TERRA-PETRA ELD

The Use of Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) on Waterproofing Membranes over Concrete Surfaces

Waterproofing membranes are a key element in building enclosure systems—a key element that ultimately gets covered up by a variety of finish materials including landscaping, green roofs, topping slabs, pavers and so on. As most of us know, excavation to expose a failed waterproofing membrane for repairs can be prohibitively expensive and in some cases impossible. For this reason, many designers are choosing to specify integrity testing to verify that the waterproofing membrane is free of discontinuities and penetrations through the membrane prior to the installation being permanently covered. When integrity testing is not specified, many contractors are often performing this type of testing voluntarily to avoid future problems or “call-backs.”

The most common integrity testing method is the flood test. Flood testing is typically performed by flooding waterproofed horizontal surfaces with at least two inches (50 mm) of water for a period of up to 48 hours. Temporary dams are often constructed to partition the test areas, provide an up-turned plaza edge and control the depth of the flood testing. During the flood test, access to the underside of the flooded areas is necessary for a visual inspection of water leakage. However, in the case of a membrane failure (leak), flood testing indicates only where water is penetrating through the entire assembly within the test area, not the location above where water is breaching the membrane. In addition, flood testing cannot be performed on vertical surfaces or at locations where the underside of the slab is not accessible.

The aforementioned restrictions and lack of conclusive data associated with flood testing has enabled Electronic Leak Detection (ELD) to gain momentum as a viable alternative to traditional flood testing. This article will focus on the different types of ELD and the applications where ELD is or is not well-suited.

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Terra-Petra ELD information

Terra-Petra’s GM/VP Justin Conaway to speak at the Colorado Environmental Management Society March 10

JustinConawayVPGM Terra-Petra GM/VPCEMS March Luncheon – Engineering Control Trends in Vapor Intrusion Mitigation – March 10

Speaker: Justin Conaway, Vice President |General Manager and Patrick Guan, Regional Manager, Terra-Petra Environmental Engineering.

Tuesday, March 10, 11:30am – 1:00pm.  There will be no CLE for this presentation.

In recent years the implementation of vapor intrusion mitigation systems has become more common for ground-up development. There are many different forces and factors that are influencing this rise in popularity. There are also numerous engineering controls available to protect a given building from vapor intrusion. This presentation discusses the Vapor Intrusion Mitigation Engineering Control Trends that are being specified and installed today on new construction projects. The benefits of these systems will be outlined and we will identify how various stakeholders have influenced the current trend.

Justin Conaway, VP/GM of Terra-Petra has been with the company since 2004. In this time he has developed a unique knowledge of the vapor intrusion industry in that he has been involved with nearly every aspect of the vapor intrusion cycle from site characterization through installation.

Mr. Conaway has a wealth of experience and competencies, including: Construction Quality Assurance Inspection, Mitigation System Design, Permitting, Document Submittal and Negotiations with Governing Agencies, Risk Management Decision Making Process with Developers, Contract Negotiation, Installation Costing, On-Going Operation and Maintenance Monitoring and Reporting, and Research and Development to launch innovative vapor intrusion products.

Patrick Guan, Regional Manager for Terra-Petra has been with the company since 2012. In this time, he applied his vast experience in sales/marketing, strategic planning, operational management, and superior customer service skills that he developed over the past 17 years working for fortune 500 companies to help drive the ambitious expansion goals of Terra-Petra from a regional success story to a thriving successful nationwide operation. He has done this by executing a clear and concise marketing campaign that presented a positive compelling brand identity for the company. He helped increased the company’s market share throughout the country by emphasizing Terra-Petra’s expertise, and superior value driven customer service that has made it so successful in the West Coast region.

LOCATION: The EPA Conference Center located on the 2nd floor of the EPA Region 8 Headquarters building at 1595 Wynkoop Street in Denver, Colorado. 

To register, please visit this link