DA M P - P RO O F I N G

AN D
WAT E R - P RO O F I N G
COURSES
 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
level.DPC should be provided over a concrete bed of thickness 100-
200mm.the 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
• Providing foundation drains and DPC:-

to release hydrostatic pressure,trenches are made

BASEMENT:-
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 drain.Horizontal 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.
 USING 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.