Boston, MA
Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Callahan Tunnel Vent Buildings
Scope/Solutions
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) owns several buildings housing large air exchangers to ventilate the Callahan Tunnel that connects East Boston and downtown. On the East Boston side of the tunnel, the buildings’ walls exhibited ongoing deterioration, including visible out-of-plane bowing, detachment of the brick masonry from the cinder-block backup wall, and partial collapse. SGH served as the structural engineer of record for the assessment and restoration project to address the distressed masonry walls.
SGH evaluated the 1950s vent buildings to understand existing conditions and evaluate options for repairs. Highlights of our work include:
- Using findings from our hands-on survey with laser scanning performed by another firm to develop topography plots showing the magnitude of outward bowing
- Assessing the stability of the buildings’ composite masonry walls
- Developing construction documents to restore and replace portions of the brick and masonry facade elements, while maintaining the buildings’ aesthitics and character
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Project Summary
Solutions
Repair & Rehabilitation
Services
Structures | Building Enclosures
Markets
Infrastructure & Transportation
Key team members
Greggrey Cohen
Structural Repair and Rehabilitation Division Head, Boston
Additional Projects
Northeast
MBTA Bus Repair Garage
The building includes three garage bays, offices, and locker facilities for the bus operators and repair staff. When an elevated concrete floor slab in one of the bays failed under the weight of a bus wheel, the MBTA retained SGH to investigate.
Northeast
ITC Crossing
During construction of the ITC Crossing development, sections of corrugated metal pipe (CMP) and reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) in the storm drainage system were found to be structurally distressed and damaged. SGH investigated the extent and cause of the problems and developed repairs.