Challenge
After 60 years of service to the residents of a 16-story Passaic, New Jersey, apartment building, this three-level parking garage was in need of major repairs. The cumulative effect of years of exposure to de-icing salts and a severe northern climate had taken its toll on the structure. Corrosion on the concrete steel reinforcement led to extensive concrete cracking, advanced stages of rusting, and numerous concrete spalls and delaminations. Deterioration had advanced to the point where the very structural integrity of the garage was in question. To make things worse, the upper level concrete slab had been overlaid with a 2” layer of asphalt that only served to further aggravate the deterioration process.
Solution
Before proceeding with the actual demolition and repair, shoring was installed to provide structural support to ensure the integrity of the garage, while also providing safety for all on-site personnel during the concrete removal and repair process. Valcourt’s mechanics removed concrete in preparation for both full-depth and partial-depth repairs. Once the corroded reinforcing steel was fully exposed and inspection of the rebar’s diameter was conducted to determine if replacement steel would be necessary. After the existing reinforcing steel was cleaned and treated, and replacement steel was installed, new concrete was placed to restore the concrete slab back to its original condition.
To extend the life of the garage and protect it from future deterioration, a drainage system was installed, expansion joints were replaced, and all control joints were re-caulked with new sealant. The final step was the application of a polyurethane vehicular deck coating to provide the deck slabs with a wearing surface, and to prevent the penetration of water and chlorides into the concrete that could cause new deterioration.
Work Performed
- Concrete Repair
- Traffic Coating
- Expansion Joint Replacement
