The cement distribution center of the Lafarge Group “Aget-Heracles” cement plant in Rio, at the northern Peloponnese, was built in the 1970s with reinforced concrete.

It comprises two cement silos, which are separated by an expansion joint.

The building complex of the cement distribution center, consists of two independent buildings – separated by an “expansion joint”.

The higher building is 30m high, while the other is two floors lower.

The “load-bearing” structure of both buildings, is framework type from reinforced concrete columns and beams, without shear walls. Between successive columns and slabs there are “infill-walls” made of “cement” bricks.

During the earthquake of 2009, the building complex was damaged, mainly on the upper floors, and an “earthquake resistance” rehabilitation and strengthening solution was suggested without interrupting the operation of the cement distribution center.

The solution provided:

1. The construction of an external shotcrete jacket, incorporating additional structural steel profiles where needed.
2. The abolition of the “expansion joint” and the connection of the two buildings on every floor, at full height, so that they can act as a single “load-bearing” structure and the risk of collision is avoided.
   
   The respective floors of the two buildings were at the same height, which facilitated their “stitching”.
   
   
3. The strengthening of some columns, with “steel-sheet” jackets, mainly on the lower floors and in the pilotis, where the shear walls were missing.
   
   The “steel-sheet” jacketing of the columns increased their “compression” and “shear” resistance.
   
   
4. Corroded and carbonized concrete and oxidized reinforcement bars – due to proximity of the center to the sea – were also restored.

The work lasted about three months and was combined with architectural refinement of the buildings’ exterior views.