A survey and assessment of the technical condition of basement and semi-basement structures in public buildings aged 60 to 130 years were conducted to evaluate their suitability for use as basic shelters. Based on the survey results, the most adverse impacts were identified, including changes in groundwater levels, improper building operation, and the characteristic damages to underground structural elements. Structural solutions were proposed to eliminate the consequences of these damages. The reviewed cases indicate that the vertical and horizontal waterproofing systems used during construction cannot perform their function throughout the building’s entire life cycle. When designing new buildings, waterproof materials should be used for the enclosing structures of underground premises. While this may have a higher initial cost than membrane or coating waterproofing, considering life-cycle costs, it can provide a positive economic effect and improve the quality and comfort of the indoor environment.

MATEC Web of Conferences, open access proceedings in Materials science, Engineering and Chemistry

The causes of the occurrence and influence of inherent stresses, unevenly distributed across the cross section, on the strength of materials are analyzed. Methods of creating artificial distribution of inherent stresses with opposite signs in comparison with the usual distribution obtained with natural solidification of the material are given. The sequence of an experiment on cylindrical specimens made of epoxy resin and brittle silicate aluminum alloy in creating distributions of inherent stresses with opposite signs is described. The results of experimental tests of the influence of inherent stresses unevenly distributed across the cross section, on the strength of the epoxy resin and of the fragile silicate aluminum alloy with compression are given. Quantitative characteristics of the influence of unevenly distributed inherent stresses on the strength of materials under compression are obtained. The reasons of the influence of inherent stresses on the strength of materials under compression are analyzed and grounded.