Property Management

October 2021 — Property Management Quarterly — Page 19 www.crej.com Maintenance T o ensure the service life of precast concrete elements and parking structures, rou- tine maintenance is needed. Unlike other types of build- ings, parking structures are exposed directly to weather and environ- mental conditions that over time can influence durability and create performance problems. Extreme temperature changes, rain and snow, salt and magnesium chloride, road grime and insufficient drain- age are primary causes of deteriora- tion. Periodic inspections can help expose problems early, and com- bined with regular maintenance these practices can extend the life of your building and lower the total lifetime maintenance budget. Structural and architectural pre- cast concrete restoration is a mar- ket segment that requires extreme- ly skilled practitioners to correctly detect and diagnose the extent of a problem, prepare an engineered plan and execute the necessary repair work. These contractors are familiar with International Con- crete Repair Institute, Payment Card Industry and American Concrete Institute guidelines, and can pro- vide services to mitigate issues. The introduction of a mainte- nance schedule will increase the service life of your structure, reduce long-term structural damage and repairs, and will lower the owner’s exposure and risk. Maintenance is a fundamental and necessary part of a strategic asset management plan. There are substantial long- term benefits of good maintenance, including bet- ter performance, extended service life and reduced operating costs. Categories for parking garage maintenance encompass house- keeping, preventa- tive maintenance and structural repairs. Each cat- egory includes spe- cifics that require periodic attention for precast parking structures. The following sample schedule shows industry suggested inspection occurrences for specific garage items and systems. General housekeeping maintenance will enhance aesthetic appeal and user safety. If the structure is cleaned and refreshed often, it is easier to identify any issues. Two major areas that fall into this category are clean- ing and inspection of expansion joints and control joints, along with snow removal and ice control. These items require proactive knowledge and planning as they can affect the operations, safety and durability of the structure. Chemical de-icers and removal pro- cedures often are causes of harm to the structure due to their chemical potency and mechanical methods. Recommendations are to never use de-icing salts, but if the situation requires, they should be used spar- ingly on a structure until it is at least a year old as they may cause damage to the surfaces. Wide ranges of cost and availability create many de-icing choices, so it is important to note that chlorides are more harmful than ureas or calcium magnesium acetate. Though inexpensive, sodium and calcium chlorides should not be used. Another process that can cause severe structure damage is snow removal. The plow crew should use only rubber blades that do not come in direct contact with any of the expansion joints, deck membranes or joint sealants to minimize contact damage. Typically, this gap from the blade to the surface should be set no less than 3 inches. Prevention maintenance should be managed by the structure owner and cover all structural, architectural and mechanical elements, equipment and safety features on an annual basis. Verifying proper performance prevents deterioration and allows for the discovery of minor issues that can be corrected when discovered, preventing extensive and expensive future repairs. An experienced engineer famil- iar with precast concrete should be hired for a visual inspection of all structural components, focusing especially on drainage and sealants. Standing water, water infiltration, freeze-thaw cycles and repeated exposure to de-icing salts leads to concrete cracking and spalling on structural members. Constant Properly maintain parking structures for longer life Matthew McMeeking, PE Project design engineer/project manager, EnCon Renew Please see McMeeking, Page 25 Industry suggested inspection schedule for specific garage items and systems.