Rehabilitation of Port Saint-François pillar

The Port Saint-François pillar FA is a concrete pillar truncated pyramid shape with a square base serving as a navigation aid. Located on the bank along the wharf of Nicolet, this pillar has many important cracks.

The EMS was retained by the Canadian Coast Guard to check the stability of the concrete pillar under the efforts and expenses generated by the equipment present and expenses of use and to determine methods of reinforcements and repairs that will extend the useful life of the structure for the next 20 years and ensure the safety of workers to reach the summit to conduct equipment maintenance of aids to navigation.

Coring work has been performed at various places to determine the status and properties of the concrete in place. Despite the advanced age of the work, the tests have shown that the concrete was still relatively good. Steel columns were however installed to support the roof slab as the latter showed significant signs of delamination in its central part. Steel reinforcing plates have also been installed on the interior walls so as to limit the spread of certain large cracks.