The Owners had expressed concerns over the amount of corrosion and resulting loss of cross section in a steel smokestack. Concerns were also expressed over the large amount of cracking in the cast-in-place concrete foundation for the smokestack. CA was contacted to investigate the structural integrity of the concrete foundation and provide recommendations as to the cause and remediation of the cracking. In addition, CA was also called upon to evaluate the structural integrity of the smokestack and provide recommendations for repairs. CA performed an assessment of the condition of the concrete foundation and smokestack including site inspection, non-destructive testing such as ground penetrating radar and ultrasound, concrete coring, petrographic examination, and structural analysis and design. CA’s investigation determined that the smokestack had lost close to 40% of its cross section in certain areas. Based on the investigation, CA developed recommendations for restoring the structural integrity of the smokestack by remediating the wall thickness in several areas and repairing the concrete cracking.

Steel Chimney