Location: England
Broomfield Hospital required assurance of the structural performance of a series of reinforced concrete balconies to support future use and redevelopment. McFarland Consulting Ltd were appointed to obtain structural detailing and undertake investigations to enable a robust structural assessment of the balconies to be carried out.
MCL undertook a programme of concrete non-destructive testing, including measurement of concrete cover depth, carbonation depth testing, concrete resistivity measurements and laboratory analysis of extracted dust samples for chloride, sulphate and cement content. The results were brought together within a fully interpretative report that defined the condition of the balconies and identified potential durability concerns.
Following completion of the investigations, MCL were appointed to design and undertake a controlled structural load test of the balconies. The load testing involved the application of a 5 kPa load using a water-bag system, with strain and displacement monitored throughout the test to assess structural behaviour under load.
The findings of the load test confirmed the structural capacity and performance of the balconies, providing the Client with confidence in the integrity of the asset. This enabled the structure to be safely repurposed to meet the modern operational requirements of the hospital development.