ASTM E1643-98

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Designation:E 1643–98
Standard Practice for
Installation of Water Vapor Retarders Used in Contact with
Earth or Granular Fill Under Concrete Slabs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 1643; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope ration of adhesives, ripping or separation of seams, air bubbles
or efflorescence beneath seamed, continuous flooring; damage
1.1 This practice covers procedures for installing flexible,
to flat electrical cable systems, buckling of carpet and carpet
prefabricated sheet membranes in contact with earth or granu-
tiles, offensive odors, and growth of fungi.
lar fill used as vapor retarders under concrete slabs.
1.2 Conditions subject to frost, heave or hydrostatic pres-
4. Manufacturer’s Recommendations
sure, or both, are beyond the scope of this practice.
4.1 Where inconsistencies occur between this practice and
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
the manufacturer’s instructions, conform to the manufacturer’s
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
instructions for installation of vapor retarder.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
5. Placement
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
5.1 Level and tamp or roll granular base.
1.4 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
5.2 Placevaporretardersheetingwiththelongestdimension
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for
parallel with the direction of concrete pour.
information only.
5.3 Lap vapor retarder over footings or seal to foundation
wall, or both, and seal around penetrations such as utilities and
2. Referenced Documents
columns in order to create a monolithic membrane between the
2.1 ASTM Standards:
2 surface of the slab and moisture sources below the slab and at
C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates
the slab perimeter (see Figs. 1-3).
D 224 Specification for Smooth-Surfaced Asphalt Roll
3 5.4 Lap joints 6 in. (150 mm), or as instructed by the
Roofing (Organic Felt)
4 manufacturer, and seal with the manufacturer’s recommended
E 631 Terminology of Building Constructions
adhesive or pressure sensitive tape or both.
2.2 Other Standard:
ACI 302.1R Guide for Concrete Floor and Slab Construc-
6. Protection
tion
6.1 Take precautions to protect vapor retarder from damage
during installation of reinforcing steel and utilities and during
3. Significance and Use
placement of concrete.
3.1 Vapor retarders provide a method of limiting water
6.2 Useonlyconcretebricktypereinforcingbarsupports,or
vapor transmission upward through concrete slabs on grade,
provide6by6in.(150by150mm)protectivepadsofasphaltic
which can adversely affect moisture-impermeable or moisture-
hardboard or other material recommended by the vapor re-
sensitive floor finishes.
tarder manufacturer to protect the vapor retarder from punc-
3.2 Adverse impacts include adhesion loss, warping, peel-
ture.
ing, and unacceptable appearance of resilient flooring; deterio-
6.3 Avoid use of stakes driven through vapor retarder.
6.4 Refer to X2.2 and X2.3 for discussion of aggregate for
ThispracticeisunderthejurisdictionofASTMCommitteeE-6onPerformance
protection of vapor retarder.
of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.21 on Service-
ability.
7. Repair
Current edition approved Sept. 10, 1998. Published March 1999. Originally
7.1 Repair vapor retarder damaged during placement of
published as E 1643 – 94. Last previous edition E 1643 – 94.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
reinforcing or concrete with vapor barrier material or as
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.04.
instructed by manufacturer.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.11.
5 7.2 Lap beyond damaged areas a minimum of 6 in. and seal
Available from American Concrete Institute, P.O. Box 19150, Detroit, MI
as prescribed for sheet joints.
48219.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
E 1643
FIG. 1 Concrete Slab on Grade: Optimum Relationship of Vapor
Retarder Components
FIG. 3 Concrete Slab on Grade: Solution for Subgrade Up to
One Story below Grade with No Hydrostatic Pressure on Vapor
Retarder
FIG. 4 How Moisture Can Be Retained in Base or Cushion,
Blotter, or Protection Course During Construction
ate construction scheduling and sealing of any entry points in
uncompleted slabs (see Fig. 4).
8.2 Integrity of Vapor Retarder—Check seams and penetra-
tions at columns and utilities to look for discontinuities in the
vapor retarder.
8.3 Damage and Repair—After installation of reinforce-
ment (if used) but before pouring concrete, check for damage.
Do not pour concrete until repairs are made, if required, in
FIG. 2 Concrete Slab on Grade: Solution for Subgrade Slightly
vaporretarder.Thisisparticularlydifficultifcoveredwithsand
Below Exterior Grade
or granular fill.
8.4 Moisture Conditions of Slab—Following placement of
concrete and climatization of building, check to see that any
8. Suggested Field Check List
specified tests for moisture emission have been made and a
8.1 Moisture Entrapment Due to Rainfall or Ground Water written report submitted prior to floor covering or coating
installation.
Intrusion—Moisture entrapment can occur with tilt-up con-
struction or other construction methods where exterior walls
are erected before the concrete slab and underlying subgrade,
base, or sand/small aggregate layer or combination thereof, are 6
Collins, F. Thomas, Manual of Tilt-Up Construction, Berkeley, Know-How
protected from precipitation. This can be avoided by appropri- Publications, 1965, pp 78–81.
E 1643
9. Keywords
9.1 concrete slabs; vapor; vapor retarder
APPENDIXES
(Nonmandatory Information)
X1. PRE-DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
X1.1 Architectural watertablelevelsandthehydrologyofgeologicalstrataaswell
as historical data on surface flooding and hydrology. The
X1.1.1 Planning and Organization of Construction
geotechnical study should consider not only the past but also
Documents—To avoid ambiguities, redundancies, conflicts,
the projected change from ongoing or anticipated development
and omissions, plan the organization and coordination of
patterns. Soils with comparably higher clay contents are
drawings and specifications so that graphic, dimensional, and
particularly troublesome because the relatively high capillary
descriptive information on subgrade, granular base, vapor
action within the clay allows moisture to rise under the slab.
retarder, and protection course, if any, appears in only one
X1.1.4 Civil—Ensure that site topographic surveys and
place. Since the relationship of the subgrade (pad) elevation
grading plans accurately and comprehensively establish sur-
(usually shown on grading plans) to the rest of the building
face drainage characteristics for the site and surrounding areas.
finish floor elevations and finished site grades is a function of
the depth of the granular base and protection course, these X1.1.5 Landscape and Irrigation—Most traditional geo-
dimensions should be shown in only one place. For graphic technical studies do not take into account the post-construction
depictions and dimensions of the granular base and the change in ground moisture conditions due to introduced
protection course, the architectural drawings are preferred, but planting and irrigation which is a major problem. For example,
structural drawings are sometimes used. Specifications for in California coastal areas, the average annual rainfall is about
sub-base conditions should be in the grading section. Specifi- 18 in. (457 mm). Turf irrigation amounting to 1.3 in. (33 mm)
cations for base, vapor retarder, and protection course should of water per week over the normal 7-month dry season will
be in the section on concrete, but there are advocates of a increase this to nearly 60 in. (1524 mm) with almost no runoff.
separate section in Division 7 for the vapor retarder system. It is not enough to assume that irrigation will simply duplicate
Examination and testing of surface conditions should be in natural conditions encountered during the wet season. The
appropriate finish sections. landscape architect, geotechnical engineer, and civil engineer
X1.1.2 Scheduling—Determine if slab drying will be on the should closely coordinate design recommendations to avoid
critical path for schedule occupancy. If so, plan measures to moisture problems introduced or exacerbated by landscape
reduce drying times, mitigate moisture, or select floor finish planting and irrigation. Once a project is completed, effective
materials not subject to damage by moisture. irrigation management is instrumental not only in water
X1.1.3 Geotechnical—Ensure that the geotechnical survey conservation but also in avoiding potential building-related
includescomprehensiveandreliableinformationonsubsurface moisture problems.
X2. DESIGN PHASE CONSIDERATIONS
X2.1 Subgrade Design and Specification quence should be planned so that it occurs prior to slab
construction rather than after.
X2.1.1 Specify preparation and configuration of sub-base
X2.1.3 ACI 302.1R-89 warns that the subgrade must be
material as directed by the geotechnical engineer. Design
well drained and of adequate and uniform load-bearing nature.
sub-grade topography and drainage to ensure positive relief of
The “in-place density” of the subgrade soils should be at least
hydrostatic pressure. Incorporate design of mechanical drain-
the minimum required in the specifications. The bottom of an
age system if gravity outflow i
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