38
/ BUILDING DIALOGUE / SEPTEMBER 2015
C
olorado parking garag-
es have it rough. They are
continuously exposed to the
elements: repeated freeze-thaw cy-
cles, daily vehicular traffic wear and
tear, and aggressive deicers. These
all contribute to deterioration of the
parking garage and can cause safety
issues. An investment in high-quality
materials during original construction,
combined with routine maintenance, not
only prolongs the life of a garage, but also
greatly reduces overall life-cycle costs.
Environmental factors and wear and tear
make parking garages a consumable prod-
uct. Chloride-based (salt) deicers mixed with
snow stick to vehicles, then drip onto parking
garage entryways, ramps and decks. Concrete
is porous and salt is corrosive to reinforcing steel.
Chloride compounds penetrate concrete surfaces
and, over time – sometimes in as little as a year –
lead to concrete deterioration. The result: cracks and
leaks that flow to lower levels of the garage. Rein-
forcing steel embedded in the concrete rusts, result-
ing in cracking and concrete surface degradation.
Whether a parking garage is in the design phase
or is 20 years old, property owners can take proac-
tive measures to protect their investment. If own-
ers build their parking structures well and keep
the structure maintained, they can have a safe and
functional parking structure while saving money
over the lifespan of the garage. Conversely, a poor-
ly built garage or one that has not been properly
Ben
Bromiel, PE
Associate,
Structural
Investigative
Engi-
neering,
Martin/
Martin
Inc.
TRENDS
in Garages
Parking garage wear and tear
