SFS has revealed the firm’s A4 austenitic stainless fasteners are helping the landmark V&A Dundee stand out visually.
The building envelope fastener systems specialist teamed up with Sika Sarnafil and Q9 Cladding Solutions to deliver a “secure and durable” warm roof for the museum, which has provided an enormous boost to the local economy since opening in September.
SFS said the building envelope package will ensure the façade delivers on architect Kengo Kuma’s aesthetic goals throughout its lifespan.
Some 2,466 huge cast stone panels, weighing 3000kg each and spanning up to 4m wide, wrap around the façade.
SFS said the firm’s technical sales manager in Scotland, Colin Black, worked with Sika and Q9 Cladding to provide “multiple pull-out tests” at various stages of the project and technical backup during the installation phase.
Wind load calculations confirmed that membrane and insulation layers needed to be mechanically fixed, and the building’s location in an exposed saline environment demanded the “highest level” of corrosion resistance achieved through austenitic stainless steel grade A4 (316) fasteners, SFS explained. Their application is said to ensure that the life of the fastening system will meet or exceed the life of the roof system and eliminate the risk of premature failure.
Sika Sarnafil S327 membrane was installed with the Sarnafast fastening system, which includes thermally broken SFT sleeves and SFS’s BS-S-4,8 austenitic stainless steel fasteners. The tapered insulation system was also installed with BS-S-4,8 fasteners which were combined with Sika SBT sleeves and SBIW insulation washers.
Colin Black said, “It was great to work with both Q9 Cladding Solutions and Sika Sarnafil on this prestigious building. This was a very complex build, which inevitably threw up some problematic fixing applications for the installers, so site visits were necessary to understand the issues being encountered, in order to provide practical and workable solutions to the problems. It’s a building that means a lot to the redevelopment and growth of Dundee and we are very proud to have been able to assist with our products and expertise.”
