New Generation Bentonite Geotextile Waterproofing Solution

D P Gohil, Sr. Sales Manager, Ashapura Volclay Ltd – CETCO BMG
Ashapura group of Industries are India's largest and one of the top five players in Bentonite globally. The Company has extensive reserves of high quality Sodium and Calcium Bentonite which are mined and processed carefully into several grades.

CETCO USA – Colloid Environmental Technologies Company provides products and services worldwide, extending to customers in a diverse range of industries including, Basement waterproofing for underground structures and Tunnels application. CETCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of AMCOL International with more than 81 years of Bentonite mining and manufacturing experience.

Ashapura Volclay Ltd & CETCO a joint venture company, has set up India's first Bentonite base Geotextile waterproofing membrane plant in Bhuj in district of Gujarat under technological collaboration with Colloid Environmental Technologies Company (CETCO).

CETCO has ten manufacturing facilities located in America, UK, Spain, Poland, Korea, China, Brazil, Russia and India are supported by a global sales and distribution network.

Waterproofing Property of Bentonite

Bentonite is hydrophilic in nature (it has a strong attraction to water) and upon coming into contact with water will swell in size. When Bentonite is confined under pressure and hydrated, rather than swelling in size, it forms a dense, impermeable hydraulic barrier. This unique hydrophilic property of Bentonite gives it an "active" quality, meaning it can swell to seal punctures within itself and also small voids and cracks that develop within concrete over the life-cycle of the building.

Voltex and Voltex DS - Bentonite Geotextile waterproofing membrane.

Voltex is a highly effective waterproofing membrane ideal for below-grade vertical and horizontal foundation surfaces. Voltex uses the high swelling and self-healing properties of sodium Bentonite to form a monolithic, low permeable membrane to protect the structure from water. Installation is fast and easy, requiring no primers or protection courses.

Voltex is composite comprised of two high strength Geotextile and 4.8 kg of sodium Bentonite per square metre. The two Geotextile are interlocked by a patented needle punching process which encapsulates the Bentonite and keeps it uniformly distributed.

Voltex DS is comprised with an integrated HDPE liner on Voltex.

Typical applications include backfilled concrete walls, under structural rafts/slabs, tunnels and property line construction.

The superior performance of Voltex is based on the remarkable properties of sodium Bentonite and the high strength of the interlocked Geotextile. When hydrated, the polymer enhanced Bentonite expands under confinement, forming an impervious membrane that will be maintained for the life of the structures.

Over 200 million square metre of Voltex has been successfully installed on prestigious projects worldwide. In India, Reliance Hyper Market New Delhi, Hafeez Contractor House Mumbai, Kalpataru Mumbai, Novatel Hotel Bangalore, Chalet Hotel Powai – K.Raheja Group Mumbai, ING Vysya Bank Mumbai, Orbit World Trade Centre–Mumbai, Panchshil Group Pune, Lunkad Realty Pune, Pride Group Pune, Mani Group Kolkata, and SKF Technology Ahmedabad.

Waterstop RX-101

Waterstop-RX 101 is a flexible strip concrete construction joint Waterstop that provides a positive seal by expanding upon contact with water. Waterstop-RX 101 is an active Waterstop that functionally replaces conventional passive PVC dumbbell Waterstop. Waterstop-RX101 is designed for both continuous and intermittent hydrostatic conditions and has been successfully tested to resist 70 m (231 feet) of hydrostatic pressure.

The key to the effectiveness of Waterstop-RX 101 is its 75% sodium Bentonite content which provides superior expansion to seal cracks and fill small voids. Waterstop-RX is a reliable and cost-effective solution to preventing water infiltration through construction joints and penetrations.