It’s hard to beat tilt wall structures for speed and flexibility. Tilt walls are poured on site, near the footprint of the structure, and then raised into place once they’re cured. Because they’re formed close to the spot where they’ll be erected, the individual sections can be larger than pre-cast units that have to be ordered in advance from remote locations.
With all their advantages, it’s important to know that tilt wall structures are vulnerable to many of the same influences that cause foundation trouble in more traditional buildings, both residential and commercial. Tilt walls can sink or settle, just like any other structural element, which can lead not only to safety concerns, but also to more serious repair problems in other parts of the building.
The durability of tilt walls can vary a lot, depending on local factors like soil conditions, weather, grading, and seasonal moisture changes that might cause the ground to erode or lose its ability to support the structure. For tilt structures with chronic issues, outdated repair methods like drilled piers or installed piles, can lead to additional failures.
In the old days, property owners and building designers had very few options for tilt wall repair. Stabilizing them in place was pretty much the best they could do, leaving parts of the building dangerously (or at least cosmetically) misaligned and subject to further deterioration. Now, thanks to a patented process brought to market by Olshan, it’s possible to not only stop the sinking and settling, but also safely lift the wall section back into proper alignment.
Recently, Olshan announced a patented repair technology (US Patent #10,428,516 B2, issued October 1, 2019) that eliminates these risks in one integrated process. Olshan’s exclusively licensed repair technology will help extend the life and value of tilt wall properties with much greater safety.
“In the past, tilt wall repairs were incomplete and stop-gap at best,” said Chris Cates, Olshan’s General Manager. “This patented and innovative approach brings owners of tilt wall structures an unprecedented level of value and reliability. We will be able to help business owners save time and money by enabling them to avoid the cost and disruption of full replacement and providing a solution that brings the building back to its original construction elevation in a safe manner“.
This is big news for engineers, builders, developers, and owners with tilt wall structures in their portfolio. This approach not only delivers quick time-to-value benefits, but also greatly extends the life and value of the property.
You can read the details of the announcement in the original news release.
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