LEAKAGE OF BUILDING BASEMENTS IN KUWAIT - EXTENT AND CAUSES

Attention to quality of waterproofing materials and construction pract ices is frequently lacking in the construction of basements in Kuwait. As a result, leakage of building basements is a widespread problem. T o develop effective guidelines for waterproofing building basements, i t was necessary to establish background data on local conditions regar ding the leakage problem by investigating waterproofing materials, con struction practices and actual leaking basements. Waterproofing materi als from as many as eleven countries are available on the local market , suggesting a broad range in the quality of the materials. Improper c onstruction practices are identified with regard to the handling and i nstallation of waterproofing materials. The majority of the leaking ba sements are found in residential buildings. Old as well as new buildin gs are susceptible to basement leaks. An overall rise in the groundwat er table in different parts of Kuwait is indicated from the field inve stigations. Groundwater and water used in irrigating private and publi c gardens are the most common sources of leakage in Kuwait's buildings . For many leaking basements, no information is available on the types of waterproofing material used for the floors and walls, suggesting a lack of importance being attached to the use of waterproofing in buil ding basements. For the cases where information is available, fluid-ap plied materials are the waterproofing materials most commonly used in the basements, indicating possible poor quality materials or poor cons truction practices related to their installation.