Repairing Structures

In this feature Peter James of Cavity Lock Systems looks at two very different projects that have been undertaken recently using the CINTEC fixing system. The first is the repair of an elegant 18th century mansion in Croydon, under the vigilant eyes of English Heritage, and the second covers the re-instatement of a 65 arch railway viaduct in Worcester, that had become a major headache for railway engineers, as the brick elevations became unstable.

The CINTEC System has been described as an 'amoeba' that can evolve in the hands of imaginative designers to provide almost limitless possibilities in tying back, anchoring and stabilising structures.

It comprises a steel section into which a specially designed cementitious grout is injected under pressure. As the grout is contained within the fabric sock it is possible to tie across cavities using the system. To tie back the outer leaf of a structure, the anchor is inserted through holes in the facade and the substrate to form a bridge between the two. The normal drill diameter is twice the basic size of the steel anchor to allow for grout cover. This can be increased as necessary.

The diameter and depth of the holes can be accurately calculated according to the strength of the supporting material and imposed loads. By adjusting the parameters, high loadbearing fixings can be made into extremely low-strength materials. Grout is injected under pressure through a central channel, inflating the fabric sleeve to fill the holes with what is effectively a fixing anchored by a grout plug.

	Geoffrey Harris House, Croydon, UK
	Worcester Viaduct

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