Dartford Tunnel

Fire-retardant spray repairs to Dartford Tunnel interior.

London Underground

Fire-retardant concrete spray repairs to Jubilee Line tunnel interiors.

London’s Period and Listed Buildings

Using lightweight concrete replacement cast facades.

Grenfell Tower

Spray on Fire-Check Coatings.

Repairs to statues and decorative carvings.

We supply concretes that are specially developed to enable repairs to statues and decorative carvings, mouldings and concrete castings.

Enhancing Fire Protection to Buildings - Exterior.

Spray on high temperature concrete coatings to prevent the spread of fire.
Brann Stadium – Underside of wooden roof.

Interiors.

Steel structural members – fire check spraying.

Welcome to LightCem UK Ltd. – Lightweight and Fire-check Concrete

Reduced Insurance Costs!!

LightCem Technology Ltd. is a privately owned, family run company founded over 40 years ago and we have researched and developed a range of concrete based compounds with special characteristics. Product range consists of various compositions offering different degrees of fire protection, surface protection, lightweight / floating concrete, and reflective coatings. Our products are tailored to the Client’s requirements and no contract requirement is too big or too small.

About LightCem UK

LightCem Group is a Norweigan based family owned and run business with over 30 years of experience in the sector. Over the years LightCem has developed world renowned products with industry leading specifications.

LightCem’s products are essentially lightweight cement based concretes with special additives to increase fire-retardant properties and to increase strength in lightweight applications. These products are in use the world over and in the UK with some significant Clients such as London Underground and Dartford Tunnel.

Their additional properties are derived by additives that do not affect structural integrity but the density of the concretes is between approximately two thirds and half lighter than conventional concretes – less density equals less cement content and less mass. For upper structures of tall buildings, less weight means less foundation depth equals less costs.

Concrete can also be sprayed on to surfaces to enhance fire protection but normal concrete begins to degrade at 800°C. LightCems FireShield spray on products can be configured to provide complete protection to over 1300°C. Increasing fire-protection will significantly reduce insurance costs – spend to save measure – hopefully preventing fire related damage in the first place!!

LightCem products are now available again in the UK, manufactured under license. LightCem’s product performances have been verified through extensive European and Scandinavian test programmes undertaken by a series of independent laboratories and government test centres.

 

 

LightCem Products

FireShield 1150

FireShield 1150 is one of a range of fire proofing and insulating lightweight concretes that have been tested under fire conditions of up to 1150°C for durations of up to four hours. FireShield 1150 is ideal for use in offshore conditions, shipbuilding, petrochemical applications & the construction industries where steel & concrete structures need protection from extreme temperatures (up to1150°C).

LightCem Products

FireShield 1350

FireShield 1350 is one of a range of fire proofing and insulating lightweight concretes that has been tested under fire conditions for durations of up to four hours. FireShield 1350 has been designed to withstand the most extreme of hydrocarbon fire conditions and has satisfied the Ministry for Public Works in the Netherlands (Rijswaterstaat or RWS) in conjunction with TNO Centre for Fire Research, for the purposes of providing passive fire protection for tunnel linings.

LightCem Products

TopCoat

LightCems TopCoat is a grey ingrained fiber reinforced dry mortar. The mortar has water repellent and a diffusion open material. Can be sprayed directly on to tunnel walls, load bearing walls and other concrete and steel constructions.

LightCem Products

WhiteCoat

WhiteCoat is a white ingrained fiber reinforced dry mortar. The mortar has water repellent and a diffusion open material. One of the primary uses of WhiteCoat is in tunnel linings, brightening the tunnel and giving a safe optical effect for the road users.

LightCem Products

LiteCrete has been designed as a durable lightweight construction concrete. It is particularly suitable for floating and offshore constructions such as Seacon Floating Fish Farm, Barcelona, Spain. Where weight savings are required for columns, walls, roofs and foundations. LiteCrete can be used as a cost effective solution. Reduced density also means reduced loading on shutters when pouring, therefore, false-work and form-work costs can be reduced.

LightCem Products

SprayFast

SprayFast is a ready to use, lightweight protective concrete. SprayFast materials have been designed for application by “Wet Spray” Techniques. Ideal for use in concrete repair, refurbishment, protection and lightweight construction where savings can be made due to the very low proportional material weight. SprayFast will adhere to almost any clean material e.g., steel, masonry, timber, plastic and even glass.

LIGHTCEM

Friendly, Professional and Reliable

Our Company will be on call to help out or offer advice at any stage of your project from the first phone call or e-mail through to the practical and total completion of your work. Remember, we can offer independent advice on all design and planning issues.
LIGHTCEM
Why You Should Chose Us

Trust.

Thoughtfully planned and meticulously executed projects. We focus on transparency throughout the process as a means of minimising any problems that may occur throughout the job.

Cost Effective.

All our clients expect the highest level of personal attention and the finest quality project delivered on time and for a price that undercuts the competition.

Experience.

With many years of experience, LightCem continues to satisfy customers with exceptional work ethic and efficiency.

Understanding.

Over the years, we’ve had the great experience of delighting our customers and this drives us forward. Our team is made up of brilliant people, who apart from being full of ideas are also willing to work with you to give you a faultless service you deserve.
Channel Tunnel Fire 1996 – Damage to concrete structure.
Mont Blanc Tunnel Fire 1999 – Damage to concrete structure.

Testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it…

Spraying the inside of the Dartford tunnels with LightCem FireShield was a very cost effective, fire damage prevention solution.  The LightCem materials used are still in place and fully operational over 20 years after application.

Mr SK

Project Manager

Spraying the inside with LightCem FireShield fulfilled all our requirements and the materials are still in excellent condition some 22 years after application.

Mr RC

Project Manager

The use of LightCem FireShield was the ideal solution and fulfilled all our design requirements. The fabricated pipes and trunking are still in excellent condition some 15 years after making.

Mr RC

Project Manager

Frequently Asked Questions.

Physical Properties

How well do LightCem products adhere to other materials?
Several LightCem products have High Bonding characteristics. In particular SprayFast will adhere to almost any clean surface, including glass.
Is surface cracking and splitting more pronounced than with normal concrete?
No. Please note that compounds can be modified to further minimise cracking and splitting.
Can the products be used in a free standing situation?
Low density compounds may not be suitable for free standing applications. However compounds such as LC-25 and LC-35 have high bond characteristics so are ideal.
Are shrinkage and creep more pronounced than with ordinary concrete?
No. Please note that compounds can be modified to minimise shrinkage and creep.

Accreditation

Do the products carry recognised accreditation?
Yes. Copies of the relevant documentation are available on request.
What temperature levels have products reached in testing?
The range of FIRESHIELD compounds has been designed to varying degrees of resistance up to 1350oC.

Health and Safety

Are there any special procedures required when using LightCem products?
The same health and safety procedures apply as with normal concrete. However! Please be sure to read the Health and Safety documents issued by LightCem Technology International.
Can LightCem products be used in unventilated areas?
In general terms YES. However, a suitable particulate dust mask should be worn if spraying in a confined area.

Composition

Can the products be coloured?
Yes, as per normal concrete.
Can LightCem products be adjusted / modified to suit specific needs?
Yes. This is one of the great strengths of LightCem Technology products, although there are limits if fire certification is required.
What is the cement content of the mixes?
This will depend on the specific compound and the modifications made to suit specific purposes.
What aggregates can be used in LightCem products?
A wide variety of aggregates may be specified depending on the prescribed use of the compound (see individual data sheets).
Do the products require special curing?
This will depend on a number of factors e.g. humidity, temperature, etc. Experience shows that the use of curing membrane is often advantageous.

Resistance/ Reactive Properties

Do LightCem products afford greater fire resistance properties than normal concrete?
In general terms YES . Please note that compounds can be modified to increase specific fire resistance properties.
What thermal conductivity characteristics do the products have?
They vary from product to product. However in general the following apply; LC-05 0.13 W/moC, LC-10 0.25 W/moC, LC-25 0.43 W/moC.
Are LightCem products water resistant?
Yes, as per conventional concretes.
What reactions are there when the products come in contact with water?
Reports from the Floating Fish Farm at Barcelona shows NO deterioration after continuous immersion in salt water for 9 years.

Delivery and Storage

Do any of the constituents of the various compounds require pre-wetting during storage or prior to mixing?
No.
Can the products be used in small quantities?
Yes. However the total content of each bag supplied must be thoroughly mixed.
Can the constituents of LightCem products be dry mixed at an on-site batching plant to produce the product?
No.
Are the products pumpable?
SPRAYFAST and FIRESHIELD are designed to be pumpable, using a worm pump. Other compounds can be modified to suit pumping requirements.
What finishes may be obtained?
The products can be trowelled, cast, moulded and finished in much the same way as normal concrete. The lighter products can be cut easily allowing for trimming once the material has cured.
Can the products be sprayed by using BOTH Wet and Dry methods?
SPRAYFAST and FIRESHIELD are designed to suit wet spray methods. However, modifications are available to compounds if dry spray methods are preferred.
Is the design life of LightCem products similar to normal concrete?
In general terms Yes. However, it should be noted that specific FIRESHIELD compounds have been designed to withstand repeated exposure to fire.
Do LightCem products require special Quality Control measure?
Yes. Strict adherence to the prescribed mixing method is essential.
To what thickness can the products be sprayed in one pass?
This depends on the density of the chosen product. However, SPRAYFAST has been sprayed on vertical surfaces at thicknesses in excess of 200mm and in one particular case up to 300mm in one application. (See Case Study; Jubilee Line).
What is the normal working life (after batching) and can retarders be used where long journeys and/or high temperatures are expected?
In general terms one and a half hours. However, accelerators or retarders can be used to suit project requirements.

Costing

How much does the product cost?
This depends on the particular compound specified, the degree of modification that may be required and the quantity required to complete the project. For Example: by combining the properties of FIRESHIELD and SPRAYFAST, Norwegian engineers were able to carry out a protection program to road tunnels using less than half the thickness and therefore half the application time that would have been necessary using traditional concrete. (See case study No. 050685. Ref. Road Tunnels).

LightCem (UK) Ltd.

Unit 10, Lowfield Close, Ranskill Notts DN22 8GA
Telephone: 01777 818 506
www.lightcemuk.co.uk
Email: 
enquiries@lightcemuk.co.uk

Registered Company No. 10469350

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