Construction Under Adverse Conditions: Poor Water Quality

Abstract

Construction of any structure extensively involves water. Water is required during construction – for preparation of concrete or mortar or wetting bricks etc and also during post construction stage – for curing and other finishing activities. Quality of water grossly matters – directly or indirectly on the ultimate quality of construction. It is hence very categorically specified in respective Codes and Standards about the required quality of water to be used for construction activities.Substandard quality of water results in damage or deterioration of constructed structure. It is a known fact that any damage is a chemical process. Construction with poor quality of water imparts unhealthy reaction between its contaminating chemicals and other ingredients of construction materials used for that particular construction. With chemical reactions causing deterioration due to poor quality of ingredients of construction materials, chemistry involved in these reactions is required to be addressed.Thus, it is extremely essential to assess chemistry of damages to arrive at root cause of damage then its remedial measures.This paper discusses effects of poor quality of water used for construction activities and their remedial measures.