Toronto Baths Upgrade

During the design and material coordination phase of the Toronto Baths upgrade, a key challenge emerged regarding the concrete cover for the Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) reinforcement used in the jetty headstocks. The original structural drawings specified a 30mm concrete cover to the reinforcement, which at first appeared to meet general expectations. However, upon closer review of the project specifications—particularly the requirement for compliance with CSA S806-12 standards—it became clear that this cover was insufficient.
Given that the FRP bars used in the project were 20mm in diameter, the actual required minimum cover was 40mm. This discrepancy posed a compliance issue that needed immediate resolution to avoid compromising the durability and safety of the structure.
DM Composites worked closely with the project engineers and the construction team to assess feasible solutions. One potential option was to redesign the stirrups to fit within the 30mm cover limitation; however, this would have involved structural recalculations and incurred additional engineering costs. Instead, after evaluating the options, the team agreed that the most practical and cost-effective solution was to increase the concrete cover to 40mm in accordance with the standard.
In parallel, queries were raised about the minimum possible stirrup size to allow for design flexibility and more efficient reinforcement layouts. DM Composites confirmed that their manufacturing capabilities allow for fully customizable stirrups, with rebar diameters ranging from 4mm to 55mm, offering significant adaptability for future applications. Although smaller stirrups were technically feasible, the primary objective remained compliance with the cover requirement and long-term structural integrity.