Waterproofing of Structures
Water ingress into a structure is a problem that most people are familiar with or have come across at some time in one form or another. The reasons these problems occur is often not as easily recognised. In many cases problems can be traced back to lack of maintenance, poor design or poor installation of a particular waterproofing system or even the selection of an inappropriate waterproofing materials.
For over twenty years, DPA has been successfully solving water ingress related problems on both new and old structures. The key to this success is a structured analytical approach to each structure’s specific problem and design requirements within individual clients budget constraints.
With respect to new structures, it is a great advantage if the design of the waterproofing system is given consideration during the feasibility stage of the project. Often, neglect of the waterproofing component of the structure results in difficult waterproofing design criteria as a result of budget constraints and structure configurations which negatively impact on both the choice and performance of the waterproofing system. As a result, we have found that a growing sector of our business is in our appointment to the overall professional team as waterproofing consultants with a brief to provide advice on material selection, system design and implementation.
In the context of new developments the selection of appropriate materials will often provide architects with greater design freedom while ensuring enhanced cost savings due to reduced maintenance costs based on life cycle costing over the design life of the building. In this regard, we have consistently been at the forefront of the waterproofing industry in pioneering the use of new materials to the Southern African market on several major projects.
With respect to the resolution of waterproofing problems on existing structures our success can largely be attributed to careful analysis of the reasons for the particular problems prior to the recommendation of remedial solutions. It is equally important that the remedial measures recommended are based on sound technical knowledge in conjunction with a wide understanding of the performance of all waterproofing materials. Due to this approach, we have often been appointed as forensic engineers in order to diagnose failures of waterproofing systems and provide advice as expert witness in many failure related court cases.The failure of many waterproofing systems can often be attributed to poor workmanship during application of the materials and incorrect implementation of design criteria.
In order to address this problem, we provide a construction monitoring and quality auditing service to ensure that the implementation of the waterproofing system is carried out correctly and in accordance with the project specification. With this in mind and due to the fact that many clients prefer a comprehensive guarantee from a single body covering design, workmanship and material performance, we also provide a turnkey contracting service ensuring that the problem of split responsibility associated with the traditional approach is eliminated. In summary, DPA has the ability and experience to successfully provide a dynamic and comprehensive service in addressing all waterproofing requirements from concept to conclusion.