Sealing of Concrete Structure, Detmold - North Rhine – Westphalia - Germany 2021

In Detmold, the Lippe Clinic was extended with the construction of a new five-storey building 120 m long and 40 m wide. For the sealing of the concrete structure, the client has chosen the brown tank method with bentonite mats as an additional waterproofing layer in addition to the waterproof concrete.

For the realisation of the brown tank, installer Kögel Bau GmbH & Co. KG. The bentonite mat EUROBENT CS 0,5 (5000/100/200) was indicated as a compatible product. 8541 m2 were used in this project. This geosynthetic clay liner consists of natural sodium bentonite, embedded and fixed between two layers of geotextile and bonded with a PE membrane (type A according to EN 13967+ A1:2012).

The PE membrane permanently protects the product against water penetration and substance leaching. The GCL has excellent absorption properties and the ability to self-seal in case of damage. Both layers have a complementary effect. Activation of the clay waterproofing membrane only occurs when the PE membrane fails. This is an additional safety feature of this multi-layer waterproofing membrane compared to single-layer systems.

The installation was carried out horizontally and vertically and thus protects against water seepage as well as pressurised and flowing groundwater.