Grace Construction Products’ Preprufe® waterproofing membrane has been chosen to provide unrivalled water protection to complex piled foundations at the US$400 million Port Baku Residences in Azerbaijan – one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

Azerbaijan’s capital Baku, on the Caspian Sea, is playing a huge part in the country’s growth with a number of major construction projects – including the Port Baku Residences. Designed by Broadway Malyan and built by Pasha Construction, the mixed used development comprises 375,000m2 of residential and retail space across three separate towers each standing 32 floors high.

With a basement built to approximately nine metres deep and a total area of 28,000m2, and partially piled foundations comprising 1,500 piles. As the ground water table sits at -2 metres, Pasha Construction required a waterproofing system which would provide zero water tracking, watertight pile details and combat the high level of ground water from the Caspian Sea.

Grace’s Preprufe® waterproofing membrane provided a proven, practical and reliable waterproofing solution with a fast and easy installation. Designed with synthetic adhesive layers, Grace’s patented Advanced Bond Technology™ enables concrete to aggressively adhere to Preprufe®, forming a unique intimate seal which prevents any water migration between the waterproofing and the structure and substantially reduces the risk of leaks.

No other system on the market protects a substructure from the harmful effects of water, vapour and gas than Preprufe®. It can also be applied on wet concrete and is immediately ready without protective layers to receive rebar installation, which further accelerates the construction programme.

Grace also supplied its Bituthene® LM liquid-applied waterproofing membrane – which cures to form a tough seamless rubber-like waterproof layer – to ensure watertight continuity of the fully bonded system at penetrations. Grace’s specification was completed with the application of Grace Betec® Plug and Preprufe® 160R to prevent leakage from the anchors across 8,000m2 of diaphragm walls.

The piled foundations at the prestigious Port Baku Residence development – set for completion by end of 2012 – will remain protected from the elements for years to come thanks to the Preprufe® waterproofing solution from Grace Construction Products – global leader in the advancement of waterproofing technologies and solutions.