IPA, BUILDING C, JEDDAH, KSA

CCL was engaged to undertake strengthening works to one of the Institute of Public Administration’s new office buildings located in Jeddah. 

The IPA headquarters is a rectangular building with a five-storey circular tower at its centre. Once completed the building will comprise conference and administration rooms, exhibition halls, lecture theatres, meeting rooms, and a library, over a total area of 31,516 m2.

The original RC slabs for the tower had been designed as single-span to create a 28 m column-free layout. When it emerged that additional strengthening was required, CCL was approached to propose a solution.

After carrying out an initial survey and design check, CCL proposed external post-tensioning to strengthen the slabs. Crack injection and repair was carried out before CFRP wraps were applied to the beams to combat the shear load.

Because of height clearance restrictions within the building, CCL had to overcome the additional challenge of installing the strengthening materials within a 20 cm space.

Once all work had been completed a load test was carried out to confirm the structural behaviour of the building after strengthening.