Bowater Pulp & Paper: FSS 45DC Polyurea
MARKET: Waterproofing : Preventing Water Migration
SYSTEM: FSS45DC Elastomeric Spray Polyurea
PROJECT: Prevention of Water Migration from Train Cars to Locker Room
OWNER: Bowater Pulp & Paper, Thunder Bay, Ontario
CONTRACTOR: Restoral Systems Inc. Thunder Bay, Ontario
The massive Bowater pulp and paper facility at Thunder Bay, Ontario is utilizing polyurea to a greater and greater extent. This train shed has caused problems for years. Water carried into the shed on rail cars and snow melting off the cars had saturated the concrete floor, rotted rail ties, and had percolated down into the locker room below causing leak-related deterioration, staining, and a generally unappealing condition.
In December of 1999, Bowater’s maintenance staff decided to correct the problem. Not exactly the typical time of year to rehabilitate an area exposed to the elements. Restoral Systems of Thunder Bay was called in to assess the work that was being considered. After consultation with VersaFlex, a proposal was submitted to the Owner.
The floor was cleaned. Rail ties were grouted in place and doweled to prevent future movement. Ties were cleaned with grinding disks to develop mechanical bond. VersaFlex 45DC was sprayed at 60 mils over the cleaned floor and the rehabilitated ties up to the flat tie tops, allowing the ties to breathe during the change of seasons, since they could not be completely dried. This also allowed thermal expansion and contraction without restraining the stresses.
The project was completed during three consecutive days of shed shutdown. This very common problem posed no problem to Restoral Systems using VersaFlex’s polyurea. Restoral Systems continues to bring its services to the pulp and paper industry, and the industry continues to find new and different ways to use polyurea. VersaFlex, in cooperation with the contractors, continues to seek new opportunities to overcome challenges and to provide quality installations for its polyurea products.
