Waterproofing of Concrete Foundations

Abstract

Successful waterproofing of concrete foundations prevents the degradation of environmental and health conditions and of building materials used in belowground stories and extends the service life of concrete constructions. However, despite the important role of waterproofing systems for concrete foundations and the fact that repairing them is either impractical or prohibitively expensive, there is very little useful information or discussion on membrane properties and the detailing required for a durable, watertight design. This paper presents a discussion of the requirements of waterproofing membranes and the auxiliary components used in waterproofing systems for concrete footings, mat-slabs, and pile foundations, along with a schematic representation of suggested systems and their detailing. Flexibility and mechanical resistance are particularly important and reasonably well-documented properties of buried waterproofing membranes, but knowledge of their long-term durability presently relies mostly on empirical data. The cost analysis of some of the suggested waterproofing systems revealed significant differences that, along with the other data presented, should aid building designers and contractors with the design and installation of effective waterproofing solutions for concrete foundations.