SOLUTIONS | THUMS Island: Grissom Waterfall Rehab

Date of Project: August - September 2014

Project Owner: Occidental Petroleum

Project Contractor: Hugh Roberts Construction

Market/Environment: Oil Production

Substrate: Gunite from the 1960s

Product Used: Five Star Structural Concrete V/0®

Project Size: 500+ Pails

Project Details

In 1965, four artificial islands were built in San Pedro Bay off the coast of Long Island to conceal oil pumping stations. In the year 2000, Occidental Petroleum purchased the islands, known as THUMS Islands or Astronaut Islands, and operations. The islands contain significant landscaping, a waterfall, and tall structures concealing the drilling rigs, including one known as The Condo and often mistaken for "a ritz hotel" by those on land. Island Grissom is the closest to land and contains more sculptured screens than the other islands.

The Challenge

Over the years, wind and water have taken their toll on the concrete structures around the island, causing a great deal of deterioration. A few obstacles to overcome were:

1. The depth of repair (Tapcons were driven into the substrate for added reinforcement in the deeper areas of repair)
2. Direct sun/heat
3. Height of repair was as high as 100 feet
4. Limitations on water saturation for presoak and wet cure.
5. Deliveries had to be scheduled precisely as all products had to be shuttled over to the island via ferry.

Five Star® Solution

Chosen for this demanding repair project was Five Star Structural Concrete® W/O because of its rapid-setting properties and ability to be used on vertical and overhead surfaces. Moisture-sensitive coatings could also be applied in 8 to 24 hours, speeding up repair time.

This high-strength, permanent concrete repair material allowed the workers to make repairs quickly and efficiently, using only one product for thin and thick placement.