CASE STUDY

A VIP CONFERENCE CENTRE AT DELHI

(Source: Central Designs Organisation, CPWD, New Delhi)

SALIENT FEATURES
• Year of constrution : 1957, large scale renovation and modification in 1983
• Investigation done : 1990
• Type of structure : Building with a total plinth area of 6500 sq.m. and consisted
of three components
a) Auditorium: RCC framed construction with
foundation consisting of isolated/combined footings. The
floor slab supported over the columns with the basement
below. The roof slab was with C.G.I. Sheet roofing
supported over steel roof trusses.
b) Administrative Block: The three storeyed load
bearing structure with RCC floor slab/roofs and load
bearing walls, supported over RCC strip footing.
c) Rear Block: The three storeyed RCC framed
construction with beam/slab arrangements for intermediate
floors and C.G.I. sheet roofing supported over steel
trusses.
• History of Fire : The fire started from false ceiling of the room on second
floor of rear block. The fire soon spread to other parts of
the rear block. Later ,it gutted the roof of the auditorium
which was completely burnt down.The fire had caused
10 severe and extensive damage to the building and its
content.
• Duration of fire : More than 1 hour.

VISUAL OBSERVATIONS
1. Collapse of the roof trusses.
2. Severe and significant cracks observed in a few concrete members.
3. Minor to considerable spalling of concrete noticed in columns, beams and slabs.
4. Reinforcement exposed in some columns, beams and slabs.
5. Minor peeling to total loss of plaster seen in the filler walls, RCC columns, beams and slabs.
6. Excessive distortion observed in a few columns.

IN-SITU EVALUATION AND LABORATORY TESTING

a) Estimation of Temperature
Based on the inspection of debris like charring wood, softened glass panes, bitumastic layered
coatings, molten CGI sheets, PVC material, aluminium frames, damaged/destroyed false ceiling
and wall panels, plaster on walls etc, estimation temperature at floor level was 200O C and at roof
level 1100O C at specific locations,

Repairs & Rehabilitation Unit

b) Non-destructive Test

Core Test
The test results were as under-
Sl. Member No of Equivalent Cube Strength of Concrete in N/sq mm
No Classification cores Min. Max. Av. s
1 Columns 23 8.64 26.60 16.10 4.78
2 Beams 12 13.16 25.06 18.90 4.39
3 Slab 18 11.75 23.96 17.27 3.06

Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test

The results were as under-
Pulse Velocity (km/sec) Number of reading (in %) for Quality of
Concrete
Column Beam Slab
0.0-2.5 22 12 33 Poor
2.5-3.0 14 64 40 Doubtful
3.0-3.5 32 18 17 Medium
3.5-4.5 32 6 - Good

Rebound Hammer Test

The rebound values as under-
Sl. Member No of Equivalent Cube Strength of Concrete in N/sq mm
No Classification cores Min. Max. Av. s
10
1 Columns 12 34 to 39 38 to 56 37 to 52 2.62-5.00
2 Beams 2 28 to 50 39 to 50 33 to 50 -
3 Slab 5 30 to 37 40 to 45 34 to 40 3.88-3.55

c) Laboratory Testing
Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
The results were as under-
Number of samples Estimated temperature range Residual strength
27 100-2000C 80-90%
12 200-3000C 70-80%
2 > 3000C 60-70%

Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA)

This test was carried out on the samples taken from bottom of balcony slab and beam, slab of the main
foyer and some columns. It was found that slab and beam were not subjected to temperature higher
than 5000C but columns were subjected to temperature more than 5000C but less than 5700C.
 X-ray Differaction (XRD)
The test was carried out on selective members and found that the main foyer beam was subjected to
temperature higher than 5000C while balcony slab, beam and adjacent slabs were not subjected to
temerature more than 5000C.

CONCLUSIONS
The various fire damaged structural members were classifed into class of damage 1, 2, 3 & 4. This
damage classification was based on the visual inspection and non-destructive tests conducted on the
members. The residual strength of concrete was assessed on the basis of the results of various tests
done on the damaged strucutre.

RECOMMENDED REPAIR METHODS

For the purpose of formulating the recommendations, the extent of damage and their repair, measures
were classified into four major categories.
1. For class of damage-1 (Superficial repairs), consisting of
(i) Cement plaster application over treated surfaces.
2. For class of damage-2 (General non structural or minor strucutral repairs) consisting of
(i) Cement based polymer modified mortar over cement slurry bonding coat.
(ii) Epoxy mortar treatment over epoxy primer coating with or without wiremesh reinforcement.
3. For class of damage -3 (Principal repairs on members with significant strength reduction)
consisting of
(i) Shotcreting on slabs/beams/columns by providing steel wire mesh reinforcement.
(ii) RCC jacketing of column members.
10 (iii) Sealing of structural cracks by epoxy grout injection
(iv) Sealing of honey combed portions by cement grouting.
4. Class of damage -4 (major structural repairs),consisting of
(i) Demolishing the heavily damaged members and recasting with fresh concrete with or without
additional reinforcement.
(ii) Strengthening existing or addition of new structural members.

Repairs & Rehabilitation Unit

 Plate 1: Main Auditorium after Fire

Plate 2: Other part of building after fire

Plate 3: Main Auditorium after repairs and

finishing
€

10

Plate 4: Columm Jacketting.

Central Designs Organisation

 Plate 5 : Nipples fixed and cracks sealed €
for injection grout.

Plate 6 : Injection grouting in progres.

Plate 7 : Epoxy mortar repairs in progress. €

Plate 8 :Shotcreting in progress.

EPOXY BASED INJECTION GROUTING OF

CRACKS IN STRUCTURES
 Epoxy injection grouting is a method of repairing cracks in concrete
structures. Equipment required for epoxy based injection grouting,
procedure for grouting will be discussed here.

Epoxy based grouting is preferred to cement due to property of quick

setting, very low shrinkage, excellent adhesion, high strength, low
viscosity to penetrate even hair cracks and good resistance to most of
the chemicals. But epoxy grouting being expensive, should be used
when cement grouting is not suitable for crack repair for the required
functioning of the structure such as active cracks due to shrinkage.

Epoxy grouting is done based on the type of crack, width and depth of
crack in concrete structure. Grouting of wide cracks requires large
quantity of grout materials. In such cases fillers are used to fill the
cracks before epoxy grouting. Silicon four is one of the filler material
used. The filler material to be used should be based on the
manufacturers specification.

Very low viscosity epoxy resin and hardener composition is used for
injection grouting of cracks. Based on the width of crack, depth and
extent of cracks and other relevant details, the viscosity of the resin
hardener mix, their proportions, pot life, application procedure etc. is
selected in consultation with the manufacturers. The epoxy mortar
selected should not be susceptible to fire and explosion during
injection process and must be stable under varying climatic conditions.

Equipments Required for Epoxy Injection Grouting are:

o Hole drilling equipment, can be pneumatic or electric based.

o Pressure injection equipment of standard make with necessary control
valves and gauges, etc.
o Air compressor of capacity 3 to 4 cum/min. and pressure of 10 kg/cm2.
o Polythene or metal pipe pieces 6 – 9mm diameter.
o Polythene / plastic containers for mixing the epoxy formulation.
o A portable generator.

Procedure for Epoxy Injection Grouting in Concrete

Structures:

o Surface preparation is the first step in repair of cracks in concrete. The

area to be epoxy grouted should be made free from oil, grease, dust
and all loose and unsound materials.
o Then cracks in concrete is cut open into a ‘V’ groove about 10mm deep
by mechanical or manual method. Loose materials are removed by
using compressed air. The ‘V’ groove cut is fully sealed with epoxy
mortar at least one day in advance before epoxy injection.
o Nails are driven into the cracks at 15 cm to 50cm intervals along the
crack.
o Holes of 7 – 10 mm diameter is then drilled along the cracks and
copper or aluminium or polythene pipe pieces of 6 – 9 mm diameter is
fixed as grout nipples around the nails and allowed to rest on them.
o Epoxy formulation is injected from the bottom most pipe. All other
pipes, except the adjacent ones are blocked by wooden plugs. The
injection is done using suitable nozzles connected to air compressors
or by hand operated modified grease guns. Pressure of 3.5 to 7 kg
/cm2 is normally used.
o As soon as the epoxy comes out from the adjacent open pipes, they
are plugged and the pressure is increased to the desired level and
maintained for 2 to 3 minutes. The injection nozzle is then withdrawn
and the hole sealed with epoxy mortar. This operation is repeated for
the other pipes also. Any resin that remains or overflows the pipe is
scraped off with a metal spatula and the surface cleaned with a rag
soaked in non-inflammable solvent.
o Due to restriction of pot life, it is advisable to mix only small quantities
of epoxy at a time. All proportioning should be by weight and mixing
should be thorough.
o Low viscosity resins may be adopted for thin cracks.
o A record of materials used for epoxy grouting should be maintained.

Concrete Repair by Shotcrete

When do I use this method?

This technique is most economical on vertical surfaces, such as

columns, walls, beam sides, pier caps, and overhead horizontal
 surfaces such as ceilings, beam bottoms, slab soffits, and deck
overhangs.
What is the purpose of this repair
The shotcrete process is typically used to restore structural integrity,
increase concrete cover over reinforcement, or both. It's typically used
when forming requirements are difficult or prohibitively expensive or
as another repair tool in the designer's and contractor's tool kits.

How do I prepare the surface?

the most important requirement for successful concrete repair is

surface preparation. Deteriorated or spalled concrete should be
removed back to sound concrete. If reinforcing bars are exposed, they
must be undercut to provide mechanical bond for the shotcrete.
Corrosion products on reinforcing bars should be removed by abrasive
or high-pressure water blasting. The repair boundaries should be left
at an outsloping 45 degree angle to facilitate air and rebound escape.
The outer edge of the repair area should be sawcut to a depth of about
3/4 in. (20 mm) to prevent the formation of feathered edges (Fig. 1)

Step-by-step procedures for surface preparation are:

1. Observe or sound the concrete to determine areas of

delamination or deficiency
2. Remove unsound concrete with a hand-held chipping hammer or
ultra-high-pressure water blaster so as not to unnecessarily
damage substrate concrete and reinforcing bar. Remove any
resulting loose or fractured material;
3. Replace or supplement damaged reinforcement as necessary.
Consult the designer for required sizes and spacing. Separate lap
 splices by one bar diameter to facilitate placement of repair
material. Do not place new rein forcing steel directly behind or in
front of existing reinforcing steel (Fig. 2);
4. Abrasive blast or water blast the reinforcing steel and the surface
of the area to be repaired to remove any contaminants; and
5. Spray the surface with water and allow to dry back to a saturated
surface-dry (SSD) condition.

Use of a Bonding Agent

Bonding agents are not typically used in shotcrete repair. It might be
interesting to discuss why they aren’t. The reason is simple: while
shotcreting, the first layer of material that sticks to the substrate
surface is a fully consolidated layer of a relatively low water-cement
ratio (w/c) material. Moreover, this layer is always followed by the
application of the bulk of the shotcrete repair material, without having
time to set. This is almost the perfect description of how bonding
agents (at least cement based ones) should perform. Therefore,
shotcrete usually bonds completely to a substrate without the
requirement of a bonding agent
 Materials

There are two basic types of shotcrete—dry mix and wet mix. In dry
mix shotcrete, the dry cement, sand, and coarse aggregate, if used,
are premixed with only sufficient water to reduce dusting. This mixture
is then forced through the delivery line to the nozzle by compressed
air. At the nozzle, sufficient water is added to the moving stream to
meet the requirements of cement hydration. Figure shows the nozzle
and water ring of a dry mix shotcrete nozzle. For wet mix shotcrete,
the cement, sand, and coarse aggregate are first conventionally mixed
with water, and the resulting concrete is then pumped to the nozzle
where compressed air propels the wet mixture onto the desired
surface. The two types of shotcrete produce mixes with different water
contents and different application characteristics as a result of the
distinctly different mixing processes. Dry mix shotcrete suffers high
dust generation and rebound losses varying from about 15 percent to
up to 50 percent. Wet mix shotcrete must contain enough water to
permit pumping through the delivery line. Wet mix shotcrete, as a
result, may experience significantly more cracking problems due to the
excess water and drying shrinkage. Advances in the development of
the high range water reducing admixtures, pumping aids, and concrete
pumping equipment since about 1960 have greatly reduced these
problems, and wet mix shotcrete is now being used more frequently in
repair construction

What equipment do I need?

An extensive discussion of the equipment requirements for shotcrete
application is contained in ACI 506R. Equipment necessary for wet-mix
shotcrete includes:
 A concrete pump;
 An air compressor;
 Concrete hoses;
 Air hoses;
 and Shotcrete nozzles with air rings.
Equipment necessary for dry-mix shotcrete includes:
 A cement gun;
 A mixer/elevator;
 An air compressor;
 Shotcrete hoses;
 A water pressure booster pump;
 Water hoses;
 and Shotcrele nozzles with water rings.
Equipment common to both processes includes:
 Finishing tools and screeds;
 Air lances for blowing away rebound/overspray;
 Abrasive blast equipment or water blaster; and Chipping
hammers.

How do I check the repair?

 One of the many benefits of the shotcrete repair process is that it
can be observed during placement because there are no forms
hiding what is going on in the cavity. Inspectors and applicators
can both observe the corners being filled and reinforcing steel
being encapsulated. The possibility of honeycombing is largely
eliminated if care is taken to prevent voids and unconsolidated
overspray and rebound is removed as it accumulates. Once the
shotcrete has set, the bond can be verified by sounding for voids
with a hammer. If additional bond information is desired, the test
methods described in ASTM C1583/C1583M, "Standard Test
Method for Tensile Strength of Concrete Surfaces and the Bond
Strength or Tensile Strength of Concrete Repair and Overlay
Materials by Direct Tension (Pull-off Method)," can be followed. A
good repair should typically fail in the substrate and, in most
cases, have a tensile strength exceeding 150 psi (1 MPa).

Strengthening of RC columns

Strengthening of reinforced concrete columns is

needed when:

1. The load carried by the column is increased due to either

increasing the number of floors or due to mistakes in the design.

2. The compressive strength of the concrete or the percent and type

of reinforcement are not according to the codes’ requirements.

3. The inclination of the column is more than the allowable.

4. The settlement in the foundation is more than the allowable.

REINFORCED CONCRETE JACKET

 The size of the jacket and the number and diameter of the steel bars
used in the jacketing process depend on the structural analysis that
was made to the column.

In some cases, before this technique is carried out, we need to reduce

or even eliminate temporarily the loads applied to the column; this is
done by the following steps:

o Putting mechanical jacks between floors.

o Putting additional props between floors.

Moreover, in some cases, where corrosion in the reinforcement steel

bars was found, the following steps should be carried out:

o Remove the concrete cover.

o Clean the steel bars using a wire brush or sand compressor.
o Coat the steel bars with an epoxy material that would prevent
corrosion.
o If there was no need for the previous steps, the jacketing process
could start by the following steps:
o Adding steel connectors into the existing column in order to
fasten the new stirrups of the jacket in both the vertical and
horizontal directions at spaces not more than 50cm.Those
connectors are added into the column by making holes 3-4mm
larger than the diameter of the used steel connectors and 10-
15cm depth.
o Filling the holes with an appropriate epoxy material then
inserting the connectors into the holes.
o Adding vertical steel connectors to fasten the vertical steel bars
of the jacket following the same procedure in step 1 and 2.
o Installing the new vertical steel bars and stirrups of the jacket
according to the designed dimensions and diameters.
o Coating the existing column with an appropriate epoxy material
that would guarantee the bond between the old and new
concrete.
o Pouring the concrete of the jacket before the epoxy material
dries. The concrete used should be of low shrinkage and consists
 of small aggregates, sand, cement and additional materials to
prevent shrinkage.

The previous steps are illustrated in Fig 1.

References
 https://theconstructor.org/concrete/epoxy-based-injection-grouting-of-cracks-in-
structures/9068/
 https://www.shotcrete.org/media/Archive/2010Sum_ACIRAPBulletin12.pdf
 https://civildigital.com/shotcrete-concrete-repairing-techniques/
 https://www.shotcrete.org/media/Archive/2004Win_TechTip.pdf
Helwan Univeristy Faculty
of Engineering ( Matrya Branch ) Structural engineering
program

CONFERENCE CENTRE AT DELHI

Presented to Dr. waleed abdalla

Stud / Mohamed jamal ahmed elgendy
Id : 302015731