Gas protection and waterproofing systems from Visqueen have been specified for Fresh Wharf, a development of 900 homes being built on reclaimed industrial land in east London.
The mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, and a number of townhouses, is being developed in two phases by Countryside Properties, in partnership with Notting Hill Housing. It is due to be completed by 2026.
Paul Vincent, Technical Support Manager for Visqueen, said the combination of a brownfield site with a river bank location meant it was critical to work closely with the architect, main contractor and membrane installation contractor early on to ensure a good understanding of each building and enable specification of the right products and systems to protect the development in the long term.
Paul said: “Gas monitoring of this site revealed ground gases including carbon dioxide, methane and radon, so it was imperative we had systems in place to protect the site against these harmful gases, as well as water ingress.”
For Fresh Wharf, Paul recommended the use of Visqueen Ultimate GeoSeal and Visqueen Gas Barrier, a multi-layer reinforced gas barrier solution that meets the strict criteria set out in BS 8485:2015+A1:2019 guidance documents.
Paul added: “The high ground surrounding the development and its underground elements in basements and lift pits was another key consideration during the design stage and throughout our on-site meetings with the architect and contractor. The below ground structures are subjected to multiple complex conditions such as hydrostatic water pressure and harmful ground gases, so it is paramount that the product design and product detailing cover all of these elements.”
Visqueen Ultimate GeoSeal, a pre-applied membrane, and Visqueen Gas Resistant Self-Adhesive Membrane were specified for use as a dual-purpose application in the lift pits and in the basements.
Paul continued: “Damage to buildings is often caused by leaking junctions in pile foundation systems. Water and moisture can track its way along the steel reinforcement, leading to potential corrosion and carbonation of the steel, which carries a risk to the structural integrity of the building. Therefore implementing a solution that waterproofed the joins between the piles and building slab was a critical design element.”
A Visqueen Pile Cap Sealer solution was used to waterproof the junction between the pile foundation and the floor slab. This solution is a specialised formulation that, when applied to a concrete surface, causes a chemical reaction with the free lime and moisture within the concrete to form in depth, insoluble crystals that fill and block all capillaries, fissures, pores and minor cracks within the concrete.
Garry Tarvet MCIOB, Associate Technical Director (East London), Countryside Properties, said: “Working with Visqueen gave us complete peace of mind. They supplied everything from technical drawings and product durability statements, through to the wide range of products required to deal with protection challenges on-site. Visqueen’s total approach is first class and delivers the difference that the latest building projects now demand.”
