BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

TECHNOLOGY

COURSE CODE CRP-312

DAMPNESS IN BUILDING
 INTRODUCTION
 The moisture present in the ground or rainwater may
penetrate the building from below, from sides and from
the top of the roof, causing structure to remain in damp
condition and thus deteriorating the structure.

 Therefore it is very essential to prevent structure from

moisture penetration at the time of designing and
construction of structure.
 DAMPNESS
 The access or penetration of moisture contents inside a
building through its walls, floors or roof is known as
DAMPNESS.

 Dampness is not only injurious to buildings, but it effects

badly the health of their inhabitants.

 It is necessary to know the cause of dampness and method

of its prevention so that the building can be constructed
DAMP- PROOF.
 Damages caused by the Dampness
 Dry rot to wooden members
 Corrosion of metals
 Peeling off and removal of plaster
 Paints to get blistered and bleached
 Electric installation get deteriorated
 Efflorescence which affects the exposed surface of
brickwork to disintegrate
 Unhygienic conditions
 Causes of Dampness
 Rain penetration
 Level of the site
 Drainability of the soil
 Climate condition
 Defective orientation
 Moisture entrapped during construction
 Defective material
 Defective construction
 Moisture which originates in the building itself.
 Methods of Preventing Dampness
1) By providing a damp-proof course
2) By surface treatment
3) By integral water-proof construction
4) By special devices
1. By providing a damp-proof course
 The continuous layer of an impervious material , which is
provided in between the source of dampness and part of
the structure is called a DAMP-PROOF COURSE.
 Damp-proof course (D.P.C) is laid either horizontally or
vertically.
 Generally hz. D.P.C is laid 15 to 20cm above the ground
level on the external walls and at plinth level incase of
internal walls.
 Vertical D.P.C. is provided to connect the horizontal
D.P.C. in the external walls with the floor level.
 Vertical D.P.C. is also provided to prevent the dampness
into the walls of basement from the adjacent soil.
Methods of laying D.P.C.
Horizontal D.P.C is generally laid by spreading a layer of
cement concrete (1:2:4) of specified thickness (generally
4 cm). On the top of concrete layer, two coats of hot
bitumen is applied.
Hz. D.P.C. can also be laid by spreading bitumen felt over
the top of concrete layer.
Sheets of lead, copper or aluminum are also laid on the
top of the wall at specified level for this purpose.
Vertical D.P.C. is laid by applying 2 cm thick cement
plaster(1:3) on the surface. Sometimes, either two coats
of hot bitumen are provided on the plastered surface or
any other damp-proofing material is added in the cement
during its preparation.
2. By surface Treatment
This method comprises of painting the exposed surface
with water repellent paints.

The material selected for this purpose must be durable

and effective to prevent the absorption of moisture by the
wall.
3. By integral water-proof construction

This method consists of adding certain compounds in the

mortar or concrete to make it denser by filling the pores
through chemical actions or physical effect.
Iron fillings react chemically and fill the pores.
If 5% sunlight soap is added in the water to be used for
preparing the mortar, the pores get clogged.
4. By special devices

By constructing the external walls of larger thickness

By using the bricks of good quality for constructing the
external walls.
By building the walls in rich cement mortar
By providing strong course and cornice.
By fixing down water pipes in sufficient numbers so that
water may not leak through the junction of wall and the
roof.
Qualities of a good Damp Proof Material
Impervious
Durable
Non disintegrable
Stable under loading
Level finish
Full coverage of wall thickness
Availability
Economical
Classification of Damp-Proofing Materials
Flexible Materials
Materials which do not crack and deform under loading
 Bitumen Mastic(Mastic Asphalt)
Hot bitumen or Asphalt +sand
Applied in hot state in 1” to 2”(2cm to 5cm)
 Bitumen felt(6mm thick bitumen sheet)
 Hot bitumen (Sprayed at rate of 1.75kg/m2)
 Metal sheets
Classification of Damp-Proofing Materials
Flexible Materials
 Hot bitumen (Sprayed at rate of 1.75kg/m2)
 Metal sheets
o Lead, Copper, Aluminum sheets can be used
o Lead can react chemically with cement so should be laid
in lime mortar.
o Minimum thickness of copper sheets should be 3 mm.
Classification of Damp-Proofing Materials
Rigid Materials
Materials that cannot resist transverse stresses
 Rich concrete (1” to 2-1/2” thick layer of P.C.C (1:2:4)
painted with hot bitumen is applied)
 Mortar(1:3 laid in ¾” thick as vertical D.P.C.)
 Bricks (over burnt bricks are used in two layers in CS
(1:3) mortar)
 Stone slabs(two layers of stone slabs in lime cement and
sand mortar(1:1:6)
 Principles to be followed for the use of Damp-
proof Material
 Minimum number of construction joints
 Full thickness of the wall should be covered
 Use Flexible material in case of wall junctions
 DPC layer should be perfectly of uniform
thickness
 At plinth, do not apply DPC under doors and
verandah openings
 Apply Lead sheets in lime mortar
 Dry the concrete or mortar layer before applying
bitumen coating
Important places for damp proofing materials
 Under ground floors
 At plinth level (in walls), external and internal
 Parapet walls
 Windowsill
 Basements and Under ground floors
1. Under ground floors

 A layer of D.P.C. below the top finishes of under ground

floor is essential when sub-soil water table is high.
 In dry places, well rammed layer of sand (about 10 cm)
thick is laid below the floor to avoid dampness due to
capillary rise through the floor.
 The concrete floor can be treated with water-proof
mastic asphalt or bitumen felt.
1. Under ground floors

 A primary coat of hot bitumen can be given on the dry

bedding of cement concrete (1:8:16) laid 10 cm thick.
 In case excessive uplift pressure of subsoil water,
reinforcement should be provided in concrete and mastic
asphalt or bitumen felt is laid and covered with concrete
wearing coat.
2. At plinth and walls

 In external walls horizontal D.P.C. should be provided at

15cm to 20cm above the ground level.
 A vertical D.P.C. also provided on the inner face of the
external wall from the horizontal D.P.C. to the ground floor
topping.
 For internal wall, horizontal D.P.C. is provided at plinth
level.
3. At Parapet

 A D.P.C. just above the junction of the roof with parapet

walls gives an effective protection.
 The D.P.C. should be extended to the full thickness of the
wall including the plaster.
 D.P.C. underneath the coping may be provided when the
bricks are not of good quality.
4. At windowsill

 The windowsill should be sloped away from the wall and

throated underneath to prevent the water from trickling down
the surface of the wall.
5. D.P.C. in Basement

 Vertical D.P.C. is applied to the enclosing walls of basement.

 Horizontal D.P.C. is applied to the flooring of the basement.
 Mastic asphalt or bitumen felt may be used on the concrete
surface of the basement.
 ASSIGNMENT

Submit a report describing the modern techniques materials

of damp proofing in buildings.(Individual assignment)

Submission Date:

9-07-2020
CONCLUDED