Lynhaven Dunes Condominiums Structural Column Reinforcement

Repairs were recently made to 14 structural support columns at the Lynnhaven Dunes Condominiums, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The problem to be addressed was the cracks that had appeared in the top twelve inches of the columns.

The repairs were designed by Stroud, Pence & Associates, LTD, a local structural engineering firm. The first step of the repair was to pressure inject the cracks. The cracks were cleaned, with oil-free compressed air, to remove any debris. Surface mounted injection ports were then set in Sikadur 31 Hi-Mod Gel Epoxy. The cracks were then sealed using the same Sikadur 31 resin. After allowing sufficient time for the epoxy seal to cure, the ports were then injected with Sikadur 35 Hi-Mod LV Epoxy Injection Resin.

The next step in the repairs was to encase the top twelve inches, of the column, with a carbon fiber wrap. SikaWrap Hex 103C was the product shoes for this application. The surface of the column was ground to remove any imperfections and provide a smooth surface on which to apply the carbon fiber material.

Surface irregularities, greater than 1/8 inch in depth, were leveled using a epoxy mortar made from Sikadur 35 Hi-Mod LV and oven-dried sand. Next the prepared surfaces were sealed by applying a sufficient amount of Sikadur Hex 300 Resin so as to fully saturate the concrete. The SikaWrap Hex 103C carbon fiber material was then impregnated with the Sikadur Hex 300 resin and applied onto the column. The last step of the process was to paint the repair areas to match the original color of the columns.