Edirne is built on a flat plain where the Meric, Tunca and Arda rivers meet, and its groundwater table runs well above the Turkish average. That makes protection against hydrostatic water pressure essential in almost every building in the city that has a basement.
Surface water rising with winter river floods pushes the water table higher still on a seasonal basis. On every project in Edirne we apply drainage and waterproofing details that take this high water table as their reference and hold up under flood scenarios.
On our Edirne projects we size drainage pipe diameters above standard to match the high flow potential of the region, and we frequently recommend discharge systems with a pump station.
In the historic centre, waterproofing carried out alongside foundation strengthening is done with methods that do not damage the original fabric of the building.
The three situations we meet most often in Edirne
Surface water on flat ground. In settlements with little ground fall, rainwater does not drain away on its own. Water collecting around the building seeps towards the foundation and adds to the water table load. Surface water management is the source of most problems in this area.
River and flood influence. On plots near water courses the water table rises markedly with the season. Basement level and the drainage discharge point must be set with the flood level in mind on these plots.
Harsh winter conditions. The freeze thaw cycle in winter stresses terrace finishes and drainage lines near the surface. Lines must sit below the frost depth.
What we look at during the survey
Ground fall and the path surface water follows, distance to water courses and the flood level, the position of the basement relative to that level, frost depth and the depth of existing lines, and whether a suitable discharge point exists.