Water Proofing

Col (Retd) Harry Sidhu, FIE

B.Sc Engg (Civil), M Tech (Structures)
LM ICI, LM ISWE, LM ISCMS, LM ISET
Chartered Engineer
•Ex Additional Chief Engineer,
Chandigarh Zone
•Ex Technical Advisor to ‘MC
Bauchemie (I) Pvt Ltd’ & ‘McCoy
Silicones’
•Visiting Faculty to ‘National
Technical Teachers Training &
Research Institute’, Chandigarh for
PG Students
•Column Expert on Waterproofing:
HT Estates, Hindustan Times, Delhi
& Chandigarh
•Ex Consultant to Chandigarh
Administration on Waterproofing
•Ex Consultant to CE Chandigarh
Zone (MES) on Waterproofing
•Ex Consultant to CE Bhatinda Zone
(MES) on Waterproofing
•External Examiner for M.Tech/ ME
Students IIT Mumbai, Punjab
University & TIET Patiala (Deemed
to be University)
•Consultant for Structural Design,
Rehabilitation and Waterproofing
•Consultant for Soil & Civil Material
Testing
What is Damp Proofing?

DAMP PROOFING IS ACTUALLY THE

MANAGEMENT OF WATER: THE ART
OF MAKING FLOW OF WATER EASIER,
KEEPING INSIDE WATER IN &
OUTSIDE WATER OUT
Waterproofing/Damp proofing!!

Treatment of a Surface or Structure

to prevent passage of water in the:

Presence of Hydrostatic - Waterproofing

Pressure

Absence of Hydrostatic - Damp Proofing

Pressure
As per ACI Committee 515
Sources of Leakage/Dampness
Roofs & Terraces

Parapet & Roof Junction

Crumple Joints

Sunken Floors
Sources of Leakage/Dampness

Defective DPC

Porous Masonry, RWP’s,

Chajjas, Window Cills etc

Leaking Water meters, Service

Tanks, pipes etc
Roofs
This is how
are Roof
Tops are
Generally
maintained
Potential Leakage Areas from
Terraces

Parapet
Junctions Depressed Tiles

RWP
Crumple Joints
 Loads on Crumple Joint
DL+LL Tarfelt DL+LL

Slab

Thermal Stresses Seismic Forces

 Crumple Joint Under Loads
DL+LL Tarfelt DL+LL

Slab

Thermal Stresses Seismic Forces

 The way
joints are
generally
Sealed

Disintegrated
Polysulphide
JOINT COVERED !!
Cracked
Cover of
the
Building
Joint
Cracked Polysulphide
Wet Areas
 Dampness in Sunken Floors

Ceramic
Tiles
Floor Finish

Neat Cement
Joint

Accumulated
Water
Leakage through Floor Traps

Finished Floor
Level Major
Source
of
Floor Leakage
Traps
RISING DAMPNESS
IN WALLS
Rise of Water by Capillary Action

Rise related to
Capillary
Diameter

Considering average capillary dia in

masonry, the rise is roughly 1.5 mtrs
 Rise of Ground Water into
Walls

Skirtin Floo
g r
DPC
GL Sub Base

GWT
Entry of Surface Water into
Walls
Skirtin Floo
g r
DPC
GL Sub Base
Water Proof

Water Repellent
Water Repellency
Major Cause of Porosity

Uncontrolled Water Cement Ratio

Continuous Capillaries in Concrete
Water/Cement Ratio
V/s
Permeability

Coefficient of Permeability

Water/Cement Ratio
AGE AT WHICH CAPILLARIES
BECOME SEGMENTED
W/C RATIO TIME REQUIRED
0.40 3 days
0.45 7 days
0.50 14 days
0.60 6 months
0.70 1 year
over 0.70 Impossible
Effect of W/C Ratio on
Concrete
Workability with
Plasticizer
Strength/Workability

Water Cement Ratio

Water Cement Ratio !!

All Said & Done ‘The Man’

with the “Dibba” at the Mixer
Continues to control this vital
factor at most sites. What are
we doing about it?
How to Reduce W/C
Ratio?

Use
Plasticisers
Plasticisers/ Super Plasticizers
These are workability
enhancers/water reducers
Can be used as accelerators or
retarders
Air Entraining Agents
Must comply with IS 9103
Review of use of Bituminous
Products for Waterproofing
Not Compatible to most building
materials

Not Breathable

Not Resistant to UV Rays

Review of use of Bituminous
products for Waterproofing
Uniform Application difficult due to
viscosity

Generally grade 80/100 used instead

of 80/20 or 85/25.

Over coating by tarfelt/polythene

sheets prone to wrinkles & folds
Review of use of Bituminous
products for Waterproofing

Subsequent application by different

materials not possible. Coatings have
to be chipped off
Prone to Blistering & Pealing
Not Eco Friendly
Prerequisites of Waterproofing
Systems
Breathability

Compatibility

Ease of Application

Flexibility against thermal

movement
Prerequisites of Waterproofing
Systems

Wear Resistance
Bonding with substrate
Eco Friendly
Cost effectiveness
 Selection of Materials
Load carrying capacity of basic
substrate

Criteria for abrasion/chemical

resistance & color

Geometry of surface
 Selection of Materials….
Slope and inclination of Roof

Climatic conditions viz thermal

& rainfall

Level of GWT & presence of

chemicals
 Selection of Materials….
Accessibility during repair &
service conditions

Crack Bridging Capability

Maintenance requirements &

criteria
Stages involved in
Waterproofing
Investigation & Diagnosis

Selection of materials &

systems

Design & specifications for the

system
Stages involved in
Waterproofing

Application & Supervision

Maintenance
CONVENTIONAL SYSTEMS
Mud Phuska & Tiles over Bitumen

Brick Bat Coba/ Lime Terracing

Ferro Cement Topping

Tar Felt Treatment

MODERN SYSTEMS
Grouting

Modified Bituminous
Systems

Single Ply Membranes

 MODERN SYSTEMS
Liquid Membranes

Cementitious Slurries

Joint Sealants
Cementitious
Slurries
Non Elastic

Semi Elastic

Elastic

Crystallisation Systems
The Condition Before
Ponding of 100mm through
Seepage every Hour
Totally Dry within 24
Hours!!
Waterproofing by
Crystallization
 SPECIFICATIONS FOR BASEMENT Sketch 1

WATERPROOFING FROM OUTSIDE

Penetron Application @
15mm x 15mm Groove 500 gm per sq m
filled with ‘Penetron’
Mortar covered with
Concave Gola in mortar 1:
4

Penetron Application @ 1.4 Kg

per sq m
(Refer
DETAIL AT ‘A’ Detail)
A

PCC 1:4:8

Note: Polymer modified Non shrink pressure Grouting selectively at the time of testing
Is use of Integral WPC Enough?
 The Cost Factor

Cheapest is not the best

Specifications have to be cost

effective but do not compare
with something that is
ineffective
 The Cost Factor

For anything good one has to pay

the price
Do not cling to the past for ever.
Time for change has come & it is
now. We have to pay the price.
Performance of Products
One Man’s Experience when Products Fail!!
Embarrassment
Dangerous
Correction of Specifications Essential
Responsible Material Supplier
Correct Application Critical
No Problem
Why do we Fail?

MENTAL BLOCK
&
LACK OF
ACCOUNTABILITY
Col (Retd) Harry Sidhu
hsidhu_chd@yahoo.com