Bolu sits close to the North Anatolian Fault and combines dense forest cover with a high rainfall regime. The karstic formations around Abant can produce irregular water movement below ground, which increases damp and pressurised water problems in basements, particularly on sloping sites.
The ground movements experienced along the D-100 highway corridor also show why building foundations in the region need serious drainage planning. In Bolu we design foundation drainage and basement waterproofing specifically around the sloping terrain and damp climate.
The problem we meet most often on Bolu projects is water from heavy winter snowmelt soaking into the ground and producing damp and mould on basement walls. We combine French drain and membrane systems with materials that stand up to the local freeze thaw cycle.
Roof insulation for facilities and homes around Abant is also designed with the heavy snow load calculated in.
The three situations we meet most often in Bolu
Snow load and freeze thaw. Snow lying for long periods on roofs and terraces in winter melts and refreezes, becoming trapped beneath the finish. This cycle debonds the finish and stresses the waterproofing. The solution begins with a drainage arrangement that stops water collecting under the finish.
Hillside water on sloping ground. In buildings set into a slope, water arrives from one direction. In that case an intercepting drainage line on the uphill side is more effective than drainage all around the building.
Heavy rainfall regime. Because rainfall in the region is high, the capacity of surface drainage lines is critical. Undersized gratings and pipes cannot carry the flow on wet days and direct it towards the building.
What we look at during the survey
Ground slope and the direction water arrives from, the possibility of an intercepting line uphill of the building, the local frost depth and whether existing lines sit below it, areas where snow accumulates on roofs and terraces, and the capacity and discharge point of surface drainage lines.