California Academy of Science

The California Academy of Science in San Francisco, California, is one of the largest natural history museums in the world. As a result of previous earthquake damage to the original building, plans were made to move the museum to a brand new completely re-designed building which opened to the public in 2008. At the time of construction it was the largest public LEED Platinum-certified building in the world, and also the world’s greenest museum. Xypex waterproofing helped this building achieve its platinum rating by allowing for the elimination of waterproofing membranes in the structure.

The foundation is four levels below grade and was constructed using structure shotcrete techniques for placement of the vertical concrete. Both the shotcrete walls and the normally placed slab on ground were treated with 2.5% Xypex Admix C-500 to create a waterproof tank foundation. A drainage layer and weeping tile were installed on the outside of foundation to provide a drain path for water.Xypex Admix C-500 was also used to waterproof all of the water retaining pools and structures within the museum.

The Xypex Crystalline Waterproofing additive was used in more than 4,500 cubic yards of conventional concrete and shotcrete. The use of Xypex Admix C-500 provided a cost-effective solution for waterproofing of the structure and water holding features of the California Academy of Science.

Specifications
Owner: City of San Francisco
Designer: Gordon H. Chong & Partners
Contrator: Webcor Construction / Webcor Concrete
Applicator: Dees-Hennessey, Inc.
Ready Mix: Bodi Gravel; Central Concrete