LIFE+ - Anti-spalling system for Former Fruit and Vegetable Market - Verona

LIFE+ – Anti-spalling system for Former Fruit and Vegetable Market – Verona

As part of a redevelopment project, the former fruit and vegetable market building, which had been abandoned for many years, underwent a safety intervention on its arched roof structures by installing the LIFE+ anti-spalling system

Within the broader context of the Magazzini Generali in the city of Verona, the building of the former fruit and vegetable market consisted of two gallery buildings distinguished by their essential architecture, characterized by a prefabricated reinforced concrete structure in an elliptical shape. Built in 1952 and abandoned since 2003, after the relocation of the original functions to another location, the structures are currently undergoing redevelopment by the Fiera institution, which will create spaces for conventions, exhibitions, and various events. The arched structure features masonry infills along the sides of the gallery, topped with large windows, while the vaulted part is made of brick masonry covered with plaster. One of the two galleries has recently undergone works aimed at ensuring the safety of the roof.

ISSUES AND DAMAGE

The abandoned state of the building, and the consequent lack of maintenance, has led to a series of degradation issues that have been addressed during the recent redevelopment project. Among these issues was the spalling of the brick vaulted parts of the roof. The need to secure the roof area arose due to the evident deterioration of the plaster, which showed significant signs of moisture infiltration, resulting in detachment and partial collapse, as well as localized breakage of the brickwork with the loss of portions of material.

INTERVENTION

The problem of spalling was addressed on the entire affected intrados surface (approximately 5000 sqm) by applying the LIFE+ SYSTEM, consisting of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) grids and specially sized metal connectors. The GFRP grid, with a mesh size of 99×99/33 mm, is a preformed grid made of composite material with a monolithic square main mesh produced using Textrusion® technology. It is composed of Alkali Resistant (AR) glass fiber and a thermosetting vinyl ester-epoxy resin. The selection and sizing of the connectors were determined by the discovery that the in-situ casted floor beams were not solid but only had a 2 cm layer of reinforced concrete. On-site verification of the wall thickness was necessary for the proper sizing of the connectors (galvanized steel connectors with a diameter of 8 mm placed with a 6 mm diameter drill hole). Pull-out tests were also performed to certify the effectiveness of the installation system. After the installation, the anti-spalling GFRP grid was plastered and concealed with a finishing layer made of lightweight plaster.

SITE CARD PROJECT: Safety intervention for the roof of the Former Fruit and Vegetable Market

LOCATION: Verona, Italy

ARCHITECTURAL AND STRUCTURAL DESIGN: Arch. Policante M.P.&T. Engineering S.r.L.

CONTRACTOR: Campagnola Geom. Giorgio Costruzioni Generali

COMPLETION: January-March 2018