Corrosion protection for Belfast "Odyssey" project

Citation

(2001), "Corrosion protection for Belfast "Odyssey" project", Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, Vol. 48 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/acmm.2001.12848eab.001

Corrosion protection for Belfast "Odyssey" project

Corrosion protection for Belfast "Odyssey" projectKeywords: International Protective Coatings, Steel, Coatings

All the structural steel in the Belfast Odyssey Millennium Scheme complex (Plate 1), probably Northern Ireland's largest ever building project, is protected by products from International Protective Coatings.

The £9.5 million project covers 23 acres in the heart of Belfast overlooking the river Lagan. It has been designed to incorporate science, education, sport, entertainment and shopping facilities to attract all sections of the community.

Plate 1 The arena of the Odyssey project during construction

This major undertaking, which has been talked about for more than ten years, will eventually create 600 permanent jobs in the province.

Odyssey includes an arena that can seat 7,500 for sporting events, or 10,000 for major concerts and family entertainment.

The four storey Science Centre will hold innovative, interactive displays and activities relating to the technology and science of Northern Ireland. Based around five themes – "who", "what", "why", "where" and "when" – it is designed to put fun into learning and to help people discover things about the world and themselves.

There is also a huge Imax theatre built on six main levels with a 18.5m x 25.0m (60ft x 82ft) screen and seating for 397 for 2D films or 341 for 3D. This towers over a 12,000 2M "tented" rectangular pavilion, where it has been planned to create a European pavement cafe atmosphere with shops, pubs, clubs, restaurants, and 12 cinemas in two storeys. The cinemas can house a total of 3,081 people. The pavilion's tented roof has been designed and made by the same company who made the roof for London's Millennium Dome.

The executive structure for the contract is led by the Odyssey Trust and the whole project was virtually completed just two years from when the main contract began.

Altogether 2,100 tonnes of structural steel have been used in Odyssey. In the pavilion, Science Centre and Imax buildings, where the steel is enclosed, the International coating system was Interprime 306 alkyd zinc phosphate primer, Interbond FP intumescent fire protection and Intersheen 54 as a topcoat. For the steel in the arena, Intergard 540 epoxy primer finish was used.

Main contractors on the project were Farrans & Gilbert Ash. Consultant engineers were Kirk McClure Morton (Imax, Pavilion and Science Centre) and Oscar Faber (Arena).

Details available from: International Protective Coatings. Tel: +44 (0)171 479 6000; Fax: +44 (0)171 479 6555, E-mail: james.kavanagh@uk.akzonobel.com; Web site: www.international-pc.com