WATERPROOFING AND DAMP PROOFING

BTM-III | SECOND YEAR B. ARCH. SEMESTER 3, 2016-17

Prepared by : Ar. Rohan Nahar (Asst. Prof., PVPCOA)

Damp proofing means keeping out the soil moisture while water proofing keeps out both moisture ( or
water vapour) and liquid water. Damp Proofing is applied to building walls and floors to prevent
moisture from passing into the interior spaces.

SOURCES OF DAMPNESS

When water comes in contact with building components such as walls, roofs, floor etc these
components acts as a medium to help water to migrate into the building.

The 5 major sources of dampness are as follow.

1. Due to capillary action, the water present in ground soil may rise above the ground level through
the walls. If ground water table is nearer to the building foundation then also it can also become a
source of dampness.
2. Condensation of atmospheric moisture can also be a source of dampness. Because this form of
water gets deposited on different components and gradually find their way to penetrate into the
building causing dampness.
3. Rain water falling on external walls, parapets also causes dampness.
4. Rain water can also penetrate through the roofs if the roof is of bad quality. Inadequate roof slopes
or defective junction between roof slab and parapet wall may cause dampness
5. Presence of gutter near the building will store the rain water and subsequently this water will
create dampness in the external walls.
6. Wet areas of buildings (such as kitchens, bath rooms) having sub standard plumbing fitting can also
be a source of dampness.

PRIMARY CAUSES OF DAMPNESS IN BUILDING

Penetration of water into the building components (such as walls, floors, roof or basement etc) is the
primary cause of dampness.
The three primary causes of dampness in building are -

Poor quality of construction material

Bad design
Faulty construction or bad workmanship

1.POOR QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL : Most of the construction materials such as concrete,
brick or plaster possess interconnected void within them. When these materials come in contact with
water, water finds a path to penetrate into these voids. Again this water when aided by capillary action;
moves in different direction causing dampness.

2.BAD DESIGN : At the time of designing a building, it is very important to consider what can be the
source of water that can penetrate through building and accordingly the designer must mention where
to provide what kind of damp proof course.
3.FAULTY CONSTRUCTION OR BAD WORKMANSHIP : Suppose a designer has specified that the
thickness of damp-proof-course must be 15 mm. but due to lack of adequate supervision, the thickness
of completed damp proof course become 10 mm. then this will not serve the purpose for which it is
constructed and consequently it will lead to dampness in building.

COMMON DEFECTS CAUSED BY DAMPNESS

The common defects caused by dampness in building are as follow.

1. Dampness causes efflorescence of bricks, tiles of stones.

2. It makes the plaster weak.
3. It may cause bleaching and flaking of paint due to formation of colored patches.
4. It causes corrosion of metals.
5. It promotes growth of termites.

TYPES OF DAMP PROOFING :

A damp-proof course (DPC) is a barrier through the structure by capillary action such as through a
phenomenon known as rising dam Rising damp is the effect of water rising from the ground into
your property. The damp proof course may be horizontal or vertical. A DPC layer is usually laid
below all masonry walls, regardless if the wall is a load bearing wall or a partition wall.
A damp-proof membrane (DPM) is a membrane material applied to prevent moisture transmission.
A common example is polyethylene sheeting laid under a concrete slab to prevent the concrete
from gaining moisture through capillary action. A DPM may be used for the DPC.
Integral damp proofing in concrete involves adding materials to the concrete mix to make the
concrete itself impermeable
Surface coating with thin water proof materials for resistance to non-pressurized moisture such as
rain water or a coating of cement sprayed on such as shotcrete which can resist water under
pressure.
Cavity wall construction, such as rainscreen construction, is where the interior walls are separated
from the exterior walls by a cavity.
Pressure grouting cracks and joints in masonry materials.

Materials widely used for damp proofing :

Flexible materials like butyl rubber, hot bitumen, plastic sheets, bituminous felts, sheets of lead,
copper, etc.
Semi-rigid materials like mastic asphalt
Rigid materials like impervious bricks, stones, slates, cement mortar or cement concrete painted
with bitumen, etc.
Stones
Mortar with waterproofing compounds
Coarse sand layers under floors
Continuous plastic sheets under floors
CAUSES OF WATERPROOFING
 Penetration through openings Penetration through concrete

TYPES OF WATERPROOFING

There are few types of the most commonly use system of waterproofing in the construction
industry. They are :

1. Cementitious waterproofing

Cementitious waterproofing is often used in the internal wet areas such as toilets. Most of the time the
type of cementitious waterproofing is semi-flexible, some even toward rigid type. It is still good to use
because internal toilets are not exposed to sunlight and weathering and so it do not go through the
contraction and expansion process continuously.

2. Liquid waterproofing membrane

Liquid membrane is a thin coating which consists of usually a primer coat and two coats of top coats. It
offer more flexibility than the cementitious types of waterproofing. The elongation properties of the
coating can reach as high as 280%. But the durability of the waterproofing coating also depend on what
type of polymer the manufacturer use for the making of the liquid waterproofing.

3. Bituminuos coating
Bituminuos waterproofing coating is made of bitumen based materials and it is not suitable for expose
to sunlight. It become very brittle and fragile when long exposure to the sunlight unless it is modified
with more flexible material such as polyurethane or arcylic based polymers. The flexibility of the
finished products always depend on the solid content of the polymer added to the bitumen.

4. Bituminuous membrane

Bituminuous waterproofing membrane have torch on membrane and self adhesive membrane. Torch
on membrane is the more preferred one use because of its shelf life and ease of use during application.

The self adhesive type must be use fast as the bonding properties of the membrane is reducing through
time. Very often applicators find the self adhesion membrane already lose its bonding properties when
they want to apply. therefore, they have to use one additional primer to prevent the debonding
problem in the near future.

Torch on membrane have exposed and covered types. Exposed membrane often has mineral granular
aggregate to withstand the wear and tear of the weathering and the other types of membrane,
contractor need to apply one protective screed to provent the puncture of the membrane.

But one has to be very careful when applying the protective screed which is often cement mortar. The
cement ratio has to be high and the mixing has to be thorough through out the process. There are
premixed type of cement mortar in the market available for use for better quality and consistency. Site
mix usually will compensate the quality of the finish work but the cost is always cheaper compared to
premixed mortar.

5. Polyurethane liquid membrane

Polyurethane is also use for the flat roof area and exposed to weathering but it is expensive. It can offer
higher flexibility. Polyurethane is very sensitive to moisture content present, therefore before
application, one has to be very careful evaluating the moisture content of the concrete slab. Otherwise
peeling or debonding easily observed after some time.

6. Brick Bat Coba

Roof slabs constructed RCC need insulation for thermal comfort and waterproofing treatment to
prevent leakage of water. Both these requirements are effectively full fill by brick bat coba treatment,
the details of which are being below:
All existing treatment, coatings on roof slab top is to be removed and surface cleaned by hard
wire brush and washed with water.
The surface should be free from any oil, grease, dust etc.
All non-structural cracks more than 0.5 mm wide and construction joints if any, should be cut
in V shape, cleaned with wire brush and washed.
The cracks are then filled by polymer modified cement or mortar using acrylic polymer, with
addition cement slurry mix is spread upon cleaned roof surface.
Over this 15 mm thick cement, sand mortar, 1:4 admixed, with water proofer is laid.