Concrete Canvas Bund Lining in Greece
In 2017, Concrete Canvas was used to line a bund at a petroleum tank farm, which required weathering protection and weed suppression
The Project
Located in Athens, Greece, was a petroleum tank farm that required bund lining. The existing bunds were heavily vegetated, which was putting the site at risk of fire during the extremely hot summer months, with temperatures often hitting highs of 48 degrees Celsius. The bunds were also subject to weathering and erosion, which was impacting the integrity of the ground below the tanks. It was decided that the farm required a hard-wearing and cost-effective solution, with weed suppression characteristics, to restore its stability and safety.
Initially, traditional concrete combined with Shotcrete was considered for this project. However, there was a risk of rebound from Shotcrete, which would affect the site environment and infrastructure. There was also an issue with site access, which would make it difficult to use the heavy plant machinery that’s required for traditional concrete methods. As a result, Concrete Canvas was specified for the project.
The Solution
At Concrete Canvas, we offer Geosynthetic Cementitious Composite Mats (GCCMs) for effective bund lining. Providing weed suppression and erosion control, our GCCMs have been used for multiple bund lining projects in the past, proving to be suitable for a variety of petrochemical, oil and gas sites. For the project at the petroleum tank farm, we recommended the use of our CC5 GCCM.
Before we could begin the installation process, all vegetation was removed, along with rocks and debris from the area. Once the ground had been re-levelled, the contractor was able to manoeuvre our CC5™ rolls into position on the crest of the bund slope. The CC5™ was then unrolled down the slope and across the tank floor, with the guidance of two members of the installation team.
At the top of the slope, we had a concrete slab poured, which is where the CC5™ rolls were secured using masonry nails. This process was then repeated along the length of the slope, with additional layers overlapping by 100m. For each overlapping layer, Everbuild Clearfix adhesive sealant and Hilti collated screws were used to secure the rolls to the surface.
As the CC5™ material is so flexible, it could easily accommodate the petroleum storage tanks and pipework during the installation process. Around any walls, corners and protruding infrastructure, we cut the CC5™ material by hand, with extra layers being fitted around items where needed.
To complete the installation of the CC5™ GCCM, the material was hydrated using hoses attached to fire pipes. This was repeated three times to ensure adequate hydration in the high temperatures of Athens, Greece.
The Results
6,400m² of CC5™ was installed over nine days in consistently high temperatures. Once the bund lining installation was complete, the client expressed how impressed they were with the immediate effectiveness of the product. The client and contractor also commented on the cost efficiency of our GCCMs, compared to traditional concrete methods.
With Concrete Canvas proving to be an effective solution for bund lining at their petroleum tank farm, the client is now interested in exploring the suitability of our GCCMs at more of their tank farms in Greece.
Contact Concrete Canvas for Channel Lining
If you are looking for a hard-wearing and cost-effective solution for your bund lining project, get in touch with Concrete Canvas. We can assess your project requirements to match you with the most suitable type of GCCM. With no need for plant or mixing equipment, we can even guide you through the installation process: simply unroll, secure and add water.