Inaugurated in late 2024, the canal lock at the Portobello Resort & Safari Hotel in Mangaratiba, Brazil, is not only an engineering marvel, it also provides guests and residents easy access to the resort’s canals. The Penetron System of crystalline waterproofing products was specified to protect the concrete structures of the canal lock from the marine environment.

Nestled between the Serra do Mar mountains and the Ilha Grande Bay on the Atlantic coast about 66 miles (106 km) west of Rio de Janeiro, Mangaratiba is a picturesque municipality known for its stunning natural beauty, with vistas of lush landscapes and pristine beaches.

A highlight of Mangaratiba, the Portobello Resort & Safari Hotel, is a luxury vacation destination covering approximately 2,500 hectares (6,178 acres). The high-end development features Polynesian-style architecture and offers guests guided safari tours in its wild animal park; further amenities include a marina, equestrian center, tennis & paddleball courts, swimming pool, bowling lanes, bike paths, fitness facilities, private airstrip, access canal – and white sand beaches.

“The Portobello Resort & Safari Hotel recently completed an impressive engineering project: the construction of a lock on the access canal,” notes Cláudio Neves Ourives, CEO and Managing Partner of Penetron Brazil.

By altering the level of water in a canal, canal locks allow boats to safely and efficiently navigate between different water levels. A lock consists of a lock chamber to hold the water. In the case of the Portobello resort, the lock is made of concrete, which is constantly exposed to water. Typically, the top lock only opens when the lock is full of water, and the bottom gate will only open when the lock is empty or nearly empty.

Completion of the canal lock facilitates the movement of boats through the 8 km (5 miles) channel network for residents and visitors of the Portobello Resort & Safari Hotel.

“Thanks to the success of similar marine-based projects in Brazil – such as the Portocel shipping port in Espirito Santo – the Penetron System was specified to protect the exposed concrete structures of the canal lock from constant exposure to seawater and chloride penetration,” adds Cláudio Neves Ourives.

PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline waterproofing admixture, was added to the concrete mix for the bottom slab and walls of the lock chamber. The diaphragm walls were repaired with PENEPLUG, a rapid-setting cementitious repair grout. A topically-applied layer of PENETRON, an integral crystalline waterproofing material, completed the waterproofing treatment.

“Concrete treated with the Penetron System is impermeable. The crystalline network generated by the active ingredients in Penetron’s crystalline products stops water, chloride ions, and harmful chemicals from entering the concrete, even under the high hydrostatic pressure common in a canal lock,” concludes Cláudio Neves Ourives. “Last but not least, the ability of the treated concrete matrix to permanently self-heal any microcracks minimizes deterioration for the service life of the concrete structure.”