2016
Indianapolis, IN
Inside The Repair
Built in 1982 to prepare for the National Sports Festival in Indianapolis, the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) Natatorium is still referred to as one of the most iconic venues in the world for competitive swimming. Housing 4,700 spectators, the stadium was designed in a combined effort by architecture firms such as Browning, Pollack & Mullins, Inc., and Edward Larabee Barnes, Architects with Indiana University’s legendary swim coach, James Counsilman. Dubbed the “House of Champions”, this eight-lane, million gallon competition pool is known for training world class swimmers and is also the biggest facility in the US.
Complications That Led to Repair
The building is constructed of reinforced steel and concrete with a sloped roof that is supported by large beams, also made of steel. Over time, the damp pool environment combined with the presence of chlorine and other chemicals contributed to the substantial deterioration to the structure and by 2015, this 30-year-old building started to look its age. With a leaky roof, damaged concrete visible throughout and with the plumbing, lights and locker rooms dating back to the 80’s, the IUPUI Natatorium was due for an update. Updating the historical s was an extreme undertaking with the amount of damage and expenses involved, but the University was determined to restore the building after considering all the cultural importance to the local community.
Sika Product Solution
Keeping the 2016 Olympic Diving Trials in mind, the completion of the project relied considerably on completely all the repairs while keeping in mind the strict schedule the Natatorium was dealing with. Among the renovations, SikaQuick® 1000 was used on all the floor repairs due to it being especially suited for hot weather applications, ability to handle foot traffic 4 hours after application and rapid hardening qualities. Next, Sikacrete® 211 SCC Plus made an excellent choice for form and pour vertical repairs especially on full depth repairs to fill voids and cavities. Lastly, SikaTop® 123 PLUS was essential for the vertical wall hand pack repairs.
The five-phase renovation was completed in December of 2016, but the Olympic Diving Trials were able to proceed with the last phase consisting of repairing other parts of the building not associated with the event. The Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Natatorium is now ready for all the swimmers and championships for the years to come!
