Description
Strengthening of Existing Structures
TES TECHNIFOR provides engineering and construction services for the strengthening of existing structures as part of rehabilitation, alteration, repair and load-bearing capacity upgrade projects.
Our expertise in structural assessment, structural analysis and design, concrete sawing and core drilling, structural strengthening and specialist construction works enables us to take a comprehensive approach to projects requiring an existing structure to be altered, repaired or strengthened.
Why strengthen an existing structure?
Structural strengthening may be required in many situations, including:
- increased imposed loads;
- change of use of a building;
- creation of floor openings, wall openings or service penetrations;
- removal or alteration of load-bearing elements;
- inadequate or insufficient original design;
- ageing or deterioration of materials;
- corrosion or damage to reinforcement;
- repairs following accidental damage;
- alteration or installation of new industrial equipment;
- correction of construction errors or unforeseen issues arising during the works.
Before any intervention, it is essential to understand the behaviour of the existing structure and precisely identify the elements requiring strengthening.
Structural assessment and strengthening design
TES TECHNIFOR can become involved from the engineering stage to define a strengthening solution suited to the structure and the specific constraints of the project.
Depending on the configuration, investigations may include structural surveys, reinforcement detection, exploratory investigations, core drilling and characterisation of the existing materials.
The objective is to determine the behaviour of the structure, the loads and forces acting upon it, and the residual capacity of the existing elements before designing the strengthening system.
This approach allows the strengthening technique to be tailored to each individual situation rather than applying a standard solution.
Strengthening with carbon-fibre composite materials
Carbon-fibre composite materials can be used to strengthen reinforced concrete structures with very little additional weight or thickness.
TES TECHNIFOR installs, in particular:
- bonded carbon-fibre plates;
- carbon-fibre fabrics;
- carbon-fibre strengthening systems for beams, slabs, columns and walls;
- prestressed carbon-fibre plates where active strengthening is required.
These techniques can be used to improve flexural or shear resistance and to provide local strengthening of specific structural elements.
Their minimal thickness is also a significant advantage in existing buildings where available space is limited.
Strengthening with steel structures
Where project constraints require it, strengthening can also be achieved by adding steel elements.
TES TECHNIFOR carries out strengthening using:
- steel plates;
- steel sections;
- additional steel beams and structures;
- steel clamping and jacketing systems;
- brackets and load-transfer systems;
- local strengthening around structural openings and floor openings.
These solutions can be used to carry or redistribute loads to the existing load-bearing elements and can be specifically designed to suit the geometry and structural behaviour of the building.
Strengthening with shape memory steel
TES TECHNIFOR also implements active strengthening solutions using shape memory steel.
Once installed and anchored to the structure, the steel elements are thermally activated. The shape memory effect then generates a prestressing force without conventional mechanical tensioning using hydraulic jacks.
This technology can be used for strengthening slabs and beams, improving the serviceability performance of a structure or addressing certain structural deficiencies.
A dedicated page on our website provides further information on the principles and applications of shape memory steel strengthening.
Creating openings and modifying load-bearing structures
Creating an opening in a slab, wall or other load-bearing element involves more than simply cutting concrete.
TES TECHNIFOR also has expertise in concrete sawing, core drilling and controlled demolition, which is particularly valuable when building alterations require the structure to be both modified and strengthened.
Depending on the project, the works may therefore involve several complementary stages:
assessment of the existing structure → strengthening design → temporary strengthening → concrete sawing or core drilling → removal of cut elements → installation of the permanent strengthening system.
This combination of expertise enables us to undertake complex projects requiring an understanding of the existing structural behaviour, alteration of the structure and restoration or increase of its load-bearing capacity.
Work on existing buildings and structures
TES TECHNIFOR works on a wide range of structures, including:
- industrial buildings;
- commercial and office buildings;
- residential buildings and condominiums;
- car parks;
- public-access buildings;
- civil engineering structures;
- bridges and other engineering structures;
- structures requiring work in constrained environments.
The strengthening techniques are selected according to the type and condition of the structure, the loads to be carried, site accessibility and the operational constraints of the building.
Working in constrained environments
Structural strengthening works are frequently carried out in existing buildings, sometimes while they remain occupied or operational.
TES TECHNIFOR's experience in specialist construction works enables us to adapt our working methods to site constraints, including difficult access, restricted working space, vibration limitations, maintaining building operations and the need to preserve surrounding structures.
This capability is particularly important for rehabilitation projects and major alterations to existing buildings.
Expertise beyond structural strengthening
One of TES TECHNIFOR's key strengths lies in the complementary nature of its specialist activities.
TES TECHNIFOR brings together within a single company expertise in structural assessment, structural analysis and design, concrete sawing and core drilling, special foundations and micropiles, as well as structural strengthening and repair.
This organisation enables us to undertake complex projects where several specialist techniques must be combined and where understanding the existing structure is just as important as carrying out the strengthening works.
Based in Lorraine, our teams operate throughout the Grand Est region, particularly in Nancy, Metz, Reims, Strasbourg and Colmar, as well as on technically demanding projects throughout north-eastern France.
Do you have a structural strengthening project?
Increased loading, creation of a floor opening, building alteration, strengthening of a slab or beam, repair of a damaged structure or modification of a load-bearing element:
Contact TES TECHNIFOR to discuss your project, assess the existing structure and determine the most appropriate strengthening solutions.
Would you like to learn more? Discover our other pages dedicated to structural strengthening:
