CRL Mitcham are currently carrying out the strengthening of 8no. 10-metre-long beams using Mapei Planitop Floor HPC46 Ultra High Strength fibre reinforced micro concrete, at the Harwell Science campus in Oxford.
The works involve render removal, concrete repairs, installation of a new reinforcement frame to the outside of the beams, erecting specially designed formwork (supported by Titan air props), cutting 300mm x 60 mm slots into the slab above (to enable the fibre reinforced concrete to be poured into the formwork) and finally pouring the Planitop into the formwork through slots cut in the slab above.
Kevin Hodgson commented; “To pour 2m3 of concrete (per beam) through small slots above and keep the concrete flowing along the 10-metre-long beams within the narrow formwork and congested reinforcement has been challenging to say the least. To ensure flowability and a good distribution of fibres within the mix, the concrete needs to be mixed for a minimum of 12 minutes. It is also critical to have a continuous flow of mortar going into the slots.”
The works involve render removal, concrete repairs, installation of a new reinforcement frame to the outside of the beams, erecting specially designed formwork (supported by Titan air props), cutting 300mm x 60 mm slots into the slab above (to enable the fibre reinforced concrete to be poured into the formwork) and finally pouring the Planitop into the formwork through slots cut in the slab above.
Kevin Hodgson commented; “To pour 2m3 of concrete (per beam) through small slots above and keep the concrete flowing along the 10-metre-long beams within the narrow formwork and congested reinforcement has been challenging to say the least. To ensure flowability and a good distribution of fibres within the mix, the concrete needs to be mixed for a minimum of 12 minutes. It is also critical to have a continuous flow of mortar going into the slots.”
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27th April 2021
150 Harwell Building, Beam Strengthening
150 Harwell Building, Beam Strengthening
Submitted by Mike Balletta