BUILDING CONSTRUCTION -III
WATERPROOFING IN BUILDINGS
SUBMITTED TO- SUBMITTED BY-
AR. ANIL BRAYA ABDULLAH KHALID
AR. TANUJA PULKIT SAINI
RADHEY KAUSHIK
RITIKA MITTAL
RIYA GUPTA
VISHAKHA SARPAL
B.ARCH III YEAR B
WHAT IS WATERPROOFING?
■ Waterproofing can be defined as the formation of an internal or external membrane which is capable of
preventing water from entering or escaping through a permeable layer.
■ There are many different means to provide internal or external membranes in construction industry.
■ Internal membranes are provided via waterproofing admixtures which are added to the concrete during the
mixing process.
■ External membranes are provided using sheet membranes and liquid coatings on the concrete surface.
INTERNAL MEMBRANES
EXTERNAL MEMBRANES
■ SHEET BASED WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE
■ LIQUID APPLIED WATERPROOFING MEMBRANE
CAUSES OF WATER LEAKAGE
■ From below (subsoil water), through Soil and Masonry by Capillary action.
■ From above i.e. external sources are such as rain/storm. Rain water and/or Water pressure exerted on
structural members and their inability to withstand the same.
■ From inside the building owning to improper water supply, sewerage and drainage installations. Internal water
sources such as leaking pipes/ improper fittings, joints, including joints which have opened.
A) Structural Causes:
01. Cracks on the top surface of slab, due to various reasons including inadequate design of the slab.
02. Cracks on the bottom of slab due to excess deflection of slab, due to overloading or improper design.
03. Cracks at column supports.
04. Expansion Joints in the Building:
Ineffective Sealing of Joints:
Leaks through ineffectively sealed expansion joints, construction joints and other active cracks. For filling such
joints, sealants like polysulphide are recommended.
INTERNAL MEMBRANES
■ Using a sufficient low water cement ratio in the mix, a concrete should be produced of such a low porosity that it is
effectively waterproofed.
■ Alternatively, several proprietary chemicals often termed “Integral waterproofers” are available as admixtures for use in
concrete mixtures.
■ These are liquid, powder or concrete admixture, which are designed to significantly reduce the permeability of concrete.
They are added to the concrete mix at the time of batching.
ADVANTAGES
■ Low cost
■ Easy to use
■ No surface preparation
SOME EXAMPLES OF ADMIXTURES
■ Tamseal Admix
■ Xypex Admix C-100 NF
■ Penetron Admix
EXTERNAL MEMBRANES
SHEET BASED WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES
■ As the name implies, these are membranes that arrive at the site in the form of rolls. These are then unfurled
and laid on a firm surface. The most common type of sheet based membrane is a bituminous waterproofing
membrane. This type of membrane is stuck to the substrate with a hot tar based adhesive using blowtorches.
■ Joints between adjacent membranes are also made with the same hot adhesive. The sheets are overlapped
by about 100mm (4") to form a waterproof joint. Some membranes are even joined by melting them with a hot
air gun and then overlapping them on the previously laid sheet.
■ Other types of sheet based membranes are PVC membranes and composite membranes. The latter have a
fabric base that provides strength and tear resistance, and a chemical that coats the fabric to provide
resistance.
Bitumen based waterproofing
membranes are used for
waterproofing of underground concrete
surfaces, supporting walls, terraces,
concrete roofs, wet floors, highway
viaducts.
LIQUID APPLIED WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES
■ Liquid applied membranes come to the site in liquid form, which are then either sprayed or brush-
applied on the surface. The liquid cures in the air to form a seamless, joint-free membrane. The
thickness can be controlled by applying more of the liquid chemical per unit area.
■ These are generally considered to be superior to sheet based membranes as they are joint-free.
However care must be taken in application to provide just the right thickness. The membrane can tear
or break if it is too thin. The adhesion of the membrane to concrete must be good.
■ If a concrete screed (layer) is to be applied over a waterproofing membrane, the membrane is made
rough by sand broadcasting. This is throwing a thin layer of sand by hand over the wet membrane
(before it has set fully) so that the sand sticks to the membrane and provides a rough surface the
concrete can adhere to.
These flexible membranes are hand or
spray applied onto surfaces such as
balconies, podium decks and green roofs.
They are even used to line municipal water
tanks to prevent leaks.
POLYURETHANE WATERPROOFING TREATMENT
■ Polyurethane is made up of two components, base and reactor. Polyol acts as the base, while
isocyanide is the reactor component. The combination of both these in a specific design ratio
creates a liquid coating for waterproofing applications. Polyurethane is a rather popular choice due
to its ease of installation.
■ Unlike other waterproofing systems like sheet membranes and liquid applied membranes, this
polyurethane application requires comparatively less skill and supervision.
■ Application is fast and this type of treatment can be used for post construction applications as well.
Advantages of Polyurethane waterproofing systems:
■ Easy and fast installation
■ seamless finish
■ Long term durability and wear resistant
■ UV and weather resistant
■ Resistant to alkaline cleaners, battery acid and fuels
■ Polyurethane Waterproofing Procedure
■ The roof surface is thoroughly cleaned and is made free of any foreign matter.
■ Any cracks on the surface preparation bed is cut to V section, cleaned and filled with a 1 part
polyurethane based crack filling compound and 2 part white cement (1:2).
■ The surface must be neutralized by removing alkalinity through the means of acid application.
■ A two pack polyurethane primer coat is first applied to the surface to serve as an adhesion coat. It is
allowed to dry for at least 8 hours.
■ Three successive finishing coats are then brush-applied, each with 2 component polyurethane
mixed as per design ratio. Each coat is allowed to dry for at least 12 hours before applying the next.
■ The PU coating is continued 150 mm up the parapets or walls. It should also be continued at least
100 mm into the rainwater pipes.
■ The final Polyurethane coat is sprinkled with a layer
of 300 micron of sand.
BATHROOM/ KITCHEN WATERPROOFING
■ Bathrooms, kitchens, water closets etc. are the designated wet areas of a building. They are the
main sources of leakage and dampness which lead to unhygienic conditions. This affects the
health and comfort of its occupants and seriously deteriorates the building, reducing its stability.
■ Wet areas that suffer from water leakages, ponding, staining and other defects are usually result
of poor designs and specifications. Water may penetrate wall and floor finishes in wet areas.
■ Depending on the frequency, the intensity and the length of time these surfaces are exposed to
water; unintercepted, the water may damage the moisture–sensitive materials lying beneath,
and reach adjoining rooms and their finishes. Consequently, careful attention should be paid to
the design and installation of all materials, components and systems to prevent damage by
water.
■ The walls need to be waterproofed up to 150mm.
■ In the shower, the whole floor must be waterproof and the shower walls should be waterproofed
up to 1800mm.
■ If the bathroom floor is made of or contains wood or if the bathroom is on the second story or
higher, the whole floor must be waterproofed.
■ 4 main areas are targeted during proofing – floor, shower splash zone, sanitary fittings,
tile joints and nahani traps/drainage pipes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
■ Water seal Tape- PVC like tape – used to seal fixture/pipes inserts, permanently. Use during pipe and fixture
laying.
■ Waterproof grout (mixture of cement concrete with waterproof solution)- A free flowing, expanding grout. This
fills gap between pipe inserts into concrete/ masonry walls and floors. It is non-shrinking and fast setting
material providing long lasting water tight seal.
■ Waterproof coat – Advanced performance – cementitious polymer based waterproof coating. Highly elastic
material providing up-to 1 mm of thickness from 2 coats. It usually comes in per-measured combination of
liquid and powder – mixed in equal proportions. Brush apply to all the areas, specially shower, under sink etc.
Apply a layer of screed( leveled layer of cement).
Tiles and other bathroom fixtures – fitted after 48-72 hours of hardening period.
■ Waterproof sealant – An elastic based adhesive acrylic sealant – comes in a tube. Applied to all the edges
and corners – sinks and bathtub. Extra sealant is applied to the floor level edges and chajja of windows and
balcony because the water usually retains at those places. CAUTION: Avoid using low quality white cement
putty as it tends to beak and get dirty with time.
■ Primer – Adds protection after tiling and plastering of surface. A layer of acrylic based primer. dry up time 4-5
hours. Primer fills any small gaps and cracks.
COMMON MISTAKES
■ Here are some common structure design flaws – Take care during construction.
■ Poor Design/Floor Preparation – The primary thing to take care is of the floor level. It must not have any
uneven suppression as water may collect in there in bathrooms, balcony chajja. The level should be flat
with a slight inclination towards the drain. The inclination is important since it promotes self drainage of
water. The fixtures and drain outlets – carefully placed where most required. Clean all the dirt and
construction residue before process.
■ Layers – It is important to apply at least 2 opposite layers of proper waterproof coat. Some contractors
tend to save money and time and apply just 1 coat, which is useless.
WATERPROOFING TERRACES/ROOFS
■ WHY?
■ Terrace area of the building has to endure the most of the nature’s harsh weather, climate and heat.
Monsoon plays a major part in this. Moreover, People now-a-days like to make gardens and
swimming pool on the terrace which adds up to the problem of water leakage issues.
■ HOW?
■ The best way to waterproof a flat terrace is to use a waterproofing membrane. This is a thin layer of
waterproof material that is continuous, and offers no path for water to enter the structure.
The membrane is laid on top of the structural slab.
On top of the membrane, a filler material is laid. The filler material is necessary to give a slope to the
finish of the terrace. This slope runs towards the drainage outlets.
The final layer is the finish. This may be a tile, or a stone, or any material that can withstand outdoor
conditions. The finish and the filler layers themselves do not contribute to waterproofing.
The process of waterproofing a terrace is divided into 3 parts:
■ TOTAL DESINFECTION AND CLEANING OF THE TERRACE
■ REINFORCE THE POINTS WITH RISK OF A LEAK
■ PLACE THE INSULATING SHEET
TERRACE WATERPROOFING
CRITICAL AREAS
■ The critical areas in membrane waterproofing - the areas where it is likely to fail - are the
few areas where the membrane is not continuous. This occurs at the outlets, also called
drainage sumps, where water collects before flowing into drainage pipes.
If a failure occurs, it cannot be easily rectified, as the membrane is not accessible.
Therefore to correct a failure, construction workers will have to rip out the floor finish and
the filler material, repair or replace the entire membrane, and re-lay the upper layers.
HOW TO AVOID LEAKS ON TERRACE
■ Choose the correct size of the joints and the material with which make them according to the type
of flooring you want to apply on your terrace.
For example, floors with generously sized tiles have been used more often, so that the joints must
be proportioned to that, so the friction does not create subsequent cracks in the flooring and risks
of infiltration.
■ Butyl tapes, gauze or strips that provide additional waterproofing in those points where the risk of
leaks is always greater due to their particular complexity of geometric conformation such as wall-
floor corners, expansion joints or drains.
TERRACE GARDEN
■ Also called, roof garden, living roof green roof.
■ The primary roof construction must be based of concrete grout and flexible
waterproofing polymers.
■ Layer 1 – 30mm Foam shield – Sand cement and foam mixed in a special mixing device.
■ Layer 2- Roof Sealant Liquid Adhesive based solution. Dries up to form an highly elastic
membrane.
■ Layer 3- Geo-Textile Fabric– This separates water from soil so that soil does not drain away.
■ Layer 4- Concrete Screed – Smooth layer of concrete/cement – sand – 1.3.1. Slope gradient
1:100( slope towards the drains to collect excess water).
■ Layer 5- Pyro(Heat) Torch Shield Primer – Creates a layer for proper adhesion of Torch Shield
membrane.
■ Layer 6- Pyro Torch Shield (Anti root) Membrane– Modified bitumen based membrane. Heated
by gas blow torches to activate the adhesion that sticks to layer 5. Anti root membrane is safe from
roots of the plants.
■ Layer 7- Drain Boards – Is a proper channel for excess water in the soil to drain out. Soil filter at the
end of drain.
■ Geo Textile Fabric – These are permeable fabrics which, when used in association with soil, have
the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect drain clogging.
TERRACE SWIMMING POOL
■ Terrace is a very common structure that people like to construct on their building, this
adds to the overall value as well and provide a great personal summer relief. The Types
of waterproofing method is a bit critical.
■ CAUTION: Strong advise – not to depend on brick bat coba roof to be waterproof. It is
one of the weakest types of waterproofing.
■ Layer 1- EPOXY Grouting – (Synthetic thermosetting polymers containing epoxide) This layer fills
all the cracks and the corners.
■ Layer 2 – Primer – A protective layer that also adds to the foundation of waterproofing.
■ Layer 3- Fiber Mesh – Glass based fiber mesh that is extremely strong and rigid against high
temperature changes.
■ Layer 4 – (x2- Coat – Horizontal/Vertical)Roof Sealant Liquid Adhesive based solution. Dries up to
form an highly elastic membrane.
■ Layer 5- Plaster – Plaster layer that is based on concrete grout.
■ REPEAT LAYER 2-5.
■ Layer 6- Tiles –Swimming pool friendly tiles according to need and style of the pool design.
■ Layer 7- EPOXY Tile Grouting (Synthetic thermosetting polymers containing epoxide) This layer
fills all the cracks and the corners.
SUN SHADES
■ Clean the surface of all loose particles, dust, etc. and moisten with water.
■ Prepare a lumpfree consistency of polyalk and cement in a proportion of 1:5 and apply
this to the surface which needs to be waterproofed.
■ Apply one more coat after 24 hrs.
■ After 48 hrs cure the coating by sprinkling water for 2-3 days.
■ Provide a levelling course of 1:4 cement mortar in thickness of 10-15mm as required.
BASEMENT WATERPROOFING
■ WHY – WATER FROM THE GROUND RISES UP AND FLOODS THE BASEMENT
FLOOR AND START LEAKING THROUGH THE WALLS.
■ HOW – 1) Bituminous Waterproofing Membrane – this system is applied on the walls
and the floor of the basement. The Bitumen sheets comes in rollable sheets which are
applied on the walls using fire gun. It’s a one man job and and can’t be performed by an
unskilled worker.
■ These sheets can also be used when building a green roof.
2) Dr. fixit pidiproof LW+ - During the construction of the basement floor, a gap of 25 mm is left
between the tiles in which aggregate is filled and later on a solution of 200ml of pidiproof LW+
mixed with cement plaster of 1:3 is poured in the gap.
■ This binds the tiles together so that the water doesn’t rise up and increases the strength of
the concrete.
■ This can also be used in roofing and water tanks.
BUILDING FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
■ Precautions to take before construction of Foundation
Water logging
■ Waterlogged sites poses a great problem for the site engineer. There are various methods of dealing with
the situation which depends upon the depth of excavation, depth of water table and many other factors.
Some of the common methods are listed below –
■ DRAIN CONSTRUCTION – (For shallow foundation) – Drains of suitable size are dug up along the sides of
the foundation trench. The drain collects the sub – soil water in the trench and this can then be easily
pumped out continuously. This is an easy, low-cost method and does not require skilled labor.
■ DEEP WELL CONSTRUCTION – (Coarse/porous rock based soil) – 30 – 60cm diameter wells are
sometimes constructed at 6 – 15 m centers all around the site. The water collected in the wells is pumped
out continuously. This method can be adopted for depths of excavation up to 20 m.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
■ A. Foundation Drainage System
■ This is a basic setup in this type of waterproofing
– perforated pipes running along the perimeters of the
foundation to an outlet outside in sunlight or a place
where water can be collected in a sump pit and
pumped out. This system protects against any kind of
water contamination in the basement. The perforated
pipes must be laid between layers of gravel. There
should also be a layer of fabric barrier on it before
putting the soil layer. The fabric and gravel prevents
these pipes to clogging up with time.
DAMP PROOFING
■ The first line of defense is the concrete itself. Walls should be reinforced to keep cracks tight and the concrete
should be well consolidated. A low water-cement ratio mix will have less shrinkage that can lead to leaky cracks.
■ Damp proofing is a relatively simple treatment of asphaltic material that is sprayed on or applied with brush or
roller. Small jobs are easily handled by builders although many will hire a specialty waterproofing contractor for
larger projects.
■ True waterproofing requires more time and effort. The outside of the wall is covered with an impermeable coating
that extends down to the drain. One method employs sheets fastened to the wall and lapped adequately at seams,
both vertical and horizontal. Another method uses several layers of sprayed-on seamless material built up to the
thickness specified by the manufacturer.
■ Some of the spray-on treatments require a priming coat and then one or more final layers of a liquid-rubber,
elastomeric coating built up to usually a minimum 60-mil thickness. These coatings dry in about 60 minutes to
form a seamless barrier which is resistant to puncture.
■ Another way to waterproof is to apply sheet products, typically rubberized asphaltic membranes attached to
polyethylene film. These sheets are fastened directly to the wall, either using a peel-and-stick approach or with
separate mastic, sometimes augmented with fasteners. Adequate lapping at seams, 2 to 3 inches, is important and
be careful to prevent gaps or "fish mouths" at the edges. The sheets can be cut with a razor and pressed down to
seal. For bubbled areas, slit the membrane, press it down, and apply a patch of membrane right over the top.
INTEGRAL WATERPROOFING
■ Another waterproofing option for concrete walls is integral waterproofing in the concrete itself.
These liquid admixtures form a crystalline matrix within the concrete to prevent water or vapor
movement through the concrete and have proven to be a viable option to traditional membrane
waterproofing.
■ Since the reaction is driven by water, the crystals will actually grow denser in the wetter areas and
can even self seal small cracks. For retrofit projects or if there are larger cracks, this material can
also be applied as a cementitious overlay to the outside of a concrete wall. This approach has
proven very successful, especially in difficult waterproofing situations.
MATERIALS
■ Rubber Membrane
■ Rubber membranes are ideal for waterproofing a basement as they are not only effective, but also eco-
friendly because they contain no toxic substances and do not cause damage to surrounding property. They
can be applied to both the internal and external surfaces of the foundation in order to prevent the ingress of
not only water, but also air and insects.
■ Bentonite
■ This clay-like substance is a good material to use as foundation waterproofing due to its ability to absorb
water until it expands to its full capacity. It can take-in a significant amount of water and create a permanent
seal once it has had its fill.
■ The panels which are formed from the material can be hammered or stuck into place. They can be
combined with butyl rubber to create a sheeting that is effective against water ingress. It is non-toxic, so it is
safe to use and will not cause damage to surrounding property. It’s also quite easy to apply.
■ Cement
■ Cement products are among the most popular foundation waterproofing methods because they are relatively
cheap and readily available. Cement is easy to mix and can be applied with a brush. An acrylic solution can be
added to the cement to make it bond better with the surface and create a more resilient coating. On the other
hand, cement is rigid and unyielding; therefore, it can crack when it is subjected to small movements that are
normal for buildings.
■ Asphalt
■ Rubberized sheets of asphalt membrane can be used as foundation waterproofing. They are made more
convenient by being manufactured in a self-adhesive manner so that they can be fixed into place after removing
a protective film.
■ This method requires skill. Once the asphalt is stuck to the surface, that is where it stays. It needs to be done
correctly the first time. Wrinkles and air pockets can only be rectified by cutting the defective section of the
membrane out and smoothing it. Holes must be covered over with an additional piece of membrane. It cannot
be lifted and replaced.
