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Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

(OP)
I've got a structural steel column that was clad in concrete. The column was just a W6x15 in front of an old strip shopping center. The column was hit by a car and now the concrete wrap is cracked, horizontally, about every 3' or so up the height of the column. I've reviewed the structure, and checked the W6 by itself for its ability to carry its load, and I see no other damage and the column is adequate as a W6. The concrete is just a protective and decorative wrap.

I'm weighing in my mind advising the client to demolish the wrap and put it back, or, to injection epoxy the cracks and leave the wrap on there. I'm leaning toward epoxy injecting the cracks.

Do you guys have any decent procedural books about how this should be done? I own ACI's Concrete Repair Manual Volumes 1 & 2 and they don't help. Where do you guys go to know what to tell the GC to do in terms of preparing the crack for injection, what material to use for injection, and then coating the column once the repair is done?

RE: Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

ACI RAP 1 Structural Crack Repair by Epoxy Injection may be of assistance: Link

RE: Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

What is the crack width? All we can see in the photo is some marks where bumpers have been hitting the column. Was there any spalling? I would recommend a curb stop. They have the typical problem that they have re-paved several times and they no longer have a curb.

RE: Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap


Brad805 - I don't think the area has been repaved. The line painting seems to indicate a handicapped parking slot, which would require the pavement be flush with the sidewalk. Curb stops may be problematic in the vicinity of a handicap parking slot.

Marinaman - Not sure of the climate conditions for this. It appears that it may be a northern area but is it near or in a coastal climate? Do any of the other encased columns have similar cracks - which might signify shrinkage cracks as well as cracks from the impact on this particular column. If the column is fine without the concrete encasement, I would look for a coating to seal the cracks against moisture intrusion if this is not a coastal region. Otherwise I'd go with the epoxy injection.

Ralph
Structures Consulting
Northeast USA

RE: Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

Seems if the cars are hitting the old column with the concrete wrap, they'd keep on hitting it without the concrete. And then you would have a bent WF column that is "pulling down" the overhead beams and roof as it bends.

What about removing the old concrete, then replacing it with a short 3-4 foot high concrete cylinder "bumper protector" ? But, since idiots (er, customers) can't seem to see the old concrete, better make it 4-5 feet high.

RE: Crack Repair in Steel Column Concrete Wrap

RHTPE, looking again I see the marking. It also appears the asphalt is flush to the top of the concrete in many other areas. Typical developers. I don't know the US req'ts, but a handicap curb drop seems to be a better idea.

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