| Concrete Decor Archives — Industry News |
Blastrac Global's largest
shot-blasting system
Blastrac Global's largest shot-blasting system, the Blastrac 2-4800 DH, played an integral role in resurfacing the Bernard F. Dickman Bridge, more commonly known as the Poplar Street Bridge. The bridge crosses the Mississippi River, linking St. Louis, Mo., with East St. Louis, Ill.
The job called for the removal of a polysulfide epoxy overlay with a broadcast aggregate that had deteriorated over time. It would be replaced with a new overlay of epoxy slurry and broadcast aggregate. Prep work consisted of five steps: milling, sweeping, heating and scraping, sweeping again and shot blasting. The shot-blasting portion of the retexturing job was performed by four 2-4800 DH machines owned by three companies.
More than 120,000 cars drive across the bridge daily, so the project's success relied on completing it in a time-sensitive manner. And crews did just that. The project, which covered 280,000 square feet, began June 6 and was completed Aug. 10, well before the deadline of Sept. 1. Not only did the 2-4800 machines remove the existing coating from the steel bridge, but their profiling capability increased the surface area and created an anchor profile in the steel to maximize the bond strength and durability of the new coating.
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