How do you remove 1/4 inch of tuff Epoxy/elastomeric Urethane from 350,000 square feet of parking deck on 5 different levels in a timely manner?
Case Study: Elastomeric Urethane membrane removal at the Philadelphia Parking Authority facility next to the Philadelphia Convention Center, 350,000 square feet
This was a very sensitive project in that the deck needed major restoration and concrete replacement and scheduling was very critical due to the fact that the Philadelphia Convention Center relied on this structure for most of its parking.
During the scarification process the membrane is chipped away using carbide cutters, leaving the concrete with a profile of CSP 6-9, this profile is too rough for some material manufactures so we can diamond-grind the surface to reduce the profile to the material manufacturers requirements. Next, we shot blast the surface to remove any laitance and micro fracturing caused by the scarification process. The deck is now ready for material applications.
Check out our pictures of the removal process:
Concrete Preparation 101: Membrane Removal, Grind & Shot Blast
Philadelphia parking garages see heavy traffic, so maintaining proper maintenance is necessary. The main purpose of parking deck membranes is to protect the concrete deck from water and salt intrusion, which can eat away at rebar and the supporting structure. When the deck is prepared properly and a high performance membrane system applied, it can last from 10 to 20 years.
The General contractor for this project was Melrose Construction, Inc. of North Wales, PA. When Bob DiFerdinando, Project Manager for Melrose, decided on who was going to do the surface preparation, he chose Shot Blast Inc. because of our preparation and membrane removal capabilities. No other preparation contractor had the necessary equipment and expertise to do this type of work in the time frame allotted. This project turned out to be a major success for Melrose Construction and the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
Be sure to check out our Parking Deck Membrane Removal page for more examples!
