Modern Composites: A Sustainable Solution for High-Corrosion Projects

The Yan Yean Water Treatment Plant (WTP) houses highly aggressive, corrosive chemicals secured in tanks within a spill-proof bund. Melbourne Water needed to upgrade the flooring system within the bund without penetrating the protective spill-proof membrane below. 

Having seen the TerraGrate flooring system in use at the Brushy Creek Sewage Treatment Plant, Melbourne Water contracted Terra Firma Industries directly for this challenging project. 

You can watch the installation video here.

What Problems Needed to be Addressed?

Yan Yean houses multiple bunds for water treatment which store highly aggressive corrosive water treatment chemicals. Several needs arose from this: 

• The flooring around these bunds needed to be highly chemical and corrosion resistant
• The solution also needed to be secure, low maintenance, and; 
• The flooring fixings could not penetrate the chemical-spill-proof membrane lining the bund itself.  

The issue of longevity was a big factor for Melbourne Water, as the facility needed guaranteed prolonged safety and lasting structural integrity and high levels of chemical and corrosion resistance to avoid wasting extra time and costs of upgrades, maintenance, and workplace closure.  

Terra Firma proved to have the ideal solution for all issues.  

What was the solution?

Terra Firma proposed replacing the old floors with the TerraGrate flooring system which included specialised, chemical-rated Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic grating (FRP) and non-penetrating adjustable flooring pedestals. 

Melbourne Water were confident in the materials used, but most importantly, in these high-risk areas, FRP ticked the box regarding sustainability. Terra Firma Industries included specialist Vinyl Ester resins in the FRP to increase specific chemical and fire-resistance properties to meet specific corrosion challenges. Reduced corrosion means reduced maintenance, longer lifespans and whole-of-life cost savings. 

Equally as important, was Terra Firma’s ease of installation. TerraGrate FRP & Pedestal Flooring System can be easily installed on-site without requiring steel cutting, welding, or galvanising, ensuring that hot materials stay away from aggressive chemicals.  

Installation was complete in less than a day, as the FRP was pre-cut in the warehouse and fitted on-site. The pre-cut flooring panels simply clipped onto the easily adjusted pedestals without the need for complex fixtures.  

Terra Firma’s corrosion-resistant composite FRP outperforms equivalent metal and steel, and modern composite materials. 

Terra Firma has completed similar projects and wanted to ensure that the solutions directly address the challenges faced by the Yan Yean Water Treatment Plant. The FRP solutions were as follows:  

• TerraGrate Complete FRP Flooring System 
• Raised walkway 
• Adjustable pedestals 
• Non-penetrating fixtures 
• Protective waterproof membrane 
• Lightweight; easy access to piping 
• Flexible configuration & cut to curves

Properties and Benefits of FRP Flooring

The benefits of FRP are endless, making it a great long-term solution for complex projects. 

Modern sustainable composites transform infrastructure projects by solving safety issues and improving maintenance, installation, and longevity.  

Unlike traditional materials, modern composites can be ‘designed’ or ‘tailored’ to meet a wide range of specifications. This allows for maximum efficiency and ensures that the site is ready to return to its full capacity as soon as possible.  

FRP composites can be made in a variety of resin combinations to increase the anti-corrosion and fire-resistant properties already found in FRP as well as enhanced anti-slip. FRP moulded grating can be manufactured to specific load-ratings making it ideal for safety areas and areas with high traffic or requiring specific strength over an unsupported span.  

FRP outperforms equivalent traditional materials for slip-resistance, corrosion and chemical-resistance, strength, and durability. Metal floors, aluminium or plastic-coated steel, would never have performed as well as FRP. 

Key benefits of FRPs: 

• Durable and Lightweight  
• Corrosion Resistant  
• Chemical Resistant 
• Fire Resistant  
• Non-slip 
• Non-conductive  
• Cost Effective  
• Sustainable

Why FRP is the future of innovative flooring

The demand for FRP is growing thanks to the flexibility of its solutions. If you’re looking for materials that will last, call Terra Firma Industries to help with your next project. 

Australian-owned and made, our products make the best use of cutting-edge technologies and leading R&D.

Contact us if you’d like to discuss how composite materials could benefit your next project.