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NEWS RECONSTRUCTION
CABLE TIES
Sika injects longer life into a Saldanha Bridge
A Western Cape bridge in need of rehabilitation was recently revamped using Sika products, which didn’t only give the bridge a new lease on life, but also increased its durability.
After
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Before
he Saldanha Bridge in the Western Cape is one of the most strategically
important roadways in the region. The bridge underwent
application, and has high creep resistance under
construction in recent years, which facilitated the
permanent loads, which is critical in structural
extension of the road running from Langebaan
applications that carry a high volume of loads.
to Saldanha. This road allows single lane traffic in each direction. Due to miscalculations of top-steel installation,
and masonry builds. The 16mm diameter Sika
needed a revamp. The Provincial Administration
CarboDur BC-16 Rods have a sanded finish to
of the Western Cape had to decide if they would
give added mechanical key. They were flown
rebuild the entire bridge, at an approximate
into South Africa, at minimal cost, due to the
cost of R9m over a period of six months; or the
exceptionally low weight of the product. The rods
alternate of refurbishing the existing bridge, at an
were glued into place using Sikadur-30 Epoxy
estimate of R2m over a three week period. They
mortar, and trowelled flush with the deck surface.
AUGUST 2020 DIY & INDUSTRIAL TRADE NEWS
On completion of the near-surface mounted
with the main contractors, Power Construction,
carbon fibre rod application, the subsequent road
took this project head on and chose Sika products
surfacing could commence. The key elements of
for the bridge refurbishment.
Sika CarboDur BC-16 are its resistance to any form
The first step in the repair process, was to cut
of corrosion, the incredibly high tensile strength,
1.4km of longitudinal slots into the concrete bridge
and its light weight. It’s quite easy to install – no
deck, with concrete cutting equipment. These
surface preparation is required. It has an improved
slots were specifically created to carry near-
resistance to fire, due to it being embedded in
surface mounted carbon fibre rods, which would
the concrete surface. It is used to improve the
compensate for the missing rebar. At the same
performance and resistance of structures, for
diameter, the carbon fibre rods have a tensile
increased load carrying capacity, which in this
strength six times that of structural reinforcing,
case, is daily. There can be no doubt this was the
giving it the ability to carry very heavy loads.
best purpose-product for the specified outcomes.
As they are near-surface mounted, they can be
For more information, call +27 (0)11 471 0897
structural strengthening of concrete, timber
when initially built, the newly developed road
settled on the latter. RHDHV Engineers, together
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The star product of this project was the Sika CarboDur BC-16 carbon fibre rods, designed for
Initially, the Provincial Administration of the
placed onto trafficked surfaces without being
Western Cape were not keen on the idea of using
damaged, which is ideal for a roadway of this
this new technology on the bridge. They deemed
nature. Sikadur- 30, an adhesive for structural
that it was a repair to a brand-new bridge, and
bonding, particularly in external structural
they did not want a ‘repaired structure’. Sika
strengthening, was used to bond the carbon fibre
technical specialists met with the head of PA and
rods into the slots. The advantages of this high
explained that the proposed repair would increase
performance adhesive is that: it is easy to mix
the durability of the structure. The latter finally
and easier to apply, requires no priming prior to
agreeing it would be the best option.
