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Marine Structures
Panama Canal – Chamber Walls & Gatun Lock Culverts
none,
Panama
The aggressive marine environment surrounding the over 80-year-old Panama Canal had caused substantial deterioration of the canal’s concrete. Xypex Admix C-2000 was used in the concrete repair mortar to rehabilitate the walls of the gatun lock chambers and conduits.
Project Sheet
Project Sheet
PDF
The Panama Canal is an engineering and economic miracle. Since 1914, it has been a conduit of world importance, providing a link between two great oceans, a passageway annually for more than 14,000 vessels carrying more than 200 million tonnes of cargo.
But time has taken a toll on the concrete of Panama, and since 1995, Xypex products have been integral to an ongoing program of upkeep and refurbishment of the canal, the revitalization of concrete that has stood the grueling test of decades of continuous service.
The aggressive marine environment surrounding the over 80-year-old Panama Canal had caused substantial deterioration of the canal’s concrete. Xypex Admix C-2000 was used in the concrete repair mortar to rehabilitate the walls of the gatun lock chambers and conduits.
It was added to the shotcrete mix and applied to the severely deteriorated walls of these 30 ft. in diameter culverts in the canal’s gatun locks. After prolonged use, the walls of the culvert became rough, with exposed aggregate causing turbulence and a slow fill and dump cycle. By smoothing out the surface of the concrete with an inch-thick shotcrete coating, which also reduced water loss, the locks can fill and empty seven minutes faster on each cycle. This permits the passage of more ship traffic through the canal system.
The original specification had called for the application of Xypex Concentrate followed by shotcrete. However, by using Xypex Admix, the concrete waterproofing and protection process was simplified, project labor time reduced, and substantial cost savings realized.
But time has taken a toll on the concrete of Panama, and since 1995, Xypex products have been integral to an ongoing program of upkeep and refurbishment of the canal, the revitalization of concrete that has stood the grueling test of decades of continuous service.
The aggressive marine environment surrounding the over 80-year-old Panama Canal had caused substantial deterioration of the canal’s concrete. Xypex Admix C-2000 was used in the concrete repair mortar to rehabilitate the walls of the gatun lock chambers and conduits.
It was added to the shotcrete mix and applied to the severely deteriorated walls of these 30 ft. in diameter culverts in the canal’s gatun locks. After prolonged use, the walls of the culvert became rough, with exposed aggregate causing turbulence and a slow fill and dump cycle. By smoothing out the surface of the concrete with an inch-thick shotcrete coating, which also reduced water loss, the locks can fill and empty seven minutes faster on each cycle. This permits the passage of more ship traffic through the canal system.
The original specification had called for the application of Xypex Concentrate followed by shotcrete. However, by using Xypex Admix, the concrete waterproofing and protection process was simplified, project labor time reduced, and substantial cost savings realized.
