Over the years, waterproofing technology has evolved and
enabled specifiers to address long-standing challenges, such as renovation
without removing the existing membrane and to install with minimal disruption.
However, what is still a major concern for both specifiers and contractors are
the time constraints involved in a project, especially when renovating and
repairing existing structures. Indeed, the speed with which waterproofing
failure must be addressed is vital, for both the structure and for the economic
impact the failure may incur.
Membrane repairs often involve intense manual labour:
removing the old membrane, disposing of it correctly, and then applying the new
membrane on a dry substrate. Membrane repairs can take weeks, often at great
cost to both the owner and the businesses disrupted by the work.
While there are numerous types of waterproofing membranes,
liquid membranes are arguably quicker to apply - particularly in a
refurbishment situation - and can cope with the complexity of an existing roof
with services than alternate membrane systems.
In early 2014, the use of a liquid membrane was proven to be
the most effective waterproofing solution during a renovation project at
Sydney’s historic Central Station Tramway. The 100-year-old structure had begun
to leak onto the businesses and a major pedestrian thoroughfare below. The
Central Station operators had commissioned The ACR Group to carry out the
renovation work and had chosen to use MasterSeal Traffic 2000, a liquid
membrane by BASF, for the job.
The challenge the renovation team faced was to repair the
membrane with minimal disruption to the busy Light Rail timetable. Traditional
methods of membrane repair would have required removing the concrete that
protected the membrane and then re-laying it over with a new membrane. This
would have caused severe disruption to light rail schedules, commuters and to
the businesses below, incurring heavy costs for the Central Station operators.
As shown in the case study, the repaired membrane met stringent building
standards and the steps taken to lay the new membrane caused little to no
impact on the tram timetable. The project only took a matter of days to
complete, which meant that the allotted time-frames were not affected.
Waterproofing refurbishment is a time game where the
flexibility to act quickly and with minimum disruption to the operation is an
advantage. As shown in the Central Station Tramway Case Study, the use of
liquid membrane technology can help specifiers to reduce time-frames and save costs
while still meeting stringent requirements for waterproofing the structure.
For more information, click
here download BASF's free whitepaper.
