Evaluation and Repair of Natural Draft Cooling Tower

Matthew Gries, ND CE '07
Senior Associate, Wiss, Janney, Eltsner Associates

Reinforced concrete hyperbolic shell natural draft cooling towers are elegant structures but are often exposed to harsh operating environments that can lead to severe concrete deterioration. In this case study, a 400-foot-tall tower exhibited widespread deterioration that threatened the tower’s structural integrity. Structural and materials engineers performed multiple condition assessments that were challenging due to the tower’s size, geometry, and operational constraints. Ultimately, careful investigation and analysis provided critical knowledge to effectively characterize its structural health and develop an aggressive repair strategy.