D A M P-
PROOFING
AND
WAT E R -
PROOFING
COURSE
By
Fazla Hasan Ra
(106)
WHAT IS DAMP
PROOFING?
Dampness a common
problem in buildings.
It refers to access and
penetration of moisture
content
into buildings through its
walls,
floors, roof etc.
It is important to take measures to prevent dampness.
Such measures is called damp proofing.
Water proofing is a treatment of the surface or
structure in a building to prevent leakage.
CAUSES OF DAMPNESS :-
• Moisture from ground:-The materials used for the
foundation and floors absorb moisture from the soil and it
rises up the surface of the building,
• Splashing of rain:-When rain splashes on external walls
dampness may enter the interior.
• Exposed top wall:-dampness enters from the top if the tops
of parapet walls are not given sufficient damp proofing
course.
• Condensation: dampness is caused due to condensation of
atmospheric moisture, deposited on walls and ceilings.
• Construction defects:-
Improper planning,
lack of proper slope in roof,
defective pipe fittings,
improperly sealed construction joints
are constructive defects.
Effects of dampness:-
• Ugly patches on walls and ceilings.
• Plaster softens and crumbles.
• Materials used for wall decorations are damaged.
• Stones ,bricks and tiles disintegrate due to efflorescence.
• Floor finishing may be damaged
• Woodworks decays due to dry rot.
• Metal components of building corrodes.
• Electrical fittings are damaged,
• Dampness leads to
breeding of mosquitoes, growth of
termites and germs carrying
diseases such as tuberculosis,
it also aggravates asthma.
Materials for damp
proofing
Requirements of ideal materials for
damp proofing:-
They should be :-
Impervious.
Durable
Capable of bearing the load
Dimensionally stable
Flexible
Free from sulphates, chlorides and nitrates.
Inexpensive
Materials used for damping:-
• Hot bitumen :-hot bitumen,3mm thick may be applied on bedding of
mortar or concrete.
• Mastic asphalt:-semi rigid material obtained by heating asphalt with
sand and mineral fillers. It is laid on mortar or concrete bed.
• Bituminous felt:-flexible material available in rolls. It is laid on flat
mortar finished surfaces.
• Metal sheets:-sheets of lead, copper and aluminum membranes may
be used in damp proofing. Lead is the most ideally suited material.
• Combination of sheets and felts:-economical and drabble
damp proofing sheet is obtained by sandwiching a lead sheet
and bituminous felt.
• plastic sheets:-a relatively cheap method
of damp proofing is by laying 0.5-1.0mm
thick plastic sheets made of black
polythene. This is not a permanent method.
• Bricks:-quality bricks absorbing water less than 4.5% of their
weight may be used for damp proofing. These bricks are laid
in 2-4 courses in cement mortar.
• Mortar:-cement mortar in the ratio 1:3 is used for bedding
layers over damp proofing course. It may be mixed with
slaked lime to improve its workability.
• Cement concrete course:-a cement concrete course of
proportion 1:2:4 and thickness 75-150mm is laid on masonry
at plinth level.
Principles of damp
proofing:-
General principles to be followed
in damp proofing are:-
Mortar bed prepared to receive damp-proof course
should be leveled.
The horizontal damp proofing course should cover
the full width of wall excluding rendering.
If sheets or mastic asphalt are used, the gap should
not be less than 100mm at any point.
At joints and corners. Damp proof course should be
continuous.
Damp proofing course should not be kept exposed
on the wall surface.
At vertical and horizontal junctions, damp proof
courses should be continuous and a cement mortar
fillet of about 75mm should cover joints.
METHODS OF DAMP PROOFING:-
Different types of treatments are used for
preventing dampness in different parts of
the building:-
• Foundations:-this is method of protecting foundations
of outer walls. An air drain is constructed parallel to the
wall.
The drain is covered with
RCC slab, and gratings are
provided at regular intervals,
horizontal and vertical damp
proof courses are also provided.
• Treatment for floors:-
if there is no damp soil, a layer of coarse sand,75-100mm
thick is provided over entire area under the flooring. Then
1:4:8 concrete of 100mm thickness is laid. This layer
serves as DPC. the usual flooring is provided over this,
If soil is wet, a membrane DPC is provided over the
floor area, over
which
a layer of flat bricks
is laid.
The usual flooring is
then provided.
• Treatment for walls:
• the plinth level should preferably be 450mm above
ground [Link] should be provided over a concrete bed
of thickness [Link] top of the parapet should be
provided with capping over the DPC. the wall also needs
DPC at the edge of the roof slab.
Methods of waterproofing
•
basement:-
Providing foundation drains and
DPC:-
to release hydrostatic pressure,trenches are
made all around the building and filled with
gravels etc. such trenches may also be
required in buildings if the water table is at
a higher level. The trenches lead the water
to a catch [Link] and
vertical DPCs are provided in
the walls and foundation concrete.
• Providing RCC raft and wall slab:-
• if the water pressure is high, providing a drainage system
will not solve the problem effectively. In such cases the
floor slab and wall may be prepared right through the RCC
structure and DPC is applied on it.
• Asphalt tanking:-
also known as membrane
waterproofing.
Construction of horizontal layers: A
leveled course of mass concrete is
laid for the flooring area ,over which
a 30 mm thick DPC in form of
asphaltic layer is provided. A
protective layer of cement, concrete
or a layer of brick work is
laid over the asphaltic
layer, after which the
flooring is prepared.
construction of vertical face:-
A vertical DPC is
provided on the external face of the
wall. The DPC consist of an asphalt
layer of about 20mm built in three
coats. This is then protected with a wall
of ½ brick thickness.
waterproofing
compounds:-
Water proofing compounds may be
grouped to 2:-
• Waterproofing admixtures:-these admixtures are in powder or
liquid form. About 2% of powders are mixed while making cement
mortar. when the finishing coat of mortar is provided, these
compounds seal the pores in the slab and make
them watertight.
• Waterproofing membrane system:-these
materials are available in the form of
paints, they may epoxy or elastomeric and
may be applied to roof slabs with
rollers ,brush or spray. a minimum of 2
coats are applied to get desired
waterproofing.
Thank you