2021
Sacramento, California
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Located along the banks of the Sacramento River, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company's Power Station was the largest electrical steam station in Northern California. Over the course of 50 years, the building went through numerous changes in ownership and use. In 2007, determined to repurpose the building for the public, the City of Sacramento entered into an agreement with the Sacramento Museum of History, Science and Technology to develop this shuttered power station into the new SMUD Museum of Science and Curiosity.
A thorough structural assessment of the building was done by the project team. The plan was to use and retain as much of the old Power Station's structure as possible. They would keep the north, west and south walls and carefully dismantle half of the east wall. Before demolition could begin, a steel exostructure had to be placed around the building to support the 100-year-old walls. The building would require a complete structural retrofit and a second floor for flexible exhibit space.
BEFORE
AFTER
CONCRETE REPAIR
The century-walls were heavily spalled and cracked both inside and out. Great care was taken to preserve the original architectural elements of the building. In many areas the horizontal grooves, arches and cornices had to be rebuilt due to spalling and cracking. Over 5,000 square feet of spall repair was done using a one-component, vertical and overhead repair mortar with superior high building properties. The areas were saw cut and mechanically prepared with a chipping hammer to achieve a CSP 5-6 and ensure good bond to the host concrete. Larger cracks (>1/16") were routed and sealed with urethane sealant and smaller cracks were injected with a two-component, moisture-tolerant, epoxy resin adhesive.
After the concrete repair was complete, a corrosion inhibiting impregnation coating was applied to the concrete walls which forms a protective layer on the reinforcement steel surface. This inhibits corrosion caused by the presence of chlorides as well as by carbonation of concrete. Finally, the building was coated with a one-component, penetrating, adhesion-promoting primer and then two coats of an elastomeric, cracking-briding, anti-carboination, acrylic protective coating.
