Welcoming thousands of visitors and hundreds of vehicles a day, shopping centres prove to be among the most complex and exhaustive examples of Facilities Maintenance. Because they cover such vast areas, site management requires constant attention, ensuring that the facilities not only remain intact aesthetically but comply with health and safety measures. One such shopping centre, situated in the Bayside Suburbs of Brisbane, Australia, was no different. Presented with many of the same issues that can affect the daily function of any facility, Belzona's Australian Distributor, Rezitech, contacted the shopping complex with a range of potential solutions. This was back in 2013 and over the space of four years, Rezitech has completed a variety of buildings and structures applications alongside the Facilities Maintenance company who oversees the site. These repairs have extended to the car park, access ramps, kerbs, shop floors and walls, as well as concrete surrounding steel gratings and expansion joints.
Revamping indoor floors
The 33,102 m2 of retail floor space is home to 110 stores and businesses, all of which are subject to high levels of foot traffic as customers traverse the concrete, tiles, and linoleum every day. Significantly, these pedestrian areas are prone to continual wear and abrasion and are closely monitored for excessive deterioration. In partnership with the Facilities Maintenance company, Rezitech has helped to alleviate many of the issues brought about by these factors, on one such occasion in the Fruit and Butcher shop on site.
In this instance, there was a need to recoat the floor as several concrete areas were damaged and the old coating had delaminated in many places. Highlighted as an issue during a Health Inspection audit, Rezitech tackled the damaged concrete floor using Belzona 4111 (Magma-Quartz), a fast-curing concrete repair material. Accompanied by a two-part floor coating, to improve abrasion and slip resistance, the shop floor was reinstated quickly with minimal disruption.
Concrete damage curbed
Constant traffic from customers and deliveries is something that cannot be curbed, but the progressive wear and deterioration of car park areas certainly can be. After speaking to the site's Operations Manager, Rezitech were made aware of several areas that could easily be repaired using Belzona materials, including the concrete floor and expansion joints. However, kerbs navigating traffic around the car park were needing immediate attention due to spalling or detachment from the concrete substrate beneath.
Sometimes this required refitting or even the creation of a new kerb. In Winter 2013, this specific application was required after damage to the kerb warranted its removal and replacement. Using a wooden former, Belzona 4111 (Magma-Quartz) was applied into the design, re-creating the original kerb profile. Once the concrete repair material had sufficiently cured, the former was removed leaving the perfectly-formed kerb, ready to be painted.
Shopping Spree
At the last inspection in late 2016, these repairs were still in excellent condition, some of which have been in place for over three years. Additional repairs have since been conducted at the shopping centre, all being repairs to broken sections of concrete or replacing sections of failed cement-based products. These successes highlight the Facilities Maintenance company's confidence in Rezitech and its provision of long-lasting Belzona solutions. Robert Visser, Operations Manager for the shopping centre, commented: "At first, we were sceptical of the products' performance, as many others had made similar claims. However, we soon revised our scepticism. The quick curing time of Belzona 4111 (Magma-Quartz) is a substantial benefit, as repair areas are reopened quickly, minimising the disruption to shoppers. I am still amazed at how small an area can be repaired with a minimal amount of surface preparation. These materials required no excavation works". Following the recommendation of Robert, Rezitech has already begun associated applications with some of the other sites managed by this company, which includes the maintenance and upkeep of 20 centres across Queensland, Australia.
[Author: Tom Belli]
Image: Concrete repaired and coated for improved abrasion resistance.
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Latest Construction News
25/11/2024
Estilo Interiors has been selected to help Bruntwood SciTech as they invest a further £2.4 million into Birmingham as part of a plan to transform its Mclaren innovation hub. The project, located less than five minutes' walk from the future HS2 Curzon Street Station, will involve the building ...
25/11/2024
Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) has reached a significant milestone at Aylesborough Close in Arbury, with the completion of a topping-out ceremony. CIP board members, ward councillors, One Public Estate, Homes England and the CIP team gathered to lay the final brick at the highest point of ...
25/11/2024
Lovell has appointed Nicola Colley as head of land in the West Midlands, boosting the business' expertise in land opportunities. Having previously worked at Lovell for 12 years, Nicola has returned to a brand-new role at the national housebuilder, bringing with her experience from Taylor Wimpey ...
25/11/2024
Stepnell has commenced enabling works for a significant £9 million refurbishment of the Grade II listed Town Hall in Hugh Town, located on St Mary's in the Isles of Scilly. Spearheaded by the Council of the Isles of Scilly in partnership with Scilly Arts & Heritage, the project marks a pivotal ...
25/11/2024
Morgan Sindall Construction has successfully completed the restoration of West Bromwich Town Hall and Library, restoring the significant building to its former glory for the community to enjoy. Prior to the project's handover, Morgan Sindall gave a presentation to the SMBC Members and Town ...
25/11/2024
Persimmon Homes Severn Valley has donated 10,000 bricks to AccXel, the Construction Skills Accelerator Centre in Cinderford. The contribution will enable students at the Gloucestershire-based facility to gain hands-on experience and develop essential skills for the construction industry. The ...
25/11/2024
Nearly a year after work began, significant progress is being made at Huddersfield station as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU). This transformative project aims to modernise the key northern transport hub while preserving its rich heritage as a Grade I listed building. One of the ...
25/11/2024
Renovating a property can be a challenging and complex process, especially when integrating new and existing building elements. At R Elliott Associates Ltd, we specialise in helping clients navigate these challenges by providing expert planning, design, and support to pre-empt any potential ...
25/11/2024
Northumbrian Water has announced a significant investment of £3.5 million at its Great Ayton Sewage Treatment Works (STW) to enhance its capacity to manage stormwater. The project involves the installation of a new storm tank capable of holding up to 317 cubic meters of combined rainwater and ...
25/11/2024
Balfour Beatty Flannery, a partnership between Balfour Beatty and Flannery Plant Hire, has trained its 1,000th student at its Operator Skills Hub. With over 250,000 additional workers needed in the construction industry by 2028, Balfour Beatty Flannery's Operator Skills Hub is key in addressing ...