A waterproofing contractor has warned that the proposed Chaguaramas causeway could start deteriorating five years after construction unless it is properly planned.Verne Britto, chairman and managing director of Dover Waterproofing, the region's largest waterproofing contractor said because of the size and nature of the project the authorities must ensure the entire causeway is waterproofed or the country could lose hundreds of millions of dollars over the short and medium term.
Britto, in an interview at the company's headquarters at Fredrick Settlement Industrial Estate, Caroni, explained that because of the porous nature of concrete, salt water could seep into the structure and start oxidizing the steel form-work. After five years oxidation will cause the steel to lose its structural integrity and start expanding, causing the concrete around it to crack.
After ten years, Britto said, the entire causeway will start to deteriorate at a faster pace and eventually become unusable."This structure will be put down in an aggressive environment and proper consultation must take place before such a massive project gets off the ground," he said.
Britto said his company has been involved in several major waterproofing contracts, including the Uriah Butler interchange, the Grand Bazaar Overpass and the Aranguez Overpass and is seeking to undertake work on the Point Fortin Highway. He said because of waterproofing these on-land projects will last considerably longer.
Visible damage can be seen on bridges that have not waterproofed, Britto said, and these structures will now cost millions of dollars to replace.Britto said the causeway should be constructed in a way that will require as little maintenance as possible in the long term to save taxpayers money that could be invested in other areas of development.