MCS have been dealing with multiple structural appraisal and structural repair consultancies from the start of its inception from concrete structures, steel structures, timber structures and even marine structures. The most prominent building that have conducted complete structural appraisal is the PETRONAS Tower at Costal Road, Kota Kinabalu and the rest are mostly schools and industrial/commercial buildings.
Among documentations to be prepared with the appraisal report are dynamic analyses and defect mapping as part of the outcomes from field survey and reconnaissance works. MCS have been representing both consultants and clients in High Risk Committee meeting chaired by the Kota Kinabalu City Hall Mayor for detail briefing. As for government projects, MCS assisted consultants with appropriate testing plans, documentations, interpretations, evaluations, correlations, analyses and proposed remedial works which are required by JKR Structure Forensic Unit (Bahagian Perkhidmatan Forensik Struktur). Further to that, MCS also involved with post-earthquake structural appraisal report for a few clients after the 2015 earthquake which includes proposed repair and structural retrofitting works.
The appraisal and repair consultancy is not limited to existing buildings but also includes consultancy when it comes to understrength concrete for structure under construction. MCS will consult with the appropriate method based on relevant standards and methods to determine if the sampling is reflective of the in-situ characteristic strength. Retrofitting is another scope which is part of this consultancy where structural elements shall undergo enhancement to increase its capacity and robustness in order to perform above its serviceability limits.
Among the test that MCS usually conduct are core test, rebound hammer test, carbonation test, half-cell potentiometer survey, chloride test, petrography examination, ultrasonic pulse velocity method, and other test as mentioned in BS EN 12390, BS EN 12504 and in place parts of BS 1881. This will help to understand deterioration mechanisms and planned for appropriate and cost-effective repair works.
The structural repair or rehabilitation works (for concrete) shall be based on BS EN 1504 and ACI 546R standards (with its normative references) which deploy appropriate repair and rehabilitation methods based on 11 general principals such as protection against aggressive substances, moisture control of concrete, replacement of damaged concrete, strengthening of building components, improvement of physical resistance of concrete, improvement of chemical resistance, restoring reinforcement passivity, increase of electric resistivity of concrete, control of cathodic areas of reinforcement, cathodic protection of reinforcement and (or combination) control of anodic areas of the reinforcement.