Located in Ballarat, the Grampians Health Multi-Level Car Park at Ballarat Base Hospital underwent a transformative expansion to greatly increase the hospital’s parking capacity from 400 to nearly 800 vehicles. The extension to the parking garage would see the additional four levels added onto the existing structure.

To support this ambitious project, the teams involved considered a coating protection system that would outperform the rest in regard to durability, lifecycle costs and long-term performance. The car park’s exposure to the elements demanded a robust solution, and galvanizing was able to deliver the resistance to corrosion that the customer required. Approximately 600 tons of steel including beams, cross members and supporting pillars were galvanized to provide unparalleled resistance and support for the structure.

In addition to galvanizing, the supplier provided the value-added service of applying Jotamastic paint to the top flange of beams, facilitating the adherence of shear stud connections during erection—a seamless integration of technologies that would ensure that the project was able to meet rigorous requirements.

From start to finish, the galvanizer worked alongside the fabricator to strategize the most efficient process as the large pieces were dipped. Fitting new steel to the existing structure and managing limited on-site space for storage were just a couple of the challenges that required fluid communication between those involved. Trade schedules and concrete pours required even more precise coordination and turnaround time of the material.

During the pre-planning process, these hurdles were discussed with the fabricator and innovative solutions emerged. Cloud point scans, detailed surveying and night-shift fabrication kept the project moving as tight deadlines approached. The galvanizer chosen for the project played a pivotal role in meeting these demands and was able to provide the customer with expedited processing of the material and express galvanizing to keep the project on track.

The environmental benefits of the project were astounding, as nearly 90% of the structural steel used was sourced locally, minimizing carbon emissions associated with overseas imports. Galvanizing provided a completely sustainable solution as zinc is 100% recyclable as well, proving its superiority over paint systems.

The fabricator, galvanizer and on-site erection team collaborated seamlessly to ensure that all loads were marked and labeled. They were able to anticipate the weather impacts and adapt to the erection sequences. All of this led to a project that met the customer’s needs and didn’t compromise quality.

The expansion of the Grampians Health Multi-Level Car Park stands as a testament to the unmatched value of galvanizing in delivering long-lasting, resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructure. Not only were the teams about to meet these requirements set by the customer, but they were able to exceed them and provide a beautiful product that will last nearly 100 years down the road because of galvanizing. This success highlights the necessity of galvanizing in multi-level parking garages and the need for governments and councils to fund future projects of this specification down the road.