Kambalda BHP Nickel Smelter: Adding Life to an Aged Structure
Location:
Western Australia
Country:
Australia
Project Type:
Civil / Infrastructure | Mining
Project Scale:
0 – 5,000 m²
What was the challenge (OBJECTIVE) at the Kambalda Nickel Smelter?
A vital thickener tank, constructed in 1958, was leaking badly. The concrete had in fact deteriorated internally. Could the tank be rescued and continue to be useable?
What was the SOLUTION?
Loose concrete and previous patches were removed. We then treated the concrete with advanced penetrating hydrogel treatment, including anti-corrosive protection, and sealed larger cracks with cementitious patch material.
Finally, we applied this same treatment to the patch material as well. This was an important point, to prevent incipient anode formation which might lead to future failure.
This treatment is an element of our CIVIL-TECT® durability system.
What were the RESULTS?
The engineer reports good performance to date, compared to previous repairs. The tank was still in use at the time of our most recent review. This represented a significant saving in both replacement cost and downtime.
