Graco Equipment: LEGOLAND

Graco equipment was used to prepare the surface and then spray numerous different coatings onto 22,000 square meters of concrete at the new theme park in Dubai. LEGOLAND® Dubai and LEGOLAND® Water Park, located at Dubai Parks and Resorts, feature more than forty interactive rides and water slides, as well as miniature landscapes created using more than 20 million LEGO® pieces to construct 15,000 realistic-looking models. The facility opened on 31 October 2016 and is the seventh LEGOLAND worldwide and the first in the Middle East. For four years, visitors have continued to slide down water slides, cool off in the wave pool and build their own LEGO structures. For this reason, it is difficult to imagine what the place looked like even just six months before the facility's opening. At that time, 50,000 kg of durable, waterproof and long-lasting waterproofing solution was sprayed onto 22,000 square meters of concrete, so there was intense activity throughout the entire area where the facility was located.

Challenges in the Desert

This was no ordinary spraying application. Environmental conditions presented unique challenges. Daytime temperatures typically peaked at 52°C. Some surface temperatures reached 68°C. Humidity levels rose to as high as 85%. The famous hot and dry shamal wind that blows throughout the night deposited large quantities of sand at the work site. Some mornings, workers had to sweep and vacuum approximately 200 kg of sand before starting work. The facility's enormous size and complexity meant that access to some areas was extremely difficult. Spraying equipment could not always be positioned near the areas requiring coating. Equipment powerful enough to supply extra-long fluid hose lengths (94–120 meters) to apply waterproofing primer and polyurea coating became an indispensable solution for the contractors. The work site was quite crowded due to subcontractors trying to complete their tasks on time; this also led to the site being frequently contaminated. Much of the concrete that needed to be coated had not been adequately (or at all) prepared. If not properly prepared, waterproof coatings were exposed to many different work environments, ranging from salt water to desalinated water to drinking water. Some environments were exposed to direct sunlight, while others were continuously submerged in water and some were exposed to hydraulic forces and wear. In one area, sensitive marine life was being maintained. In addition to these challenges, time was running short. Only six months remained. And that period was steadily decreasing. After being invited to provide spraying and coating expertise and products, the local Graco distributor Deltachem took on this job. Fortunately, Deltachem was able to provide the right Graco equipment to ensure various preparation and spraying tasks were completed on time and to an excellent quality standard.

Concrete Preparation Using Graco EcoQuip Vapor Abrasive Blasting

As noted, much of the 22,000 square meters of concrete had not been well prepared for coating. When Deltachem became involved in the project, surface preparation was underway, but manual grinding—a slow, labor-intensive process—created dust clouds that generated dissatisfaction among other workers at the site. As the deadline approached and surface preparation work fell behind schedule, Deltachem brought in Graco's EcoQuip vapor blasting unit. Compared to dry blasting, vapor abrasive blasting produces 92 percent less dust, and uses significantly less water compared to wet or other wet blasting methods. Additionally, EcoQuip uses less material; this also means less storage and cleaning. By replacing the slow, manual process with rapid vapor blasting, the concrete was quickly and efficiently prepared for coating. Another advantage of EcoQuip is its portability, which allows it to be easily maneuvered from one site to another.

Primer Coating Using Graco XP70 Multi-Component Airless Spraying Machine

The Graco XP70 spraying unit was used to spray primer onto the concrete. Its primary advantage is the ability to use hose lengths of up to 94 meters. This allows operators to easily spray remote or hard-to-reach areas at a work site, while the mixing unit can remain distant. At the same time, this also meant that large material barrels did not need to be constantly transported to a position near the operator. The Graco XP70 guarantees that primer, which has a 10-minute pot life, is applied proportionally each time. This represented significant cost savings for the owner, who did not suffer material losses due to the material in the paint barrels curing.

Polyurea Applied with Graco Reactors

The specified coating for the 22,000 square meters of area that needed to be waterproofed was polyurea manufactured by Voelkel Industrial Products (VIP). Following intensive consultations conducted on site by Graco's team, Deltachem was advised to deploy Graco's Reactor2 E-EXP2 units—a Graco XP-70 and a Graco Reactor E10HP. The portability of the E10HP allowed operators to move small quantities of polyurea and spray hard-to-reach areas. The new Graco Reactor2 is equipped with Graco's latest innovation; an Application (free to download) that gives users the freedom to make real-time adjustments directly from their smartphones. Thus operators at the end of the 120-meter spraying hose could turn the machine and pumps on and off, and adjust pump settings such as temperature and pressure, without having to return to the machine. The Reactor application became extremely valuable for operators working at LEGOLAND Dubai. They did not waste time going back and forth to the Reactor unit or instructing someone below the spraying line to adjust unit parameters. Everything could be adjusted and controlled via smartphones in the operators' hands. Another feature of the Reactor application appreciated by the material supplier was the ability to view barrel material levels in the units in real time from offices in Germany and Dubai. Monitoring material consumption and levels ensured a continuous supply flow to the operators on site.

Technical Specifications

To best meet the varying requirements of the different surfaces and work environments at LEGOLAND Dubai, coating material supplier Voelkel Industrial Products (VIP Coatings) applied four joint sealant products, two concrete repair and preparation products, two primers, three protective primer systems and two final coat applications. These are: • Surface Preparation: Quick Prime S, Quick Prime SF, Quick Fill ME&NS, • Primer Systems: Quick Seal MP 250 & PP350, Quick Spray Industrial & Industrial W, • Floor Coating Systems: Quick Coat PU and Quick Floor 500.

Equipment supplier Deltachem provided the following application equipment:

• Graco Reactor2 E-XP2, • Graco Reactor E10HP, • Graco Fusion Air Release Gun with 4242 mixing chamber and circular nozzle, • Graco XP70 multi-component airless spraying unit, • Graco EcoQuip2 vapor abrasive blasting unit for surface preparation. Despite major challenges and a very tight schedule, all sub-projects were completed on time and the customer was fully satisfied. LEGOLAND Dubai has effectively become a reference project for polyurea application in the Middle East. Immediately after completion of this project, contractors began working on Meydan Crystal Lagoon in Dubai, a large 40,000 square meter lagoon lined with polyurea. Brijesh Mulik Business Development Specialist – AFT Division Graco