Waikawa Breakwall – Protection from within from day one

Adding Life to Concrete – How MARKHAM provided Waikawa breakwall service life protection from the outset.

A robust marine concrete durability solution was required at the Waikawa Breakwall project to ensure long-term durability in a highly corrosive environment. MARKHAM provided internal protection at the time of construction using AQURON 300, a catalytic silica admixture designed to inhibit corrosion and extend the service life of concrete in marine structures.

The Objective

The Waikawa Breakwall is under construction at the time of producing this case study. The structure is a 500m long piled break-wall in up to 18m water depth, and consists of precast wave panels which are 8m deep and weighing 25 tonnes each. The total weight of the structure is 6000 tonnes.

The objective was to provide internal waterproofing to the structure at time of construction, with a view to permanent durability.

Our Solution

Marine environments are particularly challenging for concrete, as moisture-borne reactive elements can seep into the structure and attack the steel reinforcing.

With this in mind, MARKHAM’s approach is to provide permanent protection by means of a catalytic silica admixture. This in turn produces a hydrogel within the concrete, closing the porosities and protecting the steel.

AQURON 300 concrete admixture was chosen in this case for its corrosion-inhibiting abilities.

Positive Results

Waterproofing the concrete internally provides long-term durability, as the concrete and its reinforcing steel are positively protected. Waterproofing the concrete itself prevents the ingress of water-borne reactants, which in turn inhibits corrosion due to the absence of these.

Not only does the hydrogel admixture provide waterproofing, it also makes the concrete easier to handle and work with.

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Photo courtesy of TAS Marine.