Waterproofing Membrane 2

[oengineer]

I have been asked to review a Submittal for Waterproofing Membrane. However, I am not sure what key items to be on the look out for? I am not so familiar with Waterproofing Membrane. The product is the Polyguard 650 Sheet Membrane.

Any suggestion on key pieces of information to be on the look out for during the submittal review?

Suggestions/comments are appreciated.

 

[jayrod12]

Why are you being asked to review it if you're unfamiliar?

did you specify the membrane? If so, why are you unfamiliar? If not, why are you being asked to review it?

 

[oengineer]

Why are you being asked to review it if you're unfamiliar?

did you specify the membrane? If so, why are you unfamiliar? If not, why are you being asked to review it?

Someone asked me to review the document lol, possibly to help them out.

I did not originally work on the project that the membrane is specified for. Based on your comment, I am thinking as a start it would be a good idea for me to get a hold of the construction plans that the membrane is to be used in.

 

[phamENG]

I think a better start would be to go back to the EOR and ask them to walk you through it and explain what you're looking at and what you're looking for.

I suppose you could just watch a youtube video about it, but....

 

[jayrod12]

I wouldn't be commenting at all. If you aren't familiar with products, you shouldn't be commenting on them. Isn't that part of our engineering ethics, to not practice outside our expertise? I'm not saying you can't gain the required expertise, but in this case it doesn't appear that you know enough about the product, or the application, to provide any sort of comment.

 

[EZBuilding]

The architect, or their waterproofing consultant, should be reviewing the waterproofing membrane. Water intrusion is one of the more litigated aspects in the construction industry - you should include a provision in your contract excluding all waterproofing items. Unless, of course, you know enough about the subject to comment.

 

[oengineer]

I wouldn't be commenting at all. If you aren't familiar with products, you shouldn't be commenting on them. Isn't that part of our engineering ethics, to not practice outside our expertise? I'm not saying you can't gain the required expertise, but in this case it doesn't appear that you know enough about the product, or the application, to provide any sort of comment.

I think a better start would be to go back to the EOR and ask them to walk you through it and explain what you're looking at and what you're looking for.

I suppose you could just watch a youtube video about it, but....

Based on your comments, I have reached out to the PM to determine where this item will be used & how on the job site. The construction team will get back to me regarding the use of the product and its location.

Thank you both for your input! I really appreciate it!

 

[epoxybot]

I agree with EZBuilding. The last thing you want to be, is the inexperienced Structural, who signed off on the drawings and there is a waterproofing claim. They can take years to resolve. They can be invasive or just external. Tenants can be testy and demanding.

 

[oengineer]

The architect, or their waterproofing consultant, should be reviewing the waterproofing membrane. Water intrusion is one of the more litigated aspects in the construction industry - you should include a provision in your contract excluding all waterproofing items. Unless, of course, you know enough about the subject to comment.

I agree with EZBuilding. The last thing you want to be, is the inexperienced Structural, who signed off on the drawings and there is a waterproofing claim. They can take years to resolve. They can be invasive or just external. Tenants can be testy and demanding.

The Waterproofing Membrane that I am reviewing is not going to be used for a building. The purpose of the membrane is seal up potential cracks at the joint of an RCB connecting to a concrete vertical headwall.

Based on this, can anyone provide me with some items to be sure are included in the Waterproofing Membrane submittal in order to approve it?

 

[phamENG]

oengineer - I cannot (I don't deal with that stuff), but I suspect that very few people here are going to be excited about facilitating the review of a potentially critical item on a project like that by someone who doesn't know what they're looking for. It needs to be done under the supervision of an experienced engineer. This headwall may be 3' tall and it's not a big deal. Or it may be 30' tall.

A "I'm not sure what this specification item means" would be one thing...but asking for a list of things to look for sets off alarm bells for me.

 

[bridgebuster]

oengineer - in general, when you review a material submittal, you check the manufacturer's literature against the project specifications.

 

[oengineer]

oengineer - I cannot (I don't deal with that stuff), but I suspect that very few people here are going to be excited about facilitating the review of a potentially critical item on a project like that by someone who doesn't know what they're looking for. It needs to be done under the supervision of an experienced engineer. This headwall may be 3' tall and it's not a big deal. Or it may be 30' tall.

A "I'm not sure what this specification item means" would be one thing...but asking for a list of things to look for sets off alarm bells for me.

oengineer - in general, when you review a material submittal, you check the manufacturer's literature against the project specifications.

Thank you both for your comments.

I went ahead & obtained a DOT specification covering Waterproofing Membrane for structures and commented that the contractor who submitted the Membrane shall revise the submittal to prove that it meets the DOT spec, since this is considered a transportation project.