Firestop Systems & Expansion Joint Solutions at New Capital R5, Zone 8

Atlantis Contracting successfully delivered a dual-scope package for the New Capital R5 – Zone 8 development in Egypt's New Administrative Capital — executed for Samcrete in 2021. The scope combined two critical building performance systems: a comprehensive Tremco TREMstop® passive fire protection package covering all MEP penetrations, service risers, and fire compartmentation interfaces; and a complete Willseal® expansion joint system addressing façade, wall, floor, and building movement joints across the development. The integrated delivery of both packages under a single Atlantis scope ensured system compatibility, coordinated installation sequencing, and a unified quality assurance process — contributing to the fire safety, structural movement performance, weatherproofing, and long-term durability of the development.

Project Overview

New Capital R5 – Zone 8 Development

Client:Samcrete

Location:New Administrative Capital, Egypt

Contractor:Atlantis Contracting

Scope:Supply & Installation of Firestop Systems & Expansion Joint Solutions — Dual Package

Firestop Systems:TREMstop® IA+ | TREMstop® Acrylic | TREMstop® Mortar | TREMstop® Wrap Strips | TREMstop® Coating

Expansion Joint Systems:Willseal® Coreseal | Willseal® 250-R / 600 Series | Pre-Compressed Impregnated Foam Seals

Standards:International Passive Fire Protection & Expansion Joint Standards

Site Conditions Upon Arrival

Upon mobilization to the New Capital R5 Zone 8 site, the Atlantis team conducted a full dual-scope survey — covering both MEP penetration locations for firestop works and all expansion joint locations across the development. The following conditions were documented:

•A large number of MEP penetrations through fire-rated walls and floors had been installed without firestop treatment by preceding trades — requiring full audit, classification, and systematic remediation across multiple building zones.

•Expansion joint openings across façade, wall, and floor locations showed inconsistent joint widths and preparation levels — several locations required substrate repair and edge rectification before joint seal installation could proceed.

•The two work packages — firestop and expansion joints — shared overlapping work zones on multiple floors, requiring careful scheduling to avoid interference between the two Atlantis installation teams operating simultaneously.

•New Administrative Capital project environment imposed stringent submittal, inspection, and quality documentation requirements from Samcrete — every penetration and every joint location required documented evidence of correct system application.

•Active multi-trade construction environment across the development with MEP, civil finishing, and cladding contractors working concurrently, requiring Atlantis to maintain continuous coordination to protect completed works and access planned zones.

Site Challenges & Atlantis Solutions

Challenge 1: Managing Two Concurrent Specialist Work Packages on One Site

Delivering both firestop and expansion joint works simultaneously across a large multi-floor development required careful resource planning, internal team coordination, and scheduling to prevent the two Atlantis work streams from conflicting with each other or with the main contractor's programme.

Solution: Atlantis established separate dedicated supervisors for each work package — firestop and expansion joints — operating under a unified site manager who coordinated the overall programme. Floor-by-floor sequencing was mapped to ensure firestop and expansion joint teams operated in different zones at all times. Weekly internal coordination meetings were held to review progress, anticipate zone conflicts, and adjust sequencing as required.

Challenge 2: Willseal® Expansion Joint Integration with Façade & Architectural Finishes

Willseal® expansion joint systems at façade and perimeter locations required precise integration with the cladding and architectural finish systems being installed by other trades. Incorrect sequencing or poor coordination risked the Willseal® seals being installed to the wrong compression, damaged by adjacent works, or concealed before final inspection. 

Solution: Atlantis coordinated directly with the façade and cladding contractors to establish agreed installation windows for each Willseal® location. Pre-compressed foam seal dimensions were verified against actual joint widths before installation, and compression targets were confirmed on site for each zone. Completed Willseal® installations were protected and flagged for inspection before any adjacent cladding or finishing works were permitted to proceed over or around them.

Challenge 3: TREMstop® System Selection Across Diverse MEP Penetration Types

The R5 Zone 8 development encompassed residential, retail, and infrastructure zones — each with different MEP configurations, service density, and penetration types. The variety of cable trays, conduits, metallic pipes, plastic pipes, and HVAC services passing through fire-rated assemblies required systematic product-to-penetration matching across a large and complex building.

Solution: A comprehensive penetration classification audit was carried out floor-by-floor and zone-by-zone before commencement. Each penetration was assessed for service type, substrate, annular space, and required fire rating — and matched to the correct TREMstop® product using Tremco's tested system documentation. A master system selection register was maintained throughout the works, updated with each completed installation, and used as the basis for the final handover penetration register submitted to Samcrete.

Challenge 4: Quality Documentation for New Administrative Capital Standards

Projects in Egypt's New Administrative Capital operate under rigorous quality, inspection, and documentation frameworks. Both the firestop and expansion joint scopes required comprehensive installation records — with individual penetration registers, joint location records, photographic evidence, system data sheets, and signed inspection reports — for every installed element across the full development.

Solution: Atlantis implemented a unified documentation system covering both work packages — assigning reference numbers to every penetration and every expansion joint location, maintaining daily photographic records, and compiling zone-by-zone inspection sign-off sheets. A complete dual-scope handover package — covering the full TREMstop® penetration register and the full Willseal® joint register — was compiled and submitted to Samcrete at project completion, meeting all documentation requirements for the New Administrative Capital project quality standards.

Systems Applied

Firestop Systems — TREMstop®

Product , Application , Type

TREMstop® IA+

Cables, conduits, metallic pipes & mixed-service penetrations

Intumescent Acrylic

TREMstop® Acrylic

Flexible sealing of wall & floor penetrations

Firestop Sealant

TREMstop® Mortar

Large openings, service risers & shaft penetrations

Mortar System

TREMstop® Wrap Strips

Combustible & plastic pipe penetrations

Wrap System

TREMstop® Coating

Cable trays & large service openings

Coating System

Expansion Joint Systems — Willseal®

Product , Application , Type

Willseal® Coreseal

Façade, wall & structural movement joints — primary watertight seal

Pre-Compressed Foam

Willseal® 250-R / 600

Building movement joints — thermal, seismic & settlement accommodation

Expansion Joint Series

Impregnated Foam Seals

Pre-compressed seals for structural and façade movement joints

Waterproof Seal

UV-Resistant Weatherseal

Exterior applications — UV & weather-resistant joint protection

Weatherproof System

Operations Summary

The following sequence of operations was carried out by the Atlantis team across both work packages:

Firestop Works:

•Site mobilization and full MEP penetration audit across all floors — classifying every penetration by service type, substrate, annular space, and required fire rating.

•Preparation of penetration system selection matrix matched to TREMstop® product range.

•Substrate preparation at all penetration locations — cleaning, repair, and priming as required.

•Application of TREMstop® IA+ to cable, conduit, and metallic pipe penetrations.

•Application of TREMstop® Acrylic to standard wall and floor penetrations.

•Application of TREMstop® Mortar to large openings, service risers, and shaft penetrations.

•Installation of TREMstop® Wrap Strips to all combustible and plastic pipe penetrations.

•Application of TREMstop® Coating to cable trays and large service openings.

•Labelling and photographic documentation of every completed penetration with unique reference number. 

Expansion Joint Works:

•Full expansion joint location survey — mapping joint widths, movement gap dimensions, substrate conditions, and finish materials across all façade, wall, and floor zones.

•Substrate preparation and edge repair at all expansion joint locations requiring remediation.

•Supply and installation of Willseal® Coreseal pre-compressed foam seal systems at façade and wall movement joints.

•Supply and installation of Willseal® 250-R / 600 Series expansion joint systems at structural movement joint locations.

•Installation of UV-resistant weatherproof seal systems at exterior joint locations.

•Integration of expansion joint systems with architectural finishes and building envelope elements.

•Movement functionality testing and inspection across all installed expansion joint locations. 

Quality & Handover (Both Packages):

•Final re-inspection across all zones for both firestop and expansion joint works.

•Compilation and submission of complete dual-scope handover package — penetration register, joint register, photographic evidence, system data sheets, and quality sign-off — to Samcrete.

Outcome & Performance

Upon completion, Atlantis Contracting successfully delivered both the Tremco TREMstop® firestop package and the Willseal® expansion joint package for the New Capital R5 – Zone 8 development — providing a comprehensive, integrated building performance solution under a single contractor scope. The completed works ensure effective fire compartmentation and smoke control across all MEP penetrations; structural movement accommodation, weatherproofing, and UV-resistant protection across all façade, wall, and floor movement joints; and full compliance with the documentation and quality standards of Egypt's New Administrative Capital. The project demonstrates Atlantis's capability to deliver complex, multi-system specialist works within Egypt's most ambitious and rapidly growing urban development programme.