Xypex is no stranger to Nepal. Our previous projects provided concrete waterproofing and protection for the King’s Palace, Hotels and airport. Still, a project such as the Druk Amitabha Monastery does serve to remind us of the extent of our international reach and the wide scope of clients that find value in our technology and products. The Monastery overlooks the Kathmandu valley and serves as a centre of traditional and modern learning for Buddhist monks and nuns. Xypex played an extensive role in the Monastery’s repair, rehabilitation and waterproofing program – providing a two-coat application to four separate concrete structures including the Buddha Statue foundation, Ground Water Storage Facility, Rain Water Harvesting Reservoir and the Prayer Hall.
Category: Projects
Bailonggang Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Bailonggang WWTP is recognized as the largest plant of its type in Asia. [See World’s 10 Largest WWTP]
This plant, located in Shanghai’s southern suburbs close to the estuary of the Yangtze River, began operating in 1999. In 2008 it was upgraded and expanded, and a further expansion in 2012 increased the plant’s capacity to 740 million gallons or 3.36 billion litres per day. The facility now processes more than half of the wastewater from Shanghai, China’s most populous city.
The Recent Plant Upgrades and Additions Included:
Eight Anaerobic Sludge Digesters and a Sludge Drying and Disposal Facility and Disposal Facility
Each of these eight new pre-stressed concrete sludge digesters has a maximum diameter of 25 metres, a height of 44 metres (32 metres above ground and 12 metres underground), and a volume of 12,400 m3.
Process Upgrade
The digestion process reduces the volume of raw sludge over a period of approximately 24 days, with the residual sludge then being dewatered and thermal dried. Approximately 44,500 m3 of biogas from the digestion process is generated each day and used to operate the sludge drying plant. The dried and deodorized residue is then disposed of, either to landfill or to non-crop applications.
Xypex to Enhance Durability (24,000 m2 treated with Xypex Concentrate)
After a comprehensive survey of many options, Xypex was selected by the construction project group to waterproof, protect and enhance the durability of these critical structures. All internal concrete faces of the eight digesters were treated with Xypex Concentrate. In areas where anaerobic activity and a highly aggressive chemical environment were anticipated, an acid-resistant lining was applied. However, the designers specified that Xypex also be applied to these specific areas as well, not only to provide secondary protection for the concrete but also to enhance the performance and durability of the primary acid-resistant lining.
The recent upgrades and expansion, costing $350 million, were engineered and constructed by the following group:
Beijing General Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute
Shanghai General Municipal Engineering Design & Research Institute
Shanghai No. Seven Construction Co. Ltd.
Shanghai No. One Municipal Engineer Co Ltd.
China Nuclear Industry Huaxing Construction Co. Ltd.
Owner: Shanghai Municipal Sewerage Company
Xypex Crystalline Technology Helps Secure the Foundation of Another Vietnam Landmark
Xypex continues to advance its position as the preferred technology for concrete waterproofing and protection of major building landmarks in Vietnam. Most recently, and still in progress, is the significant role Xypex is playing in the waterproofing of the foundation concrete and diaphragm walls in the Vietcombank Tower (‘Tower’). This 35-story landmark, designed by architects Pelli Clarke Pelli (Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia) will be the Ho Chi Minh headquarters for the Vietcombank, one of the countries largest banks.
The Vietcombank Tower is located on the west bank of the Saigon River. This close proximity to the river means that considerable hydrostatic pressure and a high water table are to be expected, with the problems becoming more extreme in the rainy season. In fact, these problems are typical below-grade problems for most buildings in the area and Bachy Soletanch Vietnam (“Bachy”) has consistently been the contractor retained to provide the necessary experience and product knowledge. In each case, Bachy chose Xypex crystalline waterproofing products over all others because of their proven capability in resisting hydrostatic pressure even under extreme conditions.
The ‘Tower’ is one of the highest profile structures in the city and, as such, the owners have insisted on the best quality in all areas of construction – including concrete waterproofing. Initially, Bachy used Xypex to repair defective concrete at all leakage points in the diaphragm wall construction joints and to seal all rebar penetration along the perimeter of the basement slab. This successful application, completed in November 2012, encouraged owners to insist on Xypex Concentrate, for the overall waterproofing and protection of all four levels of the diaphragm walls (3000 sq m + 1300 m construction joints).
The project is ongoing.
Xypex Admix Meets Demanding Parameters of Award-Winning Retail Development
Singapore’s Orchard Road is one of the city’s most coveted retail locations. Lend Lease Corporation, with well-defined sustainability initiatives, successfully acquired one of the last available sites on this iconic street to construct 313@Somerset. Ultimately, the project won the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) award that recognizes behind-the-scenes engineers who overcome site challenges through creative engineering designs for site and public safety. Engineers, Meinhardt Infrastructure, faced many design challenges including a canal that ran through the centre of the building site, a very high water table and greatly elevated sulphate levels in the surrounding soils. Xypex Admix C-Series with its non-toxic chemistry and ability to resist extreme hydrostatic pressure was used to address these key issues and was widely incorporated into elements of the substructure, the B1 canal, and the superstructure. Particularly challenging was the handling of the existing Stamford Canal that had to be diverted to another location to allow construction of a new, fully enclosed 10m x 5m reinforced concrete canal that now runs through basement level 1 (B1). Xypex Admix C-1000NF was used to waterproof the canal’s concrete base and walls. Tie-bolt holes and other concrete defects were repaired with Xypex repair materials.
313@Somerset achieved Green Mark Platinum status – the highest level under Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority’s Green Mark Scheme, and is the first project to achieve this status within Singapore’s Orchard Road precinct. Xypex is very pleased to have played a significant role in the sustainability initiative objectives required by this project.
Developer: Lend Lease Corporation
Engineers: Meinhardt Infrastructure
Contractor: Bovis Lend Lease Pty Ltd
Waterproofing: Jingslink Marketing Pty Ltd
Megamix Extends Life of Water Treatment Plant; Saves Millions
306,000 lbs. of Xypex Megamix ll were used to rehabilitate the Raccoon Creek Water Treatment Plant in Summerville, GA. An engineering study determined that the superior bonding, chemical durability, and high strength of Megamix ll would completely repair the structure’s deteriorated concrete and bring it up to EPA standards. The rehabilitation option was good economic news; its cost of $ 1.25 million was obviously preferred to the estimated $ 25 million to fully replace the structure.
This 50-year-old WTP was in fact so deteriorated because of years of chemical attack, it was questionable as to whether repair, instead of full replacement, was even possible especially in light of the ever-higher environmental demands. The engineering study was therefore necessary and Xypex Megamix ll was deemed the preferred option. Scheduling was an issue because the communities surrounding this facility (which processes 6 million gallons of water per day) were dependent on its continuous operation. Megamix ll made this possible, facilitating a three-phase construction schedule that enabled reconstruction without interrupting the water treatment process. Megamix ll was used specifically on the flocculation tanks and sedimentation basins. Megamix l and Xypex Concentrate were used on the exposed exterior walls and on the interior surfaces of the filter tanks. Xypex Concentrate and Modified were applied to the vertical surfaces and soffits of the numerous walkways and Xypex FCM 80 was applied to the top surface of walkways separating the individual tanks.
“XYPEX/slag combination created the densest, most durable, waterproof concrete that we have yet been able to produce…” Joseph Bellomo, Architect
The use of concrete as a design element has always appealed to architects. However, concern over water seepage, efflorescence and rebar corrosion has often held them back. Faced with this issue, Joseph Bellomo Architects used the crystalline waterproofing and protection features of Xypex in an innovative concrete mix on their new LEED Platinum project in Palo Alto, California. A 70% slag concrete mix combined with Xypex Admix was used for the 3600 cubic yards required for the six-story building’s façade.
Joseph Bellomo, principal architect, reported that, “The slag/Xypex combination created the densest, most durable, waterproof concrete that we’ve yet been able to produce. There is no porosity and no signs of efflorescence in the concrete. It is ideal for indoor/outdoor facades, integrated drip edges and tight reinforcement.”
Registered with a LEED certification goal of Platinum this structure, located along California’s central coast at 102 University Avenue in Palo Alto, is expected to provide a sustainable, energy efficient environment – come rain or shine.
Repeat Performance
Xypex was used to waterproof the concrete in the initial construction phase of the Santo Domingo Metro. Over 100,000 lbs (45,000 kg) of Xypex Admix C-1000 NF was installed in the concrete required by 15 km of tunnel construction.
Based on the successful results of this first application, Xypex Admix C-1000NF and its proprietary crystalline technology has again been specified for the waterproofing and protection of the tunneling in the second line of the metro – estimated at 13 km, and a completion date of mid 2012. The Santo Domingo Metro, part of a National Master Plan to improve transportation and expand infrastructure, is the first subway system in the Dominican Republic and the second in the Caribbean and was prompted by the need to reduce the continually rising road traffic congestion and air pollution in the city.
Xypex – The Below-Grade High Water Table Solution
Xypex Crystalline Technology is well known worldwide for its reliability in waterproofing and protecting below grade concrete from ground water, high water tables and extreme hydrostatic pressure. Such were the concerns of the architects, engineers and contractors responsible for the design and construction of Malaysia’s Ministry of Finance, a landmark government structure in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Xypex Admix C-2000NF (4325 cubic metres) was blended into the concrete required for the raft slab of the single level basement in this structure.
Waterproofing London’s Fourth Tallest Building
Xypex Admix C-1000 was used to waterproof and protect the below-grade concrete slab and elevator pits of this 28-storey skyscraper. Xypex Concentrate Dry-Pac was then installed in all floor-wall joints followed by a slurry coat application of Xypex Concentrate. Changing the skyline, the Willis Building is the fourth tallest building in London. Its progressive environmental strategy surpasses statutory carbon reduction targets and meets the highest standards for sustainability. Over 15,000 cubic metres of concrete were used in its construction.
Located in the heart of London’s financial district, the Willis Building is the new headquarters of the global insurance broker, Willis Group Holdings. Designed by world-renowned architects Foster + Partners, the building won the New City Architecture Award for its unique architectural form and contribution to the streetscape and skyscape of the City of London. The project is significant in both urban and environmental terms. Most of the material from demolition of the previous building was recycled and crushed for use in the 38-metre-deep foundations.
Architects: Foster + Partners
Xypex Selected to Help Meet Superior Environmental Standards
The Academy of Science in San Francisco, designed by Renzo Piano emphasizes light, fluidity and transparency and incorporates a 2.5 acre Living Roof, recycled and natural materials, and a photovoltaic ‘solar halo’ which provides a minimum of 10% of the structure’s energy requirements. The Academy was designed with superior environmental standards in mind, striving for the highest LEED rating possible: Platinum. The non-toxic and eco-friendly characteristics of Xypex made it the ideal choice for the waterproofing and protection of the 4,000 cu. yds. of concrete used to construct the building’s foundation slab and walls. Over 48,000 lbs. of Xypex C-500 were used on this innovative structure.
Architect: Gordon H. Chong and Partners Contractor: Webcor Construction
