scope:

This guideline covers the repair of wood cooling towers using replacement pultruded fiberglass structural members. It does not cover every instance of what could happen in the cooling tower. It is a general guideline that will help focus on the areas that need extra attention to determine how the fiberglass pultrusions will be substituted for wood and ensure a quality repair.

While the pultruded shapes are manufactured to fit dimensionally, there are other factors that need to be considered before making a one to one replacement.

Building codes, both local and national, and plant specifications must be considered and adhered to.

This guideline must be worked in conjunction with all of the existing applicable CTI documents listed below.

Building Code revisions can and will change the design requirements for pultruded fiberglass materials. The Engineer of Record should reference the applicable building code to confirm the design meets all of the Building Code requirements.

Design changes for fiberglass pultrusions are going to be implemented with the ASCE LRFD code that is currently being written. More information on this subject will follow at a later date.