Wat Mangkon Kamalawat
Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, founded in 1871, is a famous Chinese temple located in the Chinatown district of Bangkok, near the Chao Phraya River. During monsoon season, the temple and surrounding communities frequently experience flooding. Each year, the highest tide of Chao Phraya River inundates the area, significantly impacting residents’ daily routines.
To address this issue, the temple’s abbot initiated a pilot “underground water retention” project, to mitigate flooding. The project included a five-storey school building and a three-storey Chinese Charity Hall, with a three-storey car park and an underground water retention tank beneath both structures. Under normal conditions, the underground space serves as a car park, but during the rainy season it is designed to function as a flood retention chamber (inspired by the late King Rama IX’s ‘Monkey Cheek’ (Kaem Ling) water management strategy) when required. The system has a retention capacity of 10,000 m3, helping to reduce flood risks in the area.
Launched in 2021, this project specified Xypex Crystalline technology solutions and systems to provide the required sustainable waterproofing to the structures. Xypex Concentrate coating was specified to treat over 2,100 m2 of basement structures, including concrete slabs, water tanks, fire-fighting storage tanks and lift pits. Following the primary coating application, the treated areas were then cured with Xypex Gamma Cure to ensure an efficient curing process and meet construction timelines.
In addition, over 1,600 metres of construction joints in D-wall, kingposts and roof structures were sealed with Corkjoint Waterstop, Superswell 47B, coupled with Xypex Concentrate, as part of Xypex standard method to further enhance watertightness.
This project has leveraged key benefits of Xypex systems, including the formation of crystalline technology in concrete substrates, which makes the concrete impermeable, provides self-healing capabilities for cracks up to 0.4 mm wide, and prevents water penetration from any direction. Additionally, Xypex also protects against carbonation attacks caused by vehicle emissions, particularly the temple’s underground parking area (under non-flood conditions), ensuring durability throughout the concrete’s lifespan.
With Xypex technology, Thailand’s first underground floodwater storage area has been successfully waterproofed, preventing rebar corrosion and concrete degradation. This enhances the durability and long-term service life of the structures, aligning with the initial requirements set by the Asset owner and engineering teams.