Adapting modular structures for healthcare applications

Abstract

COVID-19 has highlighted many vital factors to consider when it comes to the healthcare systems. Some challenges such as personnel, equipment, and space demands. Personnel demand can be met by calling retired doctors and nurses and doctors from different specializations to participate in administering to COVID-19 patients. As for the equipment, more equipment can be purchased to accommodate the increasing number of patients. While for the space demand, this requires adapting innovative solutions in healthcare applications to ensure faster delivery and better infection control. Modular Construction (MC) can offer an adequate solution to this arising challenge. MC relies on using componentized, panelized, or volumetric units produced off-site and then transported to the site to form various configurations. They can utilize different materials (e.g., steel, concrete, composites) as they have significant advantages in project adaptability. Since healthcare space requires prompt delivery, modular structures can excel in this aspect since they provide a safer working environment, less material wastage, and sustainability. However, using such modular structures as isolation rooms alone is insufficient, as the ventilation system plays a crucial role in infection control. Another factor to consider when designing a layout of the modular structure is the load development on various surfaces within the layout and how this can impact the overall structural performance and cost of the project. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is to assess the ventilation system performance by altering the flow rates (i.e., air change per hour (ACH)) and the placements of the inlet and outlet of the ventilation system, using numerical modelling (e.g., computational fluid dynamics (CFD)). [...]