Technology Improves Concrete Durability. While concrete is a good material when designed and placed properly, it is porous and has a capillary network that can lead to moisture entering. With the passage of time, added deterioration, damage characteristic of reinforcement, cracking, and lowered durability from water penetration can contribute to deterioration, especially in structures that are subjected to continuous exposure to water and/or hydrostatic pressure. Although correctly planned and installed, its structure with pores and capillaries can act as a path for moisture to ingress.
Problems like these can be solved by applying a crystalline waterproofing admixture, which works throughout the concrete, not just on the surface. Hydronil’s Multiguard® In-Depth series is based on crystalline technology which acts within the pores and capillaries of concrete.
Multiguard Crystalline Waterproofing Additive is an integrated solution for waterproofing concrete when being mixed in the field. The technology acts within the matrix of the concrete and not on its surface, preventing a separate waterproofing layer from developing. This is important as waterproofing is not an easy task of covering the surface of the concrete. In buildings that are subject to direct exposure to water throughout their lives, permeability reduction is part of a more comprehensive durability approach.
In concrete, there is a network of interconnected capillaries capable of transferring water in the hardened concrete. The crystalline mechanism is part of Hydronil’s Multiguard® In-Depth products and is formulated to work with this internal structure. The incorporation of the additive into the concrete gives it the opportunity to participate in a chemical reaction within the pore and capillary network. It can induce the formation of calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) crystals by the natural hydration process of the concrete. The reaction that results causes the concrete to become more hydrated and thus more permeable and more resistant to the penetration of water. The technology also possesses a characteristic that converts when exposed to water. This is the major difference between a conventional coating, which relies on a continuous surface film, and Crystalline Admixture for Concrete waterproofing.
The amount of a waterproofing additive (crystalline) to be used should be determined according to the waterproofing additive per cement content recommended in the product documentation. For 100kg of cement, use 0.8–2kg of Multiguard® In-Depth additive per 100kg of cement. More cement means proportionally more quantities. Importantly, water and sand/aggregates are not included. The following parameters highlight the need to couple the use of an integral waterproofing admixture to the concrete mix and not to the concrete surface alone, and shed fresh light on the need for controlled batching when using such an admixture.
A Crystalline Waterproofing Admixture offers an integral means of concrete waterproofing, directly incorporating a waterproofing mechanism into the concrete mix. Multiguard® In-Depth Primemix and Multiguard® Type C have been developed using crystalline technology that binds to the pore structure and capillary system within concrete spaces, where further crystal growth will occur during the hydration process. Correct dosage and mixing – Correct Concrete placement and curing – Correct structural crack control and joint detailing are still the key to enhancing performance.
By considering these factors in the total waterproofing solution, Crystalline Admixture for Concrete can offer an integrated technique for waterproofing and prevent water penetration, instead of just a surface-applied barrier.
Multiguard® In-depth Primemix (MIP) is an in-depth crystalline waterproofing admixture that operates within the pores and capillaries of concrete. Applies the principle that promotes the development of further Calcium Silicate Hydrate (CSH) crystals that reduce shrinkage cracking by up to 60%. The concrete can also heal small cracks in the future using this product.
Multiguard® In-depth Type C (MITC) is a crystalline product used to help prevent the entry of moisture into fresh concrete. It accelerates the cement hydration process and forms CSH crystals. This decreases the permeability of the concrete and causes the penetration of minor cracks to occur even if water is present.
It reacts within the concrete matrix to promote additional calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) crystal formation, helping reduce water penetration.
The specified dosage is 0.8–2 kg per 100 kg of cement, subject to the product’s technical data sheet.
The specified procedure recommends approximately 10 minutes of high-speed mixing to achieve thorough dispersion.
No, it supports integral waterproofing but does not replace structural crack repair, proper joint detailing, or appropriate concrete design and curing.
Correct dosage, uniform mixing, concrete quality, placement, curing, and appropriate crack and joint detailing are essential for performance.
