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STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS
When looking to appoint a waterproofing specialist, it is vital to enquire not only about the individual’s qualification, but also their experience with similar types of projects
exact, but we must remember the standard is actually guidance and not mandatory. In addition, it is not always true that two years’ experience is less valid than five, or a portfolio of twenty projects is more valuable than a portfolio of five projects. Quality generally prevails over quantity. So when seeking guidance from a manufacturer or a specialist contractor, or looking to appoint a waterproofing specialist, it is vital to enquire not only about the individual’s qualification but also their experience with similar types of projects.
BS 8102:2022 clarifies the need for waterproofing to be continuous, but more importantly to link to the DPC system 150 mm above ground level. No longer should designers purely design to the full height of the retained ground. Many waterproofing designs of old where failure occurred had not fully considered this aspect. It then resulted in water ingress attributed to substructure waterproofing defects, which were in fact due to a lack of robust superstructure waterproofing/damp proofing continuity. Once more, this type of design flaw is a direct result of a lack of experience when designing structural waterproofing in conjunction with the DPC and cavity tray
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systems. Ensuring this link is robust, the waterproofing specialist must also have the correct damp proofing experience. BS 8102:2022 reinforces this point by stating that “the practicality of terminations above ground level should be assessed at an early stage within the design to ensure full integrity of the waterproofing system, compatibility with superstructure construction and continuity with the damp and/or ground gas protection system.” As can be seen from the above a comprehensive understanding of ground gas protection systems is also a critical consideration for the waterproofing specialist. This is an extensive specialist field of knowledge itself, and requires a thorough understanding of the various materials and ventilation systems available. In summary, the waterproofing specialist should not only meet the criteria within the standard as set above, but also have a working knowledge of damp proofing and gas protection design and detailing. These additional skills create the specialist knowledge that is capable of safeguarding continuity throughout the design of the waterproofing system.
Steve D’Arcy is technical development manager at Visqueen
ADF JULY 2022
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