Versatility of Concrete Admixtures - Sika South Africa

March 9, 2023  363  363   

Architect, Hermann Schnepel, was tasked by Jindilli Farm, to conceptualise and design a campsite that would accommodate two families for weekend getaways. The essence of the plan was to provide minimalistic essential support services for camping, without trespassing on the natural beauty of the surrounding farm. The breathtaking view across the water to the bird island needed to be preserved as the scenic backdrop to the camp. The sub-tropical climate in this region is conducive to outdoor living, so another objective criterion was to create a seamless transition from being under an open-plan style of cover one moment, to stepping out into the great outdoors the next. To ensure the optimal use of space, the supporting structures would include a boma, with outer stairs, a flat paved area to accommodate two tents, and a separate site for the lounge, kitchen and dining facilities.

Following the approval of the architect’s final design, it was deemed that two different concrete mixes were required for the project. A standard 25mpa concrete would be used for the foundations and 30mpa concrete for the polished concrete floor. Edge Readymix Concrete was chosen as the preferred concrete supplier. Edge Readymix, based in Hazyview, is owned and managed by Andrew Solomon and Trudie Heinemann, who together have over thirty years of experience in the ready-mix industry. Edge Readymix was established in September 2020 on the Vuka Crushers site 8 kilometres outside Hazyview.

Edge Readymix and Sika have been in business since its inception and together have developed a concrete product range that not only supplies ready-mix concrete of any class for any requirement but also prebagged concrete and mortars for small requirements.

For the polished concrete floor, Edge Readymix and Sika ran numerous trials to find the most desirable polished finish and efficient concrete mix. Special consideration was given to the amount of time a contractor would need to place the concrete, and certain traits of the concrete mix had to be assessed: flow rate, setting time, stripping times, placing methods, and durability of the concrete in those specific types of conditions on-site at the time. Ingwe Floors, a contractor based in Nelspruit, were known as the local experts on flooring. Armed with polished samples created in advance, they were engaged to assist with placing and polishing the concrete at Jindilli Campsite.

The first morning on site was very warm and humid. Given that the conditions directly affect the workability retention of the concrete, delays in the placing were anticipated. Immediately, they consulted with Darius Herbst, Sika’s concrete expert, for guidance on adapting the concrete mix design, and it delivered excellent results. Edge Readymix used SikaPlast® Stallion-2 admixture for all their concrete mixes, which proved to be the correct choice for this project. SikaPlast® Stallion-2 is a multi-purpose water reducer and superplasticizer, with long-lasting workability, and it utilises Sika’s ViscoCrete® polycarboxylate polymer technology. A huge advantage that SikaPlast® Stallion-2 provided on this project was that the mix ratio could be changed to deliver the concrete 5km away or 80km away, depending on the workability retention required.

Inside meets outside, open meets covered, concrete meets grass, and people meet friends. The brief was so overwhelmingly met. The gem, created upon this stunning, tranquil site, is enhanced by the Jindilli flowers in full bloom.

 

SIKA CORPORATE PROFILE

Sika is a speciality chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 300 factories. Its 25,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 7.88 billion in 2020.

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Sika is a proud CMA Non-producer member. Click the logo below to view the Sika website.

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