Various Types of Rubber Waterstops for Different Concrete Structures

Rubber waterstop is a commonly used waterproof element placed in the construction joints and deformation joints of foundation works of the concrete structure when pouring concrete. It has good elasticity, strong adaptability to deformation and great waterproof performance. In addition, it has great wear resistance, aging resistance and tear resistance. It is widely used in building constructions, underground facilities, tunnel culverts, canal aqueducts, dams, liquid storage structures, etc.

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There are many types of rubber waterstops that are used in different applications. If we fail to choose a proper rubber waterstop, it will absolutely bring a poor waterproof effect. Then how to choose the right rubber waterstop?

Generally, building waterproof degree, deformation joint deformation, hydrostatic pressure, application environments, operating temperature and economic factors are taken into consideration. Specifically, you may consider it from the following aspects.

Application Environment

• Natural rubber waterstop is enough for general waterproof purposes.
• When being used in corrosive environment with weak acid and alkali, neoprene waterstop is a good choice.
• When being used in environments with oils, nitrile rubber waterstop is highly recommended.
• When being used in environments with possible mold erosion, rubber waterstop with mouldproof function is a great choice; of which, its mouldproof grade shall be Grade 2 and above.

Operating Temperature

Structure Section Type

• Internal Rubber Waterstop

  Internal rubber waterstop is one of the most popular rubber waterstop characterized by symmetry. That is, it has symmetric ribs on both front and back surfaces. Besides, the ribs from center to edges are symmetric as well. It can be further divided into CB type (with a center bulb) and CP type (without a center bulb).

  CB-type internal rubber waterstop

  It refers to internal rubber waterstop that has a center bulb. It is also one of the most commonly used waterstop types. Characterized by close combination with concrete, great water-tight sealing effect and strong adaptability to joint expansion and contraction, it is mainly applicable to settlement joints, expansion joints and seismic joints of various concrete structures.

  CP-type internal rubber waterstop

  It refers to internal rubber waterstop without a center bulb. Featured by close combination with concrete, great water-tight sealing effect and excellent elastic tensile deformation, it is mainly applicable to the construction joints, complete shrinkage joints, incomplete shrinkage joints and expansion joints of various concrete structures with little deformation.

• External Rubber Waterstop

  External rubber waterstop is a kind of rubber waterstop with one flat surface and a surface with ribs. During the construction, the flat surface is placed on construction joints, therefore, it is named as external rubber waterstop or flat waterstop. It is a waterproof structure placed outside the deformation joints and settlement joints of underground concrete structures (water face). Its material elasticity and structural form make it have strong adaptability to the expansion and contraction of the concrete. In addition, pay attention to the protection of external waterstops installed when backfilling the outside of the concrete siding.

  External rubber waterstop is further divided into EB type (with a center bulb) and EP type (without a center bulb).

  EB-type external rubber waterstop

  EP-type external rubber waterstop

  External rubber waterstop in concrete structure

• Swellable Rubber Waterstop

  Swellable rubber waterstop is a kind of rubber waterstop provided with expansible strips (red part as shown in the picture). Expansible strips extremely increase the adhesion between the rubber waterstop and the surrounding concreted, meanwhile, it solves the problem of circular-leaking. So the rubber waterstops with expansible strips are widely used as enhance anti-leaking products.

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  Swellable rubber waterstop

  Swellable rubber waterstop in concrete structure

Steel-edge Rubber Waterstop

The steel-edge waterstop can change the water penetration path and extend the water by-pass seepage line. In the construction environment where the leakage water may contain corrosives, steel-edge waterstop can withstand certain corrosives.

Benefits

• It adopts a non-equal-thickness structure and divides the waterstop into the reinforced area and the waterproof area to makes all parts withstand stress evenly and reasonably.
• It adds installation holes in the steel plate and connects with steel reinforcements to make the waterstop fixed firmly and not easy to shift.
• The good bonding of galvanized steel plate and concrete makes the waterproof performance better.

In the protection project, steel-edge waterstop can ensure the waterproof effect of the project. It is also commonly used in projects with small area yet high impermeability requirements , such as casting pits and electric furnace foundation pits.

Rubber waterstop can be divided into natural rubber waterstop, neoprene waterstop,Nitrile Rubber waterstop and EPMD rubber waterstop according to the material. The performance of these 4 kinds of rubber waterstop is differenct.

The rubber waterstop is mainly used as a solid waterproofing measure at expansion joints and deformation joints in concrete buildings. 

The rubber waterstop here is used for its high elasticity, which produces elastic deformation under various loads, thus providing a solid seal and effectively preventing water leakage and seepage in the building structure and playing a shock-absorbing and buffering role.

The following 4 factors can be considered regarding the choice of material for the rubber waterstop:

1. Under normal circumstances, natural rubber water stops are mostly used, and natural rubber water stops are used at -35 to 60 degrees Celsius.

2. Neoprene waterstop is suitable for weak acid, alkali corrosion construction environment, and neoprene waterstop are used at -25-60 degrees Celsius. 

3. Nitrile rubber water stops for use in oil-based media construction environments.

4. EPDM rubber waterstop suitable for mould erosion when possible, ozone resistance and weatherproof environment, and EPDM rubber waterstop are used at -40-60 degrees Celsius.

The choice of rubber waterstop should be based on the importance of the level of the structure, deformation and water pressure, the applicable working environment of the waterstop, economic factors and other conditions to determine a comprehensive consideration. Here we elaborate on how to choose the right rubber waterstop according to the water pressure:

1. When the water pressure is less than 4m and the horizontal and vertical deformation does not exceed 10mm, the width of the rubber waterstop should not be less than 200mm and the thickness should not be less than 5mm.

2. When the water pressure is 4-8m and the horizontal and vertical deformation does not exceed 30mm, the width of the rubber waterstop should not be less than 300mm and the thickness should not be less than 6mm.

3. When the water pressure is greater than 8m, the horizontal and vertical deformation is more than 30mm, the width of the rubber waterstop should not be less than 350mm, and the thickness should not be less than 8mm.

4. When the water pressure is not more than 8m, the horizontal deformation is not more than 20mm, when there is no vertical deformation, the width of the rubber waterstop should not be less than 200mm, and the thickness should not be less than 5mm.

5. In addition, when the structure section size is greater than 500mm, the width of the rubber water stop should not be less than 300mm, when the water stop for bending placed, its turning radius shall not be less than 300mm.

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