South Dade Transit Operations Center

Challenge

As part of its initiative to expand its electric bus fleet, Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) needed a new, high-performance fleet maintenance facility. Given this need, DTPW started construction in 2024 of a new cutting-edge, future-ready and first-of-its-kind in the nation bus operations facility, the South Dade Transit Operations Center (SDTOC). The project required a durable concrete solution that could withstand the constant abrasion and wear caused by large and heavy battery electric buses while also minimizing maintenance and downtime for repairs.

Originally, a shake-on hardener was specified for application to the concrete slab surfaces. However, the project team quickly identified several challenges — shake-on products are labor-intensive, can slow down large continuous pours, and often struggle to achieve uniform coverage. The SDTOC also incorporated irregular floor lines, ramps and maintenance pits that would make a shake-on application more difficult. For a high-demand, schedule-driven project like this,a faster and more reliable durability solution was needed.

Solution

To save time, reduce costs, and simplify construction, the team replaced the shake-on specification with Kryton’s Hard-Cem^®, an integral hardening admixture that provides dramatic improvement to abrasion and erosion resistance within the concrete.

By adding Hard-Cem directly into the mix at the batch plant, Baker Concrete and Adonel Concrete eliminated the need for surface application. This not only streamlined placement and finishing but also ensured consistent, built-in durability throughout every cubic yard of concrete.

Results

• Faster, more efficient pours with no surface hardener application

• Lower labor and material costs

• Exceptional long-term abrasion resistance for heavy electric bus traffic

• Reduced future maintenance and downtime

The South Dade Transit Operations Center now features over 100,000 square feet (2,000 cubic yards) of Hard-Cem- enhanced concrete, providing long-term performance and sustainability for one of Florida’s key public transit facilities.