Tensar Geogrids Take Off At Lancaster Hospital

Constructing a helipad involved reconstructing a steep grass slope from the hospital grounds up to a road using layers of Tensar geogrids simply connected to a steel mesh panel face.

In constructing a helipad in the grounds of Lancaster Hospital, consultants RG Parkins required a reinforced soil solution to build up the helipad in the restricted area available.

The adopted solution involved reconstructing a steep grass slope from the hospital grounds up to a road using layers of Tensar geogrids simply connected to a steel mesh panel face.

In using geogrid reinforcement to construct the steep face (formed at 60 degrees to the horizontal), the helipad is considered an earth embankment rather than a retaining structure and therefore avoids certain regulation implications, bringing about cost and time savings on the project.

The retained height of the helipad is approximately 7 metres and the face is formed using steelusing steel mesh panels with turf laid behind to blend in with the surrounding scenery and create a visually attractive amenity.

The surface area at the top of the helipad is 43 metres square with a turf finish and a hard standing concrete area in the middle for the helicopter to land on.

The helipad is built up using granular fill reinforced with 11 layers of Tensar 40RE geogrid.

The fill was imported to site from a local quarry.

This construction method requires no formal foundation and is easy and rapid and no special skills or tools are needed.

The geogrids provide the structural reinforcement while the steel mesh panels allow a neat face to be formed and also avoid the need for any temporary support.

Completed in May 2004, the helipad is located within the hospital site between the Centenary building and aand a medical Unit building.

The helipad will be used by North West Air Ambulance to deliver patients from emergency scenes when travel by road is simply not fast enough.

The helipad is at the same level as the adjacent service road allowing rapid transfer of patients from the helicopter to the Accident and Emergency Department.

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