Elimination of water excess from buildings perimeter

Abstract

For the purpose of ensuring the stability and normal exploitation of buildings, the land on which they are built and their foundation must comply with certain conditions. The growing demand for houses, office buildings, industrial halls, etc. especially in the big cities has also determined the expansion of buildings on less favourable lands, with excess humidity, landslides, etc. The high level of groundwater causes most problems, including significant damages to civil and industrial constructions, both during their execution as well as during their use and exploitation. This paper presents a method to eliminate the excess of water from groundwater and rainfall, in the case of buildings with lower ground floors. To remove the excess of water from the foundation, it is recommended to carry out a perimeter drainage at a level lower than the foundation base. In buildings with lower ground floors, filter columns spaced at 2.5-5.0 m facilitate the collection and evacuation of the excess of water. Moreover, in order to accelerate excess water removal, drainage can be doubled by placing a drainage tube at a depth of 1-1.5 m, distanced at 1.0-3.0 m from the face of the building, so as to take over the water from leaks from the surface of sidewalks, framings, parking lots, etc. Drainage lifetime can be increased by protecting the filter layer with geotextile material. By executing a drainage adequate to the constructions, an efficient elimination of excess water is ensured, the hydrostatic pressure exerted onto the walls is reduced, the formation of dampness and mould is avoided, allowing for a proper use of the spaces in basements and a longer lifetime of buildings.