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FEBRUA RY 2016 | 15 Restoration Products & Services W The restoration sector benefits from the latest niche products by GODFREY BUDD Builders, architects, engineers and other specifiers are encountering an ever-expanding range of prod- ucts, systems and technologies to choose from for their restoration projects. It is to be expected; the existing built environment, whether for repairs, renovation or an extensive historical restoration, accounts for a large segment of construction activity. Alongside the ups and downs of new building cycles, the demand for res- toration products and work to service existing build- ings is relatively constant. Aside from the fact that the unique features of older buildings can sometimes be extremely expensive to create for new construction projects, studies have shown that spruced up older buildings often hold their leasing value better in a downturn. There are other economic advantages. For example, structural costs for the restoration of older buildings can be much less than for new projects, according to Architectural Conservancy Ontario. The increasing application of fibre technology solutions for strengthening structural components like concrete pillars and beams is likely driving these costs down even further. The traditional approach of strengthening or restoring concrete typically entails the application of more concrete, girders or rebar. Depending on the structure involved, each can be com- plicated to apply as well as having consequences. More concrete means more weight and more space, which can present a problem, says Grant Thornley, senior business development manager for North America at Fibrwrap Construction, Inc. "The rule of thumb is that fibre is three to four times quicker to install than con- ventional methods and takes up negligible space. This can mean lower overall project costs," he says. The use of fibre as a lightweight tension member began more than 25 years ago. "We first started with bridge columns, then quickly progressed to other struc- tural elements like beams and slabs. As we gained more industry acceptance, the use of fibre was expanded into other markets and uses such as parkades, seismic upgrades and large pipe repairs. Increasing a struc- tures strength can also provide additional benefits to clients; for parkades, more space and/or heavier loads, for buildings meeting new seismic codes and for pipe higher operating pressures," Thornley says. In the case of projects in a workplace environment, where daily operations continue, applying a glass or carbon fibre fabric wrap, can be much less intrusive than other conventional methodology. "In a recent proj- ect, a floor slab was strengthened for the installation of a CAT Scan unit within a hospital. You wouldn't have known we were there unless you bumped into us. The work involved almost no disruption to operations and was completed in less than five days," Thornley says. For installation, Fibrwrap fabrics are applied wet to a structures surface and may require several lay- ers depending on the strength needed. This means that the fabric must first be run through a device called a saturator, which saturates the dry fabric with epoxy and removes any entrained air. Older and less reli- able installation methods involve holding a dry fabric in place then pressing the epoxy into and through the material using a plastic putty knife. Thornley says that demand for this type of structural upgrade or restora- tion has taken off over the past 10 years. He adds that repairing large diameter pipe is one of the fastest growing markets in his business. "When a pipe, also known as a penstock, which feeds water to a hydro-electric turbine failed and had to be repaired, the client looked at three options: installing a new pipe at a cost of $4 million, with a six month plus outage; cutting out and re-welding damaged pipe sections at a cost of $3.7 million, with a one-year outage; or install- ing carbon fibre at a cost of $2 million, with an outage of less than 1.5 months." Surprisingly, repairing a power station's water pipe is not so different in some respects from some heri- tage restoration projects. Carbon fibre-epoxy was used to restore the Brock's Monument near Niagara- on-the-Lake, says Andrew Lough, president of Colonial Building Restoration. "It was strengthened with car- bon fibre wrap that extended along the interior spiral staircase. The walls had to be sandblasted first so that the epoxy glue would work," he says. Other exterior work involved repairing or replacing stone elements on the 185-foot monument. "We're see- ing a lot more carbon fibre used for restoration," Lough says, noting the use of it on a project that included rais- ing the ceiling of a Prada store in Toronto. Another Colonial project involved a new company headquarters where management required instal- lation of some special, heavy filing cabinets that had been used at the previous HQ. "They had the floors and columns strengthened with carbon fibre, so they could use the same filing cabinets," Lough says. Historic Preservation Brock's Monument restoration project. Custom colour Arriscraft Laurier Building Stone at the University of Western Ontario. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY ARRISCRAFT INTERNATIONAL; COLONIAL BUILDING RESTORATION

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