uShaka Marine World
Project context
uShaka Marine World is one of the largest marine theme parks in the world, combining aquarium facilities, water park attractions and public leisure space on Durban's beachfront — a site directly exposed to the Indian Ocean.
Why this building is difficult to waterproof
A beachfront marine facility is close to a worst case for building envelope durability. Airborne salt drives chloride attack on reinforcing steel wherever concrete cover is thin or cracked, which means coastal remediation is frequently a concrete repair problem with waterproofing over the top rather than a waterproofing problem alone. Subtropical humidity keeps substrates damp far longer than inland conditions, constraining both the systems that can be specified and the programme available to install them. Water-retaining and water-adjacent structures add a further demand: they must hold water in as reliably as they keep it out, and public areas require finishes that stay safe and serviceable under constant foot traffic.
What TDS brings to projects like this
- ◆Approved applicator status for Derbigum, ABE, Prostruct, Darachem, Duo, Poly-Seal and Sika systems — a prerequisite for enforceable manufacturer-backed warranties.
- ◆Turnkey delivery covering CAD design and specification, supply, installation and quality control under a single contract.
- ◆Professional indemnity cover on design, and a 10-year insurance-backed guarantee on completed works.
- ◆Experience sequencing works around occupied and operational buildings, including live commercial and institutional environments.
- ◆Membership of the Master Builders Association and the Waterproofing Federation of South Africa.
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