Victoria Plaza is a high-rise apartment complex in North Olmsted, Ohio. Cleveland’s highly volatile weather can wreak havoc on concrete surfaces, like the ones you find on parking decks perched atop a parking garage. Post-tension cables help designers space out the support columns to allow for more parking space in such structures, but those same cables make repairs difficult. They are close to the concrete’s surface, and if they are cut, repairs are often difficult and expensive.

The project began with a process called “sounding out” the concrete which is essentially listening for hollow sections in the concrete. The crew of 5 people dragged chains across the surface and used mason hammers to pound the ground in order to find hollow spaces. When they found a hollow area, the team would spray it and then come back to square cut sections out. But, below the surface anywhere from a quarter inch to 4 inches, the crew could come across the tension cables. To avoid hitting those wires, the crew would slowly cut into the concrete and then chip away at any concrete close to the tension cables. The goal was to get about ¾ to an inch below the rebar beneath. When the crew got to the rebar, they would blast it to clean it and then apply an epoxy coat to protect it. The joint was removed, and a brand new one was installed to increase the safety of the garage.

In addition to the repair, the team quoted out some concrete maintenance that needed to be done to the surface as well as the underside of the deck which is the overhead section of the level below. The crew repaired all the cracks that were exposed, but a new challenge arose: Cleveland’s weather changed, and winter came on fast. The crew applied a repellent to keep water from getting into the cracks and freezing which would cause damage. In the spring, they will return to apply the BASF Master Seal Traffic 1500 Series waterproofing membrane which is a three-coat system designed to seal and protect the surface for years to come.

The parking garage is safe, and that was job one. The project to remove and replace the expansion joint was job two, and that was completed without any damage to the tension cables beneath the surface. Weather prevented to concrete maintenance from reaching completion, so the team applied the water repellent that will keep things safe and sound until the spring. The tenants in the building can park with assurance knowing that the building is structurally sound. And, the owners of the building know that their concrete will be ready for winter and then be better than ever after the waterproofing membrane is applied this spring.

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