Watertight Concrete

Watertight concrete is designed to protect a structure from water ingress. It is used to avoid water penetrating the concrete and reaching rebars causing them to rust, expand, and weaken the concrete. To enhance the water-tightness of concrete and thus achieve a high degree of compaction, while retaining adequate strength and workability, the concrete mix is designed with a low water/cement ratio. Superplasticizers are used to ensure concrete adequate strength, structural density, and workability. In addition to the high range water reducers, high-performance integral waterproofing compounds and waterproofing admixtures reduce capillaries within the concrete.

Watertight concrete is used in domestic basements, below-ground parking areas, lift pits, cellars, storage or plant rooms, service ducts connected to a below-ground structure, large commercial structures, and nearly all applications below ground that must be able to withstand water or vapor pressure as well as external walls with the lower part of the adjoining floor at or close to ground level to keep water from penetrating. It is also used to keep water within the concrete structure such as in swimming pools, water retaining structures, dams, water structures, and wastewater treatment structures.

Holderchem is able, because of its longstanding concrete technology expertise in the field, to deliver cost-effective solutions compared with other systems, for complex waterproofing problems. Holderchem watertight concrete solutions can be obtained directly from Holderchem or Holderchem accredited ready mix producer. The system consists essentially of concrete modified with an integral crystalline admixture to produce watertight concrete, and carefully selected water-stops for construction and movement joints.