Steel Mill
Project Highlights
- Basin leak history of repairs extended over many years
- Cracks were injected and then stitched with carbon fiber
- Entire basin was upgraded with carbon composites to meet updated seismic zone requirements
Project:
The eight Cooling Tower Basins were all experiencing wall cracking and leaks. The initial cause of the cracking was determined to be inadequate horizontal reinforcing allowing shrinkage cracks to appear. A seismic event furthered the opening the cracks.
There had been numerous attempts to address the problem by either patching or injection. These repairs had met with limited success for a variety of reasons with most of the cracks continuing to leak.
Solution:
Apply CFRP composite materials to repair/stitch cracks and to strengthen walls in place of rebar. Engineering established the amount of materials needed for seismic and structural requirements. The repair included: clean and remove damaged concrete, seal leaks, treat and apply carbon fiber to crack areas, and finally, to apply carbon fiber to wall surfaces. The repaired system was then coated for UV protection.
Results:
The basins have been completely rehabilitated by this comprehensive repair. The solution brought each basin into compliance with seismic and structural requirements. The final result provides long-term structural integrity and repairs leaks permanently.