subject: Giving New Life to Old Structures [print this page] Giving New Life to Old Structures Giving New Life to Old Structures
In the United States, there are many buildings and facilities that were built during the earlier half of the 20th century. These old structures used pre-stressed or reinforced concrete as main construction material. Today, many of these structures are still standing, but most of them are already past their expected lifespan. The concrete walls are cracking everywhere, metal posts are being corroded with rust, and most of the wooden beams and struts have rotted away.
A lot of old structures were only designed to support light loads such as wooden furniture and cabinets. However, people using these buildings today have heavy appliances such as bulky metal refrigerators and washing machines. Pipelines are subjected to punishment both inside (by the oil or water) and outside (weather, natural disasters). Architectural experts and engineers have to find a way to reinforce these aging structures with minimal cost involved.
Experts often use the term structural repair to refer to the actual reconstruction or renewal of a building and its key structural elements. Structural repair involves careful analysis of a building or facility in order to find areas of distress and determine what is causing them. Removal of damaged materials, as well as choosing the right materials to use is important in extending a structure's lifespan.
Today, engineers have various tools that can aid them in performing building and pipeline repairs. Using computers, they can create virtual simulations to determine which parts of a structure are most likely to get damaged by stress caused by heavy loads or signs of corrosion inside and outside the pipe linings. Various measuring devices and leak detectors can also help pinpoint signs of leakage.
Structural repair is also made easier by stronger and more versatile materials. Fiber reinforced polymers are significantly lighter and cheaper than steel and concrete, but they are far more durable than conventional building materials. Struts are retrofitted on basements and ceilings to ease the load on existing support beams, and cracks are filled with fresh concrete to prevent them from growing.
Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a universal solution when it comes to structural repair. This means engineers have to rely greatly on their own skills to determine which methods to choose, as well as how they are going to be implemented. With proper structural renovations, a building's lifespan can extend to a few more decades.
