The 5th Annual Quality Assurance for Sustainable Construction

Materials Conference and Workshop on 13-14 December 2017,

initiated by Dubai Central Laboratory – Dubai Municipality

Urgent Post Fire Assessment and

Upgrading of Two Old Markets in

Amman Downtown

Sami Habahbeh – Manager of Consultations Division Constructions and Sustainable Buildings Center

Royal Scientific Society E-mail: sami.habahbeh@rss.jo

The paper will present an overview of the Royal Scientific Society (RSS) experts’

urgent assessment and upgrading of Al-Balabseh and Philadelphia old markets -

Amman downtown / Jordan, upon a severe fire in August, 2009.

Consequently, immediate structural upgrading interventions and architectural

rectification/decorative actions were decided to enhance the overall condition of the

two markets with the intention to bring them back to service in less than one-month

time.

The paper will focus on showing different types of damages caused by the fire, their

extent and assessment, and finally, the appropriate options, strategies and

techniques selected for a successful upgrading.

Course Description Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

Sami Habahbeh

• Manager of Consultations Division; Constructions and Sustainable Buildings Center; CSBC; Royal Scientific Society; RSS.

• MSc. in Civil Engineering – Structures.

• 25 Years as Structural Designer and Expert in Assessment & Rehabilitation / Retrofitting of Existing Buildings (& Forensic Investigations).

• “Consultant in Structural Engineering” – JEA Highest Rank”.

Presenter

Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

1. Urgent assessment is based on the experience and the judgment of the

assessing engineer, where the structural condition is exceptionally evaluated on

the base of visual inspections.

2. In general concrete structures have historically performed well in building fires,

because concrete is non-combustible and has relatively low thermal conductivity,

as a result, structural failure (local or global collapse) of fire buildings is

rare. Reinstatement by repair will, therefore, nearly always be preferable to

demolition and rebuilding.

3. The colour of concrete after cooling frequently helps to indicate the

maximum temperature attained. At about 300 ºC the colour changes to (pink), at

about 600 ºC changes to (whitish gray) and then becomes (buff) at about 900 ºC.

Learning Objectives

Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

The fire started at midnight 5th of August, 2009

Complex Salient Features

Location: Amman-Downtown; main/central commercial

district – king Talal Street.

Year of Construction: Before 1942.

Description: Two adjacent buildings containing two markets:

Philadelphia Market

AL-Balabseh Market

Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

History of Fire

Date : 5/6 - 8 - 2009

Duration : more than (8) hours

Most Probable Cause “ Ignition Source”

( electrical wiring fault )

Fire Scenario

Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

RSS Investigation

Date : 10 - 8 - 2009, Four days after fire

Duration : One Month

Scope of Work

1- Immediate visual inspection & evaluation

2- Deciding necessary safety measures

3- Presenting urgent strengthening and repair works and Supervising their execution

Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

.

Safety Measures and Immediate Actions

1. Evacuation of the two buildings and separation from the surrounding occupied area by erecting safety barriers. 2. Supporting structural elements initially suspected as vulrnable

to imminent failure or local collapse. 3. Demolishing and removing bulged or damaged block walls and

partitions. 4. Dismantling and removing unfixed or hanging elements, false ceilings….etc. 5. Removal of disturbed and fractured stones, as well as, those expected to fall down within the skylight facades.

Post Fire Assessment and Upgrading of Two Old Markets

Assessment and Evaluation of Fire Damages

RSS Urgent Assessment

An immediate and thorough forensic fire assessment had to be carried out with clear objectives:

1. Identifying and assessment of damages. 2. Deciding the best methods for urgent repair/strengthening works. 3. The markets have to be re-opened as soon as possible to avoid additional indirect economic losses. Therefore, repair techniques and procedures should be effective and fast.

Assessment and Evaluation of Fire Damages

RSS Urgent Assessment

Based on experience and field

inspections and observations, RSS

team was able to identify the serious

damages caused by the fire without the

need for performing further elaborate

and time consuming laboratory testing

or analysis.

Assessment and Evaluation of Fire Damages

RSS Urgent Assessment

One the other hand, the team concluded (based on similar previous expertise and available literature review), that despite of the losses of strength of some structural elements, the affected buildings were still stable and capable of sustaining normal operation/ occupation loading.

Yet, they need to be repaired and strengthened to accommodate specific structural and durability requirements.

Assessment and Evaluation of Fire Damages

RSS Urgent Assessment

It is noteworthy to emphasize here that, so far, about eight years beyond job completion date, the satisfactory performance of the two repaired structures has proved the correctness of immediate conclusions and decisions taken by RSS investigation team.

Rehabilitation and Repair Works

Strategy for Rehabilitation

1. Strengthening of distressed structural elements. Priority was assigned to columns. 2. Stiffening of deflected or sagged slabs. 3. Replacement of damaged steel slabs and elements. 4. Repair of non-structural elements.

Rehabilitation and Repair Works

Strategy for Rehabilitation

5. Superficial repairs, including plastering. 6. General restoration works, such as, tiling, finishes, painting, carpentry, steel/aluminum/gypsum decoration..etc. 7. Complementary sanitary works, including plumbing and replacement of some drainage pipes. 8. Miscellaneous electrical works and fire alarm device installation.

Rehabilitation and Repair Works

Preparations and Clean-Out:

1. Removal and cleaning of fire debris.

2. Removal of delaminated /detached plaster, crushed tiles and

spalled/weak/loose concrete segments.

3. Dismantling worn false ceilings and decorations.

4. Thorough cleaning of stone façades by Sand/ Grit-Blasting.

5. Cleaning of surfaces of ceilings, walls and floors by Water-

Jetting.

Rehabilitation and Repair Works – Work Execution

Major Interventions Jacketing of Columns

Skylight Slab

Mezzanine Sagged Slab

Back-Stair Flight

Skylight Facades

Glazed Slabs

Strengthening of Defected

Columns

Bypass Composite System

Central Support RC Column with Top Crown/Panel

Strengthening with Stiff RC Cantilever

Multi-Layer Reinforced Plastering

Second Floor First Floor

Work Completion The whole rehabilitation and repair

works were completed within the

targeted time (30 days) coincidence

with the Holly Ramadan Month, where

the activities continued all days and

nights until the reopening ceremony on

16/9/2009

Rehabilitation and Repair Works – Work Execution