Project Scope: Construction of 56 chemical exhaust hoods laboratory on the fifth floor while maintaining full operations in occupied building below.
Outcome: Laboratory construction completed with zero disruption to critical research operations in occupied floors below.
The MSL Infill Project transformed an abandoned fifth floor into a fully functional equipment hood laboratory, demonstrating MTI's ability to work within occupied buildings while managing extreme technical requirements. The existing four-story building had been incomplete for 10 years when funding became available to convert the fifth floor into a laboratory housing 56 scientific exhaust hoods for various chemical experiments, including perchloric acid and other corrosive materials.
The project required structural reinforcement throughout the building to support the additional weight loads, followed by concrete pouring over existing occupied facilities without disrupting operations below or allowing any concrete spillage onto active workspaces and laboratories. MTI coordinated this complex construction while ensuring the building remained fully operational and safe for all occupants.
A critical component involved fabricating and installing 48-inch stainless steel exhaust piping designed to handle chemicals ranging from explosive perchloric acid to various corrosive substances. The stainless steel piping required specialized welding to maintain smooth interior surfaces, which is essential because perchloric acid residue forms explosive crystals when caught in rough pipe surfaces, potentially creating dangerous conditions.