Owner
Secretaria da Fazenda do Estado de Minas Gerais
Minas Gerais, Brazil

Project Engineer/
Designer
Paula Machado Engenharia e Projectos Ltds.
Minas Gerais, Brazil

Repair Contractor
SECOENGE—Servicos de Engeharia Ltda.
Minas Gerais, Brazil

Material Supplier
MBT Brasil Ind e Com. Ltda, Degussa Construction Chemicals
Sao Paulo, Brazil

The main objective of the job was to strengthen the reinforced concrete structures of the Annex II Building, and to correct the original design deficiencies observed on that structure when submitted to transverse wind loads and beyond, allowing the increase of accidental load from 150kg/cm2 to 300kg/cm2.

Due to this wind load situation, the building was closed for almost 15 years. At that time, there was a lack of technologies available to solve the problem. Recent changes of local laws on soil occupation, indicated only one solution—demolition.

When the engineering companies heard about this predicament, they decided to present the owners the CFRP technology, not well known in Brazil, as an ideal solution to upgrade the building structurally.

The solution adopted, applicable on this 13 floor building, was to apply 7650 square feet (710 square meters) of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) System on the 13 floors of the building. Other techniques involved jacking of beams to produce reverse camber before CFRP strengthening.