MOISTURE TESTING. Presentation for: Presented by: Peter Craig - FICRI

Transcription

1 MOISTURE TESTING Presentation for: Presented by: Peter Craig - FICRI

2 Program Objectives 1. To understand why moisture-related flooring problems have become such a common and serious issue nationwide. 2. To learn how to properly evaluate the moisture condition of a concrete sub-floor.

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6 What is the Common Denominator in these Flooring Problems? Moisture Coming from, or Through a Concrete Sub-Floor

7 Moisture can.... Cause a flooring problem or, be necessary to initiate other damage causing conditions.

8 Why Now? 1. Fast-Track Construction Schedules

9 Why Now? 2. Wetter Building Sites

10 Why Now? 1. Fast-Track Construction Schedules 2. Wetter Building Sites 3. Material Changes 4. Inadequate Sub-Slab Moisture Protection 5. Inaccurate, Insufficient or Misinterpreted Moisture Tests

11 Moisture 101

12 Water Found naturally in three states.

13 Where does the water / moisture come from? Concrete

14 How much free water?

15 Where does the moisture come from? Typical 4000 psi concrete Water-to-cement ratio gal of water/cu yd = 275 lbs/cu yd Water needed for hydration w/c 0.25 = lbs Leaves lbs free water/yd = 1697 lbs free-water/1000 sq ft (4 slab)

16 Where does the water / moisture come from? Concrete

17 Where does the water / moisture come from? Concrete Irrigation Broken Pipes Condensation

18 Dew Point Temperature - Fahrenheit Relative Humidity 90 % 80 77

19 Where does the moisture come from? Concrete Irrigation Broken Pipes Condensation Fill Course

20 Fill Course Over Vapor Barrier/Retarder

21 Fill Course Over Vapor Barrier/Retarder Wet fill

22 Where does the moisture come from? Concrete Irrigation Broken Pipes Condensation Fill Course Adhesives Maintenance

23 Groundwater Sources Hydrostatic Pressure Capillary Action Vapor Diffusion

24 Hydrostatic Pressure Concrete Slab-on-Grade Water Table

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27 Capillary Action Narrow Glass Straw Water

28 Capillary Action Wide Glass Straw Water

29 Vapor Diffusion Lower Vapor Pressure Concrete Higher Vapor Pressure

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32 100 % 55 32

33 100 % Below Slab 33

34 100 % Below Slab 34

35 Water Vapor Movement 70 F, 30 % RH =.108 psi 55 F, 100% RH =.214 psi

36 Water Vapor Movement 70 F, 30 % RH =.108 psi Vapor Barrier / Retarder 55 F, 100% RH =.214 psi

37 Causes of Flooring Problems Excessive Moisture

38 Causes of Flooring Problems Excessive Moisture High ph Levels

39 ph Hydronium (hydrogen) ions in solution.

40 x100 x1000 x10 0 Acidic

41 What is the ph of fresh concrete? 0 Acidic

42 What is the highest ph level that most adhesives can tolerate? Fresh concrete 0 Acidic

43 Carbonation Carbon Dioxide ph < 9.0 Surface carbonation

44 Masonry wall

45 Masonry wall

46 Masonry wall

47 Surface carbonation

48 Flooring installed ph 12 ph 10 >11 9 Moisture Diffusion

49 Some people make a big deal over ph

50 But Truth is: Get rid of the water and soluble alkali salts do not enter into solution. Get rid of the water ph is not an issue

51 Causes of Flooring Problems Excessive Moisture High ph Levels Osmosis

52 Osmosis Semi-permeable membrane Water (solvent) Salt Molecules (solute)

53 Example of Osmosis in Nature Cherry Bursting Skin of the cherry acts as a semi-permeable membrane

54 Osmosis How much pressure can an osmotic cell develop? Vapor Pressure less than 1.0 psi Osmotic pressure can exceed 300 psi

55 Causes of Flooring Problems Excessive Moisture High ph Levels Osmosis Material Issues Plasticizer Migration Incompatibility with Curing Compounds

56 Causes of Flooring Problems Curing Compounds Curing compounds are inexpensive, spray or rolled on liquid treatments applied to the surface of freshly finished concrete to retard the loss of moisture needed for proper cement hydration.

57 Percentage Effect of Curing on Compressive Strength

58 Causes of Flooring Problems Curing Compounds Curing compounds are inexpensive, spray or rolled on liquid treatments applied to the surface of freshly finished concrete to retard the loss of moisture needed for proper cement hydration. Curing compounds do not simply disappear after 7 days Curing compounds may adversely affect adhesive bond Curing compounds cost far more to properly remove than using and alternative curing method

59 Moisture Retaining Cover Curing Leave in-place for 7 days Then Remove

60 There are Two Potential Sources of Concrete Sub-Floor Moisture.. Moisture from within the Concrete itself. Moisture Transmitting through the Concrete from Below.

61 Moisture from a Concrete Sub-floor.. 1. Moisture from within the Concrete only Vapor Emissions Effective Vapor Barrier / Retarder or Metal Decking Closed Slab System

62 Moisture from a Concrete Sub-floor 2. Moisture Transmitting Through the Concrete from below Moisture Emitting from the concrete No Vapor Barrier Moisture Transmitting through the concrete Open Slab System

63 Moisture from a Concrete Sub-floor A Low-Permeance Vapor Barrier / Retarder can Effectively keep Below-Slab Moisture from Reaching the Flooring System. Flooring

64 Moisture Testing

65 Why Measure Moisture? Objectives: Meet Flooring Manufacturer s s Requirements Conform to Industry Standards ASTM F 710 Comply with Project Specifications All intended to help reach the real objective of..

66 Why Measure Moisture? Avoid Flooring Problems

67 Moisture Testing Methods Qualitative Quantitative - Plastic Sheet - Mat Bond Test - Electrical Resistance - Electrical Impedance - Moisture Vapor Emission Rate - Relative Humidity

68 Qualitative Techniques

69 18 18 Up to 8 lbs Poly Sheet Test ASTM D 4263

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71 How many pounds of water does it take to show up as droplets beneath the poly? Up Up to to 138 lbs lbs Poly Sheet Test ASTM D 4263

72 Mat Bond Test Material can be considered securely bonded if an unusual amount of force is required to lift it from the subfloor.

73 Unusual to Who?

74 Electrical Resistance Relative Scale Readings affected by presence of alkali, carbonation & chlorides

75 Electrical Impedance Useful for relative comparisons, mapping, selecting sites for further tests

76 Quantitative Techniques

77 Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) ASTM F 1869

78 Calcium Chloride Test Procedure 1. Clean Slab Surface

79 Calcium Chloride Test 2. Weigh Calcium Chloride Dish Field Scale

80 Calcium Chloride Test Procedure 1. Clean Surface 2. Weigh Dish 4. Remove after 60 to 72 hours 3. Install Test Kit 5. Reseal & Weigh

81 Building Conditions Affect MVER Effect of ambient air temperature and RH - Higher RH & T = Higher Apparent MVER Effect of floor temperature - Higher T = Higher MVER - Lower T = Lower MVER Effect of sealers / curing compounds - Reduces MVER

82 Can We Achieve 3lb? 100 Relative Humidity of Occupied Space, % ASTM F 1869 Test Range It depends on w/c and how the occupied space is conditioned 4 lb/1000sq ft/24 hr 3 lb/1000sq ft/24 hr Courtesy of CTL Water-cement ratio of concrete

83 Effect of Air and Floor Temperature at 50% RH 6 w/c=0.7 5 w/c=0.6 MVER, lb/1000 sq ft / 24 hr Courtesy of CTL Cooling the floor gives apparent lower MVER, but the moisture is still in the concrete! Temperature, deg F w/c=0.5 w/c=0.4

84 What Moisture Does the Calcium Chloride Method Actually Measure?

85 CTL MVER Uptake Study CaCl 2 kit, dish on balance pan 4-in concrete slab (0.4 w/c) with sealed surfaces RH probes to datalogger Courtesy of CTL Balance weighs CaCl 2 dish

86 CTL MVER Uptake Study CaCl 2 kit, dish on balance pan 4-in concrete slab (0.4 w/c) with sealed surfaces RH probes to datalogger Balance weighs CaCl 2 dish Courtesy of CTL

87 MVER Comes From How Deep? 0 10 Depth from Top of Slab, mm % of the measured MVE comes from the top 12 mm (½-in.) of concrete CaCl 2 kit does not detect moisture below 20 mm (3/4-in.) deep Courtesy of CTL Percent of Total Measured MVER

88 Calcium Chloride Testing is an indicator of moisture in the top ½ to ¾ of the concrete only..

89 Properly conducted, the test does provide useful information, however the results do not tell the whole story

90 Un-Measured Source of Moisture

91 Fact If the only piece of information one has is a calcium chloride MVER, it is insufficient information upon which to base an installation decision upon.

92 How can MVER Testing be Improved?

93 Un-Vented MVER Testing Perform MVER testing in an unvented manner where the test sites are prepared and then covered for at least a two week period prior to conducting the MVER tests. PVC Backed Carpet tile over Poly Aluminum foil

94 How else should we measure moisture?

95 Concrete Internal Relative Humidity ASTM F 2170

96 Slabs Drying from One Face Only - Measure at 40% of Slab Thickness

97 Relative Humidity Testing 1. Drill Hole 3. Insert Liner 2. Vacuum Take Insert Reading Probe

98 Interpretation of Results - USA Standard Test Method: ASTM F 2170 Requirements: - ASTM F 710 < 75% after 72 hours at 40% slab depth. But Remember!

99 Interpretation of Results - USA Standard Test Method: ASTM F 2170 Requirements: - ASTM F 710 < 75% after 72 hours at 40% slab depth. Without an effective vapor retarder directly beneath the slab, moisture within the slab will increase above the tested level once the flooring is installed.

100 Internal Concrete Humidity Test ASTM F 2170 Target < 75 % RH No Vapor Retarder or Inadequate Level of Protection

101 Internal Concrete Humidity Test ASTM F 2170 Flooring Applied No Vapor Retarder or Inadequate Level of Protection

102 Internal Concrete Humidity Test ASTM F % RH No Vapor Retarder or Inadequate Level of Protection

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109 In-Situ Concrete RH Equipment Study Test Series III Location: W.R. Grace Labs Cambridge, Massachusetts

110 Test Objectives To determine what factor or factors are contributing to the significant disparity in in-situ concrete internal RH measurements between equipment manufacturers.

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112 Test Series III Universal Hole Liner Universal Sleeve

113 Universal Hole Liner Universal Sleeve / Volume Test 1 OD PVC Pipe Sensor Series III ¾ ID Epoxy Seal 1.6 5/8

114 Universal Hole Liner Test Universal Hole Liner

115 Equipment Calibration

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118 Test Results

119 Universal Hole Liner Universal Position / Volume Test Sensor Series III ¾ ID PVC Pipe 72 Hour Edited Readings % % * % % % % % 5/8 * Test directly over coarse aggregate particle

120 Concept Drawing Probe Hole Liner / Sleeve Ribs /Fins Isolation Seal / Gasket

121 MVER and RH Complementary MVER = moisture near the slab surface %RH = Moisture level within the slab

122 Surface Relative Humidity Test (Hood Method) ASTM F 2420

123 SUMMARY To Avoid Flooring Failures Start From The Ground Up

124 Clear Project Specifications are the Starting Point

125 Common Sense Helps

126 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 1. Geotechnical & Design Considerations Low Permeance Vapor Retarder Fine Grading Capillary Break Base Drainage

127 Take the ground out of play! Emphasis on Low Permeance

128 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 2. Concrete Considerations Water cement ratio 0.45 to 0.50 Quick-Dry Concrete Low Permeance Vapor Retarder Capillary Break Base

129 Quick-Dry Concrete (self-desiccating) Advantages: Provides concrete that will reach an acceptable dryness in 30 days Places and finishes similar to conventional concrete

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133 Quick-Dry Concrete (self-desiccating) Advantages: Provides concrete that will reach an acceptable dryness in 30 days Places and finishes similar to conventional concrete Reduces drying shrinkage and curling

134 Quick-Dry Concrete (self-desiccating) Advantages: Provides concrete that will reach an acceptable dryness in 30 days Places and finishes similar to conventional concrete Reduces drying shrinkage and curling Overcomes slab re-wetting issues

135 Quick-Dry Concrete (self-desiccating) Advantages: Provides concrete that will reach an acceptable dryness in 30 days Places and finishes similar to conventional concrete Reduces drying shrinkage and curling Overcome slab re-wetting issues Cost effective

136 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 2. Concrete Considerations Continuous Rebar Low Permeance Vapor Retarder Capillary Break Base

137 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 2. Concrete Considerations Moisture Retaining Cover Cure Low Permeance Vapor Retarder Capillary Break Base

138 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 3. Proper Testing Moisture Vapor Emission Rate Testing (MVER) Capillary Break Base ASTM F 1869

139 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 3. Proper Testing MVER In-Situ RH % ASTM F 2170 Capillary Break Base

140 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 3. Proper Testing MVER In-Situ RH % ph Testing ASTM F 710 Capillary Break Base

141 Test both the Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) & the Internal Relative Humidity of the Concrete ASTM F 1869 ASTM F 2170 Calcium Chloride Method In-Situ Humidity Test

142 Test both the Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) & the Internal Relative Humidity of the Concrete ASTM F 1869 ASTM F 2170 Calcium Chloride MVER Testing Alone Does Not Provide Sufficient Information to Reliably Determine the Moisture-Related Suitability of a Concrete Sub-Floor.

143 But Remember! Without Adequate, Low-Permeance Moisture Protection, Directly Beneath the Slab, Acceptable Pre-installation Moisture Test Results Do Not Insure that a Moisture- Related Flooring Problem will not Develop. or. The Ground Must be Taken Completely Out-Of-Play, or

144 But Remember! Moisture Levels within the slab will increase over time or.

145 Concrete Moisture Testing Technician Certification Program

146 Why Certification Is Needed? Throughout the country there is significant disparity in how portions of the current ASTM moisture and ph testing standards are being interpreted and how the tests are being performed.

147 What is the ICRI Certification Program Based Upon? Four ASTM standard test methods Moisture Vapor Emission Rate (MVER) - ASTM F 1869 Concrete Internal Relative Humidity - ASTM F 2170 Concrete Surface RH - ASTM F 2420 Concrete surface ph testing - ASTM F 710

148 CERTIFICATION What s s included in the Level 1 certification program? Training seminar 3 3 to 4 hours (mandatory)

149 CERTIFICATION What s s included in the Level 1 certification program? Written examination

150 CERTIFICATION What s s included in the Level 1 certification program? Performance Examination 4 ASTM Test Methods F 1869 CaCl MVER F 2170 Concrete in-situ RH F 2420 Concrete Surface RH F 710 ph

151 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 4. Accelerated Drying Capillary Break Base

152 Steps to Avoid Flooring Failures: 5. Moisture & ph Suppression System Capillary Break Base

153 It All Adds up to: Success

154 Thank You For Attending! For Further Information go to: www. FloorWorks3.com

155 MOISTURE TESTING Presentation for: Presented by: Peter Craig FICRI