Gulf Construction Online - Insultec offers 'unique' concrete protection

Protective Coatings

Dubai Airshow site bridge...Insultec protection

Insultec offers 'unique' concrete protection

01 January 2000

CONCRETE protective coating Insultec 1 is enjoying growing acceptance in the Gulf market following its successful use in many key projects in the region.

In recent years, municipalities across the Gulf have invested substantially on improving and modernising highways, bridges and flyovers. Insultec 1, manufactured by Solux Liquid Insulation of Australia, is available from Al Falak of Dubai, the Gulf agent for the product.

The product was used on the exposed concrete surfaces of bridges in Dubai.

The success of Insultec 1 in the Gulf, says an Al Falak spokesman, is due to the product being developed and manufactured in Australia where similar climatic conditions prevail (high humidity and temperatures reaching 50 deg C), unlike other products which are developed in countries with a cold climate.

"Insultec 1 illustrates unique features and excellent performances with regard to chloride ions penetration, carbon dioxide, water vapour transmission, reduction of water absorption, bridging of concrete cracks up to 1 mm, reducing substrate temperature up to 12 deg C, re-radiating up to 85 per cent ultraviolet (UV) rays and infra-red rays up to 90 per cent, excellent adhesion to concrete surfaces for not less than 1Mpascal," he says.

Insultec 1 performs as a decorative coating in addition to being an industrial concrete protective coating.

Insultec1 has been tested by reputable testing laboratories such as Taywood Engineers of Australia, Bureau De Veritas of France, Geo-science Limited of Canada, Vipac Engineers & Scientists Limited and SDC of France, says the company.

It is approved by international consulting firms such as Acer-Freeman Fox, De Leuw Cather, Italconsult, Dar Al-Handasah and Cowi and clients such as Dubai Municipality, Mobil Refinery of Australia, Public Works Department of Abu Dhabi, Camalco of Australia, Kuwait National Petroleum Company, and Public Transport Authority of Australia.

Since it was first applied on the pile caps of the Garhoud Bridge (Dubai) in 1994 , it has remarkably withstood the harsh environment. To date, the Municipality of Dubai did not have to maintain the concrete protective coating on those piles, says the spokesman.

Insultec 1 has been applied on more than 300,000 sq m of exposed concrete surfaces. The most recent project was the bridge of the Dubai 2000 Air Show, where Insultec 1 was applied to enhance the superb design of the bridge, he adds.

Insultec 1 is easy to apply, as it can be applied by brush, roller and airless spray and can be applied on different surfaces, in addition to concrete, such as metal roofs, bricks, wood and ceramics.

Al Falak, established in 1992, also specialises in street furniture products. The company has undertaken a number of prestigious projects, most of which are for the public sector, the spokesman says.