A case study from Kuwait City, State of Kuwait

Horizontal drainage system for underground structure

The renovation of the College of Engineering & Petroleum at Kuwait University included the establishment of a surrounding park. A part of the park was built above an existing concrete underground structure. To protect the integrity of this structure, EnkaDrain B10 was selected for drainage.

THE CHALLENGE

Water can cause major disturbances in civil engineering works, both under construction and throughout its service life. Usually, the concrete structures are not designed to resist the water pressure, therefore, additional pressure can lead to collapse.

The drainage system has to fulfil the following requirements:

  • Provide the appropriate discharge capacity under the maximum earth pressure of the project
  • Resist the load due to the compaction of the fill

 

THE ENKA SOLUTION

Replacing gravel, EnkaDrain B10/2s, one of our standard product range for over 25 years, offers effective solutions in vertical and horizontal drainage for parking decks, bridge abutments, retaining walls, concrete foundations of buildings, tunnels etc…

The product is based on a three-dimensional geospacer combined with a filter geotextile. The geospacer is consisting of PP monofilaments, offering 95% of void spacing.

 

INSTALLATION BENEFITS & RESULTS

EnkaDrain B10/2s is a lightweight, durable, flexible and quick to install the product. It presents high-level hydraulic performances, uniform in all directions including on a long-term perspective: the structure of its drainage core is not sensitive to the filter intrusion phenomenon, the space between contact points core/filter being very small compared to other types of drainage structures.

It creates an air layer between the construction and soil and therefore reduces the risk of humidity in the concrete structure.

EnkaDrain is easy to handle. Cutting can be managed with scissors or a cutter. Due to its flexibility, it can be applied with precision even in corners or pinch points. EnkaDrain includes fleece overlaps to avoid loss of material. The connection is made by nailing or glueing with a speed ratio estimated from 25 to 30 m2 per hour during vertical installation and 50 to 60 m2 per hour during horizontal installation. No additional gravel material is needed, even for the junction with the pipe, which can drain the collected water away.

EnkaDrain B10 ensures horizontal drainage to avoid any water pressure on the concrete, makes sure that unnecessary water is drained away, and guarantees an airflow to keep the concrete dry. EnkaDrain offers a complete drainage system.