CLEANROOM CONSTRUCTION ERRORS TO AVOID: A CIVIL ENGINEER’S PERSPECTIVE ON ACHIEVING ZERO-DEFECT DELIVERY IN SPACE SECTOR

Abstract

Clean rooms are artificially engineered space designed to minimize particulate and microbial contamination, critical to industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, semiconductors, and space. While mechanical and electrical systems dominate discussions on cleanroom design, civil engineering plays a pivotal role in ensuring desirable quality, airtightness, durability, and precision of the physical enclosure. This paper examines common civil engineering errors in cleanroom construction, their impact on validation and certification, and methods to prevent them. The paper highlights issues such as execution errors in RCC foundation with vibration isolation, roof slab, erection of structural steel members, joinery, wall paneling, surface irregularities in ESD flooring, joint leakages, dampness issues, improper finishing and inadequate sealing etc. The study concludes with a framework for civil engineers to achieve zero-defect delivery in clean room projects for the space sector. This paper is more specifically applicable for large clean rooms with areas in the range of 500sqm and above with high bays ceiling height greater than 21m.