In Hong Kong 200,000 kg of a specially modified form of Ronafix mortar was chosen for corrosion protection to the steel structure of the headquarters building of the Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation designed by The Lord Foster of Thames Bank (Sir Norman Foster).
The Ronafix modified mortar was chosen for protection of the steelwork, after permeability and adhesion testing proved it to be the right product for the crucial task of protecting the structure from corrosion resulting from the humid marine environment.
Without the protection of the two layers of Ronafix modified mortar, exposure to water and corrosive gases would have shortened the life of the building. The design life of the Ronafix protective layer was calculated as being at least 60 years.
The bulk of the concrete protection was applied off-site by sub-contractor Contech-Whitmor JV, to ensure that the shot blasting of the steel and spray application of the two layers of Ronafix mortar was done under the strictest quality controlled conditions. This meant that the mortar needed to be not only impermeable but also resistant to the impact and abrasion of being loaded onto junks, transported to site, unloaded and erected. After erection, welds and other parts that had to be left untreated were spray applied on site.
The total contract value for the construction of this world renowned building which has 44 storeys and covers 99,000 m2 was over $650 million.