Start Date: Design: April 2006 Construction: May 2006
Completion Date: Design: February 2007 Construction: Ongoing
NTH Value Added NTH combines exceptional skills in structural condition investigations/evaluations with expertise in structural design to limit the impact to the Owners Manufacturing Operation.
Concrete Roof Tile Support Systems Major Automotive Manufacturing Plant – Midwest Region
Project Scope A major automotive manufacturer retained NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) to review the condition of concrete roof tiles in several sections of a manufacturing plant constructed between the 1920s and 1960s. The roof tiles were reviewed for structural integrity, noting defects such as cracking, spalls, and unsupported penetrations. Based on the types and severity of the defects, we recommended that the roof areas be repaired or replaced. NTH documented classified, and rated the defects, and then designed appropriate remediation procedures for the various conditions. Due to the presence of a lightweight concrete roof topping, replacement of defective tiles was not cost effective; as such, NTH designed a means to support the degraded roof tiles from the underside.
NTH performed the following major project phases:
Completed a visual review of the roof tiles for distress and degradation. Assessed the integrity of the concrete tiles taking into account the type and extent of the defect observed.
Determined the need for immediate repairs or deferred repairs and monitored the rate of deterioration on degraded tiles.
Designed the means to provide additional support allowing the degraded tile to safely remain in place.
Project Approach To develop a viable design for safely supporting the degraded tiles, NTH:
Used standardized distress codes to visually evaluate the roof tiles and record the type and extent of defect(s) for each tile.
Determined the type of support required for each tile based on the type, location and severity of the defect(s).
Developed conceptual support details for various field conditions.
Refined the support design to allow for rapid installation with minimal impact to manufacturing.
Project Results NTH delivered a creative design solution that re-supported deteriorated/degraded roof tiles. The re-support solution was significantly less costly than replacement, as well as less disruptive to manufacturing operations. This innovative solution allowed manufacturing activities to continue with minimal interruption and provided our client with significant cost savings in the installation phase of the project.
Following the completed design phase, NTH provided the necessary quality assurance/quality control during the installation portion of the project.
