StoCretec concrete repair solution ensures a long life for Brandy Bridge

A package of StoCretec concrete repair products recently introduced into the UK market have provided the perfect solution for the refurbishment of a major road bridge in Wales.

The project has seen the completion of the first of three piers of Brandy Bridge at Merthyr Tydfil, fully restored using StoCrete TV 308 flowable mortar, TG 203 repair mortar, TF 204 fairing coat, StoCryl GQ Primer and StoCryl V700 protective coating.

“We specified the StoCrete TV 308 on this project for a number of reasons,” explains Jim Cooper, of Nottingham-based Churchill Specialist Contracting who undertook the refurbishment work.

“This is a very high bridge that spans a railway line, a river and a gorge, so to assess the extent of the repair work required was challenging. To adhere to the project schedule, we needed a repair mortar which would cure and achieve a high strength as quickly as possible. StoCrete TV 308 could achieve that, while also offering the extremely low degree of shrinkage which was another major requirement for us.”

The StoCrete TV 308 polymer-modified, flowable repair mortar was used to reinstate various parts of the cross-head beams and columns supporting the longitudinal bridge deck. Pumping the StoCrete TV 308 allowed the material to be applied at a rate of one and half tonnes per hour. As the damage to the 50-year old bridge had largely been caused by corrosive salts and carbonation, the fact that StoCrete TV 308 is resistant to frost and de-icing salts was another advantage.

StoCrete TV 308 reaches a compressive strength in excess of 40N/mm2 within just 24 hours, yet also exhibits incredibly low shrinkage. Its low E-modulus means it’s flexible and very strong, making it ideal for fast repairs to civil engineering structures such as bridges and viaducts. The rapid strength gain shortens project times significantly, creating massive cost-savings and reducing disruption to road users. This project also demonstrates StoCrete TV 308’s suitability for use with a cathodic protection system, which was also installed as part of the works.

Using the StoCrete TV 308 alongside other StoCretec products allowed Churchill’s to source all the concrete repair and protection products they required directly from a single specialist manufacturer. After other works were completed using StoCrete TG 203 polymer-modified repair mortar and StoCrete TF 204 cementitious protective fairing coat, the concrete areas were treated with the quartz-filled StoCryl GQ Primer. This provided a reliable surface onto which the StoCryl V 700 protective coating was applied. StoCryl V 700’s innovative formulation creates a surface coating which repels water very efficiently, allowing the surface to dry far more rapidly than with traditional finishes, thus reducing the likelihood of algae, fungal growth and unsightly staining.

As the European market leader in concrete repair and protection products and systems, StoCretec offers wide range of solutions that can be tailored to suit the specific needs of any application, including buildings, bridges and tunnels, power stations, wastewater plants and other critical infrastructure. The range allows specifiers and contractors to create high-quality concrete renovation and protection solutions, with all the warranty-backed components sourced from a single specialist supplier. All StoCretec concrete renovation products conform to EN1504 and so can be specified with full confidence.