ADPRUFE® AP3

Enhanced Concrete Performance

This enhanced concrete performance is achieved by:

• Significantly reduced water absorption and penetration

• Reduction in drying shrinkage which produces fewer and thinner cracks

• A low water-cement ratio, which reduces capillary paths in the cured concrete

• High slump, workable concrete mix for ease of placement

When Adprufe AP3 is used with ADVA® high performance concrete admixtures, highly effective integrally waterproof concrete is achieved.

System Components

• Adprufe AP3 — liquid waterproof concrete admixture

•  Adprufe AP3 — liquid waterproof concrete admixture

•  Adcor® 500S — hydro-expansive waterstop system for construction joints and penetrations

• Betec® 350 — cementitious compound for sealing tie-bar holes
• Serviseal® AT — PVC/hydrophilic co-extruded waterstop for designed movement joints

Applications

• Adprufe provides structurally integral waterproofing (Type B construction) as defined in BS 8102 1990 and is suitable for Basement grades 1 to 4

• Water-retaining structures

• Swimming pools

• Lift pits

• Tunnels

Adprufe is not intended or recommended for use in areas where concrete is expected to be exposed to repetitive freeze-thaw cycling, unless the concrete has been air-entrained. Consult GCP for further advice.

Design Criteria

Concrete structures must be designed in accordance with BS 8110 1997 Part 1, or a comparable code. A maximum design crack width of 0.3mm must be used in the reinforced concrete design.

All water-retaining structures must be designed in accordance with BS 8007 1987, or a comparable code. A maximum design crack width of 0.2mm or less must be used in the reinforced concrete design.

Additional design guidance for dwellings is given in the Approved Document, Basements for Dwellings.

Properties

Appearance: Straw coloured clear liquid

Air Entrainment: The product does not entrain additional air

Chloride Content: Nil

Specific Gravity: Approx. 0.86

Compatibility

With cements: Adprufe AP3 can be used with all types of Portland Cements, including sulphate-resisting cements. It is compatible with concrete containing pulverised fuel ash (pfa), ground granulated blast furnace slag (ggbfs) and microsilica. For other cement types consult GCP.

With other admixtures: As with all concrete admixtures, Adprufe AP3 should not be pre-mixed with other admixtures or chemicals. The product is engineered to be used with superplasticisers from GCP Applied Technologies, but must be added separately. Physical properties of the concrete may be adversely affected if Adprufe is used with other admixtures and chemicals.

Mix Design

Adprufe AP3 is engineered for use in concrete with medium to high workability and with a maximum water-cement ratio of 0.4. For best water absorption result, keep the concrete water-cement ratio at 0.40 or below. However, if a higher water-cement ratio is used, depending on project requirements, it is necessary to ascertain results through trial mixes. Adprufe AP3 admixture reduces the water absorption of hardened concrete. It is possible there may be compressive strength variances ranging from 0% to 15%, however the figure is typically less than 10%; mix designs should take this into account.

In mix designs proportioned for high strength concrete or durability, this level of strength reduction is typically not an issue. For established concrete mixtures where strength must be maintained, superplasticisers may be used to cut water to offset the strength reduction.

GCP recommends the use of ADVA superplasticiser (see separate product data sheet). Where alternative superplasticisers are used, ensure they produce the specified workability and maximum water-cement ratio, at the equivalent cement content. When non-GCP superplasticiser is being considered we recommend trial mixes to ensure compatibility. For further advice consult GCP Applied Technologies.