Tag Archives: Masonry

Seismic retrofit of historic courthouse with precast concrete shear walls

The four-storey North Bay Courthouse building in Ontario was retrofitted with a new lateral force-resisting system (LFRS). The interior steel framing and slab connections were structurally strengthened to transfer seismic loading to 13 full-height, reinforced precast concrete shear walls around the building perimeter. Further, cracked masonry joints were repointed, damaged masonry units were replaced, and an elastomeric coating was applied over the entire wall surface.

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Managing the risks of efflorescence

The tile industry has experienced efflorescence for a long time. It occurs when mineral salt deposits that have leached or migrated from cement and masonry materials are carried to the surface. Although poor installation methods can cause it, building design and product selection also contribute to the problem in both interior and exterior applications.

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