Domestic Xypex Projects

313@Somerset

Singapore’s Orchard Road is one of the city’s most coveted retail locations. Lend Lease Corporation, with well-defined sustainability initiatives, successfully acquired one of the last available sites on this iconic street to construct 313@Somerset. Ultimately, the project won the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) award that recognizes behind-the-scenes engineers who overcome site challenges through creative engineering designs for site and public safety.

Engineers, Meinhardt Infrastructure, faced many design challenges including a canal that ran through the centre of the building site, a very high water table and greatly elevated sulphate levels in the surrounding soils. Xypex Admix C-Series with its non-toxic chemistry and ability to resist extreme hydrostatic pressure was used to address these key issues and was widely incorporated into elements of the substructure, the B1 canal, and the superstructure. Particularly challenging was the handling of the existing Stamford Canal that had to be diverted to another location to allow construction of a new, fully enclosed 10m x 5m reinforced concrete canal that now runs through basement level 1 (B1). Xypex Admix C-1000 NF was used to waterproof the canal’s concrete base and walls. Tie-bolt holes and other concrete defects were repaired with Xypex repair materials.

Esplanade Theatres on The Bay

Situated alongside Marina Bay, the Esplanade was built to be the centre for performing arts for the island nation of Singapore. The six-hectare complex houses a concert hall, theatres and studios, an outdoor performing arts plaza, restaurants, shopping malls and parking. Designed by Michael Wilford & Partners and DP Architects Pte. Ltd., and built by Penta-Ocean, the charm of the design is that its distinctive shape mimics the durian, the prickly tropical fruit.

In the second phase of this project the foundation utilized secant pile construction with a “single side” formed wall poured against the piles. Xypex Admix C-Series was dosed in the concrete poured against the secant piles and the entire base slab. Xypex Admix C-Series was specified as the standalone waterproofing treatment for the walls and ground slab to create a tank foundation resisting both the high hydrostatic pressure and harsh marine environment of the site.

Xypex admixture-treated concrete replaced the membrane assembly used in the first phase. During construction of the first phase Xypex was used extensively to fix leaking experienced in the membrane based secant wall assembly. Through the use of Xypex products and techniques the first phase was fully waterproofed.

Overall, the project proved an excellent example of value engineering. Xypex Admix, being part of the concrete mix, waterproofed the structure as the concrete was poured. This resulted not only in a fully waterproofed structure, but also helped to accelerate the construction schedule by approximately 3 months which resulted in both time and cost savings.

Goldhill Complex

Over 23,000 kg (50,700 lb) of Xypex crystalline waterproofing were applied to basement R.C. floor slabs and walls of this large shopping mall and office complex in Singapore. The application also included the treating and dry-packing of all construction joints with Xypex Concentrate.

ION Orchard

Xypex was pleased to be selected by Penta-Ocean Construction Co. Ltd. as the specified concrete waterproofing product for another of their major construction projects: the prestigious 61,300 m² ION Orchard retail mall in Singapore's prime retail district. The pre-requisites and demands of the construction schedule were high and delays and setbacks were to be avoided. Penta-Ocean chose Xypex with a confidence based on a lengthy history of working successfully with Xypex on many of their large projects (eg. Singapore's award-winning Esplanade Theatres on The Bay). Xypex Admix C-1000 NF was chosen not only because it was the most reliable solution for waterproofing and protecting the critical substructure – the basement and roof concrete slabs – but, because it is blended into the concrete mix at the time of batching, it offered considerable control benefits in the overall construction scheduling process. Xypex Concentrate was used to waterproof construction joints. 

National Centre of Infectious Diseases

The National Centre of Infectious Diseases (NCID ) is a 330-bed purpose built facility to strengthen Singapore’s capability in infectious disease management and prevention. Composed of two blocks of institutional buildings with four levels of basement substructure and three underground pedestrian/vehicular underpass links, NCID was officially opened in September 2019. 

Prior to selection, the Xypex Crystalline Technology was tested to EN12390-2 (Water Penetration Under Pressure). The project specification required a maximum water penetration of less than 15 mm and the Xypex Concentrate and Admix treated samples achieved average water penetration of 5 mm and 10 mm respectively at 29 days. 

The original specification had also required the installation of a membrane on the mud slab but this was replaced by the application of Xypex Concentrate resulting in cost and time savings. An additional waterproofing measure was included at the interface of the bored tension piles and the raft slab whereby an additional coating of Xypex Concentrate was applied to minimize the incidence of cracking and water transmission. 

In order to provide a single and integrated waterproofing system, the specification for a diaphragm wall was changed to contiguous bored piles with a skin wall, treated with Xypex Admix, cast directly against it. At the interface of the raft slab and the bored piles, an additional layer of shotcrete was sprayed against the piles and then a coating of Xypex Concentrate applied to provide additional protection at this critical area. 

Both Xypex Admix C-1000 NF and Xypex Concentrate were used in the 19,000 m² 4th level basement slab and skin walls as well the underpass link base slab, walls, and roof. A total of 58,500 m³ of concrete were treated in all. Construction joints were treated with Xypex Concentrate. 

Xypex products successfully waterproofed and protected the various underground structures in a timely manner. Following the fitting out of the construction, The National Centre of Infectious Diseases was thankfully operational before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.

National Museum of Singapore

The high profile of Singapore’s National Museum – a prestigious, historic and iconic landmark – demanded very close attention to all construction details when a recent new extension was being considered. As a result, Xypex Admix C-1000 NF – known for its superior performance, reliability, and longevity – was selected to waterproof and protect the concrete diaphragm walls and Xypex Concentrate was used to repair concrete defects.

New Woodland Checkpoint – Border Crossing

Xypex Admix C-2000 was used to waterproof all concrete foundations, including basement slabs, retaining walls, and the ground-level slabs to be covered with earth for landscaping. Xypex Concentrate and Dry-Pac were used to repair and waterproof all construction joints.

Queensway & Commonwealth Avenue – Road Interchange

Concrete dosed with Xypex Admix C-2000 NF was used in the construction of the reinforced walls of the depressed carriageways. Xypex Concentrate was used to waterproof the diaphragm walls of the vehicle underpass and the wall-to-wall construction joints were treated with Xypex Dry-Pac in pre-formed U-shaped grooves. Xypex was the stand-alone waterproofing system for the walls of this project.

Sculptura Ardmore

Completed in 2014, Sculptura Ardmore Park is a luxury condominium development in the Orchard Road area of Singapore offering 35 apartments on 36 levels. Designed jointly by Carlos Zapata of New York and DP Architects, this unique structure has four swimming pools cantilevered out from the structures on the 19th, 25th, 33rd and 36th floors. Already well known in the Singaporean construction industry for its proven resistance against hydrostatic pressure in projects such as Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and ION Orchard, Xypex Admix was used to waterproof the two-level basement of the building. Xypex was also the chosen waterproofing system for the 14 m swimming pools projecting out from the tower.

Singapore Marina Barrage

After 20 years of meticulous planning, design and construction, the $220+ million Marina Barrage has recently become operational, creating Singapore's 15th reservoir out of the iconic Marina Bay. Now having the largest catchment of all of Singapore's reservoirs, the influx of rain water will eventually flush out most of the Marina Bays saline waters, with the residual being held at the bottom by the less dense fresh water. 

Comprised of nine steel crest gates, each 30 m wide, the barrage spans the 350 m wide Marina Channel, separating seawater from freshwater and acting as a tidal barrier to keep out peak tides. Also forming part of the facility and in the event of a coincidence of heavy rains and high tides, seven gigantic vertical-shaft, axial flow pumps, with a combined capacity of 280 m³ per second will pump excess storm water into the sea. 

More than 7,000 kg of Xypex Megamix II were used to shape and protect the new fins of the Barrage gates. Specially formulated to produce a high strength, low shrink mortar with high chemical resistance and superior bond characteristics, Xypex Megamix II was the only product available in the market that could applied to the very fine (1 mm) tolerances specified for the barrage, whilst its superior ability to withstand the harsh chemical and mechanical marine environment conditions contribute incrementally to the durability of the fins of the barrage.

Singapore National Heart Centre

Xypex products were selected to waterproof and protect the concrete raft slab located three levels below grade, the secant pile wall and a service tunnel. The service tunnel links to the Singapore General Hospital which was completed in 1980. The Singapore National Heart Centre provides high quality medical services to the Singapore as well as to the Southeast Asian region.

United Square Shopping Centre

Xypex Concentrate was used to waterproof the floor under the tiled hallway of this shopping centre.