STRUCTURAL

INSPECTION REPORT
OF THE ROOF DECK
WADI SARAMI HOSPITAL
BUILDINGS

Façade of Wadi Sarami Hospital

Main Building
30 November 2017

LOCATION : Wadi Sarami , North Batinah Governorate

DATE OF INSPECTION : 27 November 2017

SUBJECT : Structural Investigation and Recommendation Report

SITE DESCRIPTION :

Construction Hand over : 1970’s

Make : Reinforced Concrete Frames with Concrete Beams and Columns with External Insulated
Concrete Masonry Walls
Walls : 200 mm thk CHB Internal Wall

Roofs : R.C. Solid Slab with Existing Waterproofing and Thermal Insulation System

Usage : Hospital Building , Service Block , Generator Room , etc.

INSPECTION NOTES :

Below are the building conditions of the Hospital Main Building noted and have been recorded as follows :

PART A: HOSPITAL MAIN BUILDING

Item No.1 Existing waterproofing system and Thermal Insulation uncovered below the Slope Screed on
the Hospital Main Building Roof Slab.

Description 1:
The Contractor already scraped the PU Foam Waterproofing off the entire roof slab area exposing the top
of the slope screed which seems to be in good surface finish condition . However , some
wide cracks are seen to be running across the slab at several portions . At these cracks , attempts to seal
using bituminous sealant were observed.
This sealant needs to be repaired before applying new water proofing system on top of it.

50mm thk screed 50mm thk expanded polystyrene

bituminous membrane
Figure 1A
Existing Screed to Fall
approx. 50mm thick was
broken carefully using a
hammer . Underneath the
screed was found 50mm thk
of thermal insulation which
was like expanded
polystyrene on top of what
appears to be surface of
some sort of waterproofing
membrane .
 Figure 1B
The Contractor already removed the
top waterproofing system which
consisted of foam material, exposing
the screed . Shown here is a typical
wide crack running across the slab and
appeared to have some bituminous
sealant applied on top on an attempt
to repair its waterproof .

Bituminous sealant that needs to be removed and these cracks to be resealed / repaired with
approved concrete repair before any new waterproofing system is to be applied on top .

Diagnosis for Item No. 1:

Under the roof slab of the main hospital building , no major structural cracks had been observed and it
seems that those cracks as seen on top of the finish slope screed are caused by shrinkage and thermal
effects only . However , these cracks may be a pathway for water leakage and therefore , needs to be
repaired again for sealing.

In the Contractor’s methodology , they are planning to remove all roof materials until they reach the top of
the Existing R.C. Roof Slab ( these materials to be removed include the existing slope screed , polystyrene
and bituminous membrane) to be replaced with new waterproofing as shown in the sketch below. However ,
concrete tiles and mortar to be placed as protectoin for the new waterproofing membrane.
 Figure 1C
Waterproofing as proposed by the Contractor is shown above. Due to the additional dead
loads of the concrete tile and mortar , we suggest to use lightweight concrete screed
instead of normal screed to compensate in reducing total dead load.

Figure 1D
This is the option , we suggested in order not to “overload “ the weights on top of the
existing roof slab. But the wide cracks on the slope screed should be fixed prior to applying
the “exposed” type of waterproofing.

Recommendation for Item No. 1 :

Since the cracks are observed to be on top , and no cracks are critically observed under the slab soffits, we
are of the opinion that the wide cracks on top are due to thermal and shrinkage effects only.

These wide cracks should first be cleaned off , removing portions of waterproofing foam as well as the
deteriorated sealant . Then apply approved concrete repair sealant on these cracks prior to preparation on
new waterproofing system.
We suggest to use mineral slate “ exposed type “ of waterproofing since it will not pose any additional critical
dead load to the existing roof slab since it will not require any gravel bed or concrete tile on top to protect its
surface.

Item No.2 Drainage pipes and their plinths to be`removed and replaced with new.

Description 2:
This is a typical plinth showing joint between two drainage pipes . The insulations are hiding the
conditions of some pipes that are actually corroded already leading to continuous water runoff on top of
slab.

Figure 2A
The drainage pipes as covered by insulation are
actually hiding the corrosion and water leaks out
from this joint as a result . The plinths will be
removed also and replaced by new ones.

Diagnosis for Item No. 2:

Some drainage pipes are corroded tremendously that the inside water flow is blocked and water is leaking
out everytime at that blockage.

Recommendation for Item No. 2 :

Insulation around the pipes have o be removed completely to check if pipes are corroded and to be replaced.
Some pipes have to be bypassed as a way to rehabilitate these deteriorated ones. Once the new
waterproofing is in place , new plinths have to be casted to support the pipes.

PART B: SERVICE BUILDING ( LAUNDRY AND KITCHEN )

Item No.3 Cloth type waterproofing with waterproofing paint was used as a system to protect the roof but
the slab soffit tells a strong indication of water leakage from the roof.

Description 3:
A portion of the roof slab of this service block
building at the lower side of the roof was uncovered
gently to observe the layers underneath . It seems to
have the same layers as the main building – 50mm thk
screed , then 50mm thk polystyrene, waterproofing
membrane then R.C. slab.
There must have been a problem with roof
water leakage that they decided to have additional
waterproofing on top of the screed.

Cloth type waterproofing removed to inspect

m
50mm thk polystyrene
 50mm thk cement sand screed

Figure 3A – A 150mm x 150mm inspection window was made to determine the layers underneath
the cloth type waterproofing

Figure 3B – Portions of slab soffit

spalled off, thereby exposing the slab
reinforcement.

Figure 3C – Some portions of slab soffit

showing signs of water leakage from
roof as paint is shown peeling off the
concrete surface

Diagnosis for Item No. 3:

The paint peeling off in Figure 3C is a strong tell tale sign of roof water leakage . The slab concrete that
spalled off as shown in Figure 3B is an index that the slab concrete cover at its bottom is quite insufficient.
However , the exposed steel rebars seemed to be rusted on the surface but not deteriorated byscaling.

Recommendation for Item No. 3 :

New waterproofing should be applied to this roof slab as shown in the sketch below. Again , we emphasize
to use lightweight concrete after removing everything up to the top of the R.C. roof slab , so as not to
overload the existing roof slab.

Also , the spalled off concrete under the slab soffit should be treated with approved concrete repair
chemical product before applying repainting .
 Figure 3D – This waterproofing procedure will be applied to the service block building slab
which is relatively smaller in area . This will solve the water leak more efficiently after
proper application.

PART C: GENERATOR ROOM BUILDING

Item No.4 Generator Room Roof Deck Slab with Observed Water Leakage

Description 4:
This generator room seemed to be constructed in two parts ; the right part with lower roof deck level
seemed to have no proper waterproofing system as shown in the pictures below

Figure 4A – At the surface of the

roof deck at lower level , we can
see cracks directly on top of slab
concrete with no apparent proper
waterproofing system.

Figure 4B – As a probable result of

the cracks in Figure 4A, this picture
clearly depicts a water leakage
that peeled off most the slab soffit
paint.

Recommendation for Item No. 4 :

New waterproofing system as discussed In Item No. 3 should be applied to this building as well as
immediate maintenance works so as to protect the equipments inside this room.
Prepared By :

Eng’r. Wilfredo Corrales Enghoy ,

Structural Civil Engineer

Noted By :
Eng’r Usama,
DGPEA , Architectural Engineer , Maintenance Section

Eng’r Salim Saleem Al Busaidi

Director of Building Maintenance Section
DGPEA , MOH , Al Khwair