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Leaning brick panels reconnected

Client:	Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Centre
Location:	Sunbury on Thames
Approved Installer:	ASRS
Reference No:	CS050

Although only some 25 years old, due to the use of incorrect wall ties during construction the outer leaf brick panels on this large commercial building were leaning outwards, becoming progresively worse and raising serious safety concerns, with the possibility of masonry collapse.

Containing offices, laboratories and a warehouse, the 8m high building has a steel frame, inner leaf aircrete blocks and outer leaf panels of engineering bricks. Weak galvanised wire 'butterfly' ties and been installed originally, which were not strong enough to support the outer walls and were failing.

Helifix solution

To stabilise the brick panels and ensure they were fully secured to the inner blocks, Bradbrook Consulting Ltd specified RetroTie stainless steel replacement ties to provide a rapid, reliable and economical solution.

Working from scissor lifts to avoid the need for scaffolding, over 5,000 RetroTies were installed in a diamond grid pattern on two main elevations.

The 245mm long ties were inserted through clearance holes drilled in the outer leaf and driven into inner leaf pilot holes before being resin bonded into the brick panels, which were then fully secured and made completely safe for the future.