THE COLLEGE OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT POSTAL COURSES Basements Contents © Introduction Learning objectives © Why do we use basements © Why are basements so expensive © Waterproofing basements © Basement construction © Summary 6.95 © The College of Estate Management 1996 8005THE COLLEGE OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT POSTAL COURSES Basements Introduction Basements are a very expensive form of construction. In some cases it can be shown that the cost of constructing a storey underground is more than twice that of constructing an additional storey above ground, so we must be able to identify very clear advantages if this form of construction is to be used. There are also many constructional problems which are unique to basements. ‘This papersets outto identify the principles involved in basement design and construction, and to offer typical construction details. You should note, however, that most basements are “one-off” and details can vary quite considerably. Learning objectives ‘On completion of this paper you should be able to: 1 Identify the reasons why basements may be incorporated into a construction. 2 Understand the construction of basements. 3. Identify those problems associated with basement construiTHE COLLEGE OF ESTATE MANAGEMENT POSTAL COURSES Basements Why doweuse basements? Reasons for adopting basement construction would include 1 Achieving additional space, especially where above-ground constructions limited perhaps by planning restrictions or unusual ground conditions. Where, as describedin an earlier paper, the use of a buoyant raft fac the foundation structure. tatesabetterdesign for ‘Where security is importantand only an underground constructioncan satisfy these requirements Where environmental conditions preclude the use of an above-ground structure. The basement car park atthe House of Commons in London is an example of the use of basement construction toavoid damaging an environmentally sensitive area Whyare basements so expensive? There are a number of problems associated with the construction of basements which contribute to thehighcost of their construction, 1 Basements necessitate adeep excavation which requires suppor inall butthe most favourable circumstances. Inthe course of deep excavation water wouldnormally be encountered, which must either be excluded or dealt with during the construction process. When building underground, there are significant earth pressures which must be carried in addition to the weight of the building. The external wall of any basement will actas aretaining wall and must be designed as such. 5 8005Basements FIGURE 1 Basements Toads rom building 1 4 Water pressure Earth | ae ‘Soil needs pressure Aggressive chemicals ae | Buoyancy Any basement is part of the foundation of the building and therefore must be capable of carrying the loads placed upon it. The buoyancy effect. Although, as stated earlier, the buoyancy effect can be of significant assistance in the structural design of foundations, this same effect can cause problems during, the construction of basements and specific steps have tobe taken to ensure that the basement remainsstable and intact during construction. Basements normally need services of some sort through the external walls. Forexample, there may be drainage outlets or other services such as gas or electricity coming into the construction. Bearing in mind the points mentioned above, the provision of services through. basement wall can cause problems. As with any other below-ground construction, we must be prepared to deal with aggressive chemicals within the soil, particularly sulphates. The construction materials may have tobe adapted to meet these requirements, Probably the most important consideration is that of waterproofing. Whatever form of construction we use in whatever soils, we cannot guarantee that water will never be present We musttherefore ensure that the basement is waterproof ifit is to be used foraccommodation. Even if the basement is only to be used as acar park we should take steps to ensure that there isnot an excessive amount of water passing through the external walls. 6 8005Basements ‘Summarising the design problems A basement must be capable of carrying the load from the structure above as well as the horizontal loads imposed by surrounding soils. It must also be able to withstand quite high water pressures and remain watertight or at least water-resistant. The basement must remain stable during the construction, bearing in mind that at this stage there will be no superimposed loads to hold the basement securely in position. Waterproofing basements As stated above, the water pressure on the external walls and on the base of a basement may be quite substantial. Specific steps need to be taken to ensure that the construction remains waterproof. ‘There are a number of techniques which can be used, including: 1 Inherent waterproofing. Providing the construction is thick enough, for example, in excess of 300mm of dense concrete, then the construction will be inherently waterproof. Note, however, that inherently waterproof construction may not be vapour-proof. Construction or day joints need very special attention in this form of construction, Other forms of inherent waterproofing include the use of prestressed concrete or backfilling a basement with an inherently waterproof material such as puddled clay. 2 Incorporated waterproofing. We can improve the water resistance of construction by incorporating materials which themselves assist waterproofing. Forexample, in concrete we can usea waterproofing admixture. Inaddition, as with inherent waterproofing, we would need to ensure that any joints in the construction are suitably protected, for example by the use of water barsand barriers. 3. Drained cavity construction. Incertain situations, particularly where we are having difficulty in dealing with water problems in basement design, we may choose to use the alternative of allowing the water to pass through the external construction and then dealing with itonce it isinside the basement. Such a form of construction, called drained cavity construction, ensures that the accommodation remains dry, but weneed not exercise so much care in theconstruction of the structural elements of the basement. A drained cavity construction is illustrated in Figure 6below. 4 Waterproofmembranes or tanking. The traditional method of waterproofing basements is ‘by means of impervious membranes which are continuous either on the inside or onthe outside of the structural wall and base of the basement. Suitable materials for the membranes or tanking include: ‘© asphalt and other bituminous materials; ‘* welded uPVC or polythene sheeting; ‘© proprietary bituminous felts, clay-boards, or similar membranes. 7 8005Basements Basements can also be made water-resistant by the use of injected or applied materials such as silicones, which are highly successful against rising damp but tend to be of limited value when dealing with high water pressures. In many cases these treatments are not vapour~ proof and this ean lead to problems on the inside of the basement. Further details of the materials mentioned above can be found in the ‘Materials’ module which accompanies this series of papers. FIGURE 2. Waterproofing methods J Ye q = q Ss x a Inherent Incorporated y g 2) 7 = XS a Z x N Drained Membrane Figure 3 opposite: Natice inthis case how the soil has been sloped back sothat intornal strutting is not required. You will appreciate that internal strutting could interfore with the construction of the basement. You should consider what procedure might be adopted if internal strutting were necessary Notice also how the basement has been backfilled using selected materials and inthis case incorporating a lend drain at a euitable depth. This is necessary because the excavation of soil and subsequent backfilling provides 2 sump into which water will flow and could build Up pressure against the basement wall unless some steps fare taken to reduce this effect. Notice also the treatment of the asphalt between the vertical tanking and the horizontal tanking and how the asphalt has been sandwiched with a protective material in both these locations. The reinforced concrete floor ‘and protective sand and cement screed will need to be placed on top of the asphalt, and care must be taken to 1sure that the asphalt is not damaged. other membranes such as bituminous felt are used then even more care must be exercised when placing these layers. 8 8005Basements Basement construction 1 Traditional construction using external tanking Figure 3 shows the construction of a basement using traditional materials of brick and block and with the tanking applied externally. Notice carefully the construction sequence. FIGURE 3 ‘and tanking 20mm cementisand grout 2. Base, membrane, wi 4 (enlarged detail) Floor, rendering etc 1. Exeavate and blind 3. Protection, backfill 9 8005Basements FIGURE (continued) ‘The figure below shows some alternative details. Suspended ground floor slab ref ZA AC retaining T wall = PVC water Brick outer ‘bar see Reinforced concrete column Floor finish. Comentisand Samet Soreed filet "actor slab aeioor sb Horizontal asphait ” J inthree coats 01a 20mm thick Basement and area under pavement with retaining wall Figure 4 (opposite): In this example, vertical sides to the excavation are shown and itis very likely that some form of timbering or other support will be required. we are able to use steel sheet piling or trench sheeting then internal bracing could be avoided and we could carry on construction of the basement unhindered. I however, internal raking shores or horizontal struts are necessary, then these would have to be adjusted as the ‘basement is constructed. Support to the sides is given from that part of the construction which is completed at a particular stage. Notice the essential diference between Figures 3 and 4 where the vertical end horizontal asphalt meet. Note ‘also thet the internal brick or masonry wall needs (0 be quite substantial to ensure that the asphalt or other waterproofing membrane is not pushed off the external wall. From @ structural point of view both the outer and inner walls can be used to carry loads. 8005Basements FIGURE 4 Basements internal tanking 2 PAs — a f “HT : yi : 5 Benard sre stead : re £ a jl es : ___ Sr poss 8 Bee pil, iL 1. Exeavate and blinding 3. Tanking ul 8005Basements The advantages of this form of construction derive from the fact that the tanking material is applied to the outside of the structural walls and therefore any water pressure will tend to push. the tanking on to the walls rather than away from the walls. Important points to note: @ The sequence in which the tanking is applied and the means of ensuring that the jointing, is satisfactory, in other words that the membrane is continuous, «Note also the protective coating to the tanking to avoid damage during backfilling. ‘A major disadvantage with this method of construction is that additional excavation is needed in order to allow access to the outside of the basement structure to apply the tanking. ‘This additional excavation, however, does give us the opportunity of incorporating drainage which will, of course, release the pressure on the tanking. Note that in this and all other sketches the above-ground construction is not shown in detail. 2 Trak jonal construction tanked internally Figure 4 illustrates the construction of a basement which looks very similar to that of Figure 3, but in which the tanking has been applied to the inside of the structural wall. You will note that the amount of excavation is considerably reduced, but there is the problem that any ‘moisture, and indeed vapour, passing through the structural wall will tend to push the tanking off the wall. It is therefore necessary to provide a supporting construction on the inside of the tanking. This is rather more substantial than the protection afforded when the tanking is on the ‘outside of the structural wall. Notice again how the tanking is jointed particularly between the horizontal and vertical ‘membranes to ensure continuity. Particular attention should be paid to the use of waterbar in Figures 3 and 5. There are a number of proprietary waterbar types which can be used to prevent the movement of water across the joints in concrete. Waterbar would be used in all ‘dry’ concrete joints including construction and day joints, Some further details of the treatment of the waterproof membrane at vertical/horizontal junctionsare given in Figure. 12 8005Basements FIGURE 5 Traditional construction ‘External skin of brickwork 3. coat asphalt applied to Seructaral wall (201mm thick) 4.00 vocal asphat . Water bar (20mm thick) " Te Keter | Powcttnd ad] : “Asphalt set off Blinding Externally to reinforced concrete basement Roinforced concrete oor 2 coat ange flee Brickwork sot away reed : fram asphalt to alow Su g 7 floor Reinforced concrete for ss 5. Protective sand and coment seroed Note: Use of brickwork is unusual in modern Binding Internally with brickwork walls Figure 5. Figure 5 is similar in many respects to Figure 4 except that an insitu concrete wall is provided instead of mesonry or brickwork. Notice the use of the water bar. Notice particularly how the point loads from the reinforced concrete colurins have been carried on thickened foundations and how the asphalt fr other tanking is carried below this foundation, 13, 8005Basements 3. Drained cavity construction Figure 6 shows the technique of providing a cavity into which any water which passes through the structural wall may be gathered inside the building and disposed of in a satisfactory manner. You will appreciate that this type of basement will be inherently damp and this must be an acceptable condition for whatever task is being carried out in the basement, The drainage to a sump and subsequent pumping away must be highly effective if flooding is to be avoided. If this type of construction is to be adopted then external drainage around the perimeter of the ‘basement is to be recommended. FIGURE 6 Drained cavity system of waterproofing basements Wan finish Inner skin of blocks RC structura wal te vet [butt off screed cyst tznpynin ter | toor ties Screed Vopr] gy / Morn membrane Tf Th ‘Sump cover \wy tt es Sere we Od Standard dry angle tle , 4 = bottom view Figure 6: Important points to note on this illustration are the maintenance of the cavity on the external wall and the use of stoolled tiles in order to allow the water to drain across the floor to the sump. If itis possible to have o fall n the floor to encourage good dreinage, then this can be ‘an advantage. It may be possible o eliminate the fall and produce level floor by means of the Upper sereed and tiling. The stoolled tiles which are shown are of proprietary manufacture and ‘can be purchased as required. [tis unlikely that we would rely on manually pumping from the ‘Sump; almost certainly an automatic pump would be installed which would switch on as soon as the level of the water reached a predetermined height. Bearing in mind the importance ofthis pump, it may be necessary to have 2 pump on standby or at leest have some fairly sophisticated \Wwerning system to indicate if the pump is not operating properly. 4 Services ‘You will appreciate that services passing through basement walls can cause a number of headaches. Service entries must of course penetrate the waterproof membrane and suitable steps must be taken to ensure that we do not create a path for moisture into the building. Figure 7 illustrates the kinds of technique that we might use to ensure that the basement remains waterproof where services pass through the walls. 4 8005Basements FIGURE 7 Treatmentof pipes passing through tanking opening (77) Asphatsoove tein Za wa pening at made good Vertical asphalt tanking +. 50mm ‘concrete skin wall 2 coat fillet around pipe Stage 2 Lead collar Flanged pine Raitng. ast stone cope i Vertical asphat Brickovork well groutcd Asphatt ta face of Brickwork — == Asphalt paving Watertight concrete construction Threshold ' S001 horizontal asphak in itnee coats ‘Section through open area Figure 7: These diagrams illustrate how services passing through basement walls can be suitably protected to prevent entry of water, Notice the use of flanges: these would be additional flanges on the pipe, or in some cases an additional collar on the pipe which is bedded in an additional layer of asphelt li for any reason this ‘is not possible then some waterproofing material should be placed around the pipe and an additional thickness of membrane materiel applied to create a fillet which will deter molsture Passing along the surface of the pipe. The lower diagram shows traatment in @ semi-besement where the waterproofing needs to be carried up to at least DPC level. namely 160 mm above any Surface levels, and be suitably terminated. Installing basements in an existing building Under certain circumstances it may prove economical to ga additional accommodation by installing a basement within an existing building, Figure 8 illustrates a procedure which could be used for such an installation, Notice, however, that the basic construction principles illustrated above remain the same. 15 8005Basements FIGURE 8 Section through new basement Figure &: The instalation of 2 basomentintoan existing buiing would normally necessitate Iowering the oisting foundations Existing oor indpermetorwallofthe bulldng toe tuitable depth. The orc Underpinning offoundatinsis mot : dott with tthis stage but willbe Seale with in some deta! atthe ‘raxt love. ‘At the moment iis why ‘sufficient to be aware that the Sao Towering of foundations and the Ovbrsite concrete ‘construction of @ lowered external x, wall can be undertaken once the =~ rooting and Inside of the building has been ‘ddeon cxcoveled. The. procedure therefore would be to remove the tnstng foo. n thi cae Ts 9 Section through existing external wall Raa re eor ear Fomoved, excavating the sol! ‘maninthe building toaconvenient vnaihtosow the externa wal to be extended to.» new lowered foundation Theteningsapotieg ts previously described, to the ew ualandtopertottheexting Wall, and. then an interne! protective wall built inside the Casement, Remember thot we New oor structure fre tating» basement foo” enstng bulding then the ground —-}--- oor mould almost corny have SAS aan to be roploced. I this case iis "pasha wid to OPC Suggested hat a precast concrete product might be used. 1— Bicck foading walt Underpinning footings, foundation ‘and sleeper wall removed) Brick a wall 12 coat asphat |_| Anate ner Loading screed 3 coat asphatt Foundation Condrete floor ion through new basement 16 8005Basements 6 Basements in framed structures The principles outlined above again remain the same for basements in framed structures. The fundamental difference is that the basement will be required to carry heavy point loads and yet remain waterproof. This can create problems which need to be dealt with, for example as shown in Figure 9. FIGURE 9 Basements in framed structures colane ie {| protection piemaonia ‘som vertical Stet oir ~ ff, Pee Stinchion | z co Ground oor amsitedl || Secrest 7 30cat onepeta sy aaphal webboee\ ta x, Famdeion spleodsbon (eV enna ptinding aS Tanking to frames Protection Retaining wall coat ——+ asphate | Floor: i ® = ‘=, Foundation . Blinding ae Tanking to retaining wall Reintorced —canerete column “Protdetive sand, ‘Section through column base 8005Basements FIGURE 9 (continued) ‘50mm paving on Cladding 100mm concrete Asphalt, _ tesomin |p’ ‘Seva column A \'sl + 10.1 Floor slab 600mm nia former ‘Multi-storey basement Figure 8: These diagrams illustrate how tanking can be suitably applied toe framed structure when for ‘one reason or another itis nat convenient to take the tanking below the foundation. In the case of@stee! ‘Stanchion, for example, the presence of the asphalt between the baseplete of the stenchion and the Concrete foundation would be inappropriate since it would almost certainly fal. Inthe case of reinforced Concrete columns, the same principle applies. Since concrete is porous it is necessary to carry the Waterproofing membrane up to 2 level at least equal to the watertable or ground level Notice in the illustration on this page that a prestressed concrete retsining wall hes been used as the perimeter to the multi-storey basement. Since the concrete is prestressed and is of considerable thickness, no further waterproofing of the external wall is necessary. However, a waterproof membrane must be incorporated into the floor construction to take account of ‘any upward pressure from water. The prestressing details in this diagram are not complete since prestressed concrete is dealt with elsewhere. 7 Planning and procedure ‘The integrity of the structure and particularly the waterproofing of the basements is of paramount importance and careful control of the construction processes is essential. During, construction, supervision should ensure that construction joints are correctly located and properly constructed to meet the design requirements. The waterproofing technique to be used should be carefully monitored also, to ensure that no weak points arise, that the waterproofing is continuous, and that the waterproofing technique is not subsequently damaged by further construction. 18 8005Basements 8 Backfil Backfilling of basements needs to be done with considerable care, using appropriate materials and proper compaction techniques, Remember that the external wall of a basement is a retaining wall and should not be subjected to excessive shock loading Because the outside wall of a basement is designed as a retaining wall, the construction of the internal walls, floors ete should be carried out at an appropriate time to ensure that the external wall is properly supported in accordance with the designer's instructions. 9 Basement repairs Bearing in mind the complexity of basement construction, the repair of any any failures, whether structural or related to waterproofing, have to be designed and executed with great care. Only rarely is it possible to re-waterproof a basement by means of a localised repair: generally, waterproofing failures demand a completely new waterproofing installation (by internal or external tanking). Summary As stated in the introduction, most basements are “one-off” and it is difficult to demonstrate how a basement would be constructed without having a specific set of design parameters, The principles described and illustrated above should enable you to understand the complexity of ‘basement construction, and to identify the most important constructional features. If you have the opportunity to observe a basement being constructed, then it is an opportunity not to be missed! 19 8005