Dampproofing:

why, where and how?

For certain services dampproofing is adequate treatment

The air ducts above

the roadway
through this East
River Mountain
Tunnel at Bluefield,
West Virginia were
treated with a
sprayed bituminous
mastic.

ampproofing, according to ACI Committee

515, is the treatment of a surface or structure to
resist the passage of liquid water in the absence of hydrostatic pressure. Dampproofing is
considered to involve treating concrete to retardnot
stopthe absorption of water or water vapor by concrete or to retard the transmission of water and water
vapor through concrete. It has been said that a pressure greater than a 2-inch1* head of water can cause water to penetrate a surface that has been dampproofed
with a water repellent. Dampproofing can be done by
treatment of the surface, by use of a treated cement
(usually called a waterproof cement) or by incorporation of a suitable admixture. This article is concerned
only with the treatment of surfaces.

crete should be waterproofed instead of dampproofed. A

possible alternative is to install a drainage system at the
time of dampproofing to prevent development of a head
of water.

Dampproofing materials
The table lists a number of dampproofing materials
considered by ACI Committee 515 to be suitable for the
exposures indicated above or below grade. All or most
water-based portland cement paints (the first item in
the table) are now made with some material such as a
latex or spra y- d ried latex which aids in application,
eliminates the need for repeated moist curing efforts in
the first day or so, and contributes to the water repellency of the paint. Some portland cement-based dampproofing materials also contain ingredients that react
with free lime and deposit crystalline material in the
pores of the concrete to plug them or contribute water
repellency.
The table does not show all of the dampproofing ma-

Where to use dampproofing

When it is desirable to keep water from moving
through concrete and when the water in contact with
the concrete is not under pressure, dampproofing is the
method to use. Dampproofing materials minimize the
transmission of water vapor through concrete but do
not stop it entirely. It is frequently desirable not to totally halt the passage of water vapor, because if liquid water has somehow found its way into the concrete, dampproofing materials can allow it to escape slowly as water
vapor. Dampproofing is relatively low in cost compared
with waterproofing because less surface preparation is
required and a smaller thickness of material is used.
Usually if there is any likelihood that cracks may develop in the concrete later, dampproofing should not be
done and the concrete waterproofed instead. Also if
there is any possibility that the dampproofing material
may ever become subjected to a head of water, the con-

Spraying a 18 -inch-thick4 bituminous mastic coating onto the

floor of the air duct of the same tunnel. Drain pipes in the
air duct floor run down the sidewall of the tunnel and carry
moisture into a 36-inch5 drain pipe beneath the tunnel
roadway.

SUITABILITY OF VARIOUS DAMPPROOFING COATING

MATERIALS FOR WALLSa
Below grade
Type of
coating

Exterior
face

Above grade

Interior
face

Exterior
face

Interior
face

Polyvinyl chloride
latex paints

Two-component
epoxy paints

xb

Water-based
portland cement
paints
Cold-applied
asphalts

xb

Solvent-based
chlorinated rubber
paints
Coal tar-polyurethane
paints
Two-component or
moisture cured
polyurethane paints
Fish-oil based paints
with mica and asbestos
fillers

be clean and dry and the dampproofing material should

not be applied under any ambient conditions that might
produce moisture or frost on the concrete surface
whether from rain, snow, fog, mist, or conditions of high
relative humidity and falling temperatures. The dampproofing material should never be applied if the temperature of the air or the concrete surface is lower than 40
degrees F2 or if it is likely to fall to 32 degrees F3 before the
coating has cured. When dampproofing materials are
applied to walls below grade they should be made to extend continuously from a point on the outer edge of the
footing to a point above grade at the top of the wall. No
less than two coats should ever be applied. The number
of coats will depend on the kind of dampproofing material being used and the exposure. The manufacturers
recommendations should be observed with respect
to both the number and thickness of coats. After the
treatment has been completed and the dampproofing
material has had time to cure, the surface should be tested by lightly sprinkling with water. If the dampproofed
surface does not change in color or shade from the
water, it can be concluded that the dampproofing
treatment is effective.

Sources
x

a Based on Table 5.1 of ACI 515.1R-79, A Guide to the Use of

Waterproofing, Dampproofing, Protective and Decorative Barrier Systems for Concrete.
b Not suitable for concrete masonry except after parging with
portland cement plaster.

terials now available. Some of the others might fall into

the following three categories although these categories
do not necessarily exhaust the list:
silicones, either solvent-based or water-based
penetrating sealers made up of stearates or derivatives
of fats or other materials
acrylics, either solvent systems or emulsions

Application
There is such a variety of dampproofing coatings that
it is impossible to write a complete set of instructions
giving the proper procedures for applying them. The
user should carefully follow the recommendations of the
manufacturer.
The condition of the surface and the ambient conditions are of considerable importance. The surface must

The Bu ye r s Guide section of the Reference Guide

1981 (the December 1980 issue of CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION magazine) gives names and addresses of 38
manufacturers of waterproofing and dampproofing materials, 27 manufacturers of joints and joint sealants and
10 manufacturers of waterstops. Those with access to a
copy of the Program from the World of Concrete 81 Exposition in Dallas, Texas can find the names and addresses of an additional 27 manufacturers of waterproofing
and
dampproofing
materials,
14
manufacturers of joints and joint sealants and 7 manufacturers of waterstops.
Acknowledgment
This article is based almost entirely on information taken
from ACI 515.1R-79, A Guide to the Use of Waterproofing,
Dampproofing, Protective and Decorative Barrier Systems
for Concrete, Concrete International, November 1979, page
41, available from the American Concrete Institute, Box
19150, Detroit, Michigan 48219.
Metric equivalents
(1) 50-millimeter
(2) 4 degrees C
(3) 0 degrees C
(4) 3-millimeter-thick
(5) 915-millimeter

PUBLICATION#C810309
Copyright 1981, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved