murat dalgıç independent waterproofing consultant

Technical details

The majority of waterproofing failures are caused not by the material but by junction details. The cross-sections below show the most common building elements and the errors most frequently repeated on site. The drawings are schematic; every building's solution is determined by its own conditions.

Flat roof terrace

Parapet upstand most problems start here Drain bedded in epoxy grout mortar Sloped protection screed Thermal insulation Separation layer Waterproofing membrane Sloped structural slab Drain

The flat roof terrace is the building element where the layer sequence is most frequently confused. Falls are formed below the waterproofing: the membrane is laid on a structural deck brought to falls, and in the inverted build-up the thermal insulation goes above the membrane with a separation layer between them. A protection screed completes the build-up. A conventional (warm) build-up with the insulation below the membrane is also valid when designed with a vapour control layer. The direction and gradient of falls must be correct for water to reach the drain.

The drain detail is the most critical point of this element. The drain is bedded in epoxy grout mortar and the waterproofing membrane is fully bonded to the drain flange. When this junction is not correctly formed, water will pass to the space below even if the rest of the terrace is perfectly executed.

Most common errors on site

  • Waterproofing membrane not taken high enough up the parapet, or top edge not secured
  • Falls given in the wrong direction instead of towards the drain; water ponding
  • Drain bedded in normal mortar instead of epoxy grout; drain settles over time
  • Drain flange not integrated with the waterproofing membrane
  • Inverted and conventional build-ups mixed up; insulation placed below the membrane without a vapour control layer
  • No movement joints in the protection screed; cracking screed stresses the layers below

Facade thermal insulation (ETICS)

Fixing embedment depth determines the system's load capacity Wall Adhesive Insulation board Render + reinforcing mesh Finish coat Fixing

ETICS is a system, not just a material: adhesive, board, fixings, reinforcing mesh, base coat and finish coat must all be compatible. Mixing products from different manufacturers voids both system warranty and performance.

Most common errors on site

  • Adhesive not applied to sufficient coverage or in the correct pattern on the board face
  • Insufficient number of fixings or inadequate embedment depth
  • Boards not staggered; joints coinciding at corners
  • Insulation cut short at window and door reveals; thermal bridging and mould
  • No drip edge at window sills; facade staining and water absorption
  • Reinforcing mesh left at the surface of the render instead of embedded within it

Wet rooms

Wall upstand height in shower area taken to ceiling Tiles Waterproofing Screed Floor Drain

Wet roomsde su yalıtımı seramiğin altına, şapın üstüne uygulanır ve duvara belirli bir yükseklikte Most ceiling stains in the flat below come not from tile grout joints but from missing upstands or poor drain junctions.

Most common errors on site

  • Waterproofing not taken up the wall at all, or taken up too low
  • Upstand in shower area not taken to ceiling height
  • Drains and service penetrations not integrated with the waterproofing
  • No reinforcing tape used at wall-to-floor junction
  • Tile adhesive applied before waterproofing has cured
  • Relying only on grout joints rather than a proper waterproofing membrane beneath the tiles

Foundation and retaining wall

Foundation–wall junction: the primary leak point Retaining wall Bituminous coating waterproofing XPS thermal insulation Felt-laminated drainage board Filter aggregate Drainage pipe

Toprak altındaki yapı elemanlarında su yalıtımı tek başına yeterli değildir; suyun yapıya directed away from the structure before it can bear against it. Even the best membrane will eventually fail under sustained hydrostatic pressure altında zamanla yenilir.

Most common errors on site

  • Construction joint at the foundation–wall junction left unresolved
  • Drainage pipe laid without falls or with no outfall
  • Excavation spoil used as backfill instead of filter aggregate
  • Waterproofing left without protection board; damaged during backfilling
  • Waterproofing not taken sufficiently above ground level

Floor coatings

Control joint If primer applied without measuring concrete moisture the coating will eventually blister and delaminate Epoxy coating Primer RC ground slab Vapour barrier Compacted fill

Kaplamanın ömrünü belirleyen şey kaplamanın kendisi değil, altındaki betondur. Yüzey mekanik olarak hazırlanmamışsa, beton yeterince kurumamışsa veya alttan nem geliyorsa the coating will not bond to the concrete. The failure appears in the coating; its origin is in the substrate. The same principles apply equally to a factory floor, an apartment lobby or a cafe floor; the only thing that changes is the thickness and surface texture of the system.

Most common errors on site

  • Application started without measuring concrete moisture content
  • Surface not prepared by grinding or shot-blasting; only swept
  • Zemin altında buhar kesici bulunmaması, nemin alttan gelmesi
  • Zemindeki kontrol ve dilatasyon derzlerinin kaplamada devam ettirilmemesi
  • Next coat applied before primer has cured
  • Ambient or substrate temperature outside the product working range
  • Thickness chosen on price rather than load class

Concrete repair

Concrete cover If not broken out behind the rebar, the repair will fail again Existing concrete Reinforcement Repair mortar

Most concrete spalling originates from reinforcement corrosion, not impact. Corroding steel expands in volume and forces the concrete off from the inside. The primary task in repair is not to close the surface but to eliminate the source of the corrosion.

Most common errors on site

  • Concrete behind the reinforcement not broken out; corrosion product remaining inside
  • Corroded reinforcement encased without cleaning and without protective coating
  • Repair mortar applied to loose surface without cutting back to sound concrete
  • Normal cement mortar used; incompatible with parent concrete, shrinkage cracking results
  • Adequate cover not reinstated; same problem recurs
  • No surface protection applied after repair

Structural strengthening

Carbon fibre wrapped without rounding corners will break at corners Existing column Longitudinal reinforcement Stirrup Carbon fibre wrap (CFRP) Protective coating

In structural strengthening, the application itself is the second half of the work. The first half is calculating how much capacity increase is needed in which structural element — an engineering decision. What is done on site must conform precisely to the design; even with the correct material, wrong application detail means the strengthening will not deliver the expected contribution.

This work is carried out in accordance with a structural strengthening design prepared by a qualified structural engineer. Calculations and decisions relating to the structural system are the engineer's responsibility.

Most common errors on site

  • Column corners not rounded; fibre stress concentration causes failure at corners
  • Surface not made good; wrap applied over voids and irregularities
  • Lap length shorter than specified in the design
  • Epoxy mix ratio or ambient temperature not observed; incomplete cure
  • Air voids remaining beneath the wrap; only partial bond achieved
  • Anchor depth and hole cleanliness neglected
  • Carbon fibre not protected against fire and UV with protective coating
  • Strengthening without a structural design; load redistributed to another element

Is one of these problems affecting your building?

Request an Inspection → doldurulduğunda, gerekli bilgiler alınmış olarak dönüş yapılır ve yerinde inceleme planlanır.

Request an Inspection →nu doldurun