The Burj Khalifa in the background

So far we’ve discussed a few issues engineers must deal with when constructing a Mega-Tall building – Elevators, Wind and Foundation. In the final section of this series, we will touch on the importance of using the best concrete waterproofing method for these buildings.

To understand the importance of waterproofing concrete, especially when the building is going to cost billions of dollars and be issued an aggressively long lifespan, you need to understand the importance of concrete itself. For example, the Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building, used 45, 000 cubic meters of concrete for the foundation and 330, 000 cubic meters of concrete overall.

Furthermore, during the planning stages of construction, the Kingdom Tower skyscraper is estimating to use around 530, 000 cubic meters of concrete for the entire project expecting to climb a Kilometer into the sky. This is an astounding amount of concrete, which must be of the highest quality to ensure a building as enormous as these can maintain over the long haul.

The Kingdom Tower Vs. the rest

In order for these Mega-Tall buildings to be worth the billion dollar price tags they come with, a tangible benefit must occur or really, these structures are an absolute waste of money. That said, sustainability must be top of mind for the Architects and Engineers so these buildings bring with them an air of stability to the area with which they are built, not just a simple symbol of economic superiority.

How superior can a building be if it crumbles after only a short-while?

A substantial cost of the entire project is focused on building the foundations and stability of the building, as they should. However, with this immense amount of concrete and steel reinforcement, the issue of water and waterborne chemical deterioration remains in the way. This also means that the lifespan of the structure is in direct correlation to its sustainability factor.

View from the Empire State Building - once the tallest in the world

Thus, in order to build a Mega-Tall building that will last a long time, the concrete structure must be waterproofed. With the cost of these buildings so high, time is important, both in the time it takes to build the structure and of course, the time with which the structure can be used.

For these reasons, Kryton’s Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) is the logical choice to ensure these buildings continue to be a beacon of a countries economic power. The positive aspects of KIM are like no other:

• KIM is the one true PRAH (Permeability Resistant Admixture for Hydrostatic Conditions)
• Less jobsite waste and concrete is recyclable at the end of life
• KIM is easy to use, while erasing the need for a risky external membrane
• Self-seals when interacting with water
• Is a permanent solution, and impervious to physical damage and deterioration
• No Volatile Organic Compounds

In order to increase the sustainability of a Mega-Tall building, you must account for durability, which is done by reducing its permeability. Reducing permeability is what Integral Crystalline Waterproofing does, with Kryton’s KIM leading the way in mitigating risk on the March to the Sky.