CONTROLLING RISING DAMP IN NEW BUILDINGS: FIELD TRIALS OF PROPOSED TREATMENT METHODS

Abstract

Rising damp is a widespread phenomenon and a major cause of decay of masonry materials. Preliminary investigations and field surveys have revealed that the problem of rising damp has assumed an alarming dimension in residential buildings in Ghana. This study aimed at exploring treatment methods to control the problem of rising damp through field trials. An experimental approach was employed. Fourteen prototype walls (Test Walls), made up of seven Standard Manufactured Sandcrete Block Walls, SB, and seven Commercially Manufactured Sandcrete Block Walls, CB, were constructed, conditioned, subjected to various treatments and monitored for a period of 10 months (300 days). The treatments applied included polyethylene damp proof courses, damp proof coatings and reducing the porosity of the base materials using dense concrete. The monitoring was carried out with reference to the two major seasons (i.e. rainy and dry seasons) in Ghana. The findings from the study revealed that as at the time of monitoring, although all the treatments applied were performing well, the damp proof coatings applied to treat the walls, together with the dense concrete base walls were performing better than those treated with the polyethylene damp proof courses. The proposed treatments if adopted could control the problem of rising dampness, especially in the construction of new buildings.