Date: To: From: For: Subject: City of Long Beach Memorandum Working Together Serve December 16, 2009 trick H. West, City Manag} Michael Conway, Director of Ryblic Works Mie Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council Phased repair of the Main Library roof Background On February 24, 2009, staff communicated to City Council the recommended actions to address both the seismic issues related to, and the ongoing rain intrusion through, the roof of the Main Library. At that time, staffs course of action was to remove the concrete planters and the soil contained therein. As Staff did not know what was at the bottom of the planters, it was stated that the removal of the rooftop structures and soil would likely reveal unanticipated work, Possibly related to asbestos remediation, lightweight concrete patchwork and roofing membrane repair. These unknown conditions would then be assessed to determine the most appropriate method to address rain water infiltration On June 15, 2009, staff again communicated to City Council the results of early test cases of concrete planter removal, the discovery of asbestos-containing material, and a recommendation for a soils disposal location. Test cases of concrete removal revealed that the planters were structurally tied to the roof and could not easily be removed without significant impacts to the roof structure and severe noise and dust impacts inside the Library. Consequently, staff focused on removal of the soil only. Structural engineers were engaged, who determined that the removal of just the soil from the overweight roof would result in a 22 percent eduction in shear force rather than 27 percent if the concrete planters were removed as well. This reduced project stil resulted in a significant improvement in seismic stability, and also resulted in a significant reduction in cost Test cases of soil removal revealed considerable aggregate material (various sizes of stone and gravel material) at the base of the planters, which was salvaged, and asbestos-containing material in the degraded membrane below the soil and aggregate. Consequently, an asbestos remediation plan was prepared to address this issue during the soil removal process so as not to impede progress and delay completion The project started in late July with the erection of barricades, pedestrian protection measures and installation of a debris chute. Removal of the soil began in eamest on September 3, 2009. Because the load bearing capacity of the roof structure is low, heavy equipment could not be used for this operation, instead, small bobcats, shovels and carts were used to remove the dirt from the planters and transport the soil to the debris chute and then moved to trucks that werePatrick H. West December 16, 2009 Page 2 of 3 Staged on Ocean Boulevard. This labor-intensive operation continued through November 2009. As soil was being removed and asbestos was being abated, certain deficiencies in the drainage system were also discovered. These deficiencies included drain inlets and pipes that were filled with aggregate, and planters with no drainage Gevices at all. Staff worked to re-open the impeded drains and effected some repairs to compromised drain lines. Additionally, certain drain inlets were plugged, diverting the rainwater from drains whose drainpipes were known to leak toward drains that were functioning adequately. Lastly, weep holes were installed to allow other planters to drain During the soil removal process, a number of sealant products were reviewed to determine durability and effectiveness to act as a waterproofing membrane over a variety of surface material. Some products were tested on the roof and in the Planters and subsequently assessed for effectiveness. The results of these investigations contributed to the preparation of thorough and detailed specifications for a preferred roof sealant product. The specifications needed to address the variety of surface materials, the condition of the existing membrane as exposed after the removal of the soil, and the protection in place of undegraded asbestos containing materials. These details of the specifications, and the quantities of the materials related thereto, could not have been adequately identified prior to the removal of the soil. Without such critical information, detailed specifications could not have been prepared and bidders would not be able to provide reliable pricing, exposing the City to unanticipated and potentially significant, change orders. Update The removal of soil and demobilization was completed at the end of November 2009. Bid specifications were completed December 11, 2009 and provided to the office of the City Attorney for review and approval. Also on December 11, 2009 an interim Purchase Order was approved to allow staff to patch-seal certain Portions of the roof that are known to leak, ahead of the contract for sealing the entire roof. This interim effort will begin on December 17, 2009, and will utilize the same specifications developed for the preferred roof sealant, to ensure that no funds are wasted in this interim effort. It is expected that the bid will be released immediately after the holidays to ensure a robust response and competitive pricing. A proposed contract will be brought to City Council for consideration in mid to late January and work will begin shortly thereafter. |t is important to understand that the removal of the soil did not increase rain infiltration to the Main Library. The faulty drainpipes and compromised roof membrane were not negatively affected. The soil in the planters may havePatrick H. West December 16, 2009 Page 3 of 3 served to delay some infiltration, resulting in slower leaks, but with a longer duration. The removal of the soil, however, allows maintenance crews to remove rainwater quickly from planters without drainage devices, avoiding long-term infiltration, and the repair of drains that were blocked with aggregate. The overall result of the removal of the soil is a roof that drains better. If there are any questions regarding this project or this process, please contact Mark Christoffels, Deputy Director of Public Works, at extension 8-671.