Consultancy Services for Assessment and Rehabilitation for PIEDCO Hangers

The assessment of fire damage and the subsequent reinstatement of the structure will be actioned under a well-defined assessment process using established assessment methods and informed by an understanding of both how the construction material properties are affected by temperature and how the structure itself distorts due to the physical changes imposed by the fire loading.

The following issues to be considered:

• Reduction in the strength of the material, potential deformation and failure under imposed loading.
• Embrittlement of the material due to rapid cooling associated with fire-fighting efforts.
• Expansion of the steel, leading to deformation and increased stresses, depending on the degree of restraint imposed by the structural system.
• Weakening or failure of connection elements such as bolts and welds.
• Impact damage from dislodged or failed construction materials.
• Destruction of protective coatings.

Progressive collapse of the structure due to localized failure of main structural elements.

For each type of hangers (6 Hangers) the consultant prepared reports, including the following:

• Survey for existing hangers:
• Size of girders.
• Distance between girders.
• Size of purlins.
• Distance between purlins.
• Height of the buildings.
• Roof structural sections.
• Type of sheet sandwich panel.
• Complete structural analysis for existing hangers: The structural analysis for existing hangers included complete analysis to define the following data:
• Building number
• Maximum allowed live load
• Maximum allowed dead load
• Maximum allowed uplift force
• Maximum allowed shear force on purlins
• Type of sheet (sandwich panel or single layer)
• Hangers drawing
• Complete structural drawings for the hangers. (plan, sections & details)