CINTEC International News
1995

CINTEC ANCHOR SAVES WORLD HERITAGE MUSEUM

The site of the historic Blist Hill blast furnaces in the Ironbridge Gorge has been stabilised using CINTEC anchors manufactured by Cavity Lock Systems.

The bases of the blast furnace survive, together with a retaining wall pierced with brickwork arches and the foundry buildings which housed the blacksmiths workshops and storerooms. Overseen by English Heritage, the site became a museum of industrial heritage in the mid-1960s, following fifty years of dereliction.

The structure of the building has, in recent years, experienced movement due to the deterioration of the original tie rods. To stabilise the structure, 38 CINTEC anchors, measuring between 7 metres and 16.5 metres were inserted at floor and ceiling level, tying the building facade back to secure internal walls.

Due to deterioration of the fabric of the walls, ground and water pressure, the 13 metre retaining wall was also experiencing distress cracking and loss of material. CINTEC ground anchors were used to stabilise this structure, securing the wall to mudstone strata. Altogether 42 anchors measuring up to 20 metres in length were used at approximately 1.5 metre centres in each direction.

John Wardle, who advised the contractor WT Specialist Contracts on the design of the wall ties for this application, explains: "The CINTEC system is without equal when faced with this kind of repair. Sensitive structures can be efficiently and cost effectively stabilised without leaving any trace of the remedial work Comprehensive testing by the BRE (Building Research Establishment) demonstrates that this product can be relied upon to provide a permanent repair.

"The CINTEC anchor system provided the only practical solution for stabilising the site at Blist Hill".

NEW SOFT GROUT ANCHOR

A New soft grout anchor has been developed for use in the sensitive repair of historical monuments. The new anchors can be safely and effectively inserted into soft and friable substrates such as those experienced in ancient buildings. Using this system, once the remedial work is completed, there is no sign that it has been carried out.

The new product is based on the well established CINTEC system which comprises a steel section in a mesh fabric sleeve, into which a specially developed cementitious grout is injected under controlled pressure. Flow is restrained by the flexible sleeve of woven polyester, which expands to about twice its nominal diameter, moulding itself into the shape of voids and providing a positive bond.

A number of projects are currently being planned to use the new soft grout system to repair sensitive structures in the U.K.

SHOCK SOCK!

Cavity Lock Systems has launched "Spinetec", an innovate anchor system specially designed to help protect buildings from the rigours of seismic movement and earthquakes.

The new product creates a steel spine within the structure of a building providing support to withstand seismic shocks without affecting its external appearance.

Spinetec comprises conventional CINTEC anchors that are inserted vertically, horizontally or diagonally, which are linked together using special fixings, thus creating an internal spine of steel within the structure to be strengthened.

The horizontal anchors have intersecting rings, squares or rectangles attached to the main body of the anchor, with either welded or screw fixings. The diameter of the rings can be varied from 40mm to 200mm depending upon the loads required and the strength of the parent material.

The horizontal anchors are installed first and then the vertical or diagonal anchors are positioned throughout the structure, passing through the rings linking them together.

Each set of anchors is then injected under controlled pressure and as the grout expands, it forms a seal around each of the rings. The anchors can also be articulated at the joints, allowing a degrees of movement in the event of seismic shock.

CANADIAN BATTLEFIELD MONUMENT RESTORED

CINTEC anchors have been used in the restoration of a Canadian monument, erected to commemorate the battle of Stoney Creek.

The monument was unveiled in 1913, exactly 100 years after the battle for which it was named, at which the advance of an invading American force was halted by 700 British Regulars and Canadian Militia. According to historians, this was one of the turning points of the war of 1812.

Its position, at the top of a steep slope approached by a monumental flight of steps, established this impressive landmark as the centrepiece of Battlefield Park, Hamilton, Ontario.

Comprising a 100 foot high stone tower, rising from a castellated and turreted blockhouse, the monument has underground major renovation. The conservation team consisted of conservation consultant Martin Weaver, architectural technologist Tom Murison, architect Alan Seymore and structural engineer Erik Jokinen. In 1990 the team assessed the condition of the monument and found that the combined effects of vandalism, pigeons, inappropriate repairs and the elements, had taken a heavy toll on the fabric.

The top of the tower has been completely dismantled and rebuilt, including the roof, and the leaded light windows and window frames have been fully restored. Approximately 600 anchors, varying in length from 12 to 31 inches, have been used to stitch together the severely cracked masonry walls of the tower, and also ensure stability during the subsequent pressure grouting of the walls.

The restoration also included the installation of an integrated flagpole and lighting conductor system.

NEW GROUND ANCHOR SYSTEM LAUNCHED

The new ground anchor system provides a fast and efficient technique for stabilizing the structure of retaining walls.

Placed into a pre-drilled hole, the system comprises a steel reinforcement bar inserted into a plastic corrugated sleeve which, in turn, is inserted into a woven polyester sock. The voids around the steel bar and the corrugated sleeve are injected with cementitious grout, efficiently fixing everything in place.

The grout outside the corrugated sleeve is retained by the woven sock. However its close weave permits small amounts of the bonding agent to seep out into the surrounding ground to further strengthen the fixing.

Unlike conventional mechanical anchors, the new system benefits from fissures and voids - these are filled by the flexible grout filled sock.

The new product has been developed in close collaboration with British Rail, who plan to use the system to stabilize embankments. Other situations where the anchors could be used include dams, viaducts and bridge works.

British Rail engineers have demonstrated that the anchors can be used in the most difficult ground conditions. Their comprehensive test results reveal that the new system's performance is well in excess of structural requirements.

Scotrail had required that the anchor hold a load of 7 tons but the tests revealed the anchor would hold a load of 18 tons over 24 hours without any movement.

In summary it was felt that installing the new system was efficient and reliable whilst, at the same time, achieving considerable time and cost savings.

MEDIEVAL BELGIAN CHURCH SAVED

The Medieval church, Collegiale St. Vincent in Soignes, Belgium has been stitched together using CINTEC anchors.
 
The church, which was built between the 11th and 13th centuries was suffering the ravages of time, the effects of which were being accelerated by ground subsidence.
 
The delaminating walls, built from locally selected stone, have been repaired with CINTEC's 15mm x 15mm stitching anchors. A number of small adjoining towers have been reinforced with solid heavy duty stitching anchors measuring up to 15m in length.The restoration work, overseen by the Belgian heritage authority, was undertaken by the Belgian approved installers EDRP, and Sintra, the approved contractors.

18th CENTURY RESTORATION

The innovative CINTEC anchor system has been extensively used as part of restoration work in Dublin's historic Collins Barracks.

A number of the main walls and archways required stabilising, and the ashlar granite face of the walls needed tying back to the core and inner skin.

The restoration work was undertaken by ACE Fixings, the approved installers of the CINTEC anchoring system for Ireland. Full details in the next issue.

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