The structural rehabilitation and seismic upgrade of the Ragusa Fire Station utilised advanced composite material solutions based on FRCM (Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix).

The Fire Station, having undergone multiple expansions over time, developed various structural issues necessitating significant upgrades.

Preliminary investigations revealed the need for reinforcement of both the beam-column joints and the original masonry to meet current seismic safety standards.

Ruregold addressed these needs with innovative FRCM systems made of long PBO fibres and a special inorganic matrix to ensure proper adherence to the structure.

Structural Reinforcement Process

For the beam-column joints, two FRCM reinforcement systems were used: PBO-Mesh 105 and PBO-Mesh 70/18, combined with the MX-PBO Concrete inorganic cement-based matrix.

PBO-Mesh 105: A unidirectional mesh with 105 g/m² PBO fibres and thermoplastic glass fibres in the transverse direction, designed for use with the MX-PBO Concrete inorganic matrix on concrete structures. This ensures optimal stress transfer from the structural element to the reinforcement mesh.

PBO-Mesh 70/18: A bidirectional mesh with 70 g/m² PBO fibres in the warp and 18 g/m² in the weft, available in two heights (50 and 100 cm). It improves the ductility of beam and column ends through wrapping, confines columns, increases the strength of beam-column joint panels, and reinforces concrete beams and both normal and prestressed reinforced concrete structures.

For applying reinforcement wrappings, PBO-Joint in the 6 mm version was also used. This is a PBO fibre flake connector developed specifically for Ruregold's FRCM systems.

For reinforcing the original masonry structures, the PBO-Mesh 22/22 system was employed, consisting of a 44 g/m² bidirectional mesh with 100 cm height PBO fibres and specific MX-PBO Masonry cementitious mortar.

The combination of Ruregold's FRCM solutions ensured quick operational efficiency, fully restoring the structural integrity of the complex and bringing it up to current seismic standards.