Select your area
Select your area
Select your area
Select your area
Select your area
Select your area
Deep Sea World is a popular aquarium located in the village of North Queensferry in Fife Scotland. The attraction sees over 100,000 tourists visit annually and boasts a wide variety of different marine life, as well as one of the world’s longest underwater tunnels.
When the existing concrete base of the seal tank needed replacing, Breedon were contracted to provide a robust, waterproof concrete solution that would last for many years to come.
In total 83m³ of Breedon Aquatight® waterproof concrete was supplied over a two-day period, with the removal and construction works carried out by Graham Irvine & Partners, Kirkton Farm and Peebles (on behalf of GKM Property Management).
The project presented a few challenges that needed to be addressed to ensure a successful, long-term result.
Firstly, the seal tank had to be completely watertight in accordance with BS8102:2022, which sets the standards for protecting structures against water ingress and egress. Achieving this level of waterproofing was also essential to maintaining the integrity of the structure over time.
Secondly, as part of the tank had a sloped floor it required a concrete mix with a lower consistency. This also meant the concrete needed to be poured slowly and placed carefully to prevent the mix from sliding or setting unevenly.
Designing the concrete mix for the seal tank required technical expertise to ensure it was both watertight and had the correct workability to overcome the challenge of the sloped floor. Our technical team worked closely with our admixture partner, Sika, to design and deliver the optimal solution for the project.
Over a two-day period, we supplied 83m³ of Breedon Aquatight® (C28/35) concrete incorporating the Sika® WT-200 P additive. The Breedon and Sika technical teams oversaw the pours to ensure quality throughout.
The inclusion of Sika WT-200 P, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, enabled the concrete to meet the watertight requirements of the tank.
The concrete mix also included GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag) and was supplied on a CIIIA cement type, making it a lower carbon solution with improved durability.
The concrete mix had to be supplied at a slump of 60 – 70mm to ensure the correct slope of the floor slab was maintained, while achieving a smooth and seamless finish across the surface.
Due to tight workability tolerances, the production team at the ready-mix concrete plant monitored the mix carefully to ensure the consistency was maintained.
Cube testing of the concrete was carried out to ensure the concrete met the minimum strength specification of 35N/mm³. The mix exceeded requirements and produced a 28-day strength of 50N/mm³, ensuring it will provide a durable, long-lasting and safe enclosure for the seals for many years to come.
poured over a 2-day period
strength achieved
