LATICRETE®, a global leader in the manufacturing of innovative systems for the installation of ceramic tile and stone, partnered this August with International Materials Inc. to develop a shock resistant, direct adhered façade system for the United States Department of State that could serve as the new standard specification to protect high-risk government buildings and airports from improvised acts of terror.

International Materials recently developed Sure-Board®, a steel sheet and medium density fiberboard composite shear wall, and is proposing to the U.S. Department of State that it be used in conjunction with the LATICRETE Direct Adhered Façade System to protect buildings in the U.S. from severe damage if attacked by improvised explosive devices or similar acts of terrorism.

In order for International Materials and LATICRETE to gain approval for a new specification standard to be put in place, the materials provided by both firms had to undergo extensive testing to prove they were shock resistant enough to withstand psi levels consistent with what an IED or truck bomb might generate.

To witness the testing, more than 40 officials from the U.S. Military, Department of Defense, Department of State, as well as architects and engineers from the U.S General Services Administration (GSA), gathered in the New Mexico desert at Kirtland Air Force Base on the outskirts of Albuquerque to witness the successful completion of International Materials testing of its new Sure-Board blast resistant shear wall installed using LATICRETE system materials. As this was just the testing phase, no official specification has been approved, but the results were more than positive.

In order to conduct the test, LATICRETE contractor sales representatives Tim Evans and Brian Swann traveled to International Materials headquarters in Southern California to build four test panels that would be trucked to New Mexico. The panels were constructed with metals studs, Sure-Board and concrete backer board, and a ½” thick slab of black granite was installed with the LATICRETE Direct Adhered Façade System.

The first step in the installation was to roller apply LATICRETE Hydro Ban™, a revolutionary new one-component, liquid applied waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane to the substrate. LATICRETE Hydro Ban is GREENGUARD Certified and Robinson Floor Testing rated “Extra Heavy.”

LATICRETE Hydro Ban was followed by a mortar bed consisting of a mixture of LATICRETE 4237 Latex Additive and LATICRETE 211 Powder, to create a high-strength adhesive for the granite slabs that meets and exceeds all national and international service standards.

For the final step, the installation was finished with LATICRETE Latasil™, a high-performance, 100 percent silicone sealant that will not crack, soften in the joints or stain natural stone. LATICRETE Latasil is GREENGUARD Certified and inhibits the growth of mold and mildew in sealant joints with antimicrobial product protection from Microban®.

The four 9’ x 6’ panels were then bolted into 12’ x 12’ concrete cubes and two of them were positioned at distances of 85 feet and 115 feet from a detonation of 375 pounds of C-4 plastic explosives. For perspective, 1.25 pounds of C-4 plastic explosives is the standard measurement used to obliterate a truck, and eight to 10 pounds is the standard demolition charge needed to destroy structural columns when imploding a high rise.

When the 375 pounds of C-4 was detonated, the closest cube at 85 feet from the blast received a compression rating of 25.66 psi, which is 150 times the current standard set by the GSA of 10 psi. A blast of 10 psi will usually completely destroy a test panel. With Sure-Board factored into this installation, the concrete cube received seven cracks but no delamination, despite the fact that the pressure from the blast forced the center of wall to flex an estimated 2 inches. The granite slabs adhered to the cube with the LATICRETE System stayed put, suffering only small cracks at the corners were they were secured to the cube and limited in movement. Most importantly, there was no significant interior damage.

The second cube set 115 feet from the blast suffered significantly less damage, with just two cracks in the cube and again, no interior damage. The second wall received 17.74 psi, still 7.74 psi above the GSA’s accepted standard.

LATICRETE is a global leader in the manufacturing of tile and stone installation systems, known and trusted for industry leading innovation and expertise. For in-depth technical support and answers to your installation or application questions call toll free: (800) 243-4788 ext 235, or outside the USA: (203) 393-0010, ext 235,. E-mail: support@laticrete.com. Comprehensive LATICRETE and industry information can be found on the web at: www.laticrete.com. LATICRETE, LATAPOXY and the LATICRETE logo are registered trademarks of LATICRETE INTERNATIONAL, Inc.