GFRP retrofit for façades in a Toronto school

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) repair was used to restore the functionality of deteriorated precast concrete mullion units in an 80 year old school building for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). The rehabilitation work with the different steps in the project is discussed: condition assessment, GFRP repair scheme, surface preparation, and application of GFRP repair system. Epoxy injection was used to seal all the cracks prior to GFRP retrofit. GFRP flexible sheets were transversely wrapped around the whole cross-section of the mullion for confinement and were used along the length of the unit for flexural enhancement. The results of laboratory tests on three full-scale specimens confirmed the effectiveness of the FRP repair that was implemented in the field.