With calm, beautiful surroundings, it seemed nothing could blemish the setting for the residents of a luxury condo complex in Cincinnati. Except, perhaps, the clatter of 20-odd handheld breakers that would traditionally have been required to renovate the high-rise’s deteriorating 5-story parking garage. Instead, contractors took a different approach.
If done using traditional methods, The project would require extensive removal of damaged concrete, work traditionally accomplished by handheld pneumatic tools. Renovations such as this have developed a negative reputation for bombarding surrounding neighborhoods with bothersome disruptions.
It was estimated that over 30,000 square feet (400 cubic yards) of repairs were needed, with certain levels of the structure requiring over 60 percent replacement. To complete the project on time, the contractor needed to implement a highly efficient technique — hydrodemolition.
The contractor — Structural Systems Repair Group (SSRG) — invested in an Aqua Cutter 710 hydrodemolition robot from Aquajet Systems AB. The machine used high-pressure water to precisely remove damaged and deteriorating concrete, while allowing the operator to maneuver the machine remotely — out of harm’s way.
Given the delamination of the concrete structure, the project required extensive shoring, resulting in installation of more than 800 shoring posts. The contractor worked from a global grid, gridding the entire floor instead of just localized beams to ensure the structure was supported appropriately. Workers also installed hard barriers composed of plywood walls and plastic to separate working zones from occupied space to ensure residents — and their vehicles — remained unaffected.
Overall, SSRG was impressed with the precision and the reduced labor that came as a result of using the Aqua Cutter 710. What normally would have required 30 workers and 15-20 handheld breakers now only needed six crew members, one Aquajet machine and a few supplemental pieces of equipment.
With an estimated 30,000 square feet of damaged concrete to remove, SSRG needed a multifaceted strategy to finish the massive project by deadline. The company exceeded expectations on a challenging renovation with careful planning and sophisticated equipment. Thanks to the quality and efficiency of its work on the renovation, SSRG can look forward to happy customers, greater profits and a deserved reputation as concrete demolition innovators in Cincinnati.
