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<h1>Animal_Applications.pdf</h1> <p>Design <br />Engineering <br />Construction</p> <p>INSIDE: Leadership • Drain-Free Pools • Community Action</p> <p>Engineered</p> <p>Wonderment <br />Keys to ensuring <br />watertight marine exhibits</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>Volume 13 <br />Number 1 <br />January 2011 <br />$7.00</p> <p>Contents <br />january 2011</p> <p>Features</p> <p>30</p> <p>A Green Harvest</p> <p>40</p> <p>Animal <br />Applications</p> <p>By Ed Beaulieu <br />Revamping a <br />community’s role in <br />water management</p> <p>By Michael Mudrick <br />& Elena Danke <br />Marine exhibits and <br />the art of waterproofing</p> <p>48</p> <p>Planting a Pool <br />By James Robyn <br />Easing the way <br />toward acceptance of <br />‘natural’ pools</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>D</p> <p>Marine and zoological exhibits have always presented <br />watershapers with a variety of specific technical <br />challenges, not the least of which is devising a <br />waterproofing system that will keep these vessels watertight, the viewing areas dry and the <br />animal life safe. Here, Michael Mudrick and <br />Elena Danke of Aquafin discuss a variety <br />of lessons to be learned in pursuing these <br />projects – and how they apply to other watershapes as well.</p> <p>nimal <br />Applications <br />Photo by Sarah Johnson</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>By Michael Mudrick & Elena Danke</p> <p>esigning, engineering and installing watershapes for zoological and <br />aquarium applications is never a casual exercise, especially when it comes <br />to waterproofing. <br />Not only do you have to find a product or combination of products <br />that can accommodate various structural penetrations, adhere to all <br />of the materials being used and, quite often, conform to irregularly <br />shaped surfaces: Whatever material or system you select must also <br />accommodate the needs of the creatures that will eventually dwell <br />in these spaces. <br />As waterproofing specialists and engineers, we’ve dealt with these <br />projects at Aquafin (Elkton, Md.) for more than 20 years. Among the <br />principal lessons we’ve learned is that each installation is unique – but <br />that there’s much to be taken away from each experience that can be <br />applied elsewhere. We’ve also learned that it’s best when this experience <br />is shared openly so that all watershapers can reap the benefits. <br />Along the way, we’ve observed that product selection is more complex than many watershapers recognize and that, as important, proper <br />application is crucial to product performance and longevity. In addition and finally, we’re writing this because we see that the waterproofing techniques we’ve developed through these immense (and <br />immensely complicated) zoological and marine installations have <br />direct implications for other forms of watershaping. <br />Through our experience, in other words, we’ve come to see our <br />role as not just that of a material supplier, but also as a consulting <br />member of a larger team with an active role in a project’s success. As <br />is so often true, it helps in these situations if we get involved right <br />from the start – reviewing and providing drawings, offering installation training and support and generally working with the architects, <br />contractors, applicators, related suppliers and property owners to <br />ensure that all of the right products are selected and properly installed. <br />©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>With large-scale zoological and marine <br />exhibits, we know up front that the majority of leaks and waterproofing failures <br />take place in the areas around viewing <br />panels or windows and at other points <br />the shell has been penetrated. <br />Where even a newcomer would recognize that sealing the areas around <br />viewing panels and windows would be <br />an issue, we’re invariably amazed by the <br />great number of penetrations incorporated into the design of these vessels. It <br />begins, of course, with all of the intakes <br />and outlets for the circulation and filtration systems, but then there are the <br />points where decorative components of <br />the exhibit must be anchored, where <br />viewing panels are installed, where lighting fixtures are placed and more. <br />These are all penetrations of different <br />sizes and orientations and materials, and <br />waterproofing them successfully can require use of a number of different materials and techniques. As a result, versatility is very much the watchword as <br />planning proceeds. <br />To create zero-tolerance, absolutely <br />watertight penetrations, we generally recommend use of a combination of fluidapplied cementitious products along <br />with gaskets and sealing tapes. The gasket fits tightly around the penetrations <br />and is then embedded in two coats of <br />the waterproofing material to ensure a <br />completely watertight seal. <br />Next, joint-sealing tapes are placed atop</p> <p>the fluid-applied waterproofing material <br />while it is still wet in all wall/floor or wall/ <br />wall corners – an addition that enables us <br />to provide a seal that will be leak-proof <br />even if movement causes the fluid-applied <br />material to crack in the joint. This works <br />because the tapes themselves are specially <br />designed to be both waterproof and highly <br />flexible, with up to 600 percent elongation. <br />(This contrasts with mechanical fastening or anchoring, where if the waterproofing membrane is compromised, <br />leaks will potentially develop. The advantage of a fluid-applied material is that the <br />fastening system is effectively and directly <br />embedded in the wet material and will <br />form a waterproof seal when it cures.) <br />All of that work with pipes and anchor <br />bolts seems pretty pedestrian, however, <br />when compared with the challenge of <br />working with big viewing panels – typically a crucial inclusion because enabling <br />visitors to experience these exhibits and <br />their inhabitants at close range provides <br />revenues that help to keep these facilities <br />going and thriving. They may offer <br />splendid views of very special worlds, but <br />they also offer opportunities for leakage <br />and even a potential for disaster. <br />These viewing panels are typically <br />made of acrylic, which isn’t necessarily <br />the most compatible of all materials with <br />these exhibits’ concrete shells. This raises <br />the bar when it comes to effective waterproofing and makes it an area where we <br />frequently practice what we preach by <br />calling in the experts.</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>Photos courtesy Edge Concrete, Woodinville, Wash.</p> <p>Photos courtesy Cemrock Landscapes, Tuscon, Ariz.</p> <p>zero tolerance</p> <p>see and be seen <br />One project in particular where we <br />needed help was at Sea Life Arizona. <br />Located in land-locked Tempe, it opened <br />in May 2010 with the ambition to provide <br />kids with a fun, interactive and educational experience of marine life with an <br />aquarium large enough to house more <br />than 5,000 creatures. The tour opens <br />with a visit to an Arizona park lake, then <br />takes visitors to the shore of the Pacific <br />and on out to the ocean depths. <br />The main tank holds more than 160,000 <br />gallons of water and includes not only traditional underwater viewing windows, but <br />also features a 360-degree underwater <br />viewing tunnel that allows visitors sublime <br />access to an underwater world. <br />Generally, the window rebates (that is, <br />the frameworks) for these applications <br />are cast into the concrete shell, but in this <br />particular instance, the plans called for <br />use of stainless steel retaining structures <br />for all of the windows as well as the acrylic <br />tunnel. So rather than the usual challenge <br />of bringing concrete and acrylic together, <br />we had to add stainless steel into our considerations – a novelty that led to our collaboration with an expert. <br />Bob Gurth, owner of Aquatic Exhibit <br />Group (Wheat Ridge, Colo.), is an <br />Aquafin-certified applicator who, for <br />more than two decades, has designed and <br />built complex aquatic environments. <br />Among his many projects, he has dealt <br />with a number that presented interesting <br />challenges for waterproofing around the</p> <p>viewing panels – and this was another <br />project that proved to be right up his alley. <br />What he recommended was a schedule <br />in which the concrete tank’s walls were <br />waterproofed with Aquafin 2K/M, a cementitious, fluid-applied crack-isolation <br />membrane. This was brought all the way <br />to the edge of the steel in the window rebates. At that point of contact, an epoxy <br />product was used to prime the steel window frames so that the fluid-applied material would adhere properly. <br />The windows were lifted and set into <br />position, then a special silicone sealant <br />was used to create the final seal between <br />the epoxy and the acrylic. This was an <br />unusual finishing schedule – one we <br />would not have pursued without Gurth’s <br />expert guidance. <br />The general lesson here: Just about anything you need done when it comes to <br />waterproofing a pool or spa or fountain <br />can be done, and it’s more than helpful <br />in doing so to be able to call on professionals with the expertise required to get <br />the job done right the first time through.</p> <p>climate counts <br />The challenges that flow from unusual <br />intersections of materials are one thing; <br />the problems presented by climate and <br />temperature changes are quite another <br />– often dramatically so. Indeed, as every <br />watershaper who works in concrete in <br />any locality where seasons are a factor <br />knows that temperature fluctuations can <br />create substantial amounts of movement</p> <p>The variety of shell penetrations in marine and zoological exhibits is quite broad – not just for numerous lights and circulation inlets and outlets, but also quite commonly for viewing windows of <br />various shapes and sizes. As a result, a number of different waterproofing techniques, materials <br />and approaches must be applied, all with great and specific care.</p> <p>in concrete structures. <br />Take the case of the Denver Zoo and <br />its new Asian Tropics exhibit as an example: When planning this 16-acre complex, the project team ran up against a <br />variety of interesting waterproofing challenges with its large outdoor watershapes. <br />In August, the average temperature in <br />Denver ranges from daytime highs in the <br />90s to nighttime lows in the 60s – a <br />healthy but bearable swing. In the winter <br />months, however, the highs might creep <br />into the 40s with lows dropping well below freezing and even down into the teens.</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>It’s obvious that these seasonal temperature changes will cause major thermal expansion and shrinkage in the concrete. <br />And as the concrete shell of the watershape moves, the waterproofing must <br />accommodate this movement; otherwise, cracks will form and leaks are inevitable. For all their versatility, epoxybased products are generally not up to <br />that sort of challenge. Instead, we’ve <br />found through experience that cementbased products – when modified using <br />polymer additives – can achieve the significant sorts of elongation capabilities</p> <p>Photos courtesy Dodson Studios, Warrenton, Va.</p> <p>by keeping the groundwater from penetrating the outside of the shell. <br />As an additional layer of protection, <br />we waterproofed the entire inside surface <br />of the shell on the positive side with our <br />highly flexible cementitious fluid-applied <br />membrane. Offering greater than 70 <br />percent elongation, this coating will allow <br />the concrete to “move” in response to <br />thermal shifts both high and low. We <br />also used this product along with jointsealing tapes and gaskets to secure all <br />penetrations and drains.</p> <p>material differences <br />In constructing watershapes in these unusual environments, we typically encounter <br />wide varieties of building materials, from <br />concrete and steel to fiberglass and various <br />other materials. <br />All of them need to be waterproofed <br />or treated in some manner, and we always <br />explain to product teams and contractors <br />that it is advantageous to reduce the <br />number of different materials they use <br />because it will significantly simplify the <br />waterproofing tasks we need to perform.</p> <p>Completely Harmless <br />Unlike most decorative watershapes, large aquariums and zoo exhibits are designed <br />to meet the specific needs of their occupants – creatures that come with specific sets of <br />needs that must be met if they are to survive in captivity. <br />As a rule, fish and sea life spend all of their time submerged and have little if any direct <br />contact with the coatings applied to keep their environments waterproof, but penguins <br />and elephants and other animals that move from the water to dry land can spend a <br />lot of time in contact with their surroundings. <br />As a result – and in addition to being resistant to saltwater and/or the chemicals used <br />to balance water chemistry – the coatings and products used in these settings absolutely <br />cannot release any harmful substances back into the water. This means they must be <br />solvent-free, completely non-toxic and certified for safe contact with drinking water.</p> <p>– M.M. & E.D.</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>Of course, they don’t universally cooperate with that recommendation, which <br />is why we’ve developed versatile, efficient <br />waterproofing agents that will adhere to <br />a range of different materials and surfaces. <br />This is an important point, because not <br />all materials available in the marketplace <br />have that degree of versatility. So when <br />we get involved, we want to know up front <br />which materials need to be sealed so we <br />can make recommendations about products to be used with confidence that they <br />will work. Sometimes things aren’t that <br />simple, of course, but in some cases one <br />product will do – which property owners <br />like because it saves money. <br />When Chatanooga’s Tennessee Zoo <br />added its new penguin facility, for example, <br />cost was definitely a factor, and the designers were trying to cut costs by reducing the <br />volume of concrete to be used in the construction. To make this happen, they decided that only the water-holding portion <br />of the exhibit was to be concrete, while the <br />surrounding walls were to be built with <br />DensGlass Gold gypsum sheathing from <br />Georgia Pacific (Atlanta). <br />It seemed a reasonable solution, but it <br />set aside the fact that penguins can make <br />a mess and that cleaning up after them <br />is definitely an issue. <br />The upshot was that the entire exhibit <br />had to be able to withstand high-pres-</p> <p>Illustration courtesy Aquatic Exhibit Group, Wheat Ridge, Colo.</p> <p>that are required in these situations. <br />Again, it helps if we’re involved early <br />on, because we know that curing of the <br />concrete shell is another critical factor in <br />material selection. Epoxies and urethanes, for example, require average curing times for the concrete substrate of 28 <br />days – and a completely dry surface is required. By contrast, breathable cementitious coatings can be installed as few as <br />three days after concrete placement. <br />(These product distinctions are larger <br />issues in repair and rehabilitation work: <br />We’re generally called in to fix problems <br />in wet or damp areas where getting things <br />dry generally happens only after the repair products have been installed.) <br />Taking all of this into consideration, <br />the project team for the Asian Tropics <br />exhibit chose to go with a combination <br />of cementitious products for waterproofing the outdoor watershapes. <br />We started by adding a liquid crystalline waterproofing admixture to the <br />shotcrete batches when they arrived at <br />the site. By introducing the waterproofing agent directly into the shotcrete mix, <br />we ensured that the entire structure <br />would effectively be waterproof on both <br />the positive and negative sides, thereby <br />protecting the reinforcing steel from corrosion and damage by not only keeping <br />the exhibit’s water in the tank, but also</p> <p>It’s fairly common in aquatic zoological exhibits <br />for there to be bulkhead-style viewing windows <br />of a sort familiar to any watershaper who has <br />used a big acrylic panel in a swimming pool project. Extensive waterproofing is required to <br />make certain water doesn’t somehow migrate <br />around the panel to mar the aesthetics of the <br />viewing area, but the construction detail itself <br />is fairly straightforward if due care is taken in <br />forming the openings.</p> <p>sure water-jet cleaning as well as mechanical brushing. Basically, the management decided that what they wanted <br />was a facility that could be cleaned from <br />top to bottom without having to worry <br />about exposing the walls to water – easy <br />to achieve with concrete, not so easy <br />with gypsum sheathing. <br />This sent the designers on a quest for <br />a material that could run up beyond the <br />©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>shell and onto the walls and adhere effectively to both materials as a monolithic finish that would withstand the <br />water jets and the brushes as well as the <br />high pH levels caused by penguin waste. <br />This led them to us and our coating system, which has the ability to adhere to <br />a variety of substrates while providing <br />a pH-resistant, non-toxic finish – all <br />within budget.</p> <p>Photos by Grant Brummett, www.grantbrummett.com</p> <p>Photo: Aquatic Exhbit Group</p> <p>In more elaborate projects, all sorts of complex, additional shell penetrations can become <br />factors in the waterproofing program. In the <br />case of Sea Life Arizona, for example, the decorative elements within the 160,000-gallon <br />main tank all had to be anchored into the shell, <br />and the installation of the acrylic viewing tunnel was so complex that even we brought in a <br />waterproofing consultant to make certain <br />everything would perform as expected.</p> <p>reaching out <br />Clearly, these sorts of zoological and <br />marine environments pose unusual challenges to any company that gets involved <br />in such projects. But the lessons about <br />waterproofing to be learned in these critical applications definitely carry over to <br />other projects where adequate waterproofing is an issue. <br />The keys include good planning coupled <br />with careful installation. More than once, <br />we’ve been called in after a system has <br />failed, and invariably it has to do with the <br />fact that the wrong product was selected – <br />or the right product was used improperly. <br />It’s not that they didn’t specifically call us, <br />because there are other suppliers out there <br />who do a good job with waterproofing <br />Instead, the project team hadn’t seen a need <br />to get expert help early in the design process <br />and ended up needing to foot the bill for <br />what proved to be a tremendouslyexpensive <br />repair job.</p> <p>If you take only one message from this <br />article, it should be this: If a project calls <br />for it, there are no shortcuts when it comes <br />to waterproofing. This is why we always <br />stress the importance of working with experts who understand product selection <br />and application and know the sorts of <br />risks that come with compromise. <br />You don’t need to work on a penguin <br />exhibit or a shark tank to appreciate the <br />value of getting things right the first time <br />through. The lessons to be learned in <br />those critical and even life-or-death applications easily transfer to any context <br />where care is required and you don’t want <br />to leave the success of a project to chance. <br />If you do get the opportunity to pursue <br />this sort of work, keep your mind open <br />and recognize the fact that there lots of <br />professionals out there who are ready to <br />help – including some, like us, who specialize in keeping water where it belongs! <br />©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p> <p>©2011 WaterShapes. Reproduced by permission.</p>
