Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) waterproofing membrane, developed by Keshun Waterproof Technology (Keshun), has been applied to the Science Hall of Western China (Chongqing) Science City. It is the outcome of 2023 NEXCEL TDA project "Development and engineering demonstration for thermoplastic polyolefin waterproofing sheets with high flame retardancy and long service life".
As an important part of the Western (Chongqing) Science City, the Science Hall project has a construction area of 247,000 square meters, with a total investment of 5 billion CNY. The Science Hall has a massive metal roof with a span of 72 meters and irregular shapes. The undulating and curved roof design with multiple corners brings various challenges for the construction and installation of TPO waterproofing membrane.
In response to the construction requirements of metal roof waterproofing in large hall, Keshun has selected TPO waterproofing membranes as the preferred solution. Moreover, in order to meet the requirements of roof waterproofing for the flame retardant and ultra long durability during service, the project team carried out research from three aspects: flame retardant system, weather resistant additive system, and production process. They developed TPO flame retardant masterbatch and novel composite weather resistant additive suitable for long-term high-temperature working conditions. Through process optimization, they ultimately produced a new type of TPO waterproof roll with high flame retardant inner layer and high weather resistance outer layer, and established the production line with an annual output of 200,000 square meters.
The high-performance TPO waterproof membrane with high flame retardancy and ultra long service life has passed over 10,000 hours of artificial climate aging test and B2 level flame retardant level certification test, which can meet the engineering needs of the Science Hall project in Western (Chongqing) Science City. Keshun has successfully installed over 100,000 square meters of TPO waterproofing membranes on the roof of the Science Hall. The polymer content of the TPO membrane exceeds 70%, and the amount of polyolefin used per square meter of the membrane is 1.6 kilograms, with a total polyolefin consumption of over 160 tons for the project.
With the solar reflectance of nearly 80%, this novel TPO membrane also has better weather resistance, flame retardancy, thermal oxygen aging resistance, and mechanical properties than traditional asphalt membrane. It is perfectly compatible with complex metal roof structures, providing long protection for the roof waterproofing system of the Science Hall, effectively achieving "life expectancy matching with the building."