Comparative Study of Conventional and Modern Waterproofing Techniques

Water leakage or water seepage is one of the major causes of common building defects. Leakage leads to dampness, corrosion of metals, fungal growth and also affects the structural properties of concrete as well as damage beauty of the structure. It also has an adverse effect on human health by creating unpleasant condition. If water leakage can be prevented, almost 80% building defects can be eliminated. Thus, selecting the best method for waterproofing plays a vital role in the safety of the structure. In construction, a building or structure can be waterproofed with the use of membranes and coatings to protect contents as well as protecting structural integrity. Waterproofing can be categorized under traditional (tarfelt, Brick bat coba) and advanced (coatings, integral) waterproofing techniques. The objective of this study is to compare the different waterproofing techniques by considering factors such as cost, durability and ease of use. The findings of this study suggests that traditional methods are simple in use; however they are uneconomical and can be easily disintegrated due to change in atmospheric conditions. Whereas, modern waterproofing methods like coating and membrane system gives better results but are costly and possess a great difficulty while installation. Coating method needs special attention during surface preparation which requires skilled workmanship. As compared to this, crystalline method posses a greater advantage of arresting cracks developed over a period of time by the reaction of water with crystals and hence provides better stability.