2022
Northern Cape
The Challenge
The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), situated at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) field station near Sutherland in the Northern Cape, is the largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere. In full scientific operation since 2011, SALT is an important landmark in South African and international astronomy.
While the telescope focuses on exploring the universe, the condition of the facilities supporting its operation is equally important.
The SAAO required a complete refurbishment of the 120 m² instrument room floor. Eyethu Alpha was appointed as the main contractor, with Botwei Projects, a Sika-approved applicator, appointed as the specialist flooring contractor to carry out the Sikafloor® system installation.
The existing concrete floor required preparation, crack repairs and a durable new flooring system to restore the surface and provide a high-quality finish.
The Solution
Sika recommended a complete epoxy flooring system incorporating products for concrete repair, surface preparation, priming, floor coating and joint sealing.The selected system included:
- Sikadur®-52 ZA – a low-viscosity epoxy resin for gravity-fed crack and void filling.
- Sikafloor®-161 – an epoxy primer to prepare the concrete substrate for the flooring system.
- Sikadur®-31 DW – a moisture-tolerant epoxy adhesive used to close pinholes and carry out minor concrete repairs.
- Sikafloor®-263 SL ZA – a self-smoothing epoxy floor coating providing a durable, seamless surface.
- Sika® Primer-3N – a primer for preparing the floor joints before sealing.
- Sikaflex® PRO-3 – a high-performance polyurethane sealant for floor joints.
Together, these products provided a complete solution for the refurbishment of the existing concrete floo
The Application
The refurbishment began with mechanical floor preparation using the cup grinding method. This exposed cracks and other areas requiring repair, allowing the substrate to be assessed before the flooring system was installed.
All identified cracks were cleaned and filled using gravity-fed Sikadur®-52 ZA epoxy resin. Following further cleaning and wiping with an oil-free solvent, the prepared concrete surface was primed with Sikafloor®-161.
A subsequent inspection identified pinholes in the substrate, which were filled using Sikadur®-31 DW epoxy adhesive.
Once the repairs were complete, a 2 mm layer of Sikafloor®-263 SL ZA self-smoothing epoxy floor screed was applied to provide a durable, smooth surface suitable for medium to heavy traffic.
After the epoxy flooring had cured, the existing floor joints were cut, reamed and primed using Sika® Primer-3N. The joints were then sealed with Sikaflex® PRO-3 polyurethane sealant to provide an elastic, durable joint-sealing solution.
The Result
Eyethu Alpha and Botwei Projects successfully completed the 120 m² floor refurbishment in December 2021.
The completed installation provided the SAAO with a refurbished epoxy floor featuring a smooth, durable finish and properly sealed floor joints.
By combining concrete repair products, epoxy floor coatings and specialist joint-sealing solutions, Sika delivered a complete flooring system suited to the refurbishment requirements of the SALT instrument room.
A successful project that demonstrates how the correct preparation, product selection and specialist application can transform an existing concrete floor.
Location:
Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), South African Astronomical Observatory field station, near Sutherland, Northern Cape, South Africa.
