PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Brottier Hall is a 20-story high-rise building that provides student housing for Duquesne University. Garage parking is available for residents in the lowest three levels of the building. Concrete and steel beam deterioration within the garage structure prompted the University to contact Barber & Hoffman.
Barber & Hoffman developed a repair approach for the garage structure through comprehensive observations and evaluation of the entire structure. Our findings led to prioritizing repairs in order of severity. The central girder line of the garage required extensive steel beam reinforcing with additional plate materials as well as pre-cast-tee stem reinforcing with carbon fiber mesh.
Other repairs included replacement of portions of deteriorated steel beams along the ramp area and patching of cracked pre-cast-tee flanges. New concrete topping materials were installed for most of the parking area as well as a new deck coating to improve long-term durability. Some areas of existing asphalt were removed and replaced with a thin-set epoxy coating rather than concrete.
Barber & Hoffman’s ability to respond to the different design challenges with the existing construction enabled the contractor to maintain schedule and ultimately led to successful completion of the project phases.