Main library repairs will cost about $2 million

An estimated $2 million will be spent this year on repairs to the Herman B Wells Library after two exterior panels came loose last December, said University Architect Robert Meadows.\nDuring winter break, Arsee Engineers of Indianapolis was hired to inspect the limestone exterior panels of the Wells library. The limestone panels on the perimeter of the exterior walls will be replaced and attached with new mechanical fasteners and epoxy, Meadows said.\nConstruction will begin when the weather is better and will last for about nine months. \n"What happened is that these two panels came loose unexpectedly and we had not inspected that area," Meadows said. "It was a real anomaly; it was the only two panels that had come loose on that whole building."\nMeadows said the library's exterior concrete panels with a limestone facing are attached to the building's poured concrete frame. \n"This system was designed in the late '60s, and they did things a little bit differently than we would do now," he said. \nMeadows said all buildings move, and from the movement, the exterior concrete panels began to push into each other because they had no where else to move. \n"The stress caused the limestone (facing) to separate from the concrete panel that's behind, which is attached to the building," he said.\nMeadows said they are replacing the smooth 3-foot-wide limestone panels that frame each side of the library. After the perimeter is replaced, additional reinforcements will ensure that the stone won't come off if there are any future failures similar to this. The top row will not be replaced because it is attached differently. \n"There is no stress put on it, so no need to take it off," Meadows said. \nWithin this border, the smaller rough limestone pieces that create the textured surface aren't as much of a problem if they come loose. However, inspections will be made during the next couple months to look for smaller broken pieces.\nAlso, the joints that are between the panels that allow water to infiltrate the building will be caulked, Meadows said. \nOnce construction begins, Meadows said there is a possibility of noise penetrating inside the library when the limestone is removed, but he doesn't know how disruptive it will be. He said there will be bridges and "dust protection" for students walking nearby.\n"We'll do everything we can to reduce the environmental impact," he said. "We understand that people need to study in there." \nThere haven't been any previous problems like this, said Eric Bartheld, the library's director of communication. "Our first discovery of it was this past year in December." \nBartheld said the inspection in December wasn't disruptive.\n"We don't anticipate being disruptive to services at all," he said.