TP22-05: Maintenance of Precast Concrete Members in Cooling Towers

Concrete cooling towers often have some or all structural members fabricated utilizing precast concrete construction to facilitate expedited field erection of a cooling tower. Individual precast concrete members are field erected and structurally connected using a variety of steel connections. As such, there are more open construction joints in this type of construction and overall a more flexible structural system. This paper discusses the implications of construction joints in precast concrete construction as well as the unexpected movement of concrete members during the operation of cooling towers. In some observed instances, precast members have shifted or their bearing support has deteriorated and failed, leading to a partial structural collapse. Such conditions can significantly affect the tower operation and performance and would be of definite concern for cooling tower owners and operators.