Honoring top coatings projects from the past year, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP) has awarded Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine and its project partners two prestigious 2020 Structure Awards. The awards recognize the commitment and achievement of the project team members and include: the George Campbell Award for a major bridge coatings rehabilitation project and the Eric S. Kline Award for rapidly coating approximately 21,000 tons of structural steel for a major new stadium project.

Via the AMPP Structure Awards, the association annually recognizes top projects in seven categories representing an array of structures and service conditions. The awards honor individuals and companies that have represented the coatings industry in a positive light. AMPP recognized the winning projects December 13, 2021, during the annual Coatings+ Awards Luncheon in Phoenix, Arizona.

“Tackling challenging coatings projects is something our customers, partners and team members do daily. Every project is unique, so it takes talent and dedication to get specifications right, prepare surfaces properly and apply coatings accurately. The winning teams for the AMPP Structure Awards have those steps down pat,” said Bryan Draga, Global Vice President of Marketing, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine. “They have also demonstrated a commitment to boosting productivity in both the field and in controlled shop applications to streamline project completions. These efforts can help asset owners and applicators alike optimize their schedules and ensure rapid returns to service.”

GEORGE CAMPBELL AWARD: Rehabilitating the Liberty Bridge, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A challenging, $82-million restoration of the Liberty Bridge in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earned the 2020 George Campbell Award for outstanding achievement in the completion of a difficult or complex coatings project. The award-winning team included bridge owner the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), industrial services provider Avalotis Corp. and engineering services firm HDR Associates.

The Liberty Bridge crosses the Monongahela River, connecting downtown Pittsburgh to the Liberty Tunnels and neighborhoods south of the city. From June 2015 to September 2018, applicators from Avalotis blasted and recoated the bridge’s steel beams, trusses, braces and other structural members.

Working under a full containment tarp to protect the river and surrounding areas from dust, debris and coatings overspray, the crew abrasive-blasted the bridge’s steel surfaces and then applied Zinc Clad® III HS at 3-5 mils dry film thickness (DFT) to provide cathodic corrosion protection. The zinc-rich epoxy primer has a fast recoat time of about 45 minutes, which enabled applicators to move quickly to the intermediate coat of Macropoxy® 646 Fast Cure. This high-solids polyamide epoxy mastic also dries fast to streamline coatings projects. Its high-solids content ensures adequate protection of sharp edges, corners and welds. Finally, applicators finished the three-coat application using Acrolon™ 218 HS, another fast-drying coating. This acrylic polyurethane provides color and gloss retention for exterior exposures and was applied in a beige color at 3-6 mils DFT.

ERIC S. KLINE AWARD: Coating 21,000 Tons of Structural Steel for Globe Life Field, Arlington, Texas

Recognizing outstanding industrial coatings work performed in a fixed shop facility, the 2020 Eric S. Kline Award went to the project team that coated approximately 21,000 tons of structural steel for the 5.5-acre retractable roof covering Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Part of a $1.2-billion new build stadium project, the world’s largest single-panel operable roof features clear panels that allow natural light into the ballpark when closed. When open, the roof docks behind the third base grandstand at the home of Major League Baseball’s Texas Rangers.

Structural steel fabricator W&W/AFCO Steel produced and coated this large amount of material at multiple shop locations over the course of about 18 months using high-performance coatings from Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine. Speed was of the essence to keep the project moving, prompting the team to use an innovative two-coat system compared to a traditional three-coat system. This choice eliminated one complete application step, while the materials also enhanced efficiencies beyond just the reduction of one coat.

With most steel fabricated at the same location where it would be coated, W&W/AFCO Steel was able to streamline coating operations. Following surface preparation, applicators spray-applied a full coat of Zinc Clad® 4100 at 3-5 mils DFT. This highly corrosion-resistant zinc primer has a fast dry time and can be recoated as soon as 30 minutes after application, enabling the shop to apply the topcoat that soon after priming. Helping to further boost project efficiencies, the primer is able to meet Class B requirements for slip coefficient and creep resistance in just 72 hours compared to the typical 14-day wait required for other commonly used coatings.

For the topcoat, applicators used a high-build Envirolastic® polyaspartic urethane from Sherwin-Williams. Like the primer, this coating also cures fast, drying to touch in just 30 minutes and enabling assets to be returned to service in two hours. Sprayed at 5-7 mils DFT, the coating offers excellent edge retention properties approaching 80% for effective long-term corrosion control and weatherability. In addition, it offers excellent color and gloss retention, which is ideal for the high-visibility stadium.