Christchurch Shopping Centre: Carbon Fibre Strengthening

About this Project

A large Christchurch shopping centre needed to lift its seismic rating under the %NBS (New Building Standard), a structural upgrade that had to be delivered without disrupting a busy, fully trading retail environment. Topcoat was engaged by McKay Lang, a construction and project management company specialising in maintenance and upgrade works across property assets, to install a carbon fibre strengthening system engineered to meet the requirements on site.

Our team installed Mapei Carboplate W carbon fibre laminate across the site, using both a single-layer surface-bonded installation and a double-layer recessed installation to suit the varying structural demands identified by the project engineers. Each plate was bonded to the concrete slab using a high-strength structural epoxy adhesive, with careful substrate preparation to ensure full, void-free adhesion along the full run of every strip.

With the centre remaining open throughout, every stage of the works, including substrate prep, epoxy application and carbon fibre installation, was carried out after hours, with the site left clean and safe for shoppers each morning. The full scope was delivered inside a tight two-week window.

The Result

QA pull testing confirmed adhesion strength exceeding the recommended minimums across all installations, giving McKay Lang confidence in the long-term structural performance of the strengthening system. The project was completed on programme and entirely outside trading hours, with minimal disruption to the client or the public.