Kaheel Project · Case Studies

The challenge

Kaheel is a residential development of 1,492 units in the Al Sedra neighbourhood of Riyadh. The client aimed to set the Guinness World Record for the largest continuous concrete pour with the raft foundation. The raft was 1.5 m deep and needed around 70,000 m³ of concrete placed without a break. The pour started on a Thursday evening, at the start of the Saudi weekend, when traffic bans limit truck mixer movement. The site lies between the airport area and major business districts (Riyadh Front and Business Gate), which made logistics harder. The concrete had to be approved and placed promptly on arrival. Several concrete suppliers were involved.

The DCP solution

DCP supplied high range water reducing admixtures with workability retention, Hyperplast PC313M and Hyperplast PC318. Both are based on polycarboxylic ether polymers. They kept the concrete workable and held the slump for mass concreting and the deep raft. Flocrete RPC20, a retarding and water reducing admixture, was used to offset the effect of hot weather on setting time and to cover transport delays. The concrete was premixed with DCP admixtures at the ready-mix plants. Cempatch SBR100, a one component styrene butadiene rubber latex bonding agent, was used where concrete from different suppliers met and at possible cold joints if pouring stopped. DCP also gave technical support on site.

DCP products used

Admixtures Hyperplast PC313M High range water reducing admixture with workability retention properties Product page: Hyperplast PC313M

Admixtures Hyperplast PC318 High range water reducing admixture with workability retention properties Product page: Hyperplast PC318

Admixtures Flocrete RPC20 Retarding and water reducing admixture Product page: Flocrete RPC20

Adhesives Cempatch SBR100 Liquid polymer bonding agent for cement containing mixes Product page: Cempatch SBR100

How it was applied

Premix the concrete at the ready-mix plants with Hyperplast PC313M or Hyperplast PC318 for workability retention.
Add Flocrete RPC20 to extend setting time in hot weather and allow for transport delays.
Pour the raft continuously, with DCP technical staff on site.
Use Cempatch SBR100 to bond between batches from different suppliers and at potential cold joints.

The result

After about 72 hours of continuous pouring, judges from Guinness World Records confirmed the Kaheel raft as the largest continuous concrete pour on record. DCP admixtures were used in almost 30,000 m³ of the 69,824.87 m³ placed. The project manager thanked the DCP team for its on-site technical support.

More photos

Concrete placed through dense reinforcement in the 1.5 m deep raft

Raft foundation pour in progress across the site