Nonmetallic Waterstops.

Nonmetallic waterstops having suitable properties for use in joints in hydraulic structures of concrete have been made successfully from natural rubber, synthetic rubber, and polyvinyl chloride. To per-form satisfactorily, a waterstop must have sufficient strength and extensibility to avoid being ruptured by joint movement, and it must maintain strength and extensibility over the temperature range and in spite of any chemical attack from the environ-ment. It must also have suitable dimensions and con-figuration and be installed so as to avoid water flow around the embedded ends. Field and laboratory studies have led to the es-tablishment of various minimum property require-ments. Suitable waterstop materials should have a tensile strength of at least 1400 psi (plastic) or 2000 psi (rubber), the ability to elongate 280 percent (plastic) or 360 percent (rubber), and be able to maintain certain levels of other relevant properties after various chemical and thermal exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]