Bridges — Decks • Beams • Piers • Abutments • Parapets

Xypex Waterproofing
& Enhanced Durability
for Bridges

Xypex Crystalline Technology works inside the concrete. It blocks chloride ingress, extends service life, and self-heals when water is present.

Trusted in over 110 countries for more than 55 years
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Xypex Crystalline Technology

Integral Waterproofing
& Increased Service Life

Xypex reacts with the by-products of cement hydration and water to form a non-soluble crystalline structure deep within the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete matrix. In this condition, the concrete becomes impermeable to water and aggressive agents from any direction.

The chemical-resistant crystalline matrix prevents chloride ingress and mitigates sulphate attack. It has also proven effective against carbonation and can self-heal static cracks up to 0.5 mm (0.02 in), ensuring long-term concrete performance even under harsh environmental conditions.

Crystallization Mature

Reactivates and self-heals cracks up to 0.5 mm when water is present

Extended service life

Waterproof under extreme hydrostatic pressure

The Xypex Advantages

  • ✓Permanent increase in durability and extended service life
  • ✓Reduces chloride ingress and the risk of reinforcement corrosion
  • ✓Increases resistance to sulphate attack and carbonation
  • ✓Permanently seals concrete from water ingress
  • ✓Self-heals static cracks up to 0.5 mm
  • ✓Lower carbon footprint than other waterproofing technologies
  • ✓Suitable for new construction, maintenance and rehabilitation
Xypex in Bridge Structures

Comprehensive Protection
Across All Bridge Components

Bridges are exposed to a unique combination of deterioration mechanisms that act simultaneously on different structural elements. Xypex Crystalline Technology addresses these threats through a single, permanent solution — applicable to every concrete component, in both new construction and rehabilitation.

Reduces Permeability

Blocks water and the ingress of aggressive ions

Supports Crack Self-Healing

Enables self-healing of cracks up to 0.5 mm

Extends Service Life

Reduces deterioration and maintenance costs over the life of the bridge

Bridge structure with its main concrete components

Decks

Primary Exposure

Freeze/thaw, de-icing salts

Key Risk

Chloride ingress from de-icing salts causes reinforcement corrosion and accelerates deck deterioration.

Xypex Benefit

Reduces concrete permeability and crack infiltration, helping delay corrosion initiation and extend service life.

Beams

Primary Exposure

Carbonation, chlorides, moisture

Key Risk

Carbonation and chloride migration increase the risk of reinforcement corrosion.

Xypex Benefit

Reduces the movement of water and aggressive ions through the concrete microstructure.

Parapets

Primary Exposure

Moisture, freeze/thaw

Key Risk

Shrinkage cracking and freeze/thaw exposure accelerate moisture penetration and surface deterioration.

Xypex Benefit

Supports crack self-healing and reduces moisture ingress in exposed bridge elements.

Abutments

Primary Exposure

Moisture, carbonation, wet/dry cycling

Key Risk

Water infiltration and carbonation contribute to reinforcement corrosion and concrete deterioration.

Xypex Benefit

Creates an integral waterproofing barrier within the concrete matrix while supporting long-term durability under wet/dry cycling.

Piers & Foundations

Primary Exposure

Sulphates, chlorides, hydrostatic pressure

Key Risk

Sulphates, chlorides and continuous moisture exposure contribute to long-term durability loss.

Xypex Benefit

Enhances resistance to aggressive groundwater and reduces permeability under hydrostatic conditions.

Approach Structures

Primary Exposure

Freeze/thaw, moisture, de-icing salts

Key Risk

Water infiltration and freeze/thaw cycling accelerate deterioration at transitions and joints.

Xypex Benefit

Provides integral waterproofing protection that supports long-term durability and reduced maintenance.

Designed for durability. Engineered for performance. Xypex Crystalline Technology works within the concrete to provide lasting protection deep inside the structure, today and for decades to come.
Durability Performance

Protects Against the Critical
Deterioration Mechanisms

Xypex reduces concrete deterioration caused by water ingress, chlorides, cracking, carbonation, sulphate attack, ASR and freeze/thaw damage. By reducing permeability and enabling self-healing, it significantly extends the service life of bridge structures.

Xypex Reduces Permeability and Slows Corrosion

  • Crystalline growth reduces concrete permeability and makes concrete impermeable to water
  • Improves long-term durability and lowers lifecycle deterioration
  • Significantly reduces the effective chloride diffusion coefficient
  • Extends time to corrosion initiation and requires fewer repairs over the service life
  • Independent testing shows corrosion rate reduced by 40% in uncracked concrete and 50% in cracked concrete

Durability Improved by Xypex Self-Healing

  • Xypex heals cracks up to 0.5 mm through crystalline growth to maintain watertightness
  • Continues to react until water is no longer present
  • If water re-enters, the chemistry reactivates to enable continuous self-healing

Xypex Slows Carbonation and Protects Reinforcement

  • Increased carbonation resistance due to reduced permeability
  • Increased alkalinity and maintenance of the steel passivation layer

Xypex Mitigates Sulphate Attack and Reduces the Rate of ASR Damage

  • Reduces water ingress, slowing chemical deterioration mechanisms
  • Up to 95% reduction in sulphate attack in high-exposure conditions
  • Extends structural performance in aggressive soils
  • Proven to reduce the rate of AAR damage
Extended Service Life

Engineered for
Superior Performance

Concrete permeability is the primary predictor of service life in bridge infrastructure. It directly governs the rate of chloride ingress, reinforcement corrosion, carbonation and sulphate attack — the leading causes of premature deterioration in bridges.

Xypex Crystalline Technology reduces concrete permeability within its microstructure. Global independent testing confirms consistent, measurable performance improvement.

86.7%
Permeability Reduction
At 360 days — 11-year independent study
100+ yrs
Service Life Without Repair
Verified real-world marine structures
50%
Corrosion Rate Reduction
In cracked concrete — independent testing
Xypex's integral waterproofing extends the active service life of bridge structures, increases the time to first repair, and lowers total lifecycle costs — critical factors for infrastructure requiring a service life of 100+ years.

Independent Validation

11-Year Study
Continued Reactivity
Water permeability of Xypex-treated concrete continues to improve over time. While average water penetration at 28 days was already low, the depth of penetration was further reduced by 86.7% at 360 days.
Lascelles Wharf
Verified Real-World Performance
Service life modelling is critical for infrastructure; however, real-world performance does not always align with predictive models. Independent service life assessments of two marine structures confirm that Xypex-treated concrete outperforms expectations. After 19 and 26 years in service, testing shows exceptionally low chloride concentrations, with a predicted service life exceeding 100 years without repair — reaching 187 years at Lascelles Wharf based on Fick's second law of diffusion.
University of Kansas / Oklahoma DOT
Bridge Deck Corrosion Study
This university study of reinforcing steel corrosion in bridge decks, commissioned by a US State DOT, confirms that Xypex-treated concrete reduces rebar corrosion rates by 40% in uncracked concrete and by 50% in cracked concrete. Corrosion loss was reduced by up to 67% in cracked specimens, attributed to Xypex's crack-healing capability.
Measure Control Xypex Improvement Condition
Corrosion rate (µm/yr) 20 10 50% Cracked
Corrosion rate (µm/yr) 10 6 40% Uncracked
Corrosion loss (µm) 18.6 6.14 67% Cracked
Corrosion loss (µm) 11.9 6.74 43% Uncracked
Xypex in Bridge Applications

Integral Protection for New
Construction and Rehabilitation

Xypex Admix /
New Construction
Added to the concrete mix at time of batching, it becomes a permanent part of the concrete matrix.
Key Benefits
  • Incorporated during batching — no application step on site
  • Suitable for cast-in-place, precast and shotcrete
  • Permanent integral protection, no reapplication
  • Compatible with SCMs — fly ash, silica fume, slag
  • Compatible with all concrete bridge elements
  • Includes the proprietary Xypex VDS tracer for independent on-site verification
Pennsylvania Turnpike, USA — 1,500,000 lbs of Xypex Admix across 150 miles of precast median barriers and 5 miles of retaining walls. Permanent chloride and freeze-thaw protection in one of North America's most demanding highway environments.
Surface Applied:
New Construction & Rehabilitation
Applied to the concrete surface, Xypex penetrates and protects the matrix — used both where a coating method is preferred on new structures and to increase the durability of existing ones.
Key Benefits
  • New construction where a coating method is preferred
  • Existing structures requiring enhanced durability, regardless of age
  • Elements damaged during construction — applied to save the element in lieu of full replacement
  • Structural rehabilitation of localized areas
  • Restores the structure to its original design intent
Rod el Farag Axis Bridge, Cairo, Egypt — Xypex Concentrate on approximately 1,000 m² across six 92 m concrete towers supporting the bridge cables. The widest cable-stayed bridge in the world.

Hsin Shen North Viaduct, Taiwan — 170,000 m² rehabilitation of deck, girder beams and abutments.

Zuidhorn Railway Bridge, Netherlands — approximately 2,000 m² of railway track deck. Xypex Concentrate and Modified were selected as an alternative to epoxy coating, protecting the concrete matrix rather than forming a surface layer vulnerable to abrasion from railway operations.
Repair of
Construction Defects
Reinstates the integrity of areas subject to construction defects.
Key Benefits
  • Restores the integrity of concrete affected by construction defects
  • Fast-setting repair for active leaks and spalled or honeycombed concrete
  • Rehabilitates defective concrete without full replacement
Chishi Bridge, Hunan Province, China — a fire during construction damaged the cables and caused cracking in the box girder and deck of this 2,270 m cable-stayed bridge. Approximately 10,000 m² of Xypex Concentrate was applied to the box girder interior, deck areas and pylon, sealing cracks and restoring impermeability without full replacement.

Visual Detection System

Xypex Admix products include the proprietary Visual Detection System (VDS) tracer — invisible in natural light, visible under special light and goggles. It confirms the presence of Xypex Admix in hardened concrete, allowing independent on-site quality verification.

No other crystalline admixture offers this.

Concrete sample as seen in natural light Same concrete sample under UV light revealing Xypex VDS tracer
As seen in natural light As seen under special light and goggles
Xypex

A More Sustainable Solution

Our crystalline technology provides permanent concrete waterproofing that supports resilient infrastructure, extends service life, and enables circular construction practices.

Central to our commitment is helping projects reduce their carbon footprint while achieving their durability and sustainability objectives.

The most sustainable waterproofing is the one you never have to repeat.
~60%
Lower Carbon
vs typical waterproofing technology
Up to187yrs
Extended Service Life
Verified real-world marine structures
Safe for environmentally sensitive areas Red List Compliant Self-heals cracks up to 0.5 mm
Certifications
Type III EPD → 1.5 LEED pts HPD → 1 LEED pt No VOCs → LEED EQ 4.2 LCA Cradle-to-Grave ISO 9001:2015
Xypex Bridge Projects

Proven Excellence in
Global Bridge Infrastructure

From highway and railway crossings to major river and marine spans — every bridge type, every region.

Project Application Region Highlight
Rod el Farag Axis Bridge Surface Applied — Concentrate Egypt Widest cable-stayed bridge in the world (Guinness). ~1,000 m² across six 92 m concrete towers.
Chishi Bridge, Hunan Province Surface Applied — Concentrate China 2,270 m cable-stayed bridge, G76 Expressway. ~10,000 m²: box girder interior, deck and pylon.
Second Orinoco River Bridge Surface Applied — Concentrate Venezuela 3.2 km road-rail crossing. Over 28,000 kg of Concentrate. Leakage stopped after treatment.
Hsin Shen North Viaduct Surface Applied — Rehabilitation Taiwan 170,000 m² rehabilitation of deck, girder beams and abutments.
Zuidhorn Railway Bridge Surface Applied — Concentrate + Modified Netherlands Replacement of an 80-year-old railway bridge. ~2,000 m² of track deck. Selected over epoxy coating.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Admix United States 1,500,000 lbs of Xypex Admix. 150 miles of precast median barriers and 5 miles of retaining walls.
Bethanga Bridge Surface Applied — Concentrate Australia Abutment protection against hydrostatic pressure and abrasion.
Megyeri Bridge Surface Applied — Concentrate Hungary Applied in select areas of the structure (2008).
Also featured Markham Valley Highway (Papua New Guinea), Badaling Expressway Overpass (China), Koeberg Interchange (South Africa), Highway 51 Bridge (USA), Noble Street Bridge (Australia), Pentele Bridge (Hungary), and additional bridge projects worldwide.

Ready to Specify Xypex
for Your Bridge Project?

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