Publicado em 27 de janeiro de 2017

Highlight of Construction Expo: waterproofing area is extremely important to ensure watertightness in the work fronts

The use of waterproofing systems in building and infrastructure works influences the project’s cycle of useful life since it protects the structures against the harmful action of undesired liquids and vapors that may compromise the durability of the project. Its appropriate use prevents infiltration and reinforcement corrosion, since the water infiltrated in the surfaces and structures affects the concrete, its reinforcement, masonry and coatings.

“In infrastructure works, waterproofing is extremely important to ensure the absolute watertightness of the system. Since it is a definitive sealing, many times carried out before the infrastructure construction starts, it is important to carry out an appropriate waterproofing design with all generic and specific details to determine of the Useful Life of Design (VUP), in accordance with ABNT NBR 15575 – Housing Edifications – Performance”, says José Miguel Morgado, executive director of the Instituto Brasileiro de Impermeabilização (IBI). It had already confirmed its participation in the Construction Expo 2017 – Trade Show of Buildings and Infrastructure Works – Services, Materials and Equipment, where it will use an area of approximately 200 sq.mt. to lead its associates and to install its technologies that will be exhibited in the trade show. “We welcome the Construction Expo 2017, even more because it is part of the Week of Integrated Technologies for Construction, Environment and Equipment. This is an extremely healthy project where it will be possible to gather all technologies in a single event”.

The waterproofing market provides different solutions to attend the necessities of works and also according to its applicability: foundations, slabs, retaining walls, underground structures, wet areas and others. “For infrastructure works—depending on the type—the ideal solution is to use precast waterproofing products, such as HDPE (high-density polyethilene) sheets, PVC sheets, EDPM sheets, asphaltic sheets. All these products are regulated by ABNT”, explains Morgado. These sheets ensure the watertightness of the structures and the resistance to the motions they are subjected, since they are more elastic. 

There are also in the market rigid sealant materials whose use is recommended for more stable parts of a building, such as, for example, internal floors in contact with the ground, retaining walls, foundations. To select the appropriate system, there are many variables to be considered, such as the exposure to weather phenomena. The most important, therefore, is to develop a waterproofing project containing all details of the products and the ideal procedures of implementation for each work, where the remaining interferences, such as power lines, hydraulic, architecture, landscaping, air conditioning and others were also studied. 

Construction 2017 will take place between June 7 and 9, 2017, during the Week of Integrated Technologies for Construction, Environment and Equipment, where also the BW Expo 2017 – Trade Show of Services and Technologies for Sustainable Management of Water, Waste Materials, Air and Energy, and the Summit 2017, the largest specific event of Brazilian construction and environment markets will be carried out.