"concrete structures"

The Olympic Village consists of 11 blocks, each block comprising between six and eight individual buildings, which are eight to twelve storeys high. Of the many amenities in the Village, by far the largest usage is for apartments, of which there are around 3000 units.Despite the height and density of the scheme, it has a surprisingly open feel, aided by the glazed winter gardens and mostly generous sized balconies, which are very much in evidence throughout the entire development. There was a huge demand here for the Schöck Isokorb®, with around 10,000 thermally broken structural connections to be considered. For podium slabs and pre-cast balcony applications the Isokorb® T type K, for concrete-to-concrete connectivity was used. The T type S, T type Q-P and Schöck SLD dowels combined to meet the requirement for securing the winter garden balconies. Types SK-MM1 and SK-MM2 for steel-to-concrete, provided the solution for connecting the various concrete frames to steel balconies.Some of the steel balconies had a cantilever length of approximately two metres and in most cases SK-MM2 units offered the ideal solution. However, in certain locations – concrete edge beams for example – the reinforcement bars had to be shaped to suit and for these applications special SK-MM1 modules were utilised.The unusual T-shaped winter gardens provided one of the greater challenges. Remarkably, the winter garden concrete slabs are designed to span two building blocks – approximately seven metres – and it was essential to allow for movement of the slabs by combining the Isokorb® T type Q-P at one end and SLD dowels at the other.Exceptionally strong steel-to-concrete thermal break connections were required and usually the Isokorb® T type SK would be the natural choice. On this occasion however, the forces involved exceeded even the capabilities of the SK units and it was necessary to design a T type S configuration, in combination with a specially developed steel bracket. Back at ground and first floor levels a huge number of T type K concrete-to-concrete thermal breaks were required for the large slab sections. In some cases the extreme dimensions of the slab sections resulted in thermal movement beyond the Isokorb®'s capability and SLD dowels were used in their place.

The Margam Green Energy Plant is a long-term, multi-million pound investment into the Welsh economy to help meet the country’s renewable energy targets whilst also strengthening the country’s energy security. A durable concrete was required for the storage silo that housed wood chip to feed the plant.For this project Tarmac suggested their TOPROC SY be used as an overlay on the finished concrete slab as a protective high strength screed. TOPROC SY comprises a micro-silica mix with steel and macro fibres designed to give high levels of abrasive and impact resistance. This product is highly suited to heavy industrial areas such as container handling, metal recycling, waste, loading bays and any other aggressive environments. The main benefit is extended length of time the product will perform compared with traditional concrete therefore saving cost on continual replacement.

Woodland Meed School in Burgess Hill were looking for a canopy to cover their new sunken trampoline. The trampoline and canopy provides an area for rebound therapy for the pupils at the school

A case study covering the installation of 2 x 6m x 6m Vela 150 shade sails to Cranfield Technical College in Cranfield, Bedfordshire.Zenith were asked to assist with the supply and installation of shade sails to a new outside Cafe area within the college.

Britannia Wharf is a structure consisting of 52 stunning canal-side apartments. This development consisted of the demolition of a 5 storey office building and the construction of an all-wooden private high-end luxury apartments constructed on a large expanse of greenery. With the inclusion of four penthouse apartments on the fourth floor, the entire structure of the building was designed with timber frame overlooking the remarkable wildlife corridor of the reclaimed historic Basingstoke Canal.Cellecta’s DECKfon Batten 70 was specified by ADN Planning as they have been rigorously tested and are robust detail complaint for steel, concrete and timber separating floor applications. The battens consist of a layer of recycled, low resonance, open cell, flexible polyurethane foam bonded to an FSC/PEFC certified timber batten.Consero London was awarded this 6,000m² contract to construct this development in the centre of Woking, London.

THE PROJECTFulwith Mill in Harrogate is located in an exclusive upmarket area – so much in fact, in 2019 Fulwith Mill Lane was named by Zoopla as the most expensive road in Yorkshire. For this new build project, Fosroc were asked to specify suitable products for the waterproofing aspect of the basement construction. The main challenges included a high water table, high clay concentration in surrounding area leading to a perched water table, and potential for hydrostatic pressure against the basement construction. Howard Civil Engineering was the main contractor for the project, with Fosroc being selected as materials supplier due to a long standing relationship between the companies, and a number of previous deployments.THE SOLUTIONFully bonded Proofex Engage membrane was used on the basement slab, combined with Supercast Watertight Concrete Powder (WCP) to provide a high level of resilience to both water ingress and potential defects. Supercast WCP is a concrete admixture that reduces porosity and permeability, increasing water and corrosion resistance. The vertical elements were cast in Supercast WCP with Proofex 3000, to provide a greater degree of flexibility to enable the contractor to install effectively in the tight spaces around the site, and around the complex shape of the structure. Proofex 3000 is a cold applied, highly flexible waterproof membrane – ideal for application of membrane around intricate building features.THE BENEFITSThe products specified for this project provided multi-layered and seamless protection to the underground element of this exclusive residence to meet stringent BS8102 Type A waterproofing standards. Proofex Engage provides water, water-vapour and gas protection to water excluding structures such as basements, and protects concrete from aggressive ground salts, chemicals and hydrocarbons. It is supplied with a self-adhesive strip on one side of the roll to provide sealed laps and comes with a range of auxillary products (for this project, Supercast SW20 Hydrophillic Waterstop) to form a complete waterproofing solution and simplify application for the contractor. Its unique mesh system bonds permanently to concrete, remaining in pace even if settlement takes place – the exceptionally high bond strength of Proofex Engage - 2.96kN, sets it apart from the competition, at 70% stronger than the leading chemically bonded membrane.

The Canaletto residential tower at 257 City Road in London is located halfway between Old Street and Angel Stations in Islington, alongside the regenerated City Road Basin. It comprises a 31-storey tower with 190 luxury one, two and three bedroom apartments built to the standards of Code 4 Sustainable Homes Level 4.The tower is concrete frame and has a curving facade of metal and glass that breaks the volume into a series of three-to-four storey clusters. In turn, each cluster contains grouped balcony terraces, which are a striking feature of the building. The balconies are of steel construction connected to the concrete frame and as always with cantilever construction elements of this nature, one of the early design considerations had to be the prevention of thermal bridging.For the high specification Canaletto project the Schöck Isokorb® T type SK offers the ideal solution. It is a concrete-to-steel connectivity module that sits between the outer and inner structural connection points and blocks the outflow of heat through the use of high quality polystyrene insulation foam. The Isokorb® T type SK provides a clean and unobtrusive connection detail, minimises on-site assembly time and enables a high level of prefabrication.

The new Headquarters of Goldman Sachs in London is in a great location on Farringdon Street in the City of London. This massive office development of 1.1 million square feet includes a large auditorium which is isolated to protect it from tube train noise and to protect the rest of the building.Sandy Brown specified that the box-in-box construction needed 10Hz bearings supporting it.Our local branch worked with Byrne Brothers to design supply and install the concrete floating floors and structural bearings. The complicated 3-dimensional space is supported on 5 separate floating floors with bearings beneath designed to take the column loads.The floating floors consist of Stravifloor Deck isolation rails supporting composite metal decking, reinforcement and concrete.Some of the columns are supported on Stravibase SEB bearings located outside of the floating floor areas.The new building has been named the ‘groundscraper’ due to its mammoth size – it will become one of London’s new collection of landmark buildings.

A combination of two cushion backed modular carpet designs - Facet and Coastline and one LVT floor covering Polished Concrete have been specified to colour zone this impressive warehouse transformation project by Wylde IA. Milliken's 10 day delivery service and Comfort Lite cushion backing, for acoustic performance, were key factors in the specification of these floor covering products.

To repair the deteriorating riverbed was a specialist one which made both local and national news.Situated in Carlisle, Cumbria, the River Eden railway viaduct recently required an urgent repair solution to the deteriorating riverbed condition, where trains were having to operate at reduced speeds of 20mph over the Victorian and 1940s-built structures.Detailed laser surveys carried out by Network Rail showed fast flowing water on the River Eden had caused parts of the riverbed to wash away, posing a risk to the viaduct foundations.

Selfridges is one the UK’s most famous high-end department stores founded in 1908. It’s Grade II listed flagship store is located on London’s Oxford Street. Buzon UK were commissioned to supply and install over 200sqm of the Buzon ALUrail and pedestal system to the newly renovated roof terrace area. The ALUrail installation system offers a complete structure for the raised installation of outdoor spaces. The system can be used for various substrates, 20mm porcelain, concrete and natural stone pavers. Practical and functional, the ALUrail system can be used where the void is limited.

Delta were employed to assist on this leaking podium deck project. Following a full assessment of The Hub and its underground parking facilities it was identified that rainwater was entering the basement car park through the ceiling deck at multiple points. These points included holes that were formed to allow drainage from the surface, movement joints and investigation holes that had been created through the steel rib and concrete deck. Based on “as built plans” a system was designed post construction that would offer the same quality of structural protection had it been incorporated during the build phase.

Park House Stables, Kingsclere, is home to some of Britain’s most famous racehorses. Boasting a rich history for training the best in the sport, the stables are also home to licensed trainer, Andrew Balding and his family.Situated in Newbury, Berkshire, the stables recently replaced an existing gravel track with a 500-meter-long, four-meter-wide, structurally-sound concrete access road.Sika was called upon for this project, working alongside Kendalls Newbury (part of Aggregate Industries) to provide a suitable solution for contractor, L J Morrissey Contracts Ltd.

Estudio B76 designed its new headquarters in an industrial warehouse built in the 50s. They kept and revealed reinforced concrete trusses and the perimetral walls made of bricks. The design focuses on using glass and steel to maintain the industrial atmosphere.Thanks to active and passive sustainable measures, such as photovoltaic panels, aerothermal energy, and efficient shading solutions, the project achieves high sustainability.From Bandalux, we proposed a combination of systems suitable for both the working and residential parts of this mixed project:, but Veranda Plus is particularly convenient as it completes without denaturing the former structure of the building.

The Glass Yard is a prestigious mixed office and retail development in Chesterfield, on the site of what was the once the largest manufacturer of domestic glassware in the UK. It has been designed sustainably and ergonomically by developer Blue Deer Ltd. for an open plan, daylight filled environment. The client approached Tarmac’s representatives looking for a safe, practical, durable and visually distinctive finish for the main external walkways and first-floor balconies that would complement the modern design and sustainable ethos of the building. After providing advice and number of samples, the client chose TOPTINT Glow a unique, glow in the dark decorative concrete that uses light sensitive chippings to help illuminate areas such as footpaths, cycleways and pedestrian areas. The glowing aggregate provided a passive and energy efficient form of demarcation to help guide clients along the balconies and walkways at night-time and in low ambient light conditions. This fitted with the building’s sustainable design ethos. The gentle glow provided by the light emitting chippings also provided an ambience that was sure to be a talking point for customers and would help put the new development on the map.

Funding was secured to renovate a Grade II listed lido in Pontypridd. The lido, which had remained derelict since 1991, was given a new lease of life after the local authority clinched the funding required to restore it back to its former glory. As part of the scheme, the existing derelict buildings would be renovated and the Lido bathing area remodeled into three heated pools. The restoration included external covered showers, heated changing facilities and a learning and historical interpretation centre. The client needed a coloured product that was highly durable, easy to place and maintain, available in a range of colours and, most important of all, capable of retaining its colour and beauty. TOPTINT coloured was recommended as the ideal solution. TOPTINT contains an integral colour pigment which is UV stable meaning that the colour will not degrade from natural sunlight. Also, because a liquid pigment is used the colour is evenly mixed throughout the concrete. As this pigment is integral to the mix it is a long lasting and frost-resistant solution, requiring little on-going maintenance and therefore making it a more sustainable long term solution.

Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea Football Club is located in Fulham and is one London’s top sports venues. Alfresco Floors were commissioned by Chelsea Football Club to supply and install over 430sqm of EBEMA Rockstone concrete paving on Buzon pedestals to a newly refurbished pitch-side terrace. The terrace areas located directly behind the pitch-perimeter advertising boards was built up to 200mm to create a raised terrace specially designed for wheelchair users.

Bespoke Sliding Over Roof Rooflight For Concrete Frame House Building Case Study

Polycarbonate walkway canopy to shelter pupils and staff moving around the Academy site

Technowood facade and ceiling systems, pergolas and many other products are used in Istanbul Airport spaces. These have different function such as entrance gates, check-in areas, passport control points and restaurants.Technowood real timber veneered product were used in this high-energy environment was due to the Euroclass A2 fire rating, adaptability in design and performance as real timber all without the short comings of solid timber.Lightweight, fascinating shapes and hidden fixing systems all add to make these products the most innovative and GOTO products used for all scale projects for both interior and exterior projects.“Why use solid timber when you can use a little 2% if you use Technowood products”If you can draw it, send it to us and use the skills of our in-house Architects to offer advice, realisation of all fixing considerations to be presented with the full scale of problem solving and a simple solution of installation for your contractors.I could write thousands of words, hyperbole and details of what for how and why but in this instance, I’ll leave you be with the photos that speak sufficiently for themselves…Credits and Further informationArchitect: Grimshaw in partnership with Nordic Office of ArchitectureLocation: Istanbul Airport Interiors Materials: Technowood louvres, panels and claddingCompletion: 2013

Project: Large scale MicroConcrete installation to the reception walls at HKR Hoxton apartment block in London.Client: Tolent ConstructionMaterials used:  Grey colour MicroConcrete coating was hand trowelled in layers to a final thickness between 2 and 3mm and wax polished to achieve a satin finish.This was a large scale renovation project by Tolent Construction of a brand new residential building located on Hackney Road. The MicroConcrete Grey coating was hand applied to the walls in reception area of approx. 160m2.MicroConcrete is a great alternative to traditional polished concrete, and at a minimal thickness and weight it produces a seamless, continuous finish. Like MicroCement it can be applied to interior and exterior surfaces, without the need for joins. It can also be applied over existing surfaces. MicroConcrete is a smoother finish and is more slip-resistant than MicroCement.

Oakhill Avenue is a three-story residential dwelling located in Hampstead. This 65m² complete refurbishment includes a basement extension, internal structural alterations, facade refurbishment, and complete prime-level fit-out, including M&E, audio-visual, joinery installations and landscaping.Cellecta YELOfon HD5 was specified on this project for its excellent acoustic properties specifically designed to reduce impact noise through the concrete floors with a floating screed. It is a lightweight, easy-to-install, non-crosslinked polyethene foam.Neston Construction LTD was awarded the contract to refurbish this three-story residential dwelling located in Hampstead.

J&P explored a number of possibilities with the precast contractor, Border Concrete Products and the main contractor Expanded Structures, culminating in a proposal to utilise J&P’s TSS invisible connectors. The innovative solution involved the TSS units being rotated through 90°, to accommodate the bearer within the slender 125mm rib section (see image above). The additional challenge of the supporting downstand being radiused was easily accommodated due to the flexibility of the TSS units, and the detailed dimensional/setting-out information provided by J&P to the contractors ensured accurate positioning for the varying angles required.

This major redevelopment of Charlton Park Academy school involved replacing temporary mobile classrooms and a single storey building with a two-storey steel framed brick building to better meet the needs of students, teachers and carers. A structural flooring solution was required for use over precast planks, covering 800m2 on the ground and upper floor at a depth of 75mm to 120mm. Space and access would be challenging, due to the small footprint of the site, proximity to the existing school building and access from a busy main road. Given the large floor area, a traditional sand cement screed would have been very time consuming to place. Tarmac’s TOPFLOW SF a self compacting steel fibre reinforced concrete was chosen as the solution. Its flowing nature would allow it to be quickly pumped into place and adapt to the variable thickness criteria. TOPFLOW SF is designed to act as a structural topping with both, steel mesh & fibre reinforcement. The steel fibres added to the TOPFLOW SF gave its robustness and flexural strength as it was being placed over a precast plank system that could flex with loadings. They also reduced the risk of cracking. By replacing steel mesh reinforcement, it helped avoid problems with access, storage and handling and kept the site open for parallel trades. Using TOPFLOW SF rather than a sand cement screed or reinforced concrete, improved productivity and saved time. This saved 13 days or just over 2.5 weeks on the programme. 

Designed by EDF and NORD Architecture, the first building completed on the Olympic site was the Substation that powered the whole Olympic site. The Legacy plans also meant that it would remain for the post-Olympic development as well, to power future developments for the Stratford City Development. Construction started in 2007, was completed in time for the 'Power On' date of June 2009 and was built by Winchmore Brickwork, using Ibstock Himley bricks and including Naylor Concrete Lintels supplied by Civils and Lintels, Erith. The building won several awards including the prestigious 'Best Brickwork in Britain' award in 2010.

Architects: IDOMLocation: Donostia, SpainPhotography: Iñaki BergeraMaterial: NATURSIDING-WFinish: RustikThe Aldapeta María Ikastetxea School is the interpretation of modernity, sustainability, and innovation poured into architecture. With the original building demolished, which dated back to the 19th Century, the new school building accompanies the view of education into the future, leveraging new technologies.Efficiency has been key to this project through the use of geothermal energy and natural light used as a shaping tool of space. Our durable rain-screen system wood panels embrace the refinement and warmth typically of wood into the structure in juxtaposition with other materials such as concrete and metal resembling Japanese architecture, with its pure lines, rhythm, dynamism, and sobriety.To accentuate the rhythm and promote harmony between concrete and wood, we have opted for the vertical placement of the slats that evokes the patterns of the wood framework. Achieving such effect is possible given the aesthetics enhanced by the small piece that attains a harmonious relationship between wood and concrete. With an innovative setup in the architectural sphere composed of a hidden system with no visible screws or rivets, the slatted cladding can be placed vertically even in large buildings, and in an easy way that provides a sense of strength and uniformity to the whole. The PARKLEX PRODEMA panels new setup system allows achieving distinctive finishes with the warmth of the wood, longevity, durability, and limited to no maintenance requirements.

This concrete gutter had been problematic for many years, with water ingress causing much damage to the flats beneath. The bricks to the parapet wall were blown and parts had to be rebuilt as part of the project. The liquid gutter liner was applied to the base and all upstands to the gutter, including the brickwork, to perform a 100% leak-free, seamless gutter. Products employed: Liquasil One and Non-Sag Sealer.

As part of cultural regeneration of the Olympia Exhibition Venue, Olympia Central Hall has been demolished and the iconic structures of Olympia National and Olympia Grand, both Grade II listed buildings, are being incorporated into the site’s overall redevelopment. The West Hall Exhibition Space is being structurally strengthened to allow for a two-story music venue to be constructed above the existing exhibition hall.It is necessary to isolate the Central building, originally known as Empire Hall, from the West Hall performance space to prevent music and entertainment noise disturbance.Three massive bearing assemblies comprising solid thick steel plates holding Stravibase VHS bearings, which were pre-compressed using our patented frozen bearing technology.A small mock-up (approx. 1/3 of the size) was also constructed, and fire tested at Liege University, comfortably achieving a two-hour fire rating.Music and entertainment noise breakout from this new venue causing disturbance to residents.A custom designed Stravifloor Deck solution with rubber bearings isolating the concrete roof flab from the structure below. This complex floating roof is laid to multiple falls by using supporting rails that are tapered to suit.

A £5m renovation scheme in Warrington has been presented with the “Best Change of Use to Existing Building” regional award by LABC (Local Authority Building Control) and Warrington Borough Council.The scheme required the conversion of a former office building, Kings Court, in Central Warrington, into 32 luxury flats, comprising of a mix of one and two bedroom apartments, arranged over three floors of accommodation. These flats are situated above retail units and restaurants. The renovation included a further two exclusive duplex penthouses for Phase 2.As part of the renovation, Main Contractor Emerald Bay Construction required an acoustic flooring solution to meet Approved Document ‘E’ Building Regulations and therefore provide overall resident comfort, in terms of Sound Insulation between separating floors. As the building structural floor was primarily concrete, Soundis put forward a solution that involved 2,072 m2 of Soundis ChipPanel 28 to help with Impact Noise. This shallow deck floating floor is ideal for concrete floors where Airborne Noise is not an issue but Impact Noise Attenuation needs to exceed the requirements of current Building Regulations.

Harbour Central is a condominium complex in London’s Docklands, costing £17.6 million and comprising 642 private one, two, and three bedroom apartments divided across five residential buildings. This 30,000m² development also provides eight penthouse apartments with a leisure complex, all only minutes from Canary Wharf.Cellecta YELOfon HD10+ was specified by Rolfe Judd Architecture in this development for is unrivalled acoustic performance when used to isolate a floating screed from a structural concrete floor. This product also works in conjunction with underfloor heating.Galliard Homes UKS was awarded the contract to construct these luxury private apartments.

Ebury Square is a development consisting of 71 one to five bedroom private apartments and a penthouse featuring opulent design and impeccable finishes. It has easy access to the Victoria Mainline, underground and Gatwick Express.Cellecta’s YELOfon HD10+ was specified by Squire & Partners due to the system being lightweight, easy to install, and delivers unrivalled acoustic performance when used to isolate a floating screed from a structural concrete floor. YELOfon HD10+ is an acclaimed resilient layer system that carries 3 proprietary Robust Details: E-FC-5, 17 & 18.Berkeley Group was awarded this 10,000m² contract to construct this development in the London borough of Belgravia.

Reflections is a complex of luxury waterside apartments, built in a contemporary style, most living areas look over Bournemouth Bay and Southbourne Overcliff Drive. The complex features four 3 bed and five 2 bed apartments.Cellecta’s YELOfon HD10+ was specified by Harlequin Homes due to the system being lightweight, easy to install, and delivers unrivalled acoustic performance when used to isolate a floating screed from a structural concrete floor. YELOfon HD10+ is an acclaimed resilient layer system that carries 3 proprietary Robust Details: E-FC-5, 17 & 18.Glossbrook was awarded this 400m² contract to construct this development in Bournemouth.

Naylor Concrete Ltd supplied Ultrafire and HiSpec Lintels to the Rolls-Royce project in Washington. Miller Construction has landed the contract to build a multi-million pound Rolls-Royce factory in Sunderland. The 20,000m2 facility, at Washington’s Radial Business Park, will manufacture fan and turbine discs for jet engines and is expected to be ready for production to start late next year. The construction contract, thought to be worth £35m, is part of a £950m five-year-investment programme on the part of the company.

Naylor supplied Hi-Spec and Fairfaced Lintels to the Hepworth Wakefield which has a gross floor area of 5,232m2 and 1600m2 of gallery space. The Hepworth Wakefield is the only gallery to open outside London in over 50 years. The Hepworth Wakefield houses a collection of sculptures by local born artist Barbara Hepworth alongside the works of other prominent artists. Wakefield Council began project development in 2003 with a RIBA international architecture competition that led to the selection of David Chipperfield as architect. Design development started in 2004 and construction began 3 years later.

King Fisher House is a regeneration of a five-storey housing block in the Westmill neighbourhood. Phase 1 includes homes to 37 residents from the nearby retirement living flats at Westmill Lawns and Freemans Close, while phase 2 brings 46 new homes. The North Herts District Council building also includes the local convenience shop and a takeaway unit on the ground floor.Cellecta’s YELOfon HD10+ was specified by Hunters due to its unrivalled acoustic performance when used to isolate a floating screed from a structural concrete floor. This product also works in conjunction with underfloor heating.Jarvis Homes was awarded this 4,200m² contract for this development in Hitchin, Hertfordshire.

Berwick Green is a new planned development of 102, 2 bedroom flats and 156, 2, 3, and 4 bedroom houses seven miles north of the historic city of Bristol in Cribbs Causeway. This community provides the perfect blend of urban and coastal living with a wealth of amenities, including shops, restaurants, and schools.Cellecta’s YELOfon HD10+ was specified by Focus on Design due to its unrivalled acoustic performance in isolating a floating screed from a structural concrete floor. This product is lightweight, making it easy to install. YELOfon HD10+ is also delivered in rolls to ensure it’s easy to handle.Bellway Homes was awarded this 3,500m² contract for this Robust Detail Registered Site in South Gloucestershire.