Presents
INNOVATIONS IN
WATERPROOFING
SYSTEMS
An AIA Continuing Education Program
Credit for this course is 1 AIA/CES
Learning Unit for HSW credit.
Course Title:
INNOVATIONS IN
WATERPROOFING SYSTEMS
Course Number: POL07A
1
An American Institute of Architects
(AIA) Continuing Education program
Approved Promotional Statement:
InfoSpec is a registered provider with The American Institute
Of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned
on completion of this program will be reported to CES
Records for AIA members. Certificates Of Completion for
non-AIA members available on request.
This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing
professional education. As such, it does not include content that
may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by
the AIA or Ron Blank & Associates of any material of construction
or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or
dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific
materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the
conclusion of this presentation.
2
An American Institute of Architects
(AIA) Continuing Education program
Course Format: This is a structured, face to face course.
Course Credit: 1 Health Safety & Welfare (HSW) learning unit (LU)
Completion Certificate: A copy is sent to you by email upon request.
When you fill out the Form B please indicate if you need one. Also
please make sure the information you provide is legible. Send email
request to: carol@ronblank.com
Design professionals please make sure and indicate request of
certificate of completion when filling out the Form B at course
conclusion. All AIA and non- AIA members who request a
certificate of completion will be sent a copy of your certificate
to the email address you provided in the Form B. Please make
sure that when print your information that it is legible. If we
can not read your writing we can not process your credit.
3
Course Objectives
After completing this course the participants
will have a better understanding of the
following:
• Waterproofing Solutions that Protect the
Owner’s Investment By…
– Improving Indoor Air Quality
– Protecting Your Concrete Floors And Walls
– Preserving Structural Integrity
4
“Do You Know
Why Most Vapor
Barriers Fail?”
5
"85% of Vapor Barriers Fail"
What do we mean ?
 Vapor barriers are a well known problem area in
the design and construction field.
 The problem comes from damage during
construction.
 There is significant disagreement on what
materials to use, where to place vapor barriers,
and how to specify construction methods to
avoid damage.
6
Where does the "85 %” failure rate come from?
 The specific quote is taken from a consultant's report to
the city of Los Angeles Department of Building and
Safety:
"…With respect to HDPE (vapor barriers), please be
aware that under normal field applications it has been
observed to experience a high failure rate reported to be
as high as 85% in some cases."
 The full report, along with a listing of nine large projects
known to be leaking and a Los Angeles Times article, can
be found at this weblink:
http://saveballona.org/techpages/boot.html
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Need More Proof ?
ASTM E 1643 - 98 SPECIFICATION:
Standard Practice for Installation of Water Vapor Retarders Used in
Contact with Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs
FROM THE EXCERPTS ABOVE, IT LOOKS LIKE:
1. Everybody on the ASTM committee agrees that these vapor barrier
materials are likely to fail.
2. The committee does not agree on a solution.
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The following slides include:
I. A definition of vapor barriers
II. A discussion of current vapor barrier standards
III. A series of construction photographs which
demonstrate the potential for construction abuse and
damage to vapor barriers
IV. Extracts from materials standards, construction
specifications, and engineering bulletins:
ASTM
Portland Cement Association (PCA)
American Concrete Institute (ACI)
10
Typical Commercial Grade Vapor Barrier
Source: Portland Cement Association (#12958)
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DEFINITION OF VAPOR BARRIERS
The industry uses various terms for vapor barriers:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Vapor Retarders
Vapor Barriers
HDPE
Polyethylene Film
Reinforced polyethylene films
Membranes, etc.
Most of the industry considers the terms to be
interchangeable.
This presentation will use the term "Vapor Barrier"
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Vapor Barriers are virtually impermeable
polyethylene films which, according to
ASTM E 1643
"...provide a method of limiting water vapor
transmission upward through concrete slabs
on grade…”
13
Vapor Barrier Configuration
Adapted from PCA Concrete
Floors on Ground Engineering
Bulletin 075, Fig. 3.2
One Typical Vapor Barrier Configuration
14
Historically, few construction projects used vapor
barriers. However, use has increased in recent years
because of concerns about:
 Damage to flooring above the slab by moisture
 Concerns about toxic mold
 Intrusion of chemical vapors and other hazardous
contaminants from underground
15
PROPERTIES FOR COMMERCIAL GRADE VAPOR BARRIERS
PROPERTIES FOR COMMERCIAL GRADE VAPOR BARRIERS
PROPERTY TESTS AS LISTED IN ASTM E 154 AND ASTM E 1745
PROPERTY
ASTM TEST #
CLASS A
CLASS B
CLASS C
PERMEANCE TO WATER VAPOR
E 96 B
< 0.3 PERMS
< 0.3 PERMS
< 0.3 PERMS
TENSILE STRENGTH
E 154 SECTION 9
> 45.0 LBF
> 30.0 LBF
> 13.6 LBF
PUNCTURE RESISTANCE TO 1" STEEL ROD
E 154 SECTION 10
2200 GRAMS
1700 GRAMS
475 GRAMS
PUNCTURE RESISTANCE TO FALLING DART
D 1709 B
2200 GRAMS
1700 GRAMS
475 GRAMS
TYPICAL BARRIER THICKNESS
D 1000
0.015"
0.010"
0.006"
Note:
Puncture resistance requirements are expressed in GRAMS, instead of pounds.
(2200 grams = 4.85 pounds, 475 grams = 1.05 pounds)
16
Notice how thin this vapor barrier is
Source: Portland Cement Association (#V2/144_5)
17
On most large projects, steel reinforcement
(REBAR) is installed over the vapor barrier.
The purpose of rebar is to minimize future cracking
of the concrete slab, and to reduce warping or
curling.
Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#a00305)
18
Rebar installation includes cutting, which
creates both sparks and sharp edges.
Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#204602)
19
Rebar must be fastened at
intersections to keep it evenly spaced.
In this photo, the rebar is being welded together. If this job
had used a vapor barrier, holes could have been burnt.
Source: www.constructionphotographs.com
20
After rebar installation is complete, there
are usually many areas where sharp
edges touch the vapor barrier.
Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#a00306-section zoom)
21
There is also a lot of foot traffic on
jobsites, as well as equipment.
Source: Portland Cement Association (#82_5a)
22
Sometimes larger equipment is
driven over the vapor barrier.
Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#a00305-section zoom)
23
For this placement, 15 workers are standing
in the mix, each one
endangering the vapor barrier.
Source: Portland Cement Association (57_19)
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Vigorous tool use.
Source: Portland Cement Association (Vol. 2 #34)
25
Vibration of the concrete is
a widely used method of
consolidation.
One manufacturer, Vibco,
offers vibrators with head
diameters between
1-3/8” and 3”.
HEAD DIAMETER
VIBRATIONS PER MINUTE
1-3/8"
18,000
3"
16,000
IMPACT FORCE - POUNDS
IMPACT FORCE - GRAMS
450 LBS
204,116
GRAMS
3200 LBS
1,451,956
GRAMS
Sources: Wycotool (Vibrator Drawing)
Vibco (Vibrator Specifications)
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If you haven't seen enough unintentional construction
damage, we should mention intentional vapor barrier
damage:
ASTM E 1643 - 98, section 6.3:
"Avoid use of stakes driven through vapor retarder"
PCA Engineering Bulletin 075, page 15:
"The practice of intentionally punching holes
through a vapor retarder to allow bleed-water to exit
the slab bottom is unacceptable because it defeats
the purpose of the membrane."
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Summary of the problem:
1. Increased concerns about vapor penetrating slabs
1. A. Moisture damages flooring
2. B. Toxic mold from moisture vapor
3. C. Chemical vapor intrusion
4. D. Lawsuit potential
1. The industry standard is Vapor Barriers made of
polyethylene:
1. A. Thin
2. B. Industry standard for puncture resistance: so low
that it is expressed in GRAMS
1. ASTM E 1643 states that polyethylene vapor barrier
materials are highly vulnerable to construction damage.
2. The big problem is construction damage.
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THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY PROBLEM
Under-Slab Membrane
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The Next Generation of Under-sealing
Waterproofing Membranes
30
Problems:
Sick Office
Solutions:
Happy Office
These Products
Act As Barriers To:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Moisture/Water
Methane Gas
Radon Gas
Toxic Contaminants
Termites
Pesticides
Stress Cracks
Below grade selfsealing membrane
system with a level of
protection never
before available.
31
THE UNDER-SLAB MEMBRANE ACTS AS A
BARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE
Polyethylene
Rubberized Asphalt
Geo-textile Fabric
• Reduces the amount and severity of
cracking
-more facts
32
UNDERSLAB
WATERPROOFING APPLICATION
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UNDER SLAB APPLICATION
UNDER-SLAB MEMBRANE
• 20 Mil Vapor Barrier - 500% Extra Thickness for Protection
• Stress Absorbing/Barrier Formulation
• Geotextile Fabric for Mechanical Bond to Concrete
34
Underslab Membrane at a grade beam
35
36
THE BLIND SIDE MEMBRANE ACTS AS A
BARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE
Polyethylene
Rubberized Asphalt
Geo-textile Fabric
37
NEGATIVE SIDE MEMBRANE
FOUNDATION WALL APPLICATION
BLIND SIDE MEMBRANE
WATERPROOFING SYSTEM
• Geotextile Fabric for Bond to Concrete
• Stress Absorbing Barrier Formulation
• High Density, High Strength
Polyethylene
38
Blindside Membrane with Shot-crete
39
Blindside Membrane
40
Blindside Membrane
41
THE SPLIT SLAB MEMBRANE ACTS AS A
BARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE
20 mil. Polyethylene
Rubberized Asphalt
42
BETWEEN SLAB
WATERPROOFING APPLICATION
SPLIT SLAB MEMBRANE
• 20 Mil Backing - 500% Extra
Thickness for Protection
43
Balcony application of Split Slab
Membrane
44
Split Slab Membrane
1,100 penetrations detailed with
1- or 2-part liquid membrane
45
THE PROTECTED WALL MEMBRANE ACTS AS A
BARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE
20 mil. Polyethylene
Rubberized Asphalt
46
VERTICAL WALL WATERPROOFING
APPLICATION
PROTECTED WALL MEMBRANE
• Built-in Protection
(Drainage Composite Optional)
47
Protected Wall Membrane
48
ANTI-FRACTURE MEMBRANES
Anti-fracture membranes protect ceramic tile by providing
a stress absorbing layer between the substrate and the
tile. If the concrete substrate underneath cracks, the
stress of the crack is not transferred up to the brittle
ceramic tile. The stress is absorbed by the rubbery nature
of the rubberized asphalt.
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GUARDING TILE FROM STRESS FRACTURES
CERAMIC TILE
LATEX MODIFIED THINSET
ANTI-FRACTURE MEMBRANE
COMPONENTS
Fabric-bond to
Thinset
Stress Absorbing
Membrane
CONCRETE
CRACK
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FREEZE / THAW
CYCLES
OVERLAY
OVERLAY
OLD CONCRETE
SLAB
OLD CONCRETE
SLAB
PAVEMENT BASE
During cold
weather, slabs
contract away from
each other.
PAVEMENT BASE
In hot weather,
slabs expand
towards each
other.
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IN SUMMARY:
Under-slab Membranes seal out:
• Moisture
• Termites
• Methane Gas
• Radioactive Radon Gas
• Mold
• Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals
Under-slab Membranes act as ANTI-FRACTURE
MEMBRANES FOR SLABS
• Continues sealing even under new cracks or
moving joints
• Reduces the amount and severity of cracking in
slabs above the membrane.
• Provides waterproofing, not just a vapor protection.
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Course Questions
This concludes
the continuing
education
course. The next
15 minutes will
be focused on
discussing the
course material.
53
THIS CONCLUDES:
INNOVATIONS IN
WATERPROOFING
SYSTEMS
An AIA Continuing Education Program
Credit for this course is 1 AIA/CES
Learning Unit for HSW credit.
Course Title:
INNOVATIONS IN
WATERPROOFING SYSTEMS
Course Number: POL07A
54