Aquafin Ghent concrete bunker — a technical masterpiece in sliding box construction

Penetron contributes to the sustainable waterproofing of a 40-metre-high sludge bunker

An impressive project was recently completed in Ghent: the construction of an almost 40 meter high concrete bunker for storing sludge, realized for Aquafin. The bunker was fully built via a sliding box construction with a continuous concrete pouring (24/24) — a technical feat that required meticulous preparation and high-performance concrete solutions.

A challenging project in collaboration with strong partners

Led by DECISION, with AC Materials as a concrete supplier and BM Engineering as a design office, we opted for a concrete mix with exceptional watertightness and durability, tailored to heavy chemical and physical stress (environmental classes EE3/XA2/XF1).

Why Penetron Admix SB?

To protect the concrete against the high hydrostatic pressure and aggressive substances associated with sludge storage up to 20 meters high, the choice was made to: Penetron Admix SB, a crystalline waterproofing additive that was added directly into the concrete plant. The benefits:

✅ Ensured watertightness with crack widths between 0.1 and 0.3 mm
✅ Self-healing properties for sustainable protection
✅ Resistance to chemical attack and hydrostatic pressure
✅ No need for external membranes or coatings
✅ Extended life of foundation plate and walls (min. 50 years)

Works performed

• Integral waterproofing of the foundation plate (approx. 753 m³) and the walls (approx. 2,360 m³)

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