Concepts and examples from practice
Water-impermeable, loadbearing and non-loadbearing ground slabs in underground garages
In the past, structural engineers used primarily standard concepts for designing water-impermeable ground slabs based on design principle b) of the DAfStb code of practice on water-impermeable concrete structures (WU code). The aim of this design principle is to reduce the separating cracks, expected due to restraint stresses, to such narrow widths as to enable them to heal themselves. The cracks that occurred due to the design concept, however, present a risk to the serviceability and durability of underground garages subjected to high-quality utilization or chloride ingress.
The “WU code”...
