All concrete structures (particularly reinforced concrete structures) are vulnerable if their surfaces are not protected. Concrete is a porous material that allows water and oxygen-containing air to penetrate and corrode or rust the steel reinforcement embedded in it. The environment’s carbon dioxide, chlorides, acids, sulfates, and other salts can hasten the deterioration process. When steel reinforcement rusts, it exerts outward pressure on the concrete, causing spalling and cracking. Spalling and cracking in the concrete will eventually jeopardize the structure’s integrity.
Waterproofing is a system that uses coatings, membranes, drainage media, perimeter drainage, interior channels, sump pumps, or other elements to insulate and protect a structure from water entry. A quality waterproofing system becomes the only logical, practical, and low-cost way of preserving a structure’s integrity and value and protecting its components from adverse conditions by preventing and/or managing water infiltration and leaks, among other complications.
