Aggregate Industries’
innovative and highly-durable Watertight concrete mix proved the winning
formula during the ongoing renovation of Center
Parcs’ indoor water park at Sherwood Forest.
Regarded as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the family
resort, the Subtropical Swimming Paradise attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.
However, since opening in 1987, the water park’s last
major update was a new raft ride in 2002, which meant it was in urgent need of
a revamp.
As part of its £15m facelift, the facility is
currently being extended to include new raft rides, toddler pools and even a
children’s adventure cove. What’s more, this
state-of-the-art project will see the addition of The Tropical Cyclone, a
high-thrill ride where users can enjoy a zero-gravity drop while on a four-man inflatable float.
To ensure the
longevity of the renovation, it was vital that the concrete used in the
construction featured long-wearing water-resistant properties suitable for
protecting the water park from water damage and damp.
As such, the natural
choice for DBM Construction, working for principal contractor SDC, was to use
Aggregate Industries’ Watertight solution, a versatile range of specialised
ready-mixed concrete designed to protect a structure from water ingress or to retain
water within a structure.
In total, Aggregate
Industries supplied 2,000m3 of custom
blend Watertight, made using the BASF’s MasterLife
WP 799 high performance integral waterproofing system for wet cast concrete
incorporating combined waterproofing and superplasticising components.
In addition, BASF
supplied MasterSeal 910 hydroswelling waterbars and ancillary jointing
components and Aggregate Industries supplied over 1000m3 of RC40/50XF and RC32/40 grade concrete to the project, offering
reduced water and air permeability, reduced water penetration and absorption as
well as lower installation time and cost.
As an integral
waterproofing solution, Watertight does not require the use of secondary
systems of waterproofing protection, which may be complicated and time
consuming to install.
By using this
innovative solution, the contractors were also able to build a high-strength
structure sturdy enough to support The Tropical Cyclone. This included an
extensive 400mm ground slab and retaining walls
that reached a thickness of 450mm – a substantial structure when considering
that the minimum dimensions for a grade 3 concrete solution is 200mm.
As one of the most
popular holiday parks in the region, a key challenge of the project has been
carrying out work whilst the water park remained open to guests, resulting in
strict access times and all vehicles are escorted on site for the safety of
holiday makers.
With this in mind,
Daniel Tunbridge, Territory Sales Manager at Aggregate Industries and his team
worked tirelessly with BASF to co-ordinate a consistent supply of concrete from
the company’s plant in Mansfield and was able to ensure as little disruption to
holiday makers as possible.
Daniel King, general
manager at Aggregate Industries, said: “Regarded as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of
one of the most popular holiday resorts in Nottinghamshire, the high-profile
revamp of the Subtropical Swimming Paradise water park at Centre Parcs Sherwood
Forest clearly demonstrates the value of a tailored approach to concrete
specification.
“With a selection of
high performance concrete blends at our disposal, including BASF admixtures, we
were able to create a bespoke Watertight blend featuring water resistant
properties perfect for ensuring the longevity of the structure for years to
come. On top of this, its enhanced toughness and excellent workability meant
the solution proved the winning formula for the ongoing construction of the new
state-of-art Tropical Cyclone ride.”
David Crossley,
Construction Director at DBM Civil Engineering, comments: “Due to the very
nature of the Subtropical Swimming Paradise water park, it is vital that the
renovation of the water park is as robust and water resistant as possible in
order to ensure that the refurbishment lasts the test of time.
“As such, I was really
impressed with Aggregate Industries, which right from the start were able to
meet our unique specifications using their customised Watertight solution. We
look forward to working with the business again in the future.”
