Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Repair of Earthquake Damage Tilt up Wall Structure

Glendale, California

A portion of this large chemical facility was damaged during the Northridge Earthquake. Horizontal cracks at and near mid-height of the walls indicated that the original vertical reinforcement in the tilt-up panels was insufficient.

A major concern of the owner was that they did not want the repair to affect the operation of the plant at other undamaged buildings. This meant that the large number of pipes passing through the damaged building had to remain in place and operational during the repair.

The wall panels were strengthened with glass fabric placed in vertical strips. Both inside and outside surfaces of the walls were strengthened. The flexibility of the fabrics allowed them to be passed through small openings and behind the pipes, eliminating the need to dismantle any pipes.

The finished walls were coated with a UV-protective coating. Over 20,000 ft² of fabric was used on this project, which was completed in October 1994.

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