Preparing for winter Watertight investment Car parks can be subjected to extreme conditions during the winter months, when their structural stability and safety levels are put to the test. To minimise risks, its important to have a correctly specified and properly installed waterproofing and surfacing system. Mark Gregory, technical manager at Triflex, explains more ust think about the strain a car park undergoes every day. Decks and ramps are driven over constantly by vehicles that can now weigh more than 2.5 tonnes. This can place massive dead loads on a structure which may have been designed for much smaller, lighter vehicles and the sheer forces from turning and braking could potentially damage the surface. In busy car parks, this process and these forces will be repeated thousands of times a day. If you dont get the specification and installation right, your waterproofing and surfacing system will fail prematurely its as simple as that. If the waterproofing and surfacing system on your car park needs replacing, or the decks have never been waterproofed and surfaced, it is crucial to get the correct consultation and testing before you choose a solution. An incorrectly specified solution, or a lack of understanding of the structure or substrate, could leave you with a worse problem down the line. It may even affect the long-term structural integrity and safety of your car park. J Carry out a number of different analytical tests to determine the suitability of the substrate, the required preparation method, and the most appropriate waterproofing and surfacing solution Its all about the detail, investigation, testing and the planning. So, what should you expect from your supplier? Visual checks First, your supplier should conduct a thorough visual and photographic inspection to determine the nature of the construction, approximate use level and space-change rate, as well as identify any obvious problems. The photographic record should include everything from the general arrangement to the construction method, and include all details and visible defects. The existing waterproofing and surfacing system should be examined for cracking, splitting, blistering, delamination or deformation from sheer forces, and previous repairs should be investigated. If possible, your supplier should also speak to the management to establish what the existing problems are. It is important to understand the original construction methods used, because this can have a significant impact on how the structure accommodates thermal and structural movement, and the movement and loads associated with driving and parking vehicles. This movement can inflict significant stresses on the structure and the waterproofing and surfacing system. Test the substrate It is rare that a visual survey will sufficiently identify the 32 britishparking.co.uk PN Oct19 pp32-33 Triflex Feature.indd 32 23/09/2019 14:00