Over the last two decades, Penetron Russia has been busy providing a cure to hospitals and healthcare centers across the country. The May 2018 inauguration of a new Medical Services Center in Chelyabinsk in Southern Ural is only one of the most recent hospitals and private clinics that have benefited from PENETRON crystalline technology.
The Russian healthcare system is a combination of public hospitals and clinics and private facilities. In recent years, construction of private medical facilities has accelerated – and Penetron has provided an important technology to enable durable hospitals – the PENETRON System.
The most recent project to profit from PENETRON crystalline technology is the brand-new Medical Services Center in Chelyabinsk, Russia. Construction of this new facility included a large underground parking garage and underground pedestrian tunnels to connect the hospital buildings and protect employees from the harsh Siberian weather.
“Originally, project plans specified installation of a membrane to waterproof the below-grade concrete structures against the high water table encountered at the construction site,” explained Igor Chernogolov, President of Penetron Russia. “Our team of experts at Penetron Chelyabinsk showed the project architects how a crystalline solution would be considerably more economical to apply than a membrane installation, and also deliver a permanent solution that would virtually eliminate maintenance costs of the concrete hospital structures exposed to the groundwater.”
PENETRON ADMIX was mixed into the concrete used for the parking garage and tunnels; PENEBAR SWwaterstop was applied to seal the new construction joints.
Beyond the Medical Services Center in Chelyabinsk, Penetron Russia continues to work on healthcare construction projects across the country. Below is a selection of the most recent highlights:
Hospital of the Presidential Administration, Moscow
The Hospital of the Presidential Administration recently underwent a comprehensive renovation and reconstruction effort. The imposing, four-floor hospital building had been abandoned in the early 1990s and decayed quickly. In addition, the building’s location on the banks of Yauza River hastened the decay of the concrete basement structures. This led to flooding in the rehab center; the walls were covered with mold and exposed concrete was scaling.
The Penetron Moscow team proposed a combination of PENETRON crystalline materials to rehabilitate the damaged structure and ensure there would be no leaks in the renovated hospital. The simplicity of the Penetron System made application easy, saving time on the construction schedule – and helping to transform a derelict building into a new and modern hospital facility for government employees and the public.
Achinsk Maternity Hospital
Achinsk, a small city in the Krasnoyarsk Region of Central Siberia, recently opened the new Achinsk Maternity Hospital.
“The Penetron Krasnoyarsk team worked with the Achinsk project managers to come up with a waterproofing solution that was permanent and would withstand the brutal climate in this region. Penetron materials have proven their durability even north of the Arctic Circle,” adds Igor Chernogolov.
Khakassia Republican Hospital
The Khakassia Republican Hospital, a maternity hospital located in Abakan, in the Khakassia Republic of Russia, had all concrete basement structures treated with PENETRON ADMIX for protection against concrete deterioration caused by freeze-thaw cycles, corrosion and the hydrostatic pressure from groundwater commonly encountered in that part of Siberia. The admixture was easily mixed into the concrete during batching and unaffected by climatic conditions. As an integral part of the matrix, PENETRON ADMIX remains effective during the life of the concrete.
Belgorod Maternity Hospital
Project managers for the new Belgorod Maternity Hospital (in Western Russia close to the Ukrainian border) called on Promstroysouz, the local Penetron representative, for a reliable waterproofing solution. The hospital’s basement structure had been exposed to a high water table, resulting in numerous pressure leaks in the concrete matrix.
“Promstroysouz suggested a topical crystalline solution that was both economical to apply and has since restored the integrity of the basement and the hospital’s connecting pedestrian tunnels,” said Igor Chernogolov. “The Belgorod Hospital will remain dry for decades.”
Karachayevo-Cherkessk Cancer Center & Cherkessk Children’s Hospital
Construction was recently completed on both the Karachayevo-Cherkessk Cancer Center and the Children’s Hospital in Cherkessk, the capital city of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic in the Caucasus region of Southern Russia. The below-grade basement structures of the Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital were treated with PENETRON ADMIX. Added during batching, the admixture provides self-healing capabilities for cracks in the concrete, while enhancing its compressive strength. Finally, and importantly for a children's hospital, the PENETRON crystalline materials are completely non-toxic and contain no VOCs.
Grand Medica Center
The new Grand Medica Center, located in Novokuznetsk City in the Kuznetsk Basin of Southwestern Siberia, is a private high-end clinic that serves the students and faculty of the local medical university. Inrusinvest, a local petrochemical company, invested US$ 4.8 million in the construction of this modern medical center. The new clinic offers a wide spectrum of services on 19,000 m2 of space, including five surgical chambers, 64 hospital beds, and a diagnostic center.
A rubber membrane was initially installed by the project contractor but proved unable to block the construction site’s high water table and the resulting pressure leaks in the concrete matrix. The local Penetron Kuzbass team provided a durable solution for the Grand Medica Center, which included initial applications of PENEPLUG to stabilize the concrete and eliminate any live leaks, followed by a topical application of PENETRON to penetrate and waterproof all concrete surfaces.
Baden-Baden Medical Rehabilitation Center
The new Baden-Baden Medical Rehabilitation Center just outside the city of Chelyabinsk is situated near a forested area and a lake in a bucolic setting. The facility opened earlier in 2018 and specializes in rehabilitative treatments. The Center’s concrete structures for the indoor and outdoor swimming pools were treated with PENETRON ADMIX to ensure a waterproof structure. Added during the batching phase and impervious to climactic conditions, PENETRON ADMIX was an optimal solution for the large, heated, saltwater therapy pools.
Igor Chernogolov concludes, “Our crystalline admixture not only saved time in the construction schedule, but will also ensure that the concrete structures will remain waterproof and durable for decades – even when exposed to the harsh Russian weather.”
PENETRON provides durability:
Public hospitals and private clinics in Russia have applied PENETRON crystalline technology for concrete structures in recent construction projects across the country.
