Damp Prevention

Dampness is the presence of hygroscopic moisture. It leads to unhygienic

conditions affecting badly the health and comfort of the inhabitants and seriously
deteriorating the stability of the building. Protection against damp should form an
essential feature for any type of construction.

Sources of dampness:

The sources which create dampness in a building are:

1. Geological and climatic causes:
i. Rain penetration
ii. Ground moisture rise
iii. Condensation in building due to moisture in the atmosphere
iv. Drainage of the site
v. Orientation of the building
2. Structural causes:
i. Water introduced in the structure during construction
ii. Defective construction

Prevention of dampness:

There are various methods of preventing damp. Different types of materials are used for
reducing the occurrence of dampness. The methods of damp prevention may be
classified as shown below:
1. Use of water proofing mixtures or integral treatment: Synthetic compounds are
available which can be added during the process of mixing of the constructional
materials.
2. Application of water proof surface treatment: It can be either external or internal. The
former are considered to be more effective in preventing dampness. External surface
treatments consist of pointing joints in brickwork or stone masonry and plastering
over brick walls. A thin film of a water proofing materials can be applied to the
surface of concrete after laid. These materials consist of silicates of aluminum,
potassium, barium hydroxide and magnesium sulphate in alternate applications, soft
soap and alum, lime and linseed oil, coal tar, bitumen, waxes, etc. Some of these
covering materials give a durable resisting surface to the concrete while others
afford only a temporary protection. However, the tars and asphalts render the surface
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 black which is not desirable.
3. Interposing a water proof membrane: This method consists of introducing a layer of
water repellant material against the travel of damp. These are called Damp Proof
Courses (D.P.C.).

The materials used for the damp proof courses are:

i. Flexible materials like bituminous sheets, plastic sheets, metal sheets, etc.
ii. Semi-rigid materials like mastic asphalt.
iii. Rigid materials like slates, bricks, stones, dense cement concrete, etc.

For selection of the material for D.P.C., the following rules should be applied:
1. It should be impervious.
2. It should be strong and durable and should be capable of withstanding both dead as
well as live loads without damage.
3. It should be dimensionally stable.
4. It should be free from deliquescent salts like sulphates chlorides and nitrates.
5. The material should be reasonably cheap.
6. The material should be such that it is possible to carry out leak proof joining work.

Materials used for damp proofing

The materials that are commonly used for damp proofing are:

a. Concrete layers: Cement concrete layer of 1:2:4 mix with water proofing agents,
which is used as D.P.C. The depth of cement concrete layer varies from 100 mm to
200 mm. It stops the rise of water by capillary action and it i s found to be
effective at places where the damp is not excessive.
b. Mortar: This can be used as a bedding layer for other types of D.P.C. and is made
up of cement sand mix in the ratio of 1:3 with a slight addition of lime to increase
the workability. For plastering work, the water proof mortar can be prepared. It is
prepared by mixing 1 part of cement and 2 part of sand and some patented
water proofing material is added to dry mixed. Thus, the mortar prepared is used to
plaster the surfaces.
c. Bricks: Dense bricks, which absorb less than 4.5%, are suitable for D.P.C. and
can be used for damp proofing at places where the damp is not excessive.

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 d. Stones: Two courses of sound and dense stones such as granite, slates, etc., which
are laid in cement mortar with vertical breaking joint, can work as an effective
damp proofing course. The stones should be extended to the full width of the damp
proofing course and the wall. The stones can be treated, as in the case of roof
surfaces, the exposed face of a wall etc.
e. Mastic asphalt: This is a semi rigid material and it forms an excellent impervious
layer for damp proofing. The good mastic asphalt is very durable and completely
impervious material. It can withstand only very slight distortion. It is liable to rise
up in very hot climates or under very heavy pressures. It should be laid by
experienced men of the specially firms.
f. Metal sheets: Lead, copper and aluminum sheets are used for D.P.C.
g. Plastic sheets: The material is made of black polythene having a thickness of about
0.55 to 1 mm with usual width of work and it is available in roll lengths of 30 m.
This treatment is relatively cheap but it is not permanent.
h. Hot bitumen: This is a flexible material and it is placed on the bedding of concrete
or mortar. This material should be applied with a minimum thickness of 3 mm.
i. Bituminous felts: This is a flexible material. It is easy to construct. It can be laid on
a layer of cement mortar or concrete. An overlap of 100 mm should be provided at
the joints and full overlap should be provided at all corners. The laps may be sealed
with bituminous materials if necessary. The bitumen felt can accommodate slight
movement. But it is liable to squeeze out under heavy pressures and it offers little
resistance to sliding. The material is available in rolls and it should be carefully
unrolled, especially in cold weather.

While laying a D.P.C., the following points should be taken into considerations:
a. The D.P.C. should cover the full thickness of the wall and should not be recessed
into the wall.
b. The mortar bed upon which the D.P.C is to be laid should be made level, even and
free from projections. Uneven base is likely to cause damage to D.P.C.
c. Each D.P.C should be placed in correct relation to other D.P.C so as to ensure
complete and continuous barrier to the passage of water from floors, walls or roofs.
d. When a horizontal D.P.C is to be continued up a vertical face, a cement concrete
fillet 75mm in radius should be provided at the junction prior to the treatment.
Use of membranes in the prevention of damp at various positions in a building

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Basement: Vertical D.P.C. is applied to the enclosing walls of a basement. The
horizontal D.P.C. is applied to the flooring of the basement. There are various methods
of applying vertical D.P.C. The horizontal D.P.C. of the flooring may be continued to
the top so that a sort of waterproof tank is formed. This prevents water from passing
through the floors and walls adjacent to the earth and also intercepts the water
which walls would absorb directly from the ground.
The bottom layer of concrete is covered with 2cm thickness asphalt mastic, which is laid
in two coats and a second layer of concrete is laid over it. The mastic is continued as a
vertical D.P.C. A 10cm outer wall is constructed from the horizontal D.P.C. to a little
above ground level. The joints are raked out on the inner surface and asphalt layer is
applied. After some time, a second layer of asphalt is laid in such a manner so as to
cover the joints of the first layer. Then the inner wall is built (Fig. 7.1).

Fig. 7.1 Various methods of damp – proofing of a basement

Floor: The concrete floors can be treated with waterproofing layer of mastic asphalt or
fibrous asphalt felt. This treatment is necessary when the subsoil water table is high and
moisture is likely to rise through the flooring by seepage aided by capillary action of the
soil. A bedding of concrete of 10 cm thickness is laid and allowed to set and dry for the
required period. A primary coat of hot liquid asphalt is introduced and asphalt mastic is
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applied in two coats. If asphalt felt is used, the concrete surface should be leveled
so as to prevent the tearing of the felt.

Horizontal D.P.C. for walls: In external walls, the D.P.C. should be laid about
20cm above the ground level. It is essential to have a vertical D.P.C. between floor
level and the D.P.C. level on the inside of external walls in this case.

Parapets: Water drains on the inner side of the parapet and finds way into the
building. A D.P.C. just above the junction of the roof with the parapet wall gives an
effective protection (Fig. 7-2).

Fig. 7-2 Prevention of damp along parapets

Use of special constructional techniques:

i. Cavity wall construction: For preventing the external walls from carrying damp
inside, cavity wall construction can be adopted.
ii. For solid walls, at least 1.5 brick thickness should be used if a lot of damp
is anticipated.
iii. The face of bricks should be of best quality, which can absorb very little
moisture.
iv. Openings and walls, in general, should be protected by the use of
cornices, string, sills, plinth courses and canopies.
v. Roof should be given an adequate slope to drain off water easily.
vi. All plumbing fixtures should be suitable fixed and it should be ensured that the
water does not leak at their connection.

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 vii. Special attention should be paid to the construction of joints and also to the
junction of the roof with parapet walls.

Procedures of roofing:
1. Plastering the parapet to 50cm high with curve at point between parapet and slab as
indicate in the drawings.
2. The surfaces are thoroughly prepared before the application of the coat. They shall be
cleaned with a wire brush and soaked with an air compressor.
3. Flintkote roofing shall consist of cold applied bituminous emulsified mastic, Flintkote
or an approved material with a minimum softening point of 100⁰C applied according
to manufacturer’s instruction. The work shall be done for 30cm height. Each one
gallon covers 10-15m2.
4. One coat of at least 1.5 kg./m2 bitumen is applied while hot, to stick the roofing felt
on. So, to coat one layer, 4.5 gallon will cover 50m2. One layer of-membrane
bituminous felt roofing with 5-10cm overlap between the lines should be carried out.
5. Another coat of at least 1.5 kg./m2 bitumen is applied while hot, to stick the roofing
felt on.
6. At the same day or at the next day, sand bed with a thickness of 1cm is laid, then 5cm
thickness of high dens polystyrene thermal isolation is laid except around rain water
pipe as shown in drawings.
7. Sand bed with a minimum thickness of 7cm to the necessary falls to drain rainwater to
outlets.
8. 80*80*4 cm. precast concrete tiles shall be used for roof covering with 1% slope.
Tiles shall be satisfied the requirements of Iraqi Specifications 1107/1997
9. All joints between tiles must be perfectly dry and all dust and loose particles should
be removed before painting with flintkote. The joints must be perfectly filled with the
mastic filler. The mastic shall have an approved quality for durability and plasticity
with the most extreme temperatures and it shall be guaranteed for ten years or more.
10. Space between limits of tiles and drain rainwater shall be cast in site using concrete
1:2:4 with maximum size of aggregate 9.5mm. Thermal isolation shall be cut here.

Reference:
1. S.K.SHARMA, Building construction

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