Industrial Chimney, Matosinhos
Safety assessment and structural conservation of the brick chimney of the former Nun'Álvares cannery in Matosinhos, to be retained in the redevelopment of the industrial complex.
Concept & Challenge
Built between 1929 and 1930 to serve the former Nun'Álvares cannery, this solid brick chimney, 22.20 m in height, bears witness to the industrialisation of the Portuguese coast. The survey revealed extensive cracking in the shaft, a crown at risk of falling and severe deterioration of the bricks, aggravated by the marine environment and the cement mortar. The challenge was to ensure its safety in the face of current requirements without erasing the industrial memory of the site.
Approach & Methodology
The chimney was inspected over its full height using a mobile crane, with the damage and geometry recorded. Ambient vibration tests followed, a non-intrusive method that measures how the structure responds to wind and traffic. The results were used to calibrate a finite element numerical model. This sequence allowed safety under wind and seismic action to be assessed on the basis of the actual behaviour of the structure, rather than on generic assumptions.
Solution & Results
The analysis identified wind as the governing action and located the deficit in resistance solely at the base of the shaft, where the introduction of vertical metal bars was specified. The design also included stainless steel bands along the shaft, the reconstruction of the crown with salvaged bricks and lime mortar, the consolidation of the masonry and a maintenance plan. The chimney thus regains the required level of safety, with its form and material expression left intact.
Measure before strengthening: the most rigorous way to intervene only where necessary.
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