The November 2020 inauguration of the distinctive Territoria Apoquindo Office Towers along Apoquindo Avenue in Las Condes (Santiago), Chile, is the newest landmark in one of Chile’s most vibrant commercial districts. After a performance review of a competitive solution, PENETRON ADMIX was specified by the client to ensure a waterproof and durable solution for all below-grade concrete structures.
Until the 1930s, the city of Las Condes was little more than a rural backwater east of the capital. Today, as part of the Santiago metropolitan area, it is an affluent city with a booming business sector. Featuring a mix of elegant residential neighborhoods and towering business centers, most of Las Condes′ commercial activity is situated along Apoquindo Avenue, which is often referred to as "Sanhattan."
The Territoria Apoquindo Office Towers at Apoquindo 5400 were designed by De Iruarrizaga & Leterier Arquitectos, a well-known Chilean architectural team responsible for numerous high-profile projects across the greater Santiago area. The three office towers of the Territoria Apoquindo project are each 20-stories tall and comprise a total of 35,000 m2 in floor space. The top of each tower features a landscaped roof garden while the ground floor areas and the central plaza feature park-like green spaces and extensive retail areas for shopping and entertainment.
Engineers Looking for Better Performance
The six underground levels that form the Territoria Apoquindo tower foundations, the 1,200-car parking garage, and further basement structures also house a large bicycle garage and a pedestrian tunnel that provides direct access to the nearby Santiago Metro subway station.
A competitive crystalline admixture was initially specified by the engineers at Territoria to secure these structures against the high groundwater at the construction site. To be on the safe side, the engineers also reached out to a local team of concrete experts about a high performance solution that would permanently protect the extensive underground concrete structures
Looking for Comprehensive Permeability Reduction
“The Penetron Chile team met with the project managers to discuss all aspects of the project specifications and the desired performance parameters of the concrete mix,” explains Domingo Lema, Managing Director of Penetron Chile. “Using examples of many similar projects from around the region, we were able to provide conclusive proof as to how PENETRON ADMIX would provide a level of compatibility, comprehensive permeability reduction, and a permanent crack-sealing capability unmatched by the previous products under review.”
After successful testing, Society Petreos, the local ready-mix supplier, added PENETRON ADMIX to over 2,100 m3 of concrete used for the below-grade basement walls and the foundation slabs. To secure the interfaces between the walls and slabs, around 300 m of PENEBAR SW-45 ensured a permanent seal for the new concrete joints.
The Most Efficient & Economical Admixture
As defined by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), PENETRON ADMIX is a hydrophilic permeability-reducing concrete admixture that withstands high hydrostatic pressure and provides comprehensive protection against concrete deterioration from chemical attack, freeze-thaw cycles and corrosion of the imbedded reinforcing steel.
“Lower cost, greater permeability reduction and self-healing and sealing of cracks throughout the concrete life cycle – those were the advantages we offered that led to the contractor’s decision of Penetron,” concludes Domingo Lema.
Keeping basements dry & durable: The three Territoria Apoquindo office towers, each 20-floors tall, rely on PENETRON ADMIX to protect their large underground concrete structures from high groundwater.
