A diagram showing how Hycrete acts inside concrete.
Hycrete ushers in new generation
Hycrete’s new chemical removes the need for petroleum-based membranes to protect concrete walls, making structures last longer.
01 November 2009
A NEW generation of waterproofing products is now available in the Middle East. The US-based Hycrete has come up with a chemical that when added to concrete makes it waterproof and is now looking at creating greater awareness of the product and reinforcing its presence in the region.
Concrete walls that are underground, like those for basements or parking structures, are traditionally protected with a plastic membrane so that water from the surrounding soil doesn’t cause damage. The use of Hycrete’s admixture removes the need for petroleum-based membranes, speeds up the construction process and makes concrete buildings last longer, says the company.
Hycrete, an innovative technology company based in New Jersey, has been in business for three generations. “In the last five years, we have been focusing on waterproofing concrete as well as protecting rebar from corrosion,” says Peter Condy, vice-president of international sales, Hycrete.
The company entered the Middle East market a year ago and has tied up with Dubai-based PAC Technologies to market its products in the region.
“In order to demonstrate how the system works, we built a mock-up concrete tank – 12 m high by 3 m square and 50 cm thick – with no liners and filled it up with 120,000 litres of water, on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi,” he explains.
“Hycrete has carried out more than 200 projects internationally, including 40 projects in India, and there have been no complaints so far. In the region, we have projects in Saudi Arabia due to start shortly and some in Bahrain starting over the next few months. We have been specified for 26 projects in the region but the projects are on hold. We are waiting for the economy to turn around and, depending on the demand, we may even start manufacturing in the UAE at PAC Technologies’ facility. Currently we have a warehouse in Dubai,” he adds.
“We will continue to support PAC in all ways we can with our technical team. The key right now is the economy. The first quarter of next year will be very important and we anticipate significant sales,” he says.
“We are very excited about the new venture with Hycrete,” says Michel Nachef, managing director, PAC Technologies. “We are into a similar line of business. As a construction chemical company, we manufacture admixtures and chemicals and our customers are also the same readymix companies, contractors and consultants.
“By having a production facility in Dubai, we will be closer to the projects and at the same time offer an American product manufactured in the UAE.”
Tracing the company’s growth, Kondy says: “When Hycrete started operations, it focused primarily on corrosion protection, particularly highways and bridges. Five years ago, we decided to expand our business from corrosion only to corrosion and waterproofing, so the formula was slightly modified from not only protecting the rebar but also preventing water from entering into concrete, basically permanently blocking free water from entering concrete.”
Explaining the process, he continues: “One of concrete’s major flaws is that capillaries and cracks behave like a porous matrix that readily allows the re-entry of water. Water penetration, especially if carrying dissolved salts, leads to structural damage, including freeze-thaw degradation, corrosion of embedded steel, and leaking.
“Hycrete shuts down the absorption of water by creating chemical bonds that block the spaces within the concrete, making them hydrophobic.
“Hycrete’s molecule chemically bonds to the cementitious materials and aggregates in concrete as well as steel, sealing concrete pores and coating steel rebar. It keeps water out and corrosive agents away from the steel.
“Hycrete addresses leaking cracks through industry-proven injection methodologies. By addressing leakage from cracks and providing hydrophobic concrete, Hycrete can offer a water-tight structure that is built to last.”
Hycrete is also environment-friendly. Traditional waterproofing coatings and membranes are made of rubber, plastic or asphaltic materials. “These membrane systems pose several challenges because they are difficult to apply and repair, are time consuming to install, and more expensive. Indeed, concrete waterproofing is the most litigated aspect of construction due to frequent issues with materials and workmanship,” Kondy states.
The Hycrete system allows waterproofing to be done throughout the entire volume of concrete rather than just on the surface layer. Hycrete’s “green” advantage comes from replacing tonnes of hard-to-recycle membrane materials with a relatively small amount of Cradle-to-Cradle environmentally-certified concrete admixture.
“Cradle-to-Cradle certification provides a company with a means to tangibly and credibly measure achievements in environmentally-intelligent design and helps customers to purchase and specify quality products that conform to a broader definition of quality. This means using environmentally safe and healthy materials and designing for material reutilisation, such as recycling or composting; the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency; efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated with production; and instituting strategies for social responsibility.
“A major advantage of Hycrete is that it extends the life of the structure by making it less porous. If the building is designed to last 20 years it will last 20 years. Membranes do not last that longer and start wearing off in five years,” says Condy.
Other advantages include a significant reduction in construction costs. “Typical savings are from 30 to 50 per cent on the installed price of a warranted membrane system. It also saves time as there is no need for waterproofing membranes. Hycrete also offers a 10-year warranty and ensures that your structure remains water-tight. If it leaks, we fix it,” he says.
Hycrete recently received an award from Time magazine as one of the four leading companies in the environmental sector.
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