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Dampness: Analysis of Building Defects Ransom 1987

This document discusses various causes of dampness in buildings including rising damp from ground water, penetrating damp through walls from rain or defects, and extraneous causes like plumbing leaks. It describes symptoms of different types of dampness and provides guidance on inspection and instrumentation used to analyze building defects related to moisture.

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sahilkaushik
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55 views10 pages

Dampness: Analysis of Building Defects Ransom 1987

This document discusses various causes of dampness in buildings including rising damp from ground water, penetrating damp through walls from rain or defects, and extraneous causes like plumbing leaks. It describes symptoms of different types of dampness and provides guidance on inspection and instrumentation used to analyze building defects related to moisture.

Uploaded by

sahilkaushik
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 10

8/30/2017

Dampness

DrChitrarekha Kabre

Analysisofbuildingdefects
Ransom1987

1
8/30/2017

Waterenteringduringconstruction
1

Groundwater
2

3 Rainandsnow

Moisturefromhumanactivities
M i f h i ii
4

Risingdampfromground
1

Penetratingdampthrough
2 walls

3 Extraneouscauses
Extraneous causes

2
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Dampness

RISINGDAMPFROMGROUND

SolidwallswithDPCabsent
Foundation is always damp, moisture rises into
the brick or stonework by capillary attraction and
unless
l addamp-prooff course isi provided
id d above
b
ground level the moisture will rise causing
considerable dampness to walls and floors.
If there is no damp-proof course, dampness will
show along bottom of both external and internal
faces causing discolouration, mildew and peeling
decorations.
The damp will rise in a wall or partition to a height
att which
hi h th
there iis a b
balance
l b
between
t th
the rate
t off
evaporation and rate which the damp can be
drawn up by capillary attraction.
The line of dampness due to the absence of DPC
is usually continuous and fairly horizontal and in
severe cases can reach a height of approximately
1.5 m.

3
8/30/2017

SolidwallswithDPCdefective
Rising damp due to a defective DPC,
the cracks usually pass through the
horizontal jjoint with a semicircular damp
p
patch internally spreading up from the
line of the DPC.
The damp course line should be
checked for continuity especially where
it is stepped due to changes in floor
levels or external pavings
The condition of the pointing to the
damp course should be noted.
The ground water usually contains
dissolved salts which form a fine deposit
on the wall surface during evaporation of
the water. Some of these salts are
hygroscopic and absorb moisture from
the air. In such cases the plaster work
becomes contaminated with salts and
usually require replacement.

Basement walls and floors


Rooms partially or fully below ground level
For every 300mm below the water table the water
pressure increases and the outside faces of
basement walls may remain permanently damp
Ground water penetration can be seasonal
depending on the relative height of the water table.
Basement protected by external or internal
waterproof coatings (tanking)
Damp patches on walls or floors could emanate
from an intermittently leaking water pipe or may be
caused by condensation
Defective jointing of the damp-proof membrane at
the internal angle of wall and floor cause gradual
percolation of moisture and a head of water may
build up between the two leaves of brickwork or
concrete walling. If water pressure is strong below
the floor it can cause actual flooding of the
basement.

4
8/30/2017

Heapedearthorpavingagainstwalls
andbridgingofrendering
The horizontal DPC placed nearer the
ground than the 150 mm clearance and
becomes ineffective through being bridged
by earth or paving slabs laid at a higher
level.
In wet weather moisture may be drawn
into the wall from the soil above the DPC
Where dampness appears on the interior
face near the floor the ground level in
relation to the DPC should be examined.

PENETRATINGDAMPTHROUGH
WALLS

5
8/30/2017

Rain water penetration


Rainwater can penetrate a 250 mm solid brick walls if the bricks
are of a porous nature and the force of the wind is behind it.
Protect walls from rain penetration by various forms of overhang
canopies, projecting eaves, string courses and cornices.
Water is drawn through fine fissures by capillary attraction, and it
is often assisted by internal warmth
If walling material not excessively absorbent, the joints should be
examined. If mortar is of poor quality the risk of damp penetration
is increased.
increased
Dampness is often caused by using strong cement mortars which
tend to shrink, water is drawn in through the fine fissures
between mortar and brick.
Window and door openings in solid walls, if the joint between
frame and the masonry is defective allowing moisture to
penetrate then the timber is prone to wet rot.

Parapetwalls
Parapets are exposed to the weather on three
sides and therefore the most vulnerable part of a
building
One brick thickness with the inner face rendered
Copings of natural stone with throating
susceptible due to broken joints.
Copings of brick are susceptible through the
mortar joints
The external faces showing signs of decay or
surface flaking indicate that the wall is saturated
and sulphate attack has occurred.
Cracks or bulging of any rendering either on the
internal or external faces also indicate sever
damp penetration, these defects are usually
caused by the absence of a DPC below coping.

6
8/30/2017

Parapetwalls
DPC under the coping and at
the top of the skirting to the
rooff
On a flat roof the DPC should
be taken right through to the
internal face of the parapet to
form a cover flashing over the
skirting.
On the external face, the DPC
should
h ld extend
t d tto fform a smallll
projecting drip on the face of
the brickwork.

DAMPNESS

EXTRANEOUSCAUSES

7
8/30/2017

Leaksinplumbingsystems
Leaks from plumbing systems
or weeping
p g jjoints in sanitary
y
fittings-water entrapped under
impervious floor coverings.
Water passes through the
joints or cracks and spreads
out underneath making
evaporation almost
impossible.
p
Defective pipes buried in an
external wall can sometimes
give rise to damp patches on
the wall surface similar to
rainwater penetration.

DAMPNESS

INSTRUMENTATION

8
8/30/2017

SurveyMasterSMmoisturereading
meter
Electronic moisture-reading meter
There are two main types currently in use,
the conductivity and the capacitance type.

Speedycalciumcarbidemoisture
meter
This instrument is used to
ascertain on site the moisture
content
t t off particular
ti l building
b ildi
materials such as mortar, brick,
stone and concrete.
These meters have certain
advantages over electrical
moisture meters.
They actually measure the water
content
t t off a samplel
They do not automatically provide
the source of that moisture.

9
8/30/2017

Electronichygrometer
The humidity and
t
temperature
t off a
building fabric can
be measured with
an electronic
hygrometer.

10

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