LESSON Si INTRODUCTION ‘The earliest building efforts were intended to provide protection and shelter—nothing more. Crude structures protected people from wild animals, unfriendly neighbors, and, not least of all, the weather, Today, most of the wild animals have disap- peared, and unfriendly neighbors are more of an annoyance than a physical threat. The weather, however, is another story; extremes of rain, wind, heat, and cold continue to create problems for architects and those who inhabit their build- ings. Temperature extremes cause expansion and contraction of construction materials and, quite often, cracking and deterioration; and excessive heat loss or gain through a structure causes not only discomfort to the inhabitants, but also may require the use of expensive mechanical equipment and energy. Finally, Jeaks in buildings may range from an anno} localized drip during a light rain to a damaging flow of water during a heavy storm. The results can be uncomfortable, costly, and—in some cases—actually hazardous. In recent years, heat loss and gain in structures have become major concerns of building codes, ‘mortgage lenders, and utility companies. The thermal conductivity of exterior walls, roofs, and windows is often regulated in order to min- mize excessive heating and cooling equipment and the energy required to run it, Building users have every right 10 expect mois- ture protection and thermal comfort, in much the same way that one assumes the roof will remain overhead. Nonetheless, complete protection of a structure from the elements is often difficult 9394 Building Design Marios & Methods to achieve. It is also a matter that should concern all architects and the subject of this lesson. Moisture problems in a structure derive from sev- eral sources and exist in various forms. Water is present below ground, at least to some extent, and it may Jeak into a building by capillary action or because of hydrostatic pressure. Another predict- able source of moisture is precipitation in the form of fog, drizzle, hail, rain, sleet, or snow, Water vapor is present in the air as humidity, and it also exists within a building due to equip- ment, activities, or simply, human habitation, Condensation of this vapor eauses water to collect on interior surfaces or within concealed wall, floor, or roof spaces. GROUND WATER CONTROL Surface water consists of ponds and other sur- face accumulations of water, caused by rain, thawing ice, or snow. This water seeps into the ground to become ground water. Ground water refers to the water contained in the voids and crevices under the earth's surface, which generally flows very slowly through a permeable material, called an aquifer. The level below which the earth is saturated with water is called the ground water table, which can be determined by test borings. Ground water may have to be controlled or diverted to prevent damage to building materials that it contacts, infiltration into the structure, or footing settlement. Several terms are used in ground water control. These are listed below in ascending order of watertightness. Permeable. Capable of being penetrated by water without causing rupture or displacement, PRECIPITATION Wt /} 7 bide _MIKTER oat VAPOR, MOISTURE GOURCES Pervious. Permitting leakage or flow of water through cracks, leaks, or other openings. Water-resistant, Having no openings larger than capillary pores that permit leakage of water Water-repelient. Incapable of transmitting water by capillary action, but able to transmit water under pressure. Waterproof. Completely impervious to water, whether under pressure or not. DAMPPROOFING Dampproofing consists of the materials and ‘methods that prevent moisture from penetrating ‘a building at or below grade. It is distinguished from waterproofing in that dampproofing cannot|e— CONCRETE WALL | BITUMINOUS COATING. sp — SOIL FILL GRANULAR FILL CONCRETE SLAB TILE GRANULAR FILL’ OAMPPROOFED WALL resist constant hydrostatic pressure. Most damp- proofing treatments are applied in liquid form, by brushing or spraying, to the earth-contacting surfaces of foundation or basement walls. These treatments include asphalt base coatings (usually in two coats); cement plaster (densely mixed and troweled or pneumatically applied); and liquid silicones or other plastics. Dampproofing may also involve preventive measures, such as draining surface water away from a building; providing granular fill under a concrete slab on grade (to deter capillary action); installing a polyethylene film vapor seal over the granular fill; and employing footing drains (usually perforated clay drain tile) to carry ground water away from the structure. WATERPROOFING Waterproofing consists of the materials and methods that prevent water under hydrostat pressure from penetrating those parts of a build- ing in direct contact with the earth Lesson Six: Thermal ond Movstae Protaction 98 CONCRETE WALL MEMBRANE NRMERPRCOrING CEMENT PLASTER, CONCRETE SLAB MEMBRANE WATERPROOFING, ouMBBELL CONCRETE BASE SLAB WATERSTOP WATERPROOFED WALL Membrane waterproofing is the most common method of waterproofing subsurface walls. The membrane normally consists of several layers of asphalt-saturated felt (specified as 2-ply or 3-ply) hot mopped together with tar or asphalt pitch, Membranes are applied on the earth- contacting side of walls so that water pressure will force the membrane against the water- proofed surface. Prior to backfilling, wall mem- branes should be protected from puncture by a coat of cement plaster, a sheet of fiberboard, or a wythe of masonry. Waterstops are devices used to create water~ proof construction joints in walls and floors below grade. Manufactured from noncorrosive metal or various plastics, waterstops permi movement without rupture. PRECIPITATION CONTROL Precipitation is the most common and predict- able source of moisture that can damage a struc- ture, and its control depends on the form and type of roofing used,