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SOMETHING TO CHEER ABOUT
The 50,000-seat Lane Stadium on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia plays
host to a number of events throughout the school year. Whether the stands are packed with
screaming football fans rooting for the home team or proud parents watching their sons and
daughters graduate, the stadium provides a showplace for students and visitors alike.
 That's why it's important for the
stadium to always look its best. But after decades of use, Lane Stadium was in need of
repair. Virginia Tech needed a company to repair existing damage as well as prevent
further deterioration. They called in Richmond Primoid. It was our job to both restore
Lane Stadium and protect it for years to come.
THE PROBLEM
Over the years, weather and water penetration led to the deterioration of several stadium
sections, most noticeably on the seats and steps. It was important to put a stop to this
problem immediately. Left unattended, such damage could have caused a loss in structural
integrity in future years.
Before any work could get underway,
Richmond Primoid first had to remove the 50,000 seats just to get to the damaged area.
This was quite a job in itself.
"The whole process was very
labor-intensive," explains Al Rose, Vice President of Richmond Primoid. "For one
thing, the seats were secured by anchor bolts that were in pretty bad condition. The bolts
were so rusted they tended to break when we tried to unscrew them."
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TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE
Richmond Primoid began work on February 15th with one important stipulation in mind. Part
of the stadium (30,000 seats) had to be ready by May 9th for the spring graduation
ceremony. This challenge required completing the concrete repair to the north section's
west stands as well as having every seat in those areas back in place in a short period of
time. They accomplished this goal with thirty-five people, sometimes working seven days
per week, 10 to 12 hours per day.
What's more, instead of being able to
streamline the work by finishing each step of the project and moving on, they had to
finish one area entirely then start from the beginning on the other sections of the
stadium. Given the various tasks involved, the project could have quickly turned into a
scheduling nightmare.
"It was just a challenge we had
to meet," says Rose. "We work on such a wide range of
projects--roofing, floors,
decks, walls--we're used to catering our services to each client's particular needs. No two
jobs are the same and we understand that."
THE SOLUTION
Work began with the removal of the seats and the caulking. Next, the deteriorated concrete
was cut away and hauled out of the stadium. The joints were then ground clean to remove
any existing film. This left a fresh surface for better adhesion. After that, the rusted
seat bolts were cut out and new holes drilled for each bolt. This process was repeated for
some 4,000 bolts.
The fourth step involved repairing
the deteriorated concrete around the steps and seating areas. For that, Richmond Primoid
used concrete and a polymer modified patching material. This type of patching material was
chosen because its density adheres well to the shape into which it is molded. Once the
concrete and patching material hardened, the entire stadium was power washed.
Next came recaulking both the
vertical expansion joints and the horizontal joints running behind and along the seating
areas. After the expansion joints were caulked, a rubber membrane was applied over each
vertical joint for greater flexibility. In all, Richmond Primoid removed and replaced over
87,000 feet (16.48 miles) of material using Pecora Dynatrol II caulking to seal the joints around
50,000 seats. > TOP
8,500 GALLONS SPREAD
OVER 263,000 SQUARE FEET
The next to last step, and perhaps the most important, was to apply over 8,500 gallons of
Neogard Peda-Gard II Waterproof Traffic Bearing coating to 263,000 square feet of surface.
Neogard is a urethane coating applied in four layers. The first two of those layers were
used to seal out moisture. The third coat was mixed with an aggregate creating a non-slip
surface. The final coat then locked in the aggregate. Colored gray with orange and maroon
highlights, the Neogard dried, forming a protective coat perfect for use in heavy traffic
areas. Adds Rose, "We've been using this type of coating for 30 years without a
problem. When we find something that works, we stick with it."
All that was left now was to replace
the seats they had removed in February. Richmond Primoid installed 20,000 board feet of
brand new seat planks and the project was complete. > TOP
A NEW SEASON, A LIKE-NEW STADIUM
On September 5th, Virginia Tech kicked off another football season at newly-restored Lane
Stadium.
"It was a great day,"
remarked Jerry Fogelman, Job Superintendent.. "We finished well ahead of our
deadline and the stadium couldn't have looked better. Our entire team should be proud of
what we accomplished, especially in the time we were given."
To learn more about Richmond Primoid and the wide range of work they do, call
804-644-4561 or toll free 800-235-4561. > TOP
MORE CASE STUDIES
P.O. Box
6785, Richmond, Virginia 23230
Voice 804-644-4561 Toll-free 800-235-4561 Fax 804-225-7271
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