If you work in the construction industry or need to protect a concrete structure, you have probably asked yourself: How can I waterproof concrete effectively and durably?
The answer lies in innovative solutions such as crystallizing waterproofers, which improve the performance of structures and prevent water damage. In this guide we explain everything you need to know, from the latest technologies to the benefits of waterproofed concrete.
There are different types of admixtures, the use of which is related to the conformation and characteristics of the concrete structure. While the use of fluidizing admixtures for concrete is now generalized, under specific circumstances crystallizing admixtures allow for fundamental performance in protecting structures.
The use of crystallizing admixtures makes it possible to act directly on the properties of concrete, waterproofing its entire mass and increasing its resistance to degradation due to chemical and atmospheric agents and thus improving its durability.
In this way, it is possible to significantly reduce maintenance costs over time and, in general, slow down the structural degradation of concrete.
The use of admixtures to make concrete watertight can also improve the workability of the fresh cement mass, as well as effectively act on hardened concrete, as in the case of repairing existing structures.
One of the microstructural features that cause concrete to deteriorate is porosity, which develops in the setting and hydration phase of concrete, making it attackable to external chemical aggressors.
The rate at which a solid material is traversed by a fluid is called permeability: a permeable material allows the passage of liquid without altering its structure, which is not the case in impermeable materials, where this passage is not possible.
DRYKOS' crystallizing technology to make concrete waterproof is a chemical treatment that intervenes in precisely this process, to achieve waterproofing not only on the surface, but in the entire mass of the concrete.
The action of crystallizing admixtures to make concrete waterproof generates a chemical reaction in the pores and micro-fractures of the concrete that leads to the generation of needle-like, insoluble crystalline formations within pores and capillaries, preventing the passage of water.
DRYMIX crystallizing admixture from DRYKOS is a product formulated precisely for this purpose, which is added directly to the concrete mixture, for use on the construction site and in the concrete batching plant
For watertight waterproofing of foundations, tanks and hydraulic works in general, DRYKOS has developed DRYBOXSYSTEM®
This is a white tank type system that enables:
It is a system with many advantages, including:
applied under the supervision of DRYKOS technicians, allows the issuance of the 10-year posthumous warranty by leading insurance company.
DRYMIX ULTRA from DRYKOS belongs to a range of state-of-the-art water-based crystallizing products, which includes water-based crystallizers for waterproofing, rehabilitation and protection of concrete.
DRYMIX ULTRA performs better than cement-based crystallizers in terms of compressive strength and penetration resistance, is specially formulated to be compatible with all types of cements, and can be included in the automatic cycle of the concrete batching plant like other liquid admixtures.
DRYMIX ULTRA also reacts with moisture byproducts to create a crystalline formation such that water cannot pass through: the development of the crystalline formation is reactivated even at later times if new water or moisture infiltration occurs, and it seals cracks up to 0.4 mm.
