This major repair and strengthening commission was carried out by CCL two years after the team had initially left site, following a successful post-tensioning installation.
The man-made Pearl-Qatar island complex, in Doha, is home to the Pearl Viva Bahriya VB20. During the final internal works, a fire developed within the building, spreading through the shafts and damaging slabs on several floors.
CCL’s team carried out a thorough investigation, highlighting areas and level of damage before developing a strategy aimed at minimising the effects of the fire and detailing the desired approach towards repair.
Tests proposed and conducted by CCL on concrete elements were used to establish: concrete strength (compressive and tensile); depth of carbonation; sulphate and chloride content; location of reinforcement; verification of potentially unsound concrete; and condition of grout on exposed tendons.
Dirt, soot and black smoke resulting from the fire damage was sandblasted from slabs along with the removal of unsound concrete by means of a concrete chipper.
Refurbishment of the damaged slabs included hand patching, shotcreting, and form-and-pump application – dependent on the affected concrete depth.
Finally, the new concrete layers were cured with a specialized curing compound and coated with corrosion-inhibiting material.
Despite the size of the task CCL completed repairs in a record 75 days: 15 ahead of schedule.
