A GAME OF MILES AND INCHES: HIGH RISE SLAB EDGE REPAIRS

Less than six years after the construction of the 59-story building, a six-foot-long piece of concrete from a slab edge fell more than 200 feet onto the podium. A visual survey performed by the owner identified 31 additional locations where evidence of structural distress was observed along the exposed slab edges. The owners were concerned about their own safety, as well as the safety of people and property around the building. The owners then engaged Pivot to identify the cause of the premature damage and develop repair solutions. Using a suite of non-destructive and destructive testing techniques, Pivot determined the cause of the premature damage and concluded that the issue is widespread and systemic.

To address the safety concerns, the owners wanted repairs that addressed the root cause of the problem and restored their iconic structure, which at the time was the tallest residential building west of the Mississippi River. Based on the investigation findings, Pivot developed a repair plan that utilized novel repair materials and incorporated multiple layers of protection. The repairs were performed for all exposed slab edges in the building, a total of 9,200 linear feet.

Pivot's repairs mitigated further damage, corrected potential falling hazards, and restored the durability of the exposed slab edges. More importantly, it restored the residents' confidence in the safety of the building and its exposed slab edges, as well as reestablished the real estate value of the individual units.

PROJECT SERVICES:

Failure Investigation

Structural Assessment

Structural Repair & Strengthening Design

Litigation Support

Nondestructive Testing

Surface penetrating radar

Pachometer

Corrosion Testing

Corrosion rate

Half-cell potential