Davis Library roof undergoes rebuild

About one week after reports of a cracking sound from a portion of the Davis Library roof, a mountain of scaffolding now stretches to the library’s eighth floor.

The scaffolding, which was erected during the weekend, will be used as part of a potentially four-week long construction project that will temporarily close an eighth floor study lounge.

Otherwise, very little will be affected by the construction, said Susan Wrenn, the facilities manager for University Libraries.

Wrenn added that no other areas of Davis Library appear to be at risk.

After first inspecting the roof section, structural engineer Julie Thurston said the ceiling was sagging considerably.

“So we were concerned there was a chance it might fall,” she said. “We’re shooting for four weeks to repair it.”

She said repairs may take longer if the roof’s problems appear more extensive than originally expected.

The library has not had similar problems in the past, said Thurston, who added that a recent structural assessment of the building did not suggest any issues with the library.

“So we believe this was more of a sudden event rather than a problem that has grown over time,” she said.

The roof is now supported by scaffolding. The area beneath the roof was previously closed off only with yellow tape, but metal fences were added during the weekend.

“We wanted to get the scaffolding up as quickly as possible,” Thurston said.

She said the University worked to stabilize the roof over Labor Day weekend when fewer people were on campus.

Construction manager Bob Beke said UNC is working with Barnhill Contracting Company to diagnose the cause of the problem.

“Hopefully, in the next few days, we’ll be up there tearing out that area that has been loose and seeing what caused it,” Beke said. “Right now, things are stabilized, and we’re still working out details with the contractors.”

Thurston said the University’s design and construction services department was notified of the problem last week.

“I believe a student heard something, likely the fasteners breaking, and they notified the circulation desk,” she said.

Thurston added that no one has been injured as a result of the roof problem.

Construction management and Barnhill Contracting Company will not be able to estimate the project’s cost until they determine the cause of the sagging, officials said.

Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.