Skip to main content

Seal of approval for Sika

Skikaflex Construction by UK-based Sika was chosen by Skanska Balfour Beatty Joint Venture to seal movement joints during the widening of one of Europe’s busiest motorways. The M25, also known as the London Orbital, handles around 200,000 vehicles every day on its busiest sections. Its widening between junctions 27 and 30 is said to be delivering much needed extra capacity to tackle congestion and improve journey times.
June 22, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
Skikaflex Construction  by UK-based Sika was chosen by 2296 Skanska 1146 Balfour Beatty Joint Venture to seal movement joints during the widening of one of Europe’s busiest motorways.

The M25, also known as the London Orbital, handles around 200,000 vehicles every day on its busiest sections. Its widening between junctions 27 and 30 is said to be delivering much needed extra capacity to tackle congestion and improve journey times.

In 2002, the London Orbital Multi Model Study (ORBIT) was tasked with addressing the problem. The ORBIT report recommended that most of the dual 3 lane sections of the M25 should be widened to 4 lanes.

The widening project is being carried out by Skanska Balfour Beatty Joint Venture for Connect Plus, working on behalf of the 2309 Highways Agency, as part of the Design Build Finance and Operate Contract for the M25.                                                   

Said to be a high performance product, Sikaflex Construction (SC) has been used to seal the vertical movement joints of the newly constructed reinforced concrete walls at the Emergency Access Routes situated behind the embankment piers of the widened motorway section.  It has also been used to seal the horizontal movement joints of the newly constructed reinforced concrete pier protection and pier strengthening at various bridge locations between junctions 27 and 30.

SC was used to create what was said to be a 100% watertight seal. A one part polyurethane sealant, it is also described as a versatile sealant that can be used for a variety of construction and civil engineering purposes. Said to be easy to install and environmentally friendly, the SC is stain resistant and can be over painted. Crucially, once installed it provides a seal that is impregnable by water, dirt, dust and chemicals.

Available in four standard colours, SC is supplied in 600cc foil sausages for easy on site application by gun. Conforming to ISO 11600 Class F25HM/F20LM, it offers a cost effective method of sealing construction joints of up to 35mm.

Chosen for what was said to be its tear resistance and ability to withstand dirt, water and chemical attack, Sika said its SC provided the ideal solution to protect the concrete retaining walls on the M25.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Pressure is on Superslim formwork
    February 4, 2025
    Temporary works specialist Altrad RMD Kwikform - Altrad RMDK - is helping realign the A452 road over a new rail line for England’s future high-speed trains.
  • Bridging the gap in African infrastructure
    December 20, 2013
    Leading formwork manufacturers have secured some impressive contracts in Africa, as the continent’s transport infrastructure continues to improve at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, other bridgework equipment companies are also seeing their products in demand in Africa, as well as North America and Australia.
  • Key A14 upgrade for the UK to cut congestion
    September 11, 2013
    A joint venture comprising BAM Nuttall and Morgan Sindall will carry out the 4km widening of the UK’s heavily congested A14 route. The €28.5 million (£24 million) project is being carried out for the Highways Agency to reduce journey times more reliable, improve safety and support proposed local development. Mott MacDonald will carry out the design work for the project. Junctions 7-9 of the A14 are highly congested at present due to a combination of heavy commuter traffic and the high percentage of HGVs car
  • Key Qatar tunnel waterproofing project
    May 17, 2017
    Technology from Stirling Lloyd is being used to waterproof the recently constructed Lusail Tunnel in Qatar. The construction of the tunnel is a major project as it forms part of a new US$30 billion integrated transportation system in Qatar. The new Lusail CP07-C-1-A Commercial Boulevard, Road A3 Troughs, Underpass and Tunnel project is designed to provide a connection from the recently established Lusail City to the heart of Doha in Qatar. The cut and cover tunnel provides fast access to the new Lusail City