Towering Volcano Created With CEMEX Concrete in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla.—When it comes to entertainment, Orlando has it all—including a 200-foot-tall, hand-carved concrete volcano teeming with heart-pounding waterslides.

The newly-minted volcano is the centerpiece of Universal Orlando Resort’s Volcano Bay Water Theme Park, and it was made possible in part by custom concrete mixes provided by CEMEX USA.

The park, Universal’s third in Orlando, boasts 18 attractions and covers 30 acres, nearly all of which was built with CEMEX’s specialty concrete.

The volcano, a work of concrete art made to look like an aged basalt cone, serves as ground zero for many of the park’s most thrilling water attractions. The Nassal Company contracted CEMEX to provide 3,352 cubic yards of shotcrete to create the volcano—a specialty mix of corrosion inhibitor and waterproofing admixture designed to withstand the wear and tear of the structure’s water and fire features.

The bones of the structure were created with wire mesh and rebar. The shotcrete was then sprayed onto that at a high velocity, 10 to 20 yards at a time. Once it was sprayed, the concrete was meticulously hand-sculpted and painted to look like rock by the Nassal team.

To create the park’s beachy walkways, paths and pool entries, UCC Group contracted CEMEX to provide 9,400 yards of custom-designed decorative concrete, mixed with 85,734 lbs of specialty colors that included 200 tons of white cement.

“We utilized three plants, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to get it done. One plant ran corrosion inhibitor and waterproofing, while another ran color and a third handled the white concrete,” Senior Accounts Manager for Orlando Keith Stewart, who handled the project for CEMEX, said.

In all, CEMEX provided more than 15,000 cubic yards of specialty mixes to meet the unique specifications of Universal’s cutting-edge watery wonderland.

“CEMEX was able to provide a superior customer experience because of our ability to service the jobsite efficiently with quality, customized products,” said Florida Region President Kirk Light. “We are committed to providing superior customer experiences for all of our clients here in the Orlando area and throughout Florida. I am very proud of the Orlando team and their excellent performance on this project.”