WALLTITE® proves its case

• Location: London
• Completion date: 31st January 2013

WALLTITE® spray foam insulation is being extensively used in the project to extend Tottenham Court Road underground station. Waterproofing contractor Structural Membranes found it to be a perfect solution for filling between contiguous piles and forming a flat surface on which to apply a range of waterproofing products

The traditional solution for this application would have been Shotcrete, but for this project the underground location, access and the sheer volume of product required by a traditional approach posed logistical problems. The innovative solutions of WALLTITE also offered performance benefits.

“The fact that WALLTITE provides excellent adhesion to a variety of substrates was an immediate attraction” comments Ashley Thrale of Structural Membranes. “London clay, concrete piles or Victorian cast iron. WALLTITE gives us reliable adhesion and provides a stable, flat surface on which to apply our own HDPE or polyurea waterproofing.”

It was the first time that the contractor had used WALLTITE. Looking for an alternative to Shotcrete involved a consultation with BASF and WALLTITE was considered because of its robust test data demonstrating the product’s performance characteristics such as: compressive strength, adhesion, waterproofing etc. It will not be the last time the product is used.

“It’s a brilliant solution. It works as a fantastic background for any waterproofing system but gives the added benefit of insulation and a degree of shock resistance. We are now offering it on a number of projects.”

WALLTITE is spray applied polyurethane foam that is applied in liquid state, forming a foam on contact that rapidly cures to give a reliable and robust surface. Access was a particular challenge to overcome utilizing traditional methods. A compelling advantage for the WALLTITE solution was the fact that the material could be applied by single operatives with compact equipment. Further, the raw materials are packaged in 200 litre drums which were easily stored and transported throughout the site. 

• Download PDF of case study: Tottenham Court Road