Causes of Dampness:

Dampness may be caused by: (a) Ground water (b) Rain water and (c) Leakages from pipes. (a) Dampness due to Ground Water: All buildings are founded on soils. oil !olds water for a long time. ometimes water le"el may rise and come in contact wit! foundation. Due to capillary action moisture from ground rises into foundation# floor and e"en in wall. (b) Rain Water: $ay enter t!e building components due to "arious reasons. (i) %rom wall top: &f top of wall is not protected wit! imper"ious course like concrete# water can enter t!e wall and keep it damp for a long time. (ii) From face of external walls: plas!ing of outer wall by rain results into moisture entering t!e wall. 'oor plaster coat is t!e main source of t!is type of dampness. (iii) Improper fixing of downtake pipes: &f downtake pipes from roof are not properly fi(ed# a t!in layer of water stagnates near t!e mout! of downtake pipes. )!is results into entry of rain water into roof and wall. (i") Improper slopes to roof: &n flat roofs# many times t!is is t!e cause for t!e dampness of roofs. &f slope is not gi"en properly# water ponds are formed on t!e flat roof# w!ic! results into entry of water into slab. *nce water enters t!e slab it remains for long time creating dampness. (") Defective construction: &mperfect wall +oints# improper slopes to c!e++a# construction +oints in roof etc. cause dampness in buildings. (c) Leakage from Pipes: %rom o"er !ead tanks# pipes are taken o"er roof and along t!e wall. %rom bat!rooms# toilets and kitc!en water is drained out wit! different types of pipes. )!e pipes are +oined to get re,uired lengt! and turns. $any times water leaks t!roug! +oints resulting into moisture in building components.

&ll-effects of dampness are as listed below:

.. 'atc!es de"elop and destroy t!e appearance of t!e building. /. Colour was!# w!ite was! and paintings are damaged. 0. 'laster crumbles. 1. 2ricks and stones disintegrate endangering t!e building. 3. teel in t!e slabs and beam start rusting. &t reduces t!e life of structure. 4. 5lectric s!ort circuits may takes place. 6. %looring may settle.

7. %loor co"ers are damaged. 8. 9ooden components of buildings like door frames# cupboard warp. .:. Dry rotting of wood takes place. ... )ermite becomes acti"e and attack wooden articles. ./. $os,uito breeding takes place. .0. Darkness along wit! warmt! and darkness breed germs gi"ing rise to many diseases.

)!e re,uirements of an ideal materials for damp proofing are:

.. &t s!ould be imper"ious. /. &t s!ould be fle(ible. 0. &t s!ould be easy to carry out leak proofing +oints. 1. &t s!ould be stable. 3. &t s!ould be durable. &t;s life s!ould be as muc! as t!e life of building itself. 4. &t s!ould resist t!e load safely. 6. &t s!ould not contain sulp!ates# c!loride and nitrates. 7. &t s!ould be c!eap. T e materials used for damp proofing are: !" #itumen: &n !ot condition it is !ig!ly fle(ible and can be applied wit! brus! to t!e bedding of concrete or mortar. )!ickness of coat pro"ided is about 0 mm. $" %astic asp alt: &t is a semirigid material. &t is obtained by !eating asp!alt wit! sand and mineral fillers. &t is perfectly imper"ious. &t s!ould be laid "ery carefully. &" #ituminous or asp altic felt: &t is a fle(ible material w!ic! is a"ailable in rolls. &t is pro"ided on roof slabs and parapet walls wit! an o"erlap of .:: mm on sides. )!e laps are sealed wit! bitumen. )!ey do not wit!stand !ea"y mo"ements. '" #ricks: Good bricks wit! water absorption less t!an 3 per cent are sometimes used to make damp proof courses. )!e bricks are laid in two to four courses in cement mortar. (" )tones: tones like granite# trap and slates may be laid o"er wall to its full widt! as damp proof course. *" %ortar: Cement mortar of proportion . : 0 wit! small ,uantity of lime and water proofing agents are used to make a water proofing course to foundations# ground floor slabs# top of parapet walls etc. &t may be used for plastering e(ternal walls. +" ,oncrete: )o c!eck t!e rise of water into walls a course of 63 mm to .:: mm cement concrete . : . .</ : 0 or . : / : 1 is pro"ided before starting constructing walls. )!ese courses may be pro"ided wit! !ot bitumen paint as an additional precaution. -" %etal s eets: Aluminium# copper or lead s!eets are pro"ided to seal t!e construction +oints. *"er t!ese s!eets bituminous seal is pro"ided.

." Plastic s eets: 'lastic s!eets are "ery good course for damp proofing. )!ey are made up of black polyt!ene of t!ickness . mm.

/arious met ods of damp proofing are as given 0elow:

.. 'ro"iding D.'.C. course /. 'ro"iding ca"ity walls 0. urface treatment 1. &ntegral treatment 3. Guniting and 4. 'ressure grouting. !" Providing damp proof course: &t consists of pro"iding a damp proof course between t!e source of dampness and building component. )!e D'C may be wit! any water repellant material like bitumen# mastic asp!alt# cement concrete# metal or plastic s!eets. D'C s!ould co"er full widt! of wall. &t s!ould be laid on le"elled surface of mortar. =oints s!ould be minimum and s!ould not be at critical points. 9!en !ori>ontal D'C on roof is continued on "ertical face of parapet wall# t!e +unction s!ould be filled wit! about 63 mm fillet of cement concrete. %igure 8.. s!ows details of pro"iding water proof course at plint! le"el. 9!ereas %igure 8./ s!ows t!e details of water proofing course for wall and floor. %igure 8.0 s!ows details of water proofing course for basement. $" Providing cavit1 wall: Ca"ity wall may be constructed to protect foundation masonry and t!e wall as s!own in %ig. 8.1. )!e ca"ity pre"ents moisture tra"elling from outer to inner wall. &" )urface treatment: &f moisture is only superficial and not under pressure t!is met!od is useful. &t consists of application of layer of water repellant compounds on t!e surface. ome of t!e water proofing agents used for suc! treatment are silicates of sodium or potassium and sulp!ates of aluminium# >inc and magnesium. '" Integral treatment: &t consists in mi(ing commercially a"ailable compounds in water before concrete is wet mi(ed. )!ese compounds are made from c!alk# talc# flutter eart! or c!emical compounds like calcium c!loride# aluminium sulp!ate# calcium c!loride etc. ome compounds contain compounds like soap# petroleum oils# fatty acids etc. (" Guniting: &n t!is met!od a mi(ture of cement and water is forced by cement gun on t!e surface to be made water proof. Later . : 0 or . : 1 cement mortar is applied to t!e surface wit! pressure using compressed air. )!us an imper"ious layer of mortar is pro"ided. *" Pressure grouting: )!is is t!e met!od used to seal cracks in t!e concrete surfaces. &n t!is met!od cement grout is forced under pressure.