Perfectly equipped for the future, with CONTOPP® Duremit Screed

The dream of flying is as old as mankind itself. The desire to lift into the air with no external help has inspired many contemporaries over the centuries, often with quite fatal consequences. It was only with the commercialisation of air traffic at the beginning of the 20th century that we also saw the need for suitable airfields and airports. The starting signal was sounded for Dublin airport in January 1940 with the establishment of the first flight route from Dublin to Liverpool. Just 7 years later, air traffic was opened up to accommodate destinations on the European mainland. Since then, the number of passengers and also flights has consistently increased. Today, more than 60,000 people use airports for journeys throughout the world every single day, and the trend is rising. This makes Dublin the 8th largest airport in Europe. So as to meet the growing number of passengers, in terms of logistics and service, a 2 billion Euro development plan has been set up, intending for the construction of a second terminal and a series of boarding gates. This development plan also includes the modernisation and improvement of the existing terminal 1, together with a new infrastructure. With the new terminal and its total area of 75,000 m2, Dublin airport will be capable of comfortably handling an excess of 15 million passengers in addition to the just under 30 million passengers. The aim is to create an airy and open structure, which, with the use of glass and light, should contribute towards the relaxing and comfortable atmosphere of the terminal. The terminal has been designed by the renowned architectural offices, Arup, Pascall + Watson Architects and Mace. Alongside a sophisticated design, the materials have played a major role. Quality is the key. Here, particular focus has been placed on the screeds, as these must contend with thousands of passengers, luggage and service vehicles on a daily basis. These demands called for a high screed class of CT-C35 in accordance with BS EN 13813 and an average screed thickness of 65 mm. CSC Screeding in London, who have a great deal of experience in the area of heavy-duty screeds and industrial screeds, won the order to lay the screed on separation layers. The decision was made to use the CONTOPP® Duremit Screed. The advantages are obvious: Major in crease in the compressive strength and strength in flexure, with a simul taneously easy processing, even with a high cement content. Tests were called for the use of various mixing ratios. The results astounded the site management: CT-C50-F7 and this even with just 50 kg cement per floor screed pump. The original plans and calculations were based on 63 kg cement. Due to these results, the decision was made to produce the remaining screed surfaces with just 50 kg cement. This has saved around 200 tons of cement, corresponding to a material value of approximately €15,000. The regular monitoring that subsequently took place using in-situ crushing resistance tests, in accordance with BS 8204-1, also confirmed the outstanding quality with virtually ne gli gible penetration depths of between 0.15 and 0.35 mm. This corresponds to an A-category screed for screed surfaces under considerable loads. Just for the record, the threshold value for achieving an A-category rating is 2 mm. Once again, CONTOPP® Duremit Screed has more than lived up to his reputation: hardness and flexibility!