The Vicuña Mackenna Apartments in the La Florida district of Santiago, Chile welcomed the building's first residents in January 2021. PENETRON ADMIX was used to provide comprehensive concrete protection for the deep basement structures exposed to groundwater pressure.
La Florida is a suburban district in the southeast metropolitan region of Santiago. Largely residential with 400,000 inhabitants, it is the third most populous city in Chile.
Developed by Los Silos Real Estate, the Vicuña Mackenna Apartments, located on Avenida Vicuña Mackenna, are situated on a thoroughfare leading directly to Santiago Centro, and close to the Metro (Mirador). Built by Centauro, the 20-floor La Florida apartment building features one- to three-bedroom apartments and a three-level below-grade parking garage.
“It’s a very attractive place to live and an excellent alternative to other locations in Santiago where prices are already too expensive,” adds Domingo Lema, Managing Director of Penetron Chile. “The La Florida district has been the focus of ongoing development by the city government. The TranSantiago corridor is currently under construction, which will also be enhanced with bike lanes, wide sidewalks and benches.”
Taking Care of Groundwater Pressure
The main challenge for the project engineers was high groundwater pressure. Because of the depth of the basement – an excavation almost 10 m (33 feet) deep for the three below-grade floors of underground parking – Penetron Chile collaborated with Transex Concretes, the project’s concrete ready-mix supplier, on a reliable waterproofing solution. Transex Concretes provided 1,200 m3 (1,570 yds3) of concrete, treated with PENETRON ADMIX, for the basement retaining walls and foundation slab.
PENETRON ADMIX is a permanent concrete waterproofing solution. Once added to the concrete mix, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX react in a catalytic reaction to the moisture in concrete. This reaction generates a non-soluble crystalline formation throughout the pores and capillary tracts of the concrete. The entire concrete matrix is now impermeable, stopping the penetration of groundwater and liquids from any direction.
“PENETRON ADMIX also provides concrete with the capacity to self-heal micro-cracks for the lifetime of the structure,” adds Domingo Lema. “This effectively eliminated any future waterproofing-related maintenance costs for the large basement of the Vicuña Mackenna Apartments development.”
The Penetron Group is a leading manufacturer of specialty construction products for concrete waterproofing, concrete repairs and floor preparation systems. The Group operates through a global network, offering support to the design and construction community through its regional offices, representatives and distribution channels.
For more information on Penetron crystalline technology solutions, please visit www.penetron.com, email: CRDept@penetron.com or contact our Corporate Relations Department at 631-941-9700.
