For years, school districts have benefited from the efficiency, design freedom and economy of integrating structural, glued laminated (glulam) wood beams and trusses into the design of their structures. However, glulam beams are often exposed to harsh environments such as extreme heat, cold or moisture, resulting in decay. One example is the one-story Gaywood Elementary School in Seabrook, Md. Part of the Prince George's County Schools, the school houses kindergarten through sixth grade and was originally constructed in 1958 with a brick façade and wood beams supporting the roof. After an extremely harsh winter with heavy snowfalls, the beams became cracked because the flat roof could not withstand the severe weight from the snow. Visible to the naked eye, the cracks were clearly evident to all who entered the school. Although officials had taken proper steps and shored up the beams, the parents and the PTA were concerned about the safety of students.

Structural Preservation Systems (SPS) developed a two-prong repair approach. Before either strategy was implemented, the team performed surface preparation that required removing the paint and injecting the crack with an epoxy. Then, the team opted to use a light-weight, high-strength system - steel reinforced polymer (SRP) composites on beams that had moderate cracking. SRP are thin laminates that are externally bonded to structural elements with an epoxy adhesive to increase strength. This approach was non-intrusive and it was not visible that repairs had been made the structure.

The second approach involved using external post-tensioning on beams that were severely cracked and would need extra load-bearing capacity. Both of these options saved the school from having to tear out the beams and replace them. Further, SPS' repair team did not remove any existing lighting; rather, they worked around existing light and classroom fixtures. To avoid any damage to the walls, there was a great deal of shoring and scaffold work. This approach provided a tremendous cost-savings to the school and ensured a non-invasive procedure. No Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) were used and clean-up occurred everyday. Dust from the surface preparation process was minimized, because a dustless girder system was utilized. Further, steps were taken by SPS to minimize noise disruption since summer school was in session while the project was taking place.

The repairs were so seamless that it is difficult to distinguish which beams have been repaired. The overwhelming positive results of this project have prompted officials to consider strengthening beams as a preventive measure for other schools of similar construction.