The parking garage at WinStar World Casino is watertight after five years of water infiltration.
The WinStar World Casino is a luxury resort destination for entertainment. Originally designed and built in 2011, a 400,000-square-foot, four-level, 1,400-space parking structure is located at the northwest corner of the casino in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The garage is accented with a glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) facade to imitate various historical buildings around the world.
For over five years, the WinStar parking garage struggled with water infiltration and spalling of the concrete, specifically at expansion joints and the interior ramp. Expansion joint blockouts were originally very shallow, which caused a multitude of failures and issues within the parking garage. The structural repairs on the ramp were critical as the garage was becoming inoperable due to exposed concrete in the post-tension cables.
Chamberlin was selected to find a permanent solution for the expansion joints and ultimately stop the water infiltration. Additionally, their scope for the parking garage renovation included structural concrete repairs and traffic coating.
Betting on Safety
With safety as a primary focus on each job they undertake, Chamberlin began by developing a site-specific safety plan for the WinStar Parking Garage project. Being a fast-paced project, it required a great amount of communication to operate safely and protect the crew as well as casino patrons. The superintendent communicated the plan and disciplinary system in place to all respective field workers so everyone understood the safety expectations.
A Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) that covered each task on the job, potential hazards associated with those tasks and how to prevent those hazards from causing an accident was also developed for this project. The project supervisor would complete a daily JHA before work began. Additionally, daily equipment checklists were completed by the operator to confirm proper functionality.
Show Me the Money
Chamberlin suggested the Silspec RFS expansion joint assembly to replace the failing joints in the garage because they are comprised of a compressed foam joint with integral carbon fiber rods inside, a first of its kind. Because of the reinforcing rods, vehicular traffic can drive over the joints without the need for bumpy cover plates. These joints would also give the parking garage a longer lifespan and higher movement without increasing the cost for the owner.
The crew began by removing the existing deteriorated wing joints and epoxy nosing. They installed rigid insulation in the expansion joint to create a proper form for the new epoxy nosing while also preventing debris from sandblasting and grinding to travel to the parking decks below. The blockouts were then prepared to receive the new epoxy nosing which was poured and cured to create a solid and trafficable joint opening. The rigid insulation was then removed from the joint opening and the Silspec RFS expansion joint assembly was installed in the joint opening.
Chamberlin crews installed Silspec RFS expansion joints.
High-Roller Scheduling
The garage was in use during construction and busy with casino patrons coming and going throughout the weeks. The crew could only work Monday through Thursday because the casino had to utilize the full garage during their busiest time, Friday through Sunday. Scheduling had to be extremely precise so the crew did not leave any partially completed areas that would restrict the use of that part of the garage.
When working on the structural repairs and traffic coatings, they were faced with yet another challenge. There was only one ramp that granted access to all floors of the garage. The crew worked from the top floor down and timed their sequencing to allow multiple floors to be in use while work proceeded.
Chamberlin used barricades, warning lines, danger tape and flagging to control access points and block off work areas. When work finished on Thursdays, these items were left in place to allow materials to cure over the weekend. Then, late Sunday night when our next work area was clear of patron's cars, crew members moved these safety items, materials and equipment to control access of Monday morning traffic and blockade our next work area plus parking spaces below. This required full coordination with the Chickasaw Nation maintenance department.
Original wing joint before restoration
Epoxy nosing to fill in blockouts
Completed Silspec RFS expansion joint
Winning Hand
Chamberlin remedied persistent water infiltration issues, specifically at expansion joint locations, for the WinStar Casino parking garage. They repaired and replaced 1,300 linear feet of expansion joints and 21,000 square feet of traffic coating in just over a year. The installation of the new expansion joint system was the largest to date at the time of the project.
Chamberlin Senior Project Manager Kraig Murray spoke highly of the crew saying, “Despite the restricted schedule and the fact that the casino stayed open throughout the duration of the project, the crew handled everything efficiently and kept safety as a priority. Not only did they make sure other crew members were safe, but they paid close attention to the safety of the casino patrons and made sure they stayed clear from possible injury.” The project left the casino watertight and concluded on time, within budget and with zero safety incidents.