A mortar for rising damp studies

A mortar for rising damp studies has been developed and used in the construction of test walls.

One chemical injection technique used in some test walls failed to provide an effective damp-proof course although a degree of water repellency was created in some of the injected bricks. The walls however were virtually saturated throughout when injected and it is concluded that a realistic performance test for treatments against rising damp should use walls with lower moisture contents at the treatment level combined with a substantial moisture gradient up the wall.

A test wall with a substantial moisture gradient was constructed using a graded washed sand for the mortar mix. On injection, an effective damp-proof course was formed.