Lecturer: Brian B.

Katongo
The Copperbelt University
School of Built Environment
v A wall is a continuous, usually vertical structure of
brick, stone, concrete, timber or metal, thin in
proportion to its length and height, which encloses
and protects a building or serves to divide buildings
into compartments or rooms.

(Barry, 1989)
²  A wall cab be defined as…

ü  External or internal wall to differentiate

functional requirements, and as…

ü  Load bearing and non-load bearing to

differentiate structural requirements.
²  Walls are of two types…

ü  Solid

ü  Framed
²  The function of a wall is to enclose and
protect a building or divide space within a
building. The functional requirements of a
wall are…
ü  Strength and Stability
ü  Resistance to weather and ground moisture
ü  Durability and freedom from maintenance
ü  Fire resistance
ü  Resistance to the passage of heat
ü  Resistance to airborne and impact noise
²  The walls found below the ground in the
context of framed buildings are generally
associated with the construction of
basements or large sub-ground voids.
²  Primary functional requirements of walls
below ground level are as follows…..:
ü  Structural stability
ü  Durability
ü  Moisture Exclusion
ü  Buildability
²  A basement is the floor or floors of a
building which are partially or entirely
below ground level.
²  Sub-ground environment can be hostel to
some building element materials used in
the construction of basements.
²  Basement construction takes many forms
but the general principles and performance
requirements will generally be the same.
Grade Possible use Conditions required Moisture Exclusion

Grade 1: Car parking >65% relative humidity Minor wet seepage and
Basic Utility Mechanical plant rooms 15-35 °C Temperature visible damp patches may
be acceptable

Grade 2: Retails storage 35-50% relative humidity Wet seepage

Better Utility Electrical plant rooms Temperature depending on use: unacceptable. No visible
<15 °C for storage up to 42 °C for moisture patches.
plant rooms

Grade 3: Offices 40-60% relative humidity Seepage and wet patches

Habitable Residential use Temperature range typically 13-22 unacceptable. Possible
Kitchens, °C active control of internal
Restaurants etc… environment required to
control temperature and
humidity

Grade 4: Archive storage of 35-50% relative humidity Environment tightly

Special books, documents, art Temperature range typically 13-22 controlled by active
etc… °C measures. Seepage and
visible dampness
unacceptable
²  Walls below ground level are required to act in a
hostile environment and must be highly durable
²  They are required to deal with lateral and axial loads
²  The requirement to exclude moisture is highly
significant due to positive hydrostatic pressure in
the ground
²  The design of basement walls is related to the
required grade, which may range from basic utility
to special grade.
²  There are three broad types of basement wall
structure

Type A - Tanked

Type B – Waterproof

Type C – Drained
²  The criteria for the selection of an appropriate
‘type’ is mainly based on the extent to which
ground water is excluded
²  Additionally, the nature of the soil and the required
depth of the basement will also place limitations
on the selection of an appropriate type
²  Other factors affecting selection may include…:
ü  Level of ground water; possible contamination
of ground water; natural drainage; soil type;
access to the site etc.
²  Type A – Tanked
ü  This type of structures involve the utilization
of impervious material applied to the structure
ü  The impervious material may be applied
internally or externally to exclude moisture
ü  This process is termed “tanking” and may be
effected in several different ways
²  Type B – Waterproofing
ü  This structures utilize waterproofing materials
within the structure of the walls, considered as
‘structurally integrated protection’
ü  The waterproofing is provided by the structural
walls themselves, which are almost always
formed from reinforced or prestressed concrete
designed such that it is inherently waterproofed
²  Type C – Drainage
ü  These structures allow for ground water to pass
through the walls, but provide a mechanism for
it to be drained away
ü  A drained cavity is formed in the basement
structure which facilitates the collection of
ground water that seeps through the external
basement wall