A program of structural and maintenance upgrades at the prestigious Shrewsbury International School in Bangkok, Thailand, was completed in June 2019. Penetron technology was applied to waterproof and seal both below-grade and exposed concrete structures.
Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River and close to the Bangkok city center, the Riverside Campus of the Shrewsbury International School serves a multi-lingual international student body of 1,700 students, aged 3 to 18 years old, of over 40 nationalities. The spacious, modern campus is staffed by a qualified faculty of UK-trained teachers; the school’s academic program follows the National Curriculum of England and has a reputation for excellence in music, sport, and the performing and creative arts. The school facilities include an aquatic center, sports fields for soccer, cricket and other field sports, a performing arts stage, and studios.
“The recent upgrades to the City campus at Shrewsbury International School were made to prevent any deterioration in the relatively new concrete structures,” explains Jozef Van Beeck, Director of International Sales & Marketing of The Penetron Group. “Due to the proximity of the Chao Phraya River and the city’s unrelenting tropical climate, the contractor needed a reliable waterproofing solution.”
Protecting Exposed Concrete from the Elements
The region’s monsoon climate – with only three seasons of hot, rainy and cool – can make Bangkok one of the hottest and most humid cities in the world. The local Penetron representative in Thailand collaborated with the project contractor to provide a solution that could permanently protect the exposed concrete structures at the Riverside campus.
The three-level basement car garage was treated with an initial application of PENETRON, with PENEBAR SW waterstop strips used to seal construction joints. A final layer of PENESEAL PRO, a liquid sealer, was sprayed on the surface to protect the concrete from any water penetration.
Withstanding Thermal Stress
“PENESEAL PRO forms a barrier to seal hairline cracks with a sub-surface gel that seals the pores, capillaries and micro-cracks in the concrete,” adds Boonmanop Siewsirikul, Business Development Manager for Penetron Thailand. “It’s ideal for exposed concrete, especially in the Bangkok climate, thanks to its ability to withstand thermal stress.”
The school’s concrete driveway and concrete aprons surrounding the school football field were also treated with a spray-on application of PENESEAL PRO.
“Even with a tight work schedule that left the contractor only time during a school break, all the work was done quickly and efficiently,” says Jozef Van Beeck.
Permanent protection for exposed concrete: The driveway and concrete aprons of the school football field at the Riverside campus were sprayed with an application of PENESEAL PRO, a liquid sealer.
Shrewsbury School three-level garage: A combination of a layer of PENETRON, PENEBAR SW waterstop strips and, finally, PENESEAL PRO, was sprayed on to protect the concrete from any water penetration.
