Torpoint Ferry Slipway Retexture – Case Study
Efficient Retexturing of Torpoint Ferry Slipway
Speak to an expert >- Captive shotblasting and retexturing
- Torpoint Ferry
- Marine
Summary
The Torpoint Ferry connects the A374 road across the Hamoaze, bridging Devonport in Plymouth and Torpoint in Cornwall. An essential component of this transport system is its slipway, a concrete surface suffering from traction problems. This case study presents how we approached this issue with a carefully planned solution that would minimize disruption to the daily operations of the ferry.
Get in touch >Objectives:
Our main objective was to remedy the slipway’s traction issues by retexturing its concrete surface. This was to be achieved without causing any significant disruption to Tamar’s daily operations. Further, the process needed to be environmentally conscious and cost-effective, demonstrating the potential for sustainable maintenance in such vital infrastructure.
Solutions:
We chose to employ captive blasting, also known as shotblasting. This method, predominantly used to remove light coatings on various surfaces, involves the application of high-velocity steel shot at the treatment surface, carried out in a safe working environment using a specially designed Dust Free Captive Blasting machine. This not only exposes a fresh surface ready for new coatings but also enhances skid resistance by reprofiling the aggregate surface. A key feature of our systems is that they are ‘captive,’ meaning the shot, post-application, is vacuumed up, sorted, and recycled for future use.
Results
Despite the constraints imposed by the tidal schedule, we managed to retexture approximately 6700m2 of the Torpoint Ferry slipway. This process proved to be an effective way of restoring the slipway’s skid resistance at a fraction of the cost of resurfacing, and with significantly reduced carbon footprint.