Drainage is an issue that is often overlooked when it comes to building performance. Nevertheless, it is a factor that must be considered to ensure the success of a building project.
Water management plays a role in building performance at any point throughout its life cycle, whether it is during construction, performance of the building's foundation, or maintenance over time.
Understanding why proper drainage is important is crucial to everyone interested in protecting their investment and ensuring proper building performance.
*Importance of Drainage
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Water plays a vital role in the built environment. Rain, snowmelt, and ground water constantly interact with the soil around a building.
Proper drainage systems channel water away from the foundation and other parts of the building. Otherwise, moisture may collect around the building and have detrimental effects on the structure itself.
Problems That May Be Associated With Inadequate Drainage Systems
Soil Distortion and Settlement
Moisture may cause changes in the behavior of the soil beneath and surrounding a structure. Some soils tend to swell when waterlogged and then shrink once dried out, leading to distortion and settlement problems.
*Importance of Site Investigation
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Drainage designs require an assessment of the site conditions prior to undertaking any construction. Engineers analyze aspects like the type of soil, topography, the presence of ground water, and potential water flow patterns among others before undertaking any work.
Site investigation helps provide useful information for drainage and risk management. One of the firms that provides useful information is Enviro Test Construct.
The long-term effects of distortion may include:
- Cracks within the foundations
- Floors that are not level
- Damaged walls
- Building stress
- Weakening of Soil Strength
Once saturated with moisture, soil tends to have reduced strength for supporting any structures above.
*More Vulnerable to Water Intrusion
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Water drainage issues can cause water to puddle close to walls, basements, and crawlspaces.
The results might be any of these:
- Water infiltration
- Wet conditions inside
- Growth of molds
- Damage to materials
- Lower air quality inside
Taking care of drainage issues early on will greatly reduce your maintenance costs and save you from further damages.
*Negative Effects on Pavements and Other Facilities
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Water drainage issues do not only affect buildings. Roads, parking lots, retaining walls, and sidewalks can also be affected by drainage problems.
Some of the effects that water accumulation might create are:
- Erosion of surfaces
- Degradation of pavements
- Creation of sinkholes
- Instability of slopes
Water Drainage Importance
Best Practices for Drainage Management
Early Site Assessments Must be Conducted
Assessment helps engineers determine appropriate drainage measures to be adopted even before the construction process begins.
*Proper Site Grading Must be Done
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Site grading must ensure that water is channeled away from buildings and that water doesn’t accumulate around the foundation of structures.
Implementation of Effective Drainage Systems
Surface drainage systems, subsurface drainage, and stormwater management systems can be used.
*Monitoring Drainage Performance
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Inspection ensures that any emerging problems are detected early on.
*Closing Remarks
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Poor drainage remains one of the biggest but entirely avoidable reasons behind poor building performance. Water problems lead to soil problems that cause structural damage over time and make building maintenance even harder.
Proper drainage should be at the heart of every successful building project.
A good building begins with a strong foundation, which can only come from controlling water.
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