SockFix anchors restore structural integrity to historic chateau

Around 450 years old, this impressive four storey period chateau, with 800mm thick rubble-filled stone walls, was displaying some serious structural faults and ongoing movement.

On the north wing both the north and east walls were suffering from extensive vertical cracking, bulging and bowing. This had resulted from a lack of lateral restraint combined with prolonged water ingress, from a leaking gutter at the corner, causing settlement of the rubble fill.

The Helifix Solution

Helifix engineers devised a comprehensive repair scheme which would overcome the variety of faults and restore structural stability without affecting the external appearance and with absolute minimal disturbance to internal fixtures and decorations.

SockFix grouted anchors were used to reinstate the connection between the north wall and an internal concrete slab which had separated from the wall. SockFix was chosen because long anchors were needed to suit the wall thickness and obtain a sufficiently deep anchorage in the slab. SockFix anchors were also used to reinstate. connection at the corner of the East and North walls.

Across both the north and east walls, deep masonry beams were created by bonding pairs of HeliBars into cut slots at 450mm vertical centres, to secure the stonework, spread the loads and assist with the lateral restraint. Additional single HeliBars were bonded into mortar beds to stitch cracks.

On half the east wall and across the entire north wall, grouted 800mm long CemTies were installed in a staggered grid pattern to reconnect the internal and external stone blocks of the rubble-filled wall.

BowTie HDs, 1500mm long, were installed at 600mm centres across both walls at first and second storey levels to restrain the walls and secure them to the internal floor joists.

All the concealed non-disruptive repairs were completed within a short time frame, on time and within budget and at a third of the cost quoted by local experts, fully restoring structural integrity while retaining the building’s aesthetics, both internally and externally.