Estoppey industrial hall, Châtel-St-Denis

The project
In recent years, the main roof structure was deforming severely due to accumulated snow. The owner hired several engineering firms to evaluate the load-bearing capacity of the structure. All analyses showed the same results: a severe undersizing of the existing structure. Estoppey-Reber SA contracted sdi Biel-Bienne SA to manage the rehabilitation project. Timbatec performed the structural calculations to reinforce the main timber structure, as well as all structural physics considerations.

The construction
Reinforcement was provided by means of an additional beam in the insulation layer. This was connected to the underlying layers with fully threaded screws. In this way, the new structural system functions as a composite cross-section. Thanks to additional insulation, cantonal subsidies could be claimed for the renovation.

The challenge
The challenges for this project were numerous. The premises had to remain usable during the entire construction period. This meant that the retrofitting had to be carried out from the outside of the roof.