Media Release

Purdue University Builds State-of-the-Art Veterinary Hospital Complex with Penetron Technology

USA

The April 8th, 2022 dedication ceremony of the new David and Bonnie Brunner Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, replaced the previous Large Animal Hospital and enabled the expansion of the Small Animal Hospital. PENETRON ADMIX SB, a crystalline concrete waterproofing admixture, was specified for the below-grade concrete structures of the complex.

The new David and Bonnie Brunner Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex encompasses over 160,000 ft2 of new hospital space on 13 acres. Highlights of the new complex include a separate hospital for horses, a stand-alone facility for farm animals, and a new structure that expands the Small Animal Hospital by adding 65,000 ft2 to the existing 40,000 ft2 facility in Lynn Hall, the previous home of the university’s Small and Large Animal Hospitals.

The Equine Hospital has its own intensive care unit and dedicated areas for anesthesiology, internal medicine, surgery, outpatient services, a special equine theriogenology unit that will provide the latest in reproductive medicine and surgery, and a diagnostic imaging center with the latest imaging equipment, including the advanced Qalibra Computed Tomography (CT) system that features the largest field-of-view for a CT machine – large enough to scan a standing horse!

With separate sections for cattle, goats, and swine, the new Small Animal Hospital building features state-of-the-art emergency and critical care services, an intensive care unit, as well as anesthesiology, diagnostic imaging, internal medicine, orthopedic and soft tissue surgery, neurology, and physical therapy. Moreover, it doubles the number of exam rooms to 30 and adds 11 new operating rooms.
 

Improving Concrete Durability

“Unimaginable only a generation ago, veterinary medicine has been transformed and expanded thanks to advances in medical technology and innovative new treatments such as hemodialysis, physical therapy, urology, and even joint replacements,” says Christopher Chen, Director of The Penetron Group. “Similarly, Penetron’s innovative crystalline waterproofing technology substantially expands the service life of concrete structures and improves the durability of the new facility’s concrete structures.”

Constructed by FA Wilhelm Construction and Pepper Construction, the $108 million veterinary hospital project was faced with high groundwater levels across the numerous construction site excavations. SRM Concrete, the project’s ready-mix concrete supplier, specified PENETRON ADMIX SB (in soluble bags) for the concrete used in the elevator pits, foundation slabs, and basement walls of Purdue’s David and Bonnie Brunner Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex.
 

Unleashing a Crystalline Network

Water and waterborne contaminants penetrate concrete structures mainly through capillary absorption and hydrostatic pressure. Once exposed to moisture, the active ingredients in PENETRON ADMIX react in a catalytic reaction to unleash the growth of a network of insoluble crystals in the microscopic openings (pores and capillaries) found in concrete. This renders concrete impermeable to any groundwater penetration, even under conditions of high hydrostatic pressure.

Once added during the batching phase, PENETRON ADMIX becomes an integral part of the concrete matrix for the service life of the concrete,” explains Christopher Chen. “In addition, Penetron products are completely non-toxic, which eliminates the use of VOC-containing, or tar and rubber-based linings, contributing to a healthier campus environment at the Purdue University Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex.”

Purdue’s new Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex offers a new hospital for horses, a stand-alone facility for farm animals, and the new and expanded Small Animal Hospital.

Protected by Penetron: Purdue’s new Veterinary Medical Hospital Complex offers a new hospital for horses, a stand-alone facility for farm animals, and the new and expanded Small Animal Hospital.


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