That phrase is commonly heard within the Newman Building Solutions office, being a common problem to Victorian and Edwardian built properties we are able to offer modern methods of structural repair to prevent and restrain outward movement.
Bowing walls are caused by a lack of lateral restraint, which allows the masonry panels to move independently often outwards severely weakening the structural integrity of the property.
This is often evident at the levels of the masonry where the floor joists run in accordance to the floor and ceiling joists. Tying into the floor and ceiling joists is essential in repairing and restraining the movement and traditional tie bars which are visible on many period properties are no longer required.
Newman Building Solutions utilise the Twistfix Heliforce system providing lateral restraint by inserting 1.0m, 1.5m or 2.0m ties into the floor and ceiling joists with a resin fix into the brick work providing an almost invisible repair once aesthetic brick repairs have been carried out. Incorporation lateral restraint ties with helical bar creating deep masonry beams and replacement wall ties remove the need for expensive intrusive and dangerous remove and rebuild techniques that may have been previously used.
Here is a selection of projects that this method of repair has been used to restraint outward movement.
Author: Jon Newman
Posted:
Categories: Bowing Walls
Retaining walls are a vital structure within the infrastructure of London. They are everywhere and a large number of them are well over 100 years old. Victorian built retaining walls are usually constructed using 13 inch solid brick work construction with a soft lime mortar and usually they haven’t been inspected for signs of failure or disrepair until they are at a critical stage of failure.
At Newman Building Solutions we are regularly required to design a suitable structural stabilisation programme that will restrain further outward movement or collapse as well as retain the original charm of the structure.
Newman Building Solutions specialise in retaining wall restraint and use various modern methods of structural repair such as the Twistfix helical system creating masonry beams and crack stitches tying the masonry together. In some instances ground anchors are required to restrain the outward movement. Twistfix helical systems can be guaranteed for up to 25 years and ground anchor solutions can be guaranteed for up to 99 years.
We like to restore these engineering marvels and relish the opportunity to conserve the original structure. Visit our case study here to view the Twistfix system in use to restore and restrain a Victorian built retaining wall.
Lintel Failure is a common defect to period properties and cracking and sagging of the masonry is a serious structural defect that should not be ignored.
To restore the structural integrity of the masonry Newman Building Solutions designed a specification that would allow the installation to be carried out in a day but also restore the integrity.
Deep masonry beams were installed above the lintel distributing structural loads and the brick lintel was propped back into position and resin injected creating a load bearing high strength lintel whilst restoring the original aesthetics of the building.
As well as lintel failure a 3mm crack was stitched using 1.2m single crack stitching rods where cracking had occurred caused by a change in loadings where lintel failure had occurred.
