Blogging about global concrete industry

The Importance of a Solid Foundation

Written by Jason Bryant | Mar 9, 2015 3:21:59 PM

It’s been a little while since I've touched on high-rise buildings and the importance that concrete plays in their successful constructing. There are many factors that need to be considered when constructing something that erects hundreds of stories above ground, as well as many feet below ground.

Kryton Vice-President of Product Development, Kevin Yuers gave a presentation on Tall Buildings at the 2014 edition World of Concrete tradeshow. One of the elements discussed was the foundation of the building and the importance of constructing a solid base is an engineering issue for many reasons.

For instance, when building a high-rise in New York City, Dubai or London, the below grade portion of the foundation will be facing some form of hydrostatic pressure. As the foundation will be predominantly concrete, ensuring a durable product is essential to the sustainability of the project. With water pressure combating the lifespan of concrete and the foundations of high-rises, the concrete must be thoroughly waterproofed.

Gary Penk, Kryton United Kingdom, Europe, and Africa Territory Manager wrote an article for Concrete Engineering International highlighting the importance of building a solid foundation for high-rise construction. There are traditional methods of waterproofing, which have inherent limitations. Thankfully, innovation leads us to crystalline waterproofing technology, which turns the concrete into the waterproof barrier itself, eliminating risk and laborious task associated with traditional methods.

Read the article here - http://goo.gl/tZ2bSH