Page 462 - Construction Waterproofing Handbook

12.2 CHAPTER TWELVE
presents numerous problems in envelope effectiveness, particularly in watertightness. This is in
comparison to the massive masonry walls of more than 1-ft thickness used in early high-rise
construction, where shear magnitude of the envelope eliminated the need for such testing.

TESTING PROBLEMS

Manufacturers, although making recommendations for termination or transition detailing,
will not incorporate these areas in their material testing. A manufacturer of sheet-good mem-
branes will test the actual rubber materials for weathering, elastomeric capabilities, and sim-
ilar properties. The manufacturer will not, however, test the adhesive material used to adhere
materials to a termination detail for weathering, movement characteristics, and so forth.
Likewise, transition details, such as between above-grade and below-grade areas,
detailed by an architect are not tested by either the waterproofing or dampproofing mate-
rial manufacturers. Lack of testing in these and similar details of the 1 percent of the build-
ing’s area reveals another reason for the continuing cause of these areas contributing
90 percent of envelope water infiltration problems.
Mock-up testing of a building envelope portion often eliminates replication of termina-
tion and transition details. Testing often is completed on envelope curtain wall portions
only and does not include masonry portions, transitions from curtain wall to parapet wall,
coping, and roofing transitions.
Ensuring that each material or system is tested independently does not ensure that the
composite envelope when completed will be successful. Any material, even if it performs
singularly, does not ensure that the composite envelope will be successful.
These are some reasons testing fails in preventing water infiltration. As long as build-
ings are manufactured from a variety of systems which must be transitioned or terminated
into other components, and these details are untested and improperly installed, problems
will continue to occur.

STANDARDIZED TESTING

A thorough review of all testing available including manufacturer’s testing, independent
testing, laboratory testing, and site testing should be made. This will make sure that the
entire envelope is properly tested to ensure watertightness and envelope longevity.
Available testing includes:

● Laboratory analysis
● Mock-up testing under simulated site conditions
● Job-site testing
● Long-term weathering testing

Such tests are completed by both government (including state and local municipality)
and private agencies. The most commonly referred-to private agency testing standard is the
American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).