SA Water Tank Repairs

Introduction

Incon was engaged to provide structural engineering design for temporary works associated with the repair of reinforced concrete columns within an operational SA Water storage tank in Peterborough. The project required detailed assessment of load paths and safe propping strategies to maintain structural integrity during remediation works.

Project
description

The project involved the repair and partial removal of deteriorated concrete columns supporting the tank roof structure. To facilitate remediation, a temporary propping system was required to safely transfer loads from the roof beams while sections of the columns were removed and reinstated.

The existing structure comprised:

Circular reinforced concrete water tank (~4.5ML capacity)
Internal column and beam system supporting the roof
Steel roof framing with distributed load transfer to columns

Challenge

Removal of concrete from load-bearing columns required precise control to prevent overstressing or instability of the roof system.
Temporary props were subject to:

Vertical gravity loads
Uplift forces
Potential lateral loads requiring bracing

Variability in reinforcement detailing and concrete condition introduced uncertainty in allowable breakout limits.
Installation of propping systems within an operational tank required efficient and practical solutions.

Solution

Incon developed a detailed and construction-focused engineering solution integrating load analysis, propping design, and staged repair methodology:

Determined:

Vertical loads from roof structure
Uplift forces acting on props
Lateral stability requirements

Engineered a system comprising:

Vertical props supporting roof beams
Bracing elements to stabilise columns during repair
Anchored base and connection detailing to ensure load transfer

Defined limits for:

Maximum allowable cross-sectional removal
Length of breakout zones
Sequencing of repair works to maintain structural capacity

Provided methodology ensuring:

Progressive load transfer to props
Avoidance of sudden load redistribution
Structural redundancy during repair phases

Key Engineering Value Delivered

Enabled safe structural repair of critical load-bearing columns
Prevented risk of roof instability or collapse during remediation
Delivered clear engineering limits for demolition and repair works
Optimised temporary works design for constructability and safety
Provided confidence to contractor through precise load and capacity verification
Ensured continuity of essential water infrastructure operations

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