrical, telecommunications, plumbing, HVAC, and fire sprinkler systems. You know, the things that make these huge structures livable spaces. No matter what the situation is like, the structural engineer has the immense responsibility of making sure the high rise is structurally sound. Here’s a video from BEng Hielscher to get more of an idea of what structural engineers do with new buildings.
Building off the idea of weather, structural engineers need to also make sure the building is able to withstand the wind. Some people might not know this, but high rises are generally built to allow for a little deflection in their structure, which means they can bend a little bit. This is crucial in allowing the high rise to withstand winds that could otherwise compromise the structure. See how engineers took this to heart when they designed this world-famous building in Chicago.
The Willis Tower-formerly known as the Sears Tower-in Chicago, IL (Courtesy of Wikipedia)
Think all of this is a little much? Well, if you’re a structural engineer, all of what I described probably isn’t enough. You’re probably thinking of things that I didn’t mention in this section, for a very good reason. Just as I alluded to earlier, any defect in the structure could result in the building failing and could result in serious consequences.
For example, there were plans to create a Hard Rock Hotel in the heart of New Orleans, LA, until on October 12, 2019, part of the structure failed resulting in the deaths of three people and dozens more being injured. The partial building failure also caused damage to some nearby buildings. This caused serious blowback in the community and elsewhere. If you journey back in time a little bit, an earthquake struck San Francisco on April 18, 1906 and caused the deaths of probably thousands of folks, much of which was due to the fact that the buildings were not designed to withstand earthquakes.
Keeping the Fire at Bay
Example of part of a Fire Protection System in a high rise building (Courtesy of Cross Technical Services Ltd)
Just when you thought warding off winds, earthquakes, and structural deformities to prevent damage or injury was quite a bit to handle, remember that the new MD Anderson research building is going to have all sorts of equipment throughout the building. It only takes one of the various machines and pieces of equipment to catch on fire for any reason. What would happen if something were to catch fire? What if this fire spread throughout the floor? How would they put it out?
Have no fear, for the fire protection engineer is here! This person can be utilized in a variety of places, but for today, the fire protection engineer’s job is to make sure the building will be well protected by a fire sprinkler system that abides by these guidelines. The fire protection engineer will make sure that the building will be well protected by a well-designed and thought out fire sprinkler system and appropriately placed fire extinguishers.
This person also needs to have a solid understanding of water pressure and pipe thickness in order for the water within the system to do its job effectively and efficiently. Since these systems act instantaneously in the presence of a fire, the fire protection engineer will need to ensure that the fire sprinklers installed in each room will work like they’re supposed to in a fire emergency. I don’t think I need to go into much detail as to why this would be an issue if none of this worked properly, but if you’re still wondering why, here’s a fire that happened a few years ago in London and one that happened quite a while ago.
Creating A World of Fluid Motion
HVAC Units used to help moderate air temperature in a building (Courtesy of React Industries, Inc.)
Similar to how a fire protection engineer would possibly create a fire sprinkler system for the new MD Anderson research facility, a mechanical engineer would most likely be the one who engineers the pipes used for the vents that help air condition the place and also the plumbing and sewage that flows waste from the building to a water treatment plant. This person would also determine what kind and how many HVAC Units the space would need in order to properly and efficiently keep the space cool. Here’s a breakdown of how the HVAC System would be created:
The mechanical engineer responsible for engineering the HVAC System would need to know some things. The mechanical engineer, first and foremost, would need to have a good grasp of Thermodynamics and Heat transfer as we discussed previously in another article here on I Truss the Process. The engineer would most likely either get specifications from MD Anderson, abide by guidelines set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE for short) or suggestions created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Here’s an example from Brown University of what the air conditioning guidelines for the new MD Anderson building could possibly look like.
The mechanical engineer designing the system would also need to know what temperature, humidity and the air quality MD Anderson would need to maintain each space at. The engineer would also need to know the flow rate of the air, or the velocity of the air times the area of the pipe the air is moving through, in order to see how much power the HVAC unit(s) would need and how wide the air ducts would need to be. There are usually spaces in high rises like this research building, known as Mechanical Rooms, where the HVAC system of the building can be monitored and maintained.
Typical HVAC duct layout in buildings (Courtesy of John Manville. A Berkshire Hathaway Company)
Another thing the engineer would need to keep in mind is whether or not the space abides by current Good Manufacturing Practice standards as prescribed by the Food and Drug Administration. As in many life science research facilities, there might be designated spaces in this research building where the finished products created in these environments need to have almost no chance of becoming contaminated and infecting a fellow patient. In cancer patients who most often don’t have an immune system due to the various treatments they undergo, this could become a life-threating emergency.
Unfortunately, none of this is cheap and the engineer will need to find a way to make this cost-effective for MD Anderson. Here is where the engineer turns into sort of a business/sales person. To help convey a strong proposal to the suits at MD Anderson, the engineer will need to create a cost-analysis method of the various systems that could work for the building. The engineer could, in fact, suggest which one would work best based off this cost-analysis process by showing how System A will last for this long and will be x amount of dollars less to maintain over the lifetime of the system when compared to System B and System C. Having done this with MD Anderson’s best interests in mind, MD Anderson can then make the best decision which will work best for their needs.
To add on to the cost, we also need plumbing so that, you know, we can get access to water and go to the bathroom when mother nature calls. Not to intentionally add any additional pressure to the mechanical engineer, but the water in this building will also be very important to the health and well-being of the patients utilizing SCRB5. The mechanical engineer responsible for this will need to understand certain fundamental principles from fluid dynamics, which come mostly from arguably the most important equation in the subject altogether: Bernoulli’s Equation.
The engineer will need to understand the total head, or feet of water traveling through the pipes. Even though the properties of water never change, the height obviously changes, which will affect the total head. A common solution engineers have devised is an Overhead Tank Water Distribution System where, according to the linked Connected Sensors article, consists of a pump pumping water into one or more different pressure/hydraulic zones. Thanks to innovations such as these, you can take care of your business when it’s time to go to the bathroom, wash your hands with water containing adequate pressure, and grab a glass of water in the middle of the night.
Plumbing Ducts in building (Courtesy of Ivey Engineering Inc.)
The Power from Within
It’s nice to have state-of-the-art equipment and a working HVAC system, but what’s the point of it all if you don’t have any electricity to power it? How could MD Anderson keep the lights on without it? This is where, to no one’s surprise, the electrical engineer would come in and help out. From engineering and designing the wiring system that would power everything to creating a back up power source to keep the critical pieces of equipment needed to help keep patients alive and healthy, this person is your go-to for all your electrical needs.
Typical layout of electrical wiring in a high rise building’s Electrical Room (Courtesy of Akouri Consulting Engineers Inc.)
The wiring system of the building is analogous to the building’s HVAC or plumbing system in that it shows where and how the power will be distributed throughout the building. Here’s an example from Electrical Engineering Portal that shows what the research facility’s wiring diagram could look like. So now we understand how the power could be distributed throughout the floor, but how does the power get distributed among the different floors? Thankfully, the structural engineer included spaces through the floors, known as risers, that are used to distribute the electrical power throughout the building. Similarly to the Mechanical Rooms listed above, there are usually spaces in high rises like this research building, known as Electrical Rooms, where the electrical wiring of the building can be monitored and maintained.
Sadly, there are times when the power could go out because of either a natural disaster, something happening to a power line, or whatever else could happen out there. What back-up power source is there for those patients who are dependent on machines to keep them alive? Thankfully, there are options! Companies such as Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc. provide hospitals and similar operations with services that help keep these systems powered. The electrical engineer who understands MD Anderson’s needs and goals would be able provide MD Anderson with the appropriate back-up power source.
Example of Secondary Power Source typically used in hospitals (Courtesy of OkSolar.com)
Furthermore, in the event of a storm or any event that could result in a momentary surge in electricity, the electrical engineer will need to find a way that will allow any excess electricity caused by the storm to safely dissipate and have it move away from the building. The steel used in the building’s structure can be used by the electrical engineer as a method to expel the excess electricity so it can move to the Earth’s surface, which is the natural ground source, if you will. Here’s a post from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) that explains in further detail how the research building’s grounding system could be engineered and built.
Maintaining a Connection
Even with MD Anderson’s vision of creating an environment where people can interact and ideas can be exchanged with one another, getting those people and ideas out into the world is also important for them. In terms of getting ideas out to everyone around the world, the internet is still the best way to make this happen. There are plenty of companies that would be more than willing to help MD Anderson get their ideas out to the world.
The Internet is a vital part of communicating ideas around the world (Courtesy of Inria/©Pixabay/Photo The Digital Artist)
Internet providers such as AT&T, Xfinity and Verizon help businesses and organizations stay connected to the world around them through their infrastructure. If MD Anderson would want to utilize internet services from any of these companies, they would need to utilize their fiber network. There are probably some businesses who still use a coaxial or copper cable for service, but this is far less common today than it was in years past. In any case, the building would need a room, either a dedicated Telecommunications Room or the Electrical Room as mentioned earlier, where either AT&T, Xfinity, Verizon, or any other telecommunications service provider could place a fiber or copper terminal and provide service to the building.
Depending on the type of service, the internet provider could possibly extend the service from this termination point into a suite or room within the research building by using the building risers that were previously mentioned. Since electrical current does flow through the telecommunications infrastructure, the terminal and some of the other telecommunications equipment will need to be grounded to the grounding system as mentioned above. The NFPA also has this article that describes more grounding basics if you’d like to know more about it.
Combining It All Together
After studying and looking into all of the services this research building will need, from Geotechnical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Telecommunications Engineering, there’s so much that’s happening here where it’s easy to see why this is going to cost MD Anderson $668 million USD to build. It’s also why it’s beneficial to seek out and find experienced professionals such as licensed Professional Engineers (P.E.) to help ensure buildings like these last a long time and prevent the project from falling into the pitfalls that other projects found themselves in.
With most of the world’s societies still developing or not really developed at all, high rises are here to stay and will continue to dominate our skylines. It’s important to see all that’s involved when making something as special as this research building so that we can all appreciate what it takes to help MD Anderson accomplish its mission: to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research, and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees, and the public.
How can we make this process smoother? Could we 3D Print a research facility like this? Could we reduce the impact these structures have on our environment? What do you think about all that’s involved in creating a space like this? Let us know in the comments below!
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