GRP Chemical Flooring – CERN, Switzerland

At a Glance

CERN – The European Organization for Nuclear Research based in Geneva in Switzerland is the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Relinea won a tender to design and install a 660m2 GRP support frame and grating and GRP ladders in a new surface treatment building. Relinea’s scope of works included the design, supply and installation of a GRP pultruded frame supporting GRP heavy duty RE-Grid Minimesh grating that was required to provide a false floor around free standing chemical baths.

Client

The European Organization for Nuclear Research

Location

Geneva
, Switzerland

Services

Design, Fabrication, Installation

Products

GRP False Floor

Explain your needs

Problem/Challenge

The process involved removal of products from the baths that would then be washed down over the grating. The result was a particularly aggressive chemical environment that would be wet for up to 8 hours per day.

After consultation into the potential risks of exposure to full strength chemicals and the requirement for a 10 year warranty on the goods supplied, a vinylester pultruded GRP support system was considered the right solution. Due to the higher percentage of resin used in moulded products, and that Relinea use very high grade resins, the specification was lowered to an Isopthalic resin for the GRP grating.

Solution

Relinea designed a false floor incorporating a GRP support frame system that could accommodate a uniform loading of 20 kN/m2. The design had to allow for specialist fixings that were suitable for the chemical environment and all cut edges and fixings had to be resin treated. To ensure ease of installation, several site visits were carried out. The use of 3D CAD drawings also helped to facilitate a smooth and easy installation.

Management of logistics was critical due to the location of the site and that all goods had to clear customs. The initial dispatch of goods was carefully planned to ensure all materials and tools that would be required during the 4 week install period were dispatched.

On arrival at site our team had to coordinate with a number of other trades and ensure protection of the newly installed basin linings. Any metal fixings had to be resin sealed and any remedial work on the profile or gratings had to be chemically resealed. Levels had to be taken to ensure the flooring was flush with a concrete walkway to ensure a smooth run for trollies.

Panels also had to be notched around the outside perimeter to allow for service cables to pass through. Our design was fully checked to ensure that the design loading could be maintained.