Las Vegas Airport adopts GCP waterproofing solutions

Using PREPRUFE®, BITUTHENE®, and HYDRODUCT® waterproofing solutions, the Las Vegas Airport goes high-tech

Project
Las Vegas McCarran International Airport Terminal 3
Owner
Clark County, Nevada, Department of Aviation (CCDOA)
Architect/Designer
Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville, Inc. (PGAL), Las Vegas Nevada
Waterproofing Contractor
Commercial Roofers, Inc., Las Vegas, Nevada
GCP Solutions
PREPRUFE® 300R & 160R waterproofing membranes, BITUTHENE® 4000 waterproofing membrane, BITUTHENE® DECK PREP® and HYDRODUCT® 220, 225, and 660 drainage composites

Project Profile

The Project

Airport construction brings airside improvements

Nearly half of all visitors to Las Vegas arrive by air at McCarran International Airport, making it one of the 10 busiest airports in the United States. Airside improvements have enabled the airport to safely handle the growing number of aircraft operations, but the two existing terminals, airport roadway, and parking facilities were not able to handle its annual capacity target of 53.6 million passengers.

The recently completed $2.4 billion airport construction plan features a new Terminal 3, the addition of 14 more gates, and a new automated people-mover system that connects Terminal 3 with McCarran’s existing Terminal 1 via an underground tunnel, maximizing the use of the limited space available on the landlocked site. The project included a 1.8 million sq. ft. terminal building on three levels.

Designed by Pierce, Goodwin, Alexander & Linville, Inc. (PGAL), airport construction plans for Terminal 3 included its own central plant, roadway, parking garage, ticketing counters, and baggage claim. Passengers are conveyed in comfort by the underground people-mover system to and from the existing D Gates Concourse of Terminal 1, about 900 feet to the south.

"GCP’s PREPRUFE®, BITUTHENE®, and HYDRODUCT® products were tested and proven solutions. The previous use of similar GCP products met the owner’s expectations, and their comfort level with this high-performing waterproofing system was another consideration."
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David Moss, Principal,

Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville, Inc. (PGAL)

The Challenge

No gambling with airport construction

While the bustling McCarran International has more than 1,300 slot machines located throughout its existing terminal buildings, the Department of Aviation wasn’t gambling with the Terminal 3 airport construction. Because the train station and utilidor tunnel were in the water table, waterproofing was critical. The materials specified provided trouble-free resistance to hydrostatic pressure from the groundwater—and had to be installed during cold and severely hot weather.

In addition, notes David Moss, a PGAL principal, “Aircrafts will be parking directly above the train station and the tunnel, and it was very critical that the waterproofing system withstand water and also hydrocarbons that may leak from the ramp.”

As Randall Walker, Director of Aviation at McCarran, sums up, “The airport continues to be a reflection of the community's growth. As the gateway for one of the world's most popular travel destinations, we wanted to ensure we achieved that objective by building and maintaining state-of-the-art facilities, maximizing existing resources, and capitalizing on new and innovative technology.”

"Aircrafts will be parking directly above the train station and the tunnel, and it was very critical that the waterproofing system withstand water and also hydrocarbons that may leak from the ramp.  "

The Solution

Proven waterproofing for airport construction

Leveraging GCP’s years of experience in urban project planning, Moss chose to use PREPRUFE® pre-applied waterproofing system, BITUTHENE® self-adhesive membrane waterproofing, and HYDRODUCT® drainage composite systems. They are “tested and proven products” that were used in an existing tunnel to the D gates.

“The previous use of similar GCP products met the owner’s expectations. Their comfort level with this high-performing compatible waterproofing system was another consideration,” he said. In addition, GCP also provided single-source warranty responsibility for the specified products. The specifications include 3rd party inspection and a 10-year warranty after airport construction.

Together, the station and the tunnel comprise approximately 600,000 square feet of excavation and airport construction, requiring 275,000 sq. ft. of PREPRUFE® and 370,000 sq. ft. of BITUTHENE® waterproofing membranes, along with HYDRODUCT® drainage composite.

Subsequent stages, including the terminal building foundation, central plant-utilidor package, and roadway package, required 612,000 sq. ft. of PREPRUFE® and 71,000 sq. ft. of BITUTHENE® membranes. After excavation, a mud slab, or raft, about 2 inches (5.08 cm) thick was poured to provide a smooth, level subsurface for the underground floor slab. Then PREPRUFE® 300R membrane, which is specifically designed for use below slabs, was installed. The product is a 46 mil-thick membrane with puncture-resistant HDPE film and GCP’s patented Advanced Bond Technology™.

PREPRUFE® forms a permanent, seamless seal against water, unlike conventional non-adhering membranes, which cannot prevent water ingress between the membrane and the concrete structure. The high tensile strength of PREPRUFE® also withstands the stress of ground settlement. Shelly Hayden, the Manager of Airport Architecture for the Department of Aviation reported, “Other products don’t compare to the PREPRUFE® pre-applied waterproofing system.”

A total of 887,000 sq. ft. of PREPRUFE® and 441,000 sq. ft. of BITUTHENE® waterproofing membranes, along with HYDRODUCT® drainage composites, now protect the new terminal building, underground ATS tunnel and station, central plant, and utilidor from groundwater and hydrocarbon runoff from aircraft operations.

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"Their comfort level with this high-performing compatible waterproofing system was another consideration."

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Last Updated: 2023-04-25

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