NEWS | January 4, 2019

Repair of Natural Draft Cooling Tower Receives ICRI Award

 

Constructed in 1974, a 400-foot-tall reinforced concrete hyperbolic shell natural draft cooling tower at a power generating station in the eastern United States was in need of repairs due to corrosion-induced concrete delamination and spalling throughout the tower shell and supporting columns. In 2015, the owner embarked on a comprehensive repair project, including an engineered demolition and rebuild of the severely deteriorated upper third of the tower as well as repair of deteriorated concrete and installation of cathodic protection at the remaining sections for a twenty-five-year service life extension. WJE conducted structural evaluations, designed repairs, and assisted the owner’s in-house construction management team with technical reviews, resolution of field conditions, and quality assurance during repair construction.

The International Concrete Repair Institute recognized the project with a 2018 Award of Merit for Excellence in the Repair of Industrial Structures.