CASE STUDIES

REBUILDING CORRODED STEEL STRUCTURE

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Our client is a world-class hotel, casino, and theme park integrated resort, located on the well-known tourist attraction of Singapore – the Sentosa island. Our client’s request for our corrosion repair and reinforcement services includes two purposes – to repair the corroded steel structure frames and reinforced concrete (RC) frames and to reinforce the frames with our corrosion repair solution. This prolongs the life of our client’s theme park attraction structures, lowers their cost of structure replacement, and allows them to serve their customers better by providing safer theme park attractions.

PROPOSED SOLUTION

Each of the two steel structures are about 3 meters tall and one is linked to a diesel tank compound nearby. This being the case, our service team had to implement additional safety requirements and exercise extra caution in carrying out the repair and reinforcement services. As a preliminary measure, before our team conducted a physical inspection of the structures, our client was advised to empty out the diesel fuel tank and isolate all sources of fuel so as to prevent fires. Precautionary measures include fire blankets which were placed over the rain water covers and air vents, hoarding to prevent sparks from nearby gas stations, and the lock up of all nearby gas stations during working hours.

Upon inspection, it was confirmed that our client would proceed with repair works of the steel structures in place of unnecessary structure replacements. We recommended our C-SMARTSEAL Corrosion Repair System for a complete and successful corrosion repair and reinforcement.

EXECUTION

Before project commencement, Alstern services team erected a 6-meter tall scaffolding at each of the two sites for detailed site surveys, in order to closely identify each steel frame structure that needs to be repaired.

After the detailed inspection, our team removed debris and paint from corroded surface areas before any application of our corrosion repair products. Our FIX ‘N’ FAST BOND Metal Repair Putty, a metal filled two-component epoxy putty, was applied as the first layer to strengthen the steel frame material and prevent it from rusting. This was followed by our CORSMART Resin & Activator, a corrosion protection coating. After the required curing time, the third and last layer was applied. Our QUIKCONTROL Fiberglass Repair Tape, with water activated fiberglass, was wrapped as the final layer to water proof the steel structure, restore it back to its original strength, and pro-long its life.

Due to the high risk of fire danger at the second site, which was near to the diesel fuel compound, Alstern team installed a hoarding around the site to ensure that no sparks escaped during hot work (grinding, welding, drilling). The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) test was also employed before and during hot work, in order to ensure the safety of the project from fire and explosion. This was in addition to all safety measures taken at the start of the project, including covering of all potential fire sources.

PROJECT COMPLETION

After 21 days, our service team successfully repaired and reinforced both steel structures at both theme park attractions utilizing our C-SMARTSEAL Corrosion Repair System. All corrosion was removed, the structures cleaned, repaired and reinforced without having to shut down either theme park attraction, thereby saving our client on cost and eliminating any inconvenience to visitors of the attractions. By using our composite corrosion repair solution, the steel frame structures were not only strengthened but became as good as new.