Sika provided a total concrete repair and corrosion management system to restore a town centre car park to its award-winning best.
The Buttermarket Shopping Centre Multi-Storey Car Park (MSCP), a safe, convenient access point to one of the busiest commercial areas in Ipswich, had shown signs of chloride contamination – a common issue for structures where road traffic is prevalent. To significantly reduce the potential for reinforcement corrosion in the deck’s exposed concrete surface, the building’s clients required a proven, long-term, fast-curing concrete repair and corrosion management system. Sika was specified by contractors Concrete Repairs Ltd as the single-source provider for this vital refurbishment project.
To eliminate risk of steel corrosion within the car park’s structure, products from Sika’s Total Corrosion Management portfolio were utilised. Sika® FerroGard®-903+, a multi-functional liquid corrosion inhibitor, was applied to the chloride contaminated concrete decks. Once applied, the liquid migrates to the reinforcement through the concrete and forms a protective layer which suppresses existing corrosion and greatly reduces any further activity.
With contractors working to a strict deadline in order to return the car park to full operation in the shortest time possible, the rapid-setting properties of Sika’s repair and management system were essential. This was particularly relevant to the application of Sika® Rapid Repair Mortar – a one component, rapid-curing cementitious repair mortar.
Meeting the requirements of Class R4 of BS EN 1504-3, the product is suitable for repairing all types of structures including floor slabs and car park decks. Sika® Rapid Repair Mortar is ideal for exterior and interior use and requires nothing more than water to provide a high-strength application.
For the surface’s resin-based finish, Sikafloor®-EB 24, car park deck system was applied. Available in various colours, it contains high abrasion, mechanical and chemical resistance, making it the ideal top coat for areas subject to long-term motorised vehicular use.
The low-odour properties of Sikafloor®-EB 24 enabled its use without interruption to the shopping centre’s opening times. In a further application, Sikafloor®-RB 25 was utilised on the car park’s ramps. On account of its superbly-fast curing times, this highly durable ramp system meant refurbishment work could be carried out overnight to enable the car park to be returned to full service by day.
With repair work beginning in September 2016, the rapid-setting, easy-to-apply qualities of Sika’s repair and corrosion management system ensured the car park’s refurbishment was completed to the client’s strict two-month deadline and full satisfaction. Buttermarket Shopping Centre MSCP has been awarded the government-backed Secure Parking Award every year since the initiative’s inception in 1994.
Smart, safe, durable, and backed by a 10-year warranty, Sika’s high-performance flooring range has done much to ensure the refurbished car park continues as a worthy recipient of this prestigious accolade.