STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION OF ARIZONA
Central Chapter Dinner Meeting
Vapor Barriers
Placement and Emissions
Presented by Scott Tarr, PE FACI North S.Tarr Concrete Consulting, P.C.
Vapor barriers are any material used for damp proofing, typically a plastic or foil sheet, that resists diffusion of moisture through wall, ceiling and floor assemblies of buildings to prevent interstitial condensation and of packaging. Technically, many of these materials are only vapor retarders as they have varying degrees of permeability. A perpetual problem with thin overlays is that since they form an impermeable layer on the slab, any water vapor emissions from the underlying slab will be trapped. This vapor can then develop more pressure than the bond strength between the topping and the slab, delaminating the topping. This presentation will cover how to properly apply and how to reduce emissions from use of these products.
About the Speaker
Scott Tarr is a Consulting Engineer and President of North S.Tarr Concrete Consulting, P.C. Over the past 25 years, Scott was a Partner with Concrete Engineering Specialists (CES), a Principal Structural Evaluation Engineer for CTL Group, and earned BS and MS degrees in Civil Engineering. With PE licenses in multiple states, his primary expertise is in design, construction, and repair of concrete slabs on ground (interior and exterior) and evaluating flooring failures throughout the United States and internationally. As a Fellow of ACI, he serves on several committees. In addition to ACI, Scott is an active member of ICRI, ASCC, ASCE, ASTM, and ACPA.
Please join us!