Alumni Tower Repairs

The WCU Alumni Tower is an 85-foot tall, multi-story masonry clock tower dedicated by WCU alumni that was constructed in 1989. The tower is located in the heart of WCU’s campus and is a focal point for students and faculty. WCU Facilities Maintenance staff had observed deterioration to the brick parapet walls, water intrusion into the tower clockworks rooms, deteriorated sealants, and staining on the tower. Atlas Engineering was asked to perform an evaluation of the tower condition and provide recommendations for repairs.

Utilizing our in-house unmanned-aerial-vehicle (UAV) capabilities, Atlas was able to obtain up-close, high-resolution photos of the tower to facilitate a detailed inspection of the condition of the masonry without utilizing a large boom lift, reducing inspection costs and minimizing disruption to campus operations. Atlas was then selected to design the repairs and perform construction administration on the project. The repair project was able to address the underlying conditions by incorporating new design elements to increase the durability of the tower and minimize future maintenance.