Skip to content
Get a Quotation
Project solutions

Power plant / grid substation

Power plants and substations rest on heavy foundations, with turbines, transformers and switchgear that must sit exactly on their bases. Cable trenches, oil bunds and fire separation need sealing.

Power plant cooling tower and transformer yard, with the water basin under the tower lined in orange

Request a project proposal

Solutions in build order

What this project needs, step by step

Thick raft placed in layers by a pump hose, with a temperature sensor and a chart showing a lower, flatter heat curve Mass concrete & set retarding Thick rafts, dams, bridge piers and large foundations heat up as the cement hydrates and can crack, and big pours risk cold joints. A retarding superplasticiser or set retarder spreads the heat release and keeps each layer workable until the next one arrives. 6 steps Footing, column and plinth beam in soil, all buried faces coated, with a damp-proof layer under the brick wall. Foundations, footings and plinth Protect footings, column stubs and plinth beams against groundwater and aggressive soil, and stop damp rising into the walls above. This is done during construction, before backfilling. 6 steps Motor and pump on a steel bedplate, bedded on grout over a concrete block with bolts set in grouted pockets. Machine foundations & equipment bedding Generators, compressors, presses, pumps and turbines need a foundation that carries vibration and impact without loosening. The usual build-up is engineered concrete, anchored or grouted holding-down bolts, and a high-strength non-shrink bedding grout. 7 steps Steel column base plate with grout poured from a raised box on one side, flowing fully underneath to the far side. Base plate & bearing grouting Steel columns, bridge bearings and equipment sit on a layer of non-shrink grout that carries the load into the foundation. Choose the grout by gap depth, mix it with only the specified water, and pour it continuously from one side. 7 steps Existing concrete with resin-filled drilled holes holding new steel bars and a threaded rod fixing a steel plate. Chemical anchors, rebar & dowels Chemical anchors fix bolts, threaded rods and new reinforcement bars into existing concrete or masonry for extensions, railings, machines and services. Load capacity depends on the design, hole cleaning and base material, so safety-critical work needs an engineer. 7 steps Lift pit section below the floor, lined inside with a waterproof coat, with guide rails and a buffer spring. Lift pits and drainage sumps Lift pits and drainage or sewage sumps are the lowest points in a building, so groundwater collects there. Build them watertight, seal the kicker joint, and line them with a slurry rated for water pressure. 6 steps Pipe passing through a concrete floor slab with an orange sealing collar round it and orange sealant at the top Pipe and service penetrations Pipes, ducts and cables passing through basement walls, tank walls, roofs and fire-rated floors are weak points for water and fire. Seal each one for its job: watertight, weathertight, fire-rated, or a simple interior gap. 6 steps Joint between two wall sections sealed on both faces with orange fire-rated sealant, with flames on one side Fire-rated joints Joints in fire-rated walls and floors, such as stair and lift shafts, compartment walls and plant rooms, must hold back fire and smoke for the rated time. The rating comes from a tested configuration, not from the sealant alone. 6 steps Concrete sump in the ground with a continuous protective lining inside, holding liquid fed by a dripping pipe. Chemical-resistant protection (tanks, bunds, sewage) Linings and coatings that protect concrete and steel from acids, sewage gases, fuels and industrial chemicals in treatment plants, chemical tanks, bunds and manholes. The coating is chosen for the actual chemicals, concentrations and temperatures, on a strong, prepared substrate. 7 steps Concrete building facade half coated with a protective coating by a roller on a pole, with rain beading off. Protective coatings & water repellents for concrete Coatings and impregnations that keep water, chlorides and carbon dioxide out of concrete facades, bridges, car parks and repaired structures. Choose a clear impregnation, an anti-carbonation coating or a crack-bridging coating to suit the exposure. 8 steps Concrete beam with a square cut-out repair: cleaned steel bars coated, and repair mortar being trowelled in flush. Spalling concrete (chhajja, balcony, beam, column) Concrete that cracks, bulges and falls away, usually with rusty steel behind it, on chhajjas, balcony slabs, beams, columns and tank slabs. This guide follows the EN 1504 sequence: remove, protect the steel, rebuild, seal and protect. 7 steps