Infrastructure Audit for Residual Moisture Content of Structures
What is Infrastructure Audit for Residual Moisture Content?
The Residual Moisture Content is done on surfaces of walls, columns, beams of a structure of RCC etc. (like a yearly medical checkup of different parameters of a human body). This is the first onsite comprehensive feedback on the health of structures. The moisture audit gives a warning signal on the health of structures by giving a feedback on the Residual Moisture Content to the engineer/client, who can thereafter work to eradicate the cause of high moisture content or the source of leakage that is causing the high moisture content, and work for further reduction of the entrapped dampness to lower the Residual Moisture Content using non-evasive methodologies, which are now available in the market.
Every structure/material has a Residual Moisture Content needed for its stable constitution. The Residual Moisture Content standards are documented in various BIS guidelines/standards. Moisture content below or above the BIS standards impacts the material/structure constitution in the long run. For example, the Residual Moisture Content in RCC above the BIS standards/limits will be the cause of corrosion related early distress.
Why do we have high Residual Moisture Content?
Residual Moisture Content is mainly attributed to incorrect or incomplete of the jobs like:
- Plumbing
- Waterproofing
- Wrong specifications of insulation leading to excessive crack/funnel development in roof surface leading to ingress of water in the rains or overflow from water tanks.
- Leakages in the toilet.
- Undersized rainwater spouts in roofs/balconies leading to temporary stagnation of water which leads to water ingress through tiles/ surface etc.
- Faulty plumbing
- Use of extra hard water.
- Almost 100% failure of waterproofing.
- Almost wrong insulation leading to cracks.
- Leakage in basement: Entrapped Dampness is created by waterproofing of basements and tunnels from the negative side, by entrapping moisture by products / methods. For example, guniting, stone boxing etc. which block water leakages/ moisture between RCC and the false layer/ masking thus created from inside/ negative side.
- Leakage from water tanks.
- Wrong DPC / plinth beam (not as per BIS) finishing or detailing.
- Rising dampness - a phenomenon unresolved for centuries.
- Increase in expenditure on rehabilitation due to early distress.
- Demolition of buildings due to early distress.
Corrosion related early distress impacts the health of structures across the world, the financial loss for which in Indian infrastructure alone was around INR 500 lakh crore in the last 43 years (post Asiad era) and 4-6% of the GDP (i.e.6-8 lakh crores annually), plus, the cost of frequent repairs/repainting.
- Lack of theoretical experience in field staff.
- Lack of field experience in academicians.
How can High Residual Moisture Content be reduced?
By sealing the source of leakages, correction of design / construction faults, and adopting EDMP-Entrapped Dampness Management Protocol as per the specifications.
Do leakages and Residual Moisture Content in soil attribute to land subsidence/ differential settlement of structures / hills, etc?
Yes, it has been observed that heritage structures, even framed structures, hills and new / old structures are under differential settlement due to wetting of soil created by high moisture content. Reduction of moisture content will also lead to settlement of soil strata as some soils lose cohesiveness on drying. For example, the settlement of Joshi Math in Uttarakhand.
Why do we need an Infrastructure Audit for Residual Moisture Content?
Residual Moisture Content gives us a real time assessment and transparent feedback of the status of our plumbing, quality of water, concrete used, waterproofing, etc. Even a non-engineer can relate to this problem and will be confident of the work to be done to eradicate the residual moisture content. The client and the engineers can take corrective actions to rectify the faults accordingly.
Due to the speed of construction to meet the target of delayed projects, the quality of construction has been declining during the last few decades. Not constructing as per BIS norms, use of extra hard water and fine sands (not as per BIS), faulty plumbing, and inefficient waterproofing has resulted in construction of weak structures that experience leakages, seepages, chloride ion impact, etc. These factors ultimately lead to the onset of corrosion related early distress in RCC. The significance of this can be seen in the recent award of dismantling of Signature Towers, Chintel Towers, Judicial Society in Dwarka, and some other buildings.
Including the Annual Moisture Audit Content in the contract will ensure that contractors adopt the right construction practices. This will also help consultants/ clients/agencies to grade the contractors. Such a law can be written by specialists in the industry.
How can Infrastructure Audit for Residual Moisture Content help the industry and the nation?
Since the annual Moisture Audit is a transparent indicator of construction quality, contractors and all stakeholders can deliver good construction, helping the construction industry save around INR 500 lakh crore up till 2050. This will help in increasing the national wealth by increasing the life / the actual usable life of structures.
Other indirect savings are the carbon credits. To give an instance, 500 trucks (2000) cum debris was dismantled from a building for carrying out waterproofing. This would have created a big carbon footprint. We therefore appeal to NITI Aayog, NGT, and other government regulators to take notice of this huge national loss and apply the necessary guidelines to stop unnecessary dismantling of buildings/structures for waterproofing and structure rehabilitation.
The industry is also contributing to the national economy, helping in generating jobs for 100,000 skilled workers, and conducting moisture audit to save buildings and structures.
About the Author
Ajay Kumar [Harit] Waterproofing-structure rehabilitation and entrapped dampness management scientist and CEO- Aayka Waterproofers Pvt Ltd, India. He has provided most complicated/extreme engineering waterproofing/rehabilitation solutions like Signatue for IIT’s, DMRC, CPWD, MES, NBCC, BSNL, ICICI, Shapoorji Palonji Group……without Dismantling techniques. It is worthwhile to mention that the Evacuation of 41 Labourers from Silkyara Tunnel was done on SOP’s given by Aayka. The EDMP is a Process Patent of Aayka Waterproofers Pvt. Ltd.
For more details, please contact:
website: aaykapolymers.com
