BB&T Ballpark
Sports facilities like the BB&T Ballpark, now Truist Field, have challenging waterproofing demands due to the seating components over occupied space and high pedestrian traffic.
Sports facilities like the BB&T Ballpark, now Truist Field, have challenging waterproofing demands due to the seating components over occupied space and high pedestrian traffic.
In its inaugural season in 2014, BB&T Ballpark in Charlotte, North Carolina set new records as the most visited Minor League Baseball venue of the season. The 10,000-seat home of the Charlotte Knights is strategically oriented so that the field showcases views of the city skyline from home plate.
The biggest challenge with a sports facility of this type is the seating components over occupied space. As concrete moves, it cracks. It is in the areas that are not visible where problems may arise. Key to a successful outcome is ensuring that the fans taking advantage of the spaces beneath are protected.
Establishing a waterproof tie-in between the silicone-based glazing system and the urethane deck coating at the window-wall of the luxury boxes was going to be a critical aspect of the job. Knowing that Tremco had validated compatibility between different systems and the expertise to work through the jobsite conditions was a big part of their selection as a partner on this project.
While the majority of the project other than the field itself was built at street level, there was a significant amount of horizontal waterproofing below the seating to protect the locker room and occupied spaces below. Tremco's TREMproof 6100 Hot Rubberized Asphalt provided the performance required within the budget parameters. Among other applications, it was used for waterproofing a double slab roof where a maintenance room was situated below.
To reflect the character of uptown Charlotte, the brick and storefront window exterior features found on buildings in the area are combined with the stadium’s painted exposed steel structure. Tremco’s ExoAir 120 Fluid-Applied Air & Vapor Barrier Membrane serves as the foundation for the air barrier system behind the brick, providing a monolithic, seamless membrane which ensures continuous integrity without gaps. ExoAir 110 Self-Adhered Air & Vapor Membrane is used as a transition membrane into door and window openings. Spectrem 1 Silicone Sealant was used at the connection from the air barrier to the window-wall of the luxury boxes and the punched window openings.
The roller-grade version of Vulkem 350NF was used, making the application up the risers much easier than with a self-leveling material and it does not require priming. Its compatibility with other Tremco products where it abuts other transitions or penetrations of the structure such as floor-to-wall connections, detailing and drainage areas eliminates concerns about cure inhibition or adhesion issues.
