WATER PROOFING SYSTEMS

Why water proofing is essential?

• Water tightness of building systems

• Why many buildings are showing leakage/dampness?

– Use of sub standard/poor quality materials
– Improper mixture design (high w/c ratio, Inadequate cement
content)
– Poor construction practice
• Compaction/Vibration
• Cover concrete
• Water content
• Workmanship
– Poor Maintenance
 Polymer modified cementitious mortars

• More cost-effective solutions than other types such as resin and

silicone based systems.

• Sometimes mixed into concrete in applications such as flooring and

prefabricated elements, and in grouts for injection.

• To improve the impermeability of the mortar to water and other

chemicals.
 Polymer modified cementitious mortars

• Advantage - Good bonding to the old concrete, decrease in

water/cement ratio (w/c) needed for a workable mix thereby leading
to higher strength and lower permeability, and lower shrinkage
cracking.

• Limitation - It is not flexible to accommodate any movement or to

bridge the cracks.
Polymer modified cementitious mortars -
Types

• Polymer Latex - SBR and SAE

• Re-dispersible Polymer Powder

• Water-soluble Polymer - cellulose derivatives, polyvinyl

alcohol (PVA), polyacrylamide, etc.

• Liquid Polymers - epoxy resins and unsaturated polyester

resins.
 Integral waterproofing (IWP) material
• Commercially available material in the form of a dry powder or a
liquid that is added to the concrete mix during the batch mixing or at
the jobsite.

• Either a densifier, water repellent or crystalline admixture.

• React with calcium hydroxide in the presence of water and form

insoluble crystals that fill, and plug the pores and microcracks.
 Waterproofing Membranes
• Act as a cover to protect the structure from moisture.
• Types
– Atactic polypropylene fiber modified bituminous
membrane
– Styrene butadiene styrene & rubber modified self adhesive
membranes
– PVC sheet membrane
– EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) sheets
– Bentonite sheet membrane
– High density polyethylene (HDPE) sheets
– Thermoplastic polyolefin
– Built-up reinforced (BUR) membranes
 Surface Coating Systems
• Reduce the capillary absorption capacity.

• Not effective in preventing the ingress of water, especially at higher

pressures.

• When applied on the surface, it forms a high molecular weight, three

dimensional cross-linked molecular network. Most water repellants
are made of silane/siloxane mixes.
 Surface Coating Systems - Polyurethane
• Formed by the reaction between a di-or poly-isocynate and a polyol.

• Aromatic or Aliphatic derivatives.

• Commercially used polyurethane systems are broadly classified as Two component systems
of polyol and iso-cynate

• Moist cured polyurethanes system: poly-isocynates crosslinked in the presence of moisture

present in the atmosphere to form polyurethane (with the release of carbon dioxide).

• Moisture triggered, latent hardener/poly-isocynate systems/ Polyurea systems: polyamines

are employed this type.

• Water-based single and two component systems

• Fluorinated polyurethanes systems: In this type, the polyurethane used contains a

fluorinated back bone. This is highly durable, with a wide range of mechanical properties,
which works by forming a thin flexible film due to polymerization. The mode of
application consists of surface preparation, application of the primer coating (i.e., diluted
top coat, acrylics, silane/ siloxanes) with subsequent polyurethane topcoats.
 Test methods to be adopted for evaluating the
waterproofing mortars

• Water absorption
• Water permeability
• Chloride permeability
• Adhesion to the base strata
• Effect of weathering
 Some more test methods for evaluation of
waterproofing component

• Compressive Strength

• Flexural Strength

• Drying shrinkage

• Capillary absorption

• Water vapour permeability

EVALUATION AND SELECTION CRITERIA
FOR WPM BASED CEMENT MORTARS
• Chemical nature of waterproofing materials used, nature of the
additives present in the polymer emulsion or latex

• Composition and curing of the cement mortar

• Environment to which the repaired surface would be exposed.

 Points to takeaway…
• The performance of the waterproofing materials (WPM) in cement
mortar depends on the w/c adopted, dosage of WPM, type of exposure,
type of curing, etc.

• Among the latex based systems, Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) and
poly Styrene Acrylic Ester (SAE) have advantages like improvement in
mechanical properties, reduction in permeability, resistance to
weathering, and cost effectiveness compared to other latexes available in
the market.

• Lignosulphonate based products also performs well but there is a

considerable reduction in mechanical and durability performance when
exposed to weathering.

• Samples should be evaluated by accelerated weathering, through UV

exposure and wetting-drying cycles, to identify the performance of the
 Reference
STUDY OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF POLYMER
MODIFIED CEMENT-BASED REPAIR MATERIALS

M.S (Research) THESIS

by
Mr. AJAY KRISHNAN
Guide: Prof. Ravindra Gettu