Basement Construction and Waterproofing
Basement construction and waterproofing
The term basement refers to an enclosed space that is below the ground floor of the building. A residential basement is generally one floor deep, with a floor height of 8 to 10 feet, with the top of the basement wall terminating approximately 2 to 3 feet above the finished ground level. On a sloping site, the basement floor may be above the ground level on one or two sides, referred to as a walk-out or daylight basement. Residential basements are more common in colder regions of the United States, where the frost line is deep so that a basement can be economically provided without much additional excavation. Commercial basements can be several floors deep, particularly in buildings located in downtown areas.
• Conditioned and unconditioned basements
A basement can be conditioned (to maintain a constant indoor temperature) or unconditioned, where the indoor temperature fluctuates with the outdoor temperature. For a conditioned basement, only the basement walls (not the floor) need to be insulated as per the requirements of the local energy code. Generally, the insulation need not extend beyond 10 feet below the ground. Basement walls may be insulated from the inside or the outside. In a multilevel commercial basement, the insulation is required only for the upper basement level. Therefore, in such basements, interior insulation is common. In residential basements, which are only one level deep, outside placement of insulation (over the entire depth of the basement) is common.
• Structural considerations
The major structural components of a residential basement are the walls and the floor. Cast-in-place reinforced concrete is the most commonly used material for both walls and the floor of contemporary basements, although reinforced masonry and pressure treated wood may be used for the walls. Basement walls must be designed to withstand lateral earth pressure and gravity loads from the upper floors.
• Basement
The term basement refers to an enclosed space that is below the ground floor of the building. A residential basement is generally one floor deep, with a floor height of 8 to 10 feet, with the top of the basement wall terminating approximately 2 to 3 feet above the finished ground level. On a sloping site, the basement floor may be above the ground level on one or two sides, referred to as a walk-out or daylight basement. Residential basements are more common in colder regions of the United States, where the frost line is deep so that a basement can be economically provided without much additional excavation. Commercial basements can be several floors deep, particularly in buildings located in downtown areas.
• Conditioned and unconditioned basements
A basement can be conditioned (to maintain a constant indoor temperature) or unconditioned, where the indoor temperature fluctuates with the outdoor temperature. For a conditioned basement, only the basement walls (not the floor) need to be insulated as per the requirements of the local energy code. Generally, the insulation need not extend beyond 10 feet below the ground. Basement walls may be insulated from the inside or the outside. In a multilevel commercial basement, the insulation is required only for the upper basement level. Therefore, in such basements, interior insulation is common. In residential basements, which are only one level deep, outside placement of insulation (over the entire depth of the basement) is common.
• Structural considerations
The major structural components of a residential basement are the walls and the floor. Cast-in-place reinforced concrete is the most commonly used material for both walls and the floor of contemporary basements, although reinforced masonry and pressure treated wood may be used for the walls. Basement walls must be designed to withstand lateral earth pressure and gravity loads from the upper floors.
• Basement