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Presents

INNOVATIONS IN WATERPROOFING

SYSTEMS

An AIA Continuing Education Program

Credit for this course is 1 AIA/CES Learning Unit for HSW credit.

Course Title: INNOVATIONS IN WATERPROOFING SYSTEMS

Course Number: POL07A

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An American Institute of Architects An American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing Education program(AIA) Continuing Education program

Approved Promotional Statement:InfoSpec is a registered provider with The American Institute Of Architects Continuing Education Systems. Credit earned on completion of this program will be reported to CES Records for AIA members. Certificates Of Completion for non-AIA members available on request.

This program is registered with the AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA or Ron Blank & Associates of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

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An American Institute of Architects An American Institute of Architects (AIA) Continuing Education program(AIA) Continuing Education program

Course Format: This is a structured, face to face course.Course Credit: 1 Health Safety & Welfare (HSW) learning unit (LU)Completion Certificate: A copy is sent to you by email upon request. When you fill out the Form B please indicate if you need one. Also please make sure the information you provide is legible. Send email request to: carol@ronblank.com

Design professionals please make sure and indicate request of certificate of completion when filling out the Form B at course conclusion. All AIA and non- AIA members who request a certificate of completion will be sent a copy of your certificate to the email address you provided in the Form B. Please make sure that when print your information that it is legible. If we can not read your writing we can not process your credit.

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Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives

After completing this course the participants

will have a better understanding of the

following:• Waterproofing Solutions that Protect the

Owner’s Investment By…– Improving Indoor Air Quality – Protecting Your Concrete Floors And Walls– Preserving Structural Integrity

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“Do You Know Why Most Vapor Barriers

Fail?”

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"85% of Vapor Barriers Fail"

Vapor barriers are a well known problem area in the design and construction field.

The problem comes from damage during construction.

There is significant disagreement on what materials to use, where to place vapor barriers, and how to specify construction methods to avoid damage.

What do we mean ?

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Where does the Where does the "85 %”"85 %” failure rate come from? failure rate come from?

The specific quote is taken from a consultant's report to the city of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety:

"…With respect to HDPE (vapor barriers), please be aware that under normal field applications it has been observed to experience a high failure rate reported to be as high as 85% in some cases."

The full report, along with a listing of nine large projects known to be leaking and a Los Angeles Times article, can be found at this weblink:

http://saveballona.org/techpages/boot.html

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ASTM E 1643 - 98 SPECIFICATION:Standard Practice for Installation of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs

FROM THE EXCERPTS ABOVE, IT LOOKS LIKE:1. Everybody on the ASTM committee agrees that these vapor barrier materials are likely to fail.2. The committee does not agree on a solution.

Need More Proof ?

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The following slides include:

I. A definition of vapor barriers

II. A discussion of current vapor barrier standards

III. A series of construction photographs which demonstrate the potential for construction abuse and damage to vapor barriers

IV. Extracts from materials standards, construction specifications, and engineering bulletins:

ASTMPortland Cement Association (PCA)American Concrete Institute (ACI)

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Typical Commercial Grade Vapor Barrier

Source: Portland Cement Association (#12958)

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DEFINITION OF VAPOR BARRIERS

The industry uses various terms for vapor barriers:

•Vapor Retarders•Vapor Barriers•HDPE•Polyethylene Film•Reinforced polyethylene films•Membranes, etc.

Most of the industry considers the terms to be interchangeable.

This presentation will use the term "Vapor Barrier"

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Vapor Barriers are virtually impermeable polyethylene films which, according to ASTM E 1643

"...provide a method of limiting water vapor transmission upward through concrete slabs on grade…”

15One Typical Vapor Barrier Configuration

Vapor Barrier Configuration

Adapted from PCA Concrete Floors on Ground Engineering

Bulletin 075, Fig. 3.2

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Historically, few construction projects used vapor barriers. However, use has increased in recent years because of concerns about:

Damage to flooring above the slab by moisture

Concerns about toxic mold

Intrusion of chemical vapors and other hazardous contaminants from underground

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PROPERTIES FOR COMMERCIAL GRADE VAPOR BARRIERS

PROPERTIES FOR COMMERCIAL GRADE VAPOR BARRIERS

PROPERTY TESTS AS LISTED IN ASTM E 154 AND ASTM E 1745

PROPERTY ASTM TEST # CLASS A CLASS B CLASS C

PERMEANCE TO WATER VAPOR E 96 B < 0.3 PERMS < 0.3 PERMS < 0.3 PERMS

TENSILE STRENGTH E 154 SECTION 9 > 45.0 LBF > 30.0 LBF > 13.6 LBF

PUNCTURE RESISTANCE TO 1" STEEL ROD E 154 SECTION 10 2200 GRAMS 1700 GRAMS 475 GRAMS

PUNCTURE RESISTANCE TO FALLING DART D 1709 B 2200 GRAMS 1700 GRAMS 475 GRAMS

TYPICAL BARRIER THICKNESS D 1000 0.015" 0.010" 0.006"

Note: Puncture resistance requirements are expressed in GRAMS, instead of pounds.(2200 grams = 4.85 pounds, 475 grams = 1.05 pounds)

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Notice how thin this vapor barrier isSource: Portland Cement Association (#V2/144_5)

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On most large projects, steel reinforcement (REBAR) is installed over the vapor barrier.

The purpose of rebar is to minimize future cracking of the concrete slab, and to reduce warping or

curling.

Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#a00305)

20Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#204602)

Rebar installation includes cutting, which creates both sparks and sharp edges.

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Rebar must be fastened atintersections to keep it evenly spaced.

In this photo, the rebar is being welded together. If this jobhad used a vapor barrier, holes could have been burnt.

Source: www.constructionphotographs.com

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After rebar installation is complete, there are usually many areas where sharp

edges touch the vapor barrier.

Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#a00306-section zoom)

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There is also a lot of foot traffic onjobsites, as well as equipment.

Source: Portland Cement Association (#82_5a)

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Sometimes larger equipment isdriven over the vapor barrier.

Source: www.constructionphotographs.com (#a00305-section zoom)

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For this placement, 15 workers are standing in the mix, each one

endangering the vapor barrier.

Source: Portland Cement Association (57_19)

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Vigorous tool use.Source: Portland Cement Association (Vol. 2 #34)

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Vibration of the concrete is a widely used method of

consolidation.

One manufacturer, Vibco, offers vibrators with head

diameters between1-3/8” and 3”.

HEAD DIAMETER 1-3/8" 3"VIBRATIONS PER MINUTE 18,000 16,000

IMPACT FORCE - POUNDS 450 LBS 3200 LBSIMPACT FORCE - GRAMS 204,116

GRAMS1,451,956GRAMS

Sources: Wycotool (Vibrator Drawing) Vibco (Vibrator Specifications)

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If you haven't seen enough unintentional construction damage, we should mention intentional vapor barrier damage:

ASTM E 1643 - 98, section 6.3:

"Avoid use of stakes driven through vapor retarder"

PCA Engineering Bulletin 075, page 15:

"The practice of intentionally punching holes through a vapor retarder to allow bleed-water to exit the slab bottom is unacceptable because it defeats the purpose of the membrane."

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Summary of the problem:

1. Increased concerns about vapor penetrating slabs

1. A. Moisture damages flooring2. B. Toxic mold from moisture vapor3. C. Chemical vapor intrusion4. D. Lawsuit potential

1. The industry standard is Vapor Barriers made of polyethylene:

1. A. Thin 2. B. Industry standard for puncture resistance: so low

that it is expressed in GRAMS

1. ASTM E 1643 states that polyethylene vapor barrier materials are highly vulnerable to construction damage.

2. The big problem is construction damage.

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Under-Slab Membrane

THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY PROBLEMTHE INDOOR AIR QUALITY PROBLEM

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The Next Generation of Under-sealing Waterproofing Membranes

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Below grade self-sealing membrane system with a level of protection never before available.

These Products Act As Barriers To:• Moisture/Water• Methane Gas• Radon Gas• Toxic Contaminants• Termites• Pesticides• Stress Cracks

Problems:Sick Office

Solutions:Happy Office

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THE UNDER-SLAB MEMBRANETHE UNDER-SLAB MEMBRANE ACTS AS AACTS AS ABARRIER TO WATER & MOISTUREBARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE

Geo-textile FabricRubberized Asphalt Polyethylene

• Reduces the amount and severity of cracking

-more facts

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UNDERSLABWATERPROOFING APPLICATION

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UNDER SLAB APPLICATION

UNDER-SLAB MEMBRANE

• 20 Mil Vapor Barrier - 500% Extra Thickness for Protection• Stress Absorbing/Barrier Formulation• Geotextile Fabric for Mechanical Bond to Concrete

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Underslab Membrane at a grade beam

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THE BLIND SIDE MEMBRANE ACTS AS ABARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE

Geo-textile FabricRubberized AsphaltPolyethylene

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BLIND SIDE MEMBRANEWATERPROOFING SYSTEM

• Geotextile Fabric for Bond to Concrete• Stress Absorbing Barrier Formulation• High Density, High Strength

Polyethylene

NEGATIVE SIDE MEMBRANE FOUNDATION WALL APPLICATION

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Blindside Membrane with Shot-crete

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Blindside Membrane

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Blindside Membrane

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THE SPLIT SLAB MEMBRANETHE SPLIT SLAB MEMBRANE ACTS AS AACTS AS ABARRIER TO WATER & MOISTUREBARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE

Rubberized Asphalt20 mil. Polyethylene

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BETWEEN SLAB WATERPROOFING APPLICATION

SPLIT SLAB MEMBRANE

• 20 Mil Backing - 500% ExtraThickness for Protection

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Balcony application of Split Slab Membrane

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Split Slab Membrane1,100 penetrations detailed with1- or 2-part liquid membrane

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THE PROTECTED WALL MEMBRANETHE PROTECTED WALL MEMBRANE ACTS AS AACTS AS ABARRIER TO WATER & MOISTUREBARRIER TO WATER & MOISTURE

Rubberized Asphalt20 mil. Polyethylene

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VERTICAL WALL WATERPROOFING APPLICATION

PROTECTED WALL MEMBRANE

• Built-in Protection(Drainage Composite Optional)

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Protected Wall Membrane

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Anti-fracture membranes protect ceramic tile by providing a stress absorbing layer between the substrate and the tile. If the concrete substrate underneath cracks, the stress of the crack is not transferred up to the brittle ceramic tile. The stress is absorbed by the rubbery nature of the rubberized asphalt.

ANTI-FRACTURE MEMBRANESANTI-FRACTURE MEMBRANES

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ANTI-FRACTURE MEMBRANE

CONCRETE

CRACK

CERAMIC TILE

LATEX MODIFIED THINSET

GUARDING TILE FROM STRESS FRACTURESGUARDING TILE FROM STRESS FRACTURES

COMPONENTSFabric-bond to ThinsetStress Absorbing Membrane

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FREEZE FREEZE // THAWTHAWCYCLESCYCLES

During cold weather, slabs

contract away from each other.

In hot weather, slabs expand towards each

other.

OVERLAY OVERLAY

OLD CONCRETESLAB

OLD CONCRETESLAB

PAVEMENT BASE PAVEMENT BASE

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Under-slab Membranes seal out:• Moisture• Termites• Methane Gas• Radioactive Radon Gas• Mold• Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals

Under-slab Membranes act as ANTI-FRACTURE

MEMBRANES FOR SLABS• Continues sealing even under new cracks or

moving joints• Reduces the amount and severity of cracking in

slabs above the membrane.• Provides waterproofing, not just a vapor protection.

IN SUMMARY:IN SUMMARY:

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Course QuestionsCourse Questions

This concludes the continuing education course. The next 15 minutes will be focused on discussing the course material.

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THIS CONCLUDES:THIS CONCLUDES:

INNOVATIONS IN WATERPROOFING

SYSTEMSAn AIA Continuing Education Program

Credit for this course is 1 AIA/CES Learning Unit for HSW credit.

Course Title: INNOVATIONS IN WATERPROOFING SYSTEMS Course Number: POL07A