BPA CONFERENCE 2011
Story 7 Avoiding disaster at all costs
Te potential impact of a collapse of a multi-storey car park structure is too dreadful to contemplate, which is why Mike Balletta, infrastructure manager for Concrete Repairs, is genuinely puzzled by the ignorance of many parking operators when it comes to life-care plans. ‘Car parks are exposed to the elements all the time. If you don’t
maintain your car parks then disaster can strike,’ he warned. Following the collapse of the Piper Row car park in 1997 there
was a re-think on the way car parks were built and designed. It also became a legal requirement on the part of operators to maintain car parks in a safe condition. Balletta stressed that cutting costs on maintenance would not
necessarily lead to savings in the long-term. He suggested that all parking operators should become
familiar with the guidelines and information notes published by the BPA on maintenance of car park structures. He also recommended the document published by the Institute of Civil Engineers: Recommendations for the Inspection, Maintenance and Management of Car Park Structures. Te importance of having a life-care plan, no matter what size
the car park, is undeniable, said Balletta. Tese should aim to identify the structural condition, the current level of safety, and how to maintain the car park throughout its service life.
‘Parking operatives should carry out a daily check for any signs of damage, wear and tear or corrosion,’ he said. ‘And the first sign of deterioration should be reported.’ Balletta also recommended that parking operators became
familiar with BS EN1504, which sets out products and systems for the protection and repair of concrete structures. Since 2009, this document should be used in any car park across Europe to draw up a life-care plan.
Painting over the cracks
Story 8 Painting over the cracks
Hannah Maiden is business development advisor at Keim, provider of paint solutions for commercial buildings. Maiden explained that traditional paint used in car parks would
often restrict water vapour movement. With a film coating, the vapour builds up and causes blistering. Tis leads to long-term degradation of the structure. Keim works with mineral paint, which allows breathability so
that vapours do not build up beneath the surface. Tese paints also neutralise nitrogen oxides, one of the biggest pollutants. Maiden explained that mineral paint was easy to clean,
environmentally friendly, resistant to mould and fire retardant. A new development is photocatalytic mineral paint. Tis is
being used at a number of car parks across the UK as well as Olympic Park and Heathrow Terminal Five.
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