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BAYER MATERIALSCIENCE’S POLYASPARTIC COATING TECHNOLOGY HITS A HOME RUN AT FLORIDA BASEBALL STADIUM
In baseball, runs, hits and errors are all part of the game. Unfortunately, at the Atlanta Braves spring training facility at Wide World of Sports Disney World, runs, hits and errors were being overshadowed by runs, drips and leaks. An examination of the 125,000-square-foot stadium revealed that a membrane between the structural concrete slab and the topping slab had failed in some areas, allowing water to seep through. Left uncorrected, the leaks could cause damage to the superstructure. To stop the leaks and prevent future water seepage, a team of professionals comprised of contractor Shield Coatings and Waterproofing Company, coatings applicator Epoxy Floor Solutions Company, and coatings suppliers Tufflex Inc. and ESI Elastomer Specialties Inc., recommended applying a new external membrane to the concrete topping. The topcoat suggested was a specially formulated colour coat based on polyaspartic coating technology from Bayer MaterialScience. Bayer will highlight its polyaspartic coating technology at its booth (S11541) at World of Concrete, held Jan. 18-21, 2005, in Las Vegas. Polyaspartic coating technology, which is often used in topcoat formulations that are part of a corrosion protection coating system, is ideal for protecting concrete because it can be easily applied, offers outstanding durability and gloss retention, and can be modified to fit specific application needs. Compared with other coatings, polyaspartics provide the faster dry times and higher film builds needed to develop the waterproof coat. “The final result is an exceptionally durable, UV-stable coating that can be applied quickly and cost effectively,” explained Carl Angeloff, manager of market development for the Maintenance and Monomers coatings business for Bayer MaterialScience. In the case of the Atlanta Braves spring training facility, the new coating technology meant the team could be back on the field – and the fans back in the stands – in a short period of time. To begin the project, the common walkways and patios were prepared with a dust-free shot blasting to achieve a good mechanical profile and clean surface. The vertical and horizontal surfaces in the seating areas were cleaned using hydro-demolition, with 15,000 to 20,000 psi of water on an oscillating tip. Once the debris was vacuumed out, a two-component, moisture- tolerant epoxy primer was applied. Applying the new membrane was simple, thanks to a multi-material broadcast from Tufflex. Because the Tufflex product is an internally catalyzed exothermal cure with water, all the cracks were filled in a single lift using a trowel and squeegee. Approximately two hours after application, the membrane reached a gel stage and was ready for the polyaspartic colour coat. Because the finish coat needed to stand up to years of heavy cart and forklift traffic, it was tested by stadium personnel prior to application. Testing revealed that the flexible 0-VOC polyaspartic colour coat from ESI out-performed traditional polyurethane in that it retained its sheen for a much longer time and was far easier to clean. “We are so convinced of the quality of the Bayer products and ESI’s ability to formulate the raws to our needs, that we have embarked on a whole new program of systems and specifications that will incorporate these materials,” said Brad Higgins, East Coast director of technical support, Tufflex Inc. For more information about ESI Elastomer Specialties, Inc., call +1 800 786 4244 or visit www.elastomer.com. For more information about Tufflex Inc. call +1 888 TUFFLEX or e-mail btufflex@aol.com. http://www.bayermaterialscience.com
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