STRUCTURAL REPAIRS TO 56.

1M HIGH STEEL CHIMNEY UK

POSTED BY: RAFFERTY STEEPLEJACKS
NOVEMBER 11, 2010

Fertiliser Plant UK 2009/2010.

Inspection and Repairs to 56.1m High S1240 Boiler Steel Chimney.
In 2009 Rafferty Steeplejacks successfully tendered for an external and internal inspection of the 56.1m
high S1240 boiler steel chimney at a UK fertiliser plant. The internal inspection revealed deteriorated
steelwork and holes within the top section of the chimney. As the chimney could only be shutdown for a
certain amount of time, any further inspection or maintenance work had to be undertaken externally.
The S1240 steel chimney was manufactured and installed in 1975 making the chimney circa 35 years
old. As steel chimney design standards have been revised and improved since original construction,
along with the present condition of the chimney following our initial inspection, it was agreed that the
chimney should be re-designed and a structural feasibility study should be carried out to CICIND:1999
and the new Eurocodes EN 1991 which will soon replace the present British Standard BS4076;1989 for
steel chimneys. The re-design calculations and feasibility study revealed that the design life of this
chimney could be substantially extended by over-plating and strengthening works being carried out to
various areas of the chimney shell along with replacing the helical strake wind stabilisers at the
termination point of the chimney with a modern fluid stabilising damper system to reduce excessive
oscillations.
Rafferty’s offered the client a full turnkey project solution to extend the design life of this chimney and
such was their faith in Rafferty’s knowledge, experience and capabilities in steel chimney construction
and maintenance, the contract was awarded on single tender.
As previously stated, as the client was unable to shut the chimney down for the entire duration of the
project, all works had to be approached from an external view point. As the chimney shell is concealed
with mineral wool insulation and aluminium cladding externally, the cladding and insulation would need
to be removed to enable any repairs to the chimney shell to be carried out.
It was decided that the first area of consideration would be the deteriorated areas of steelwork and holes
that were located in the top section of the chimney. To access the full circumference of the chimney, a
modular frame scaffold deck was installed directly below the upper most flange at 42.1m above ground
level. Following which a multi-lift scaffold arrangement was then erected for a further 8m providing safe
working platforms to all elevations of the structure within this area. Further design calculations were
carried out which prevented fully scaffolding the top section of the chimney to the termination point as the
scaffolding would add additional wind loadings to the already weakened structure. Therefore, the
remaining top 6m of the chimney would be accessed by erecting a full circumference modular frame
scaffold deck at approximately 2.5m below the termination point and from this a full circumference
moveable tirfor platform was utilised to gain access below. This form of access was only installed once
the multi lift scaffold arrangement was dismantled. Please see the following photographs showing the
scaffold arrangement and click to enlarge.
Utilising the multi lift scaffold arrangement and moveable platform, the aluminium cladding and insulation
was removed throughout the full height of the top chimney section. On removal of the cladding numerous
defects were located to the chimney shell steelwork. Directly above flange level the original manufactures
of this chimney installed a cladding ring throughout the full circumference of the stack. Its purpose was
to support the insulation above and prevent it from slipping. As the cladding ring protrudes from the
chimney shell, it is considered as an external ‘cold spot’ as it will not be consistent with the operating
temperatures of the chimney shell steelwork. These external ‘cold spots’ are where accelerated corrosion
and deterioration will form on steel chimney structures should weather penetration occur. Numerous
ultrasonic thickness readings were therefore carried out above and below the cladding ring which
revealed that the chimney shell had deteriorated far beyond its original corrosion allowance. Further
deterioration and holes had also occurred around other external ‘cold spots’ within the top section of the
chimney such as the access ladder securing brackets and helical strake securing bosses. Please see the
following photographs which show the deterioration identified within the top section of the chimney
and click on images to enlarge.
Following the inspection, the areas of the chimney shell requiring maintenance works were plotted and
submitted to the client. Extensive over-plating works were then carried out to the chimney shell steelwork
with the top section of the stack. Using trained steeplejack coded welders, the cladding ring was removed
and the chimney shell at this location was over-plated with 8mm thick mild steel plate for a depth of 1m
throughout the full circumference. Extensive patch plating was also carried out around the access ladder
securing brackets and helical strake securing bosses at required locations with 8mm thick mild steel plate.
Quality procedures were also implemented throughout the duration of the repair work and our
workmanship was independently inspected and quality checked by a qualified company who carried out
a magnetic particle inspection of the new weld seams. The results of which achieved the complete
satisfaction of the client.
The extent of deterioration evident within the top section of the chimney raised serious concern with both
ourselves and the client. It was therefore decided that further inspection work should be carried out to the
remainder of the chimney. The original manufacturers of the stack had installed cladding rings above
each connecting flange. It was agreed that the aluminium cladding and insulation should be removed
above each flange level to expose the cladding ring. To remove the cladding and insulation in a safe and
controlled manner required access to the full circumference of the chimney. To avoid the use of costly
crane hire or extensive scaffolding works, access was achieved by using the full circumference moveable
tirfor platform which was originally used within the top section of the chimney. A thorough inspection and
extensive thickness tests of the chimney shell could then be carried out in these areas. The chimney shell
was also exposed and inspected around each access ladder securing bracket and sample platform
securing bracket. Fortunately the defects to the chimney shell were only limited to the top section of the
chimney and no further maintenance works were required to the remainder of the stack. Please see the
following photographs showing the moveable access platform and inspection of the chimney shell.
The final element of this project was the installation of the new fluid filled stabilising damper system. The
original helical strakes were first removed and support brackets were installed to the chimney shell
steelwork ready to receive the damper system. Utilising a 220 ton mobile crane the damper system was
installed at the termination point of the chimney. Please see the following photographs showing the new
stabilising damper being installed and finally in position.
This project was successfully completed without any safety incidents and to the complete satisfaction of
the client. Our ability to provide innovative maintenance and access solutions have succeeded in
prolonging the design life of this structure without any disruption to the operating conditions of the
chimney.