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Separating riverside elevation secured

Client:	St Johns College
Location:	The River Cam, Cambridge
Approved Installer:	Smith Building Services
Reference No:	CS049

Situated by the River Cam in Cambridge, The Old Warehouse in Bridge Street required major structural stabilisation to secure its west elevation (built off the river wall), which was separating from the main structure.

Registered as a 'Building of Local Interest' it required concealed repairs. Although external access was restricted by the river, the three storey timber framed brick clad building was undergoing a total refurbishment and conversion to student accommodation for St John's College so internal working was not a problem.

Helifix Solution

Reinforced masonry 'ring beams' were created at ground and first floor levels by bonding stainless steel HeliBars into channelled out mortar beds across the west elevationand returned along the north and south elevations..

The vertical cracks were stitched where the elevations were separating and the river wall was tied to the ground floor concrete slab with bonded HeliBars.

Horizontal stabilisation was completed by driving helical BowTies into internal first floor timber joists before bonding their outer ends into the masonry walls. With the concealed repairs completed, The Old Warehouse is now fully secured with any future movement of the west elevation towards the River Cam being prevented.