The importance of fully bonded membranes on below ground structures
5th July 2019
Waterproofing has been a contentious issue for decades, if not centuries. Since Sir William Raleigh waterproofed his ships in the West Indies, the game has been on. British Standard BS8102:2009 was written to include within it ‘fully bonded membranes’ that form a bond to all sides of basement structures. This was a reaction to membranes that, at best, adhered to horizontal blinding and did not adhere to the structure itself.
The world of basements provides us with many challenges in their immediate environment. High water pressures, ground settlement, contamination in the ground, as well as the design challenges of building structures in congested cities, leading to confined construction.
In the mid 1990’s Fosroc saw the importance of these challenges and developed Proofex Engage, a unique membrane comprising of a blended 
polypropylene and polyethylene waterproof backing sheet and welded mesh, allowing plastic concrete poured on it to form a monolithic bond.
This provided many game changing benefits to builders and designers alike. The issue of ground settlement and subsequent damage to stressed overlaps was eliminated, thus reducing the risk of water breaching the membrane and moving within the structure itself.
The mesh face of the Proofex Engage provides a unique mechanical key to the structure when used with poured concrete. This mesh restricts lateral migration of water (aka water tracking), thus locking water into tiny compartments and as a result, stopping water tracking around a structure on its search for cracks, joints and honeycombing and eventual arrival inside the structure itself, much to the chagrin of the builder and client alike.
In addition, the blended membrane provides resistance to methane, carbon dioxide and radon gases as well as providing enhanced durability of the structure against chlorides and sulfates, found in many parts of Australia and the rest of the world.
Fast and simple to install, with pre-formed overlaps and an overarching ancillary system, it can be fair to say that Proofex Engage provides a standard compliant, fast and ‘suit suitable’ robust solution to below ground waterproofing solution.
Combine that with above ground liquids and sheet membranes, both hand and spray applied, waterproofing solutions, Fosroc provides constructive solutions for projects large and small.
For more information on Proofex Engage click here or give us a call on 0800 657 156. For information on other Fosroc waterproofing solutions click here.
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