A European standard, EN 13948, defines a test method to determine the resistance of roof waterproofing sheets to root penetration. This standard only concerns slabs. It is not possible to test a system consisting of several different layers. This standard does not include any assessment of the plate to be tested in terms of its environmental requirements.
For the purposes of this standard, root penetration refers to roots that have grown on the surface, joints or through the surface of a slab that has been tested where the underground parts of plants actively form voids and thus damage the slab.
In practice, test specimens are placed in six test vessels. The board must have four wall corner joints, two base corner joints, and a central T joint. In addition, two control dishes without plate are used, which provide a comparison of the viability of plants in the test and control dishes during the entire test period. The containers receive a growing layer of substrate and dense foliage. This produces a high growth pressure from the roots with limited fertilizer and moderate irrigation. The test and control containers are kept in a climate-controlled greenhouse where parameters that have an impact on plant growth can be controlled. The breeding period is two years, which is the minimum time required to achieve reliable results. At the end of the test process, the behavior of the test specimens is evaluated to observe if any root penetration has occurred.
This test method was established to prevent building damage due to roof seams. This standard focuses on plant root stress and defines a test method for flexible sheets for roof waterproofing to determine resistance to root perforation. This standard contains data collected in tests with various types of waterproof flexible sheets and various plant species.
Among the numerous tests, measurements, analyses, and evaluations our organization provides for businesses in various sectors, we also offer testing services under the EN 13948 standard to determine the resistance of bitumen, plastic, and rubber sheets for roof waterproofing to root penetration, utilizing our trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment.
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