Publicized as the next generation of public transportation in Southern California, the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) is where futuristic design connects with sustainable technology such as low volatile organic compound (VOC) coatings from Tnemec.

“The specifications called for a coating system that could be shop-applied and touched up in the field with relative ease,” explained Tony Hobbs, Tnemec Representative. “Considering the size of the structure and the height of the roof, the last thing the owner wanted was to recoat it in a few years.”

The three-story, arching terminal is supported by 2,100 tons of structural steel and 1.5 miles of weld that required more than 1,200 gallons of protective coatings that were compliant with the project’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification.

“Every cross member on the structure is welded, so there’s hundreds of welds that required touch up in the field,” Hobbs observed. “Mock-ups were created to demonstrate the coating system’s performance over welds, as well as color consistency from one batch to another. Failure to replicate the same color from batch to batch would have made the welds stand out like a sore thumb.”

During fabrication, structural steel was prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP 6/ NACE No. 3 Commercial Blast Cleaning with a two-mil angular anchor profile. The steel was shop-primed with Series 94-H2O Hydro-Zinc, a single component aromatic urethane coating, followed by an intermediate coat of Series L69 Hi-Build Epoxoline II, a low-VOC polyamidoamine epoxy. The finish coat was Series 750 UVX, a lowVOC modified polycarbamide coating that offers superior color and gloss retention for long-term aesthetics.

During construction, welds were prepared in accordance with SSPC-SP 11 Power Tool Cleaning to Bare Metal. The full coating system was then applied over the weld and feathered into the shop-applied coating system. “The quality of workmanship on this project was critical,” Hobbs emphasized. “A great deal of skill was required by the applicators to blend the coating system so it didn’t show.”

Dedicated in December 2014, the $185 million transportation center offers a variety of amenities including specialty dining, transit-oriented retail, Wi-Fi and charging stations, parking, bike racks, lockers, and entertainment options. The transit hub links commuter and regional rail service with intercity bus systems including Amtrak, Metrolink, Anaheim Resort Transportation, and Greyhound.