Xypex is the first concrete waterproofing admixture approved in the European Union
The European Organization for Technical Assessment (EOTA) created a new standard for waterproofing admixtures. Xypex Chemical Corporation has been named the first concrete waterproofing admixture approved in the European Union to withstand water penetration under pressure.
With the EOTA’s recent publication of the European Assessment Document (EAD) titled “Waterproofing Admixture for Concrete,” Xypex offers the only products in the EU certified under the new harmonized technical specification. The EAD allows Xypex to label its products “waterproofing admixtures for concrete,” citing EAD 260026-00-0301 as verification. The EAD draws a new distinct line between water-resisting admixtures and waterproofing admixtures.
Patrick McGrath, Ph.D., P.Eng., MacGrath Engineering, said that the new standard contrasts products that work only on the surface of concrete and Xypex, which reacts with the cement, water and other byproducts to build a crystalline structure inside the concrete. And that resists water even under the more intense hydrostatic pressure common in underground structures.
“The real significance of the new EAD for Xypex is that now we have a proper standard to truly distinguish between products that only influence surface absorption and those, like Xypex, that can withstand high water pressure,” McGrath said.
EN 450-5 Capillary Absorption Test
- Test standard developed for earlier water resisting admixtures
- Widely know as hydrophobic or pore-blocking admixtures
- Cause beading of water at surface
- Do not resist hydrostatic pressure
Hydrophobic Admixtures
For no-pressure situations
Crystalline Admixtures vs Hydrophones
How Xypex resists hydrostatic pressure
Difference Between Absorption Test and Water Under Pressure
Xypex has worked since 2005 to develop the standard with Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt), the EU Technical Assessment Body (TAB), and BAWAX GmbH, the Xypex distributor in Germany. In May 2020, the Journal of the EOTA published the standard, which is listed as EAD 260026-00-0301.
Georg Schaefer, the CEO of BAWAX GmbH, mentioned that in addition to distribution, his company works to obtain technical approvals for Xypex. “We advise German customers on how Xypex can be used in accordance with rules applicable in Germany,” he said.
“The great advantage of the EAD is that Xypex Admix can now be further recognized throughout Europe in accordance with its actual function/mode of action as a waterproofing admixture,” Schaefer said.
“The new EAD standard helps Xypex differentiate our products in the EU marketplace because we can demonstrate our ability to meet the performance requirements demanded by our customers with recognized and independent testing,” McGrath said. “Once again, Xypex’s unique technology is proven to be the leader in the industry, being the first manufacturer that meets the new standard.” The previous EU standard EN 934-2 Table 9 was created for water resisting admixtures whereas the new standard has been created for waterproofing admixtures. The difference is that water resisting admixtures are tested for low pressure water absorption whereas waterproofing admixtures are tested to measure the penetration of water under high pressure through the concrete matrix.
Xypex has published a Technical Note to explain why EN 934-2 Table 9 is appropriate only for the water-resisting admixture category and why a new standard was needed. The Technical Note explains why absorption tests are not suitable for evaluating permeability reduction or for rating integral crystalline admixtures that require water to react, such as Xypex Admix products. It’s the difference between evaluating water absorption on the surface of concrete and water pressure applied to a concrete structure once it is buried underground. Stated simply, absorption tests do not accurately reflect the performance of concrete admixtures designed for resistance to hydrostatic pressure.
“An absorption test is similar to placing a water droplet on a Gore-Tex fabric. It beads up and makes a ball but does not go through,” McGrath said. “However, if you were to jump in a lake, quite likely the water would penetrate right through the fabric. The same applies to water-repelling admixtures that simply bead the water on the surface. Once buried underground, where there is high groundwater pressure, they leak, unlike a true hydrostatic pressure-resisting admixture like Xypex.” While the standard applies to the European Union, it is likely to be cited throughout the construction industry when hydrostatic pressure-resisting concrete is required, such as in below-grade foundations, tanks, cisterns, tunnels and many other structures critical to our daily life.
“The building and concrete construction community is relatively small,” McGrath said. “We often borrow standards from other regions. I would not be surprised to see the new EAD used in North America quite quickly, as there are no comparable standards in our Canadian CSA or in ASTM.”
The joint efforts of the research and development team from Xypex Chemical Corporation, the Deutsches Institut für Bautechnik (DIBt) and BAWAX GmbH led to this alternate approach to comprehensively evaluate true hydrostatic pressure resisting concrete admixtures, resulting in the publication of the new EAD 260026-00-0301, “Waterproofing Admixture for Concrete.” When the EAD was published, Xypex completed all the necessary testing requirements. Xypex Admix C-1000 NF is now the first product to undergo the European Technical Assessment (ETA) for this new EAD. To learn more, read the Technical Note or contact your local Xypex representative to further learn about the future of high-performance waterproofing of concrete.