Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
(OP)
All,
A steel frame building collapsed during construction, has been redesigned, and is now being rebuilt.
During the collapse, the anchor bolts pulled out of the concrete caisson foundations.
My task is to verify that the damaged portion of the foundation has been removed, and that the caisson, when rebuilt, will be ready to receive the new structure.
Any thoughts regarding tests that should be conducted on the concrete after the broken portion is removed?
curvbridger
A steel frame building collapsed during construction, has been redesigned, and is now being rebuilt.
During the collapse, the anchor bolts pulled out of the concrete caisson foundations.
My task is to verify that the damaged portion of the foundation has been removed, and that the caisson, when rebuilt, will be ready to receive the new structure.
Any thoughts regarding tests that should be conducted on the concrete after the broken portion is removed?
curvbridger






RE: Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
Rod
RE: Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
What do you mean by a "pull test on the anchor bolts"? I've never seen one specified, only weld tests and torque tests for nuts. Are you suggesting that a pull out test be done on one or more anchor bolts? Please explain.
RE: Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
Hope this helps
sgdon
RE: Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
I my particular case the job superintendant phonied the weld tests and the inspector trusted him. After the fact, the inspector had all the remaining bolts pull tested and several more failed. I was injured, the inspector was fired but, the super got off scot free! This was on a NAVY base, to boot. "Sometimes there just ain't no justice"!
Rod
RE: Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
Check the integrity of the concrete. This can be done with coring and correlated NDT such as ultrasonic pulse velocity or other NDT methods.
RE: Structure Collapse - Picking up the pieces
I am pretty sure that the anchor bolts will be replaced in total, not spliced or re-used, so I don't think pull out tests are in order. I will check on this. I was asked to conduct swiss hammer testing, but I don't expect to learn much, even if correlation with compressive strength tests can be made. It seems to me that the only issue is cracking of the concrete due to overstress during the failure, and this condition should be visible at the demolished surface.
Curvbridger