Building defects

and its remedies

DEFECT IN BUILDINGS-

A DEFECT WITHIN A BUILDING MAY BE A RESULT OF SUB-STANDARD WORK OR LACK

OF EXPERTISE AT TIME OF CONSTRUCTION.

A DEFECT IN AN OLDER BUILDING MAY BE CAUSED BY LACK OF ADEQUATE

MAINTENANCE.

-TYPES OF DEFECT-

Under soil Super structure

IN FOUNDATION WALL
COLUMN & BEAMS
Under Soil
Before construction- DEFECTS -
FOUNDATION
1. WATER LOGGING
2. EXISTING OF TREE
3.LOOSNESS OF SOIL
Causes-
1. IS POOR SOIL PREPARATION PRIOR TO
CONSTRUCTION.
2. IS THE PLASTICITY OF CLAY SOIL.
3. IS POOR DRAINAGE.

Remedial
action-
TO INSURE ALL THE SOIL IS PROPERLY COMPACTED BEFORE ALLOWING ANY CONCRETE TO BE POURED.
AT THE TIME OF DIGGING ANY EXISTING OBJECT LIKE ROOT OF TREE SHOULD BE REMOVED.
PROPER DRAINAGE SHOULD BE PROVIDED AROUND THE SITE. .

During construction- DEFECTS- 1. SETTLEMENT OF FOUNDATION BED

2. SLIDE OF FOUNDATION SOIL
3.HONEY COMBING.
4. DEVELOPMENT OF CRACKS
Causes-
1.DUE TO IMPROPER PREPARATION OF BED.
2.POOR WORKMANSHIP
3.POROSITY OF SOIL.

Remedial action-
PROVIDED TRENCH AT WORKABLE DISTANCE. SAND AND LIME FILLING IN BED
PROPER RAMMING OF THE BED ,AND MAINTAIN THE QUALITY OF MATERIAL OF BED
After construction-
DEFECTS CRACKS ON FOUNDATION
-
Causes-

THE MOST OBVIOUS INDICATORS OF

FOUNDATION MOVEMENT ARE:
DIAGONAL CRACKS IN INTERIOR WALL
FINISHES AT THE CORNERS OF DOORS AND
WINDOWS.
CRACKS MAY ALSO OCCUR AT THE
INTERSECTION OF WALLS AND CEILINGS, AND
AT THE INTERSECTION OF WALL SURFACES.
DOORS BIND OR DO NOT OPEN OR CLOSE
PROPERLY.

Remedial action-
UNDERPINNING THE FOUNDATION WITH DEEP PIERS, CORRECTING POOR
DRAINAGE OR BOTH.
EXCAVATION AND RECONSTRUCTION, POSSIBLY WITH REINFORCEMENT OVER
ORIGINAL DESIGN AND WITH ADDITIONAL FOUNDATION AND SITE DRAINAGE
STEEL BEAMS ANCHORED TO SLAB AND FRAMING CONSTRUCTION OF SHEAR WALL
DEFECTS- WALL BULGE AND STEP CRACKING

THE WALL BULGED INWARDS AND CRACKED HORIZONTALLY AT THE POINT OF MOST
PRESSURE.
THE WALL CRACKED IN THE STEP-CRACK PATTERN CLEARLY MARKED.

CAUSE:
APLICATION OF FORCES-EXTERNAL
FORCES
VIBRATIONS
SURROUNDING SATURATED SOIL

Remedial Action-
"REPAIRS" CAN BE DONE BY FILLING THE CRACKED JOINTS
IF TOTAL AMOUNT OF WALL MOVEMENT IS MINOR AND IF THE OUTSIDE SOURCE OF PRESSURE
(WATER AND FROST) HAS BEEN CORRECTED, FURTHER REPAIR OR REINFORCEMENT MAY NOT BE
NEEDED.
CONSTRUCTION OF SHEAR WALL
DEFECTS- LEAN OR BULGE IN FOUNDATION WALL
CAUSE
FOUNDATION MOVEMENT.
LATERAL THRUST FROM THE SURROUNDING
MATERIAL.
VIBRATIONS FROM THE INSTALLATION OF
HEAVY MACHINERY NEARBY.

Remedial actions-
RECONSTRUCTION ,PROVISION OF BANDS ,CONSTRUCTION OF SHEAR WALL
DEFECTS- VERTICAL FOUNDATION CRACKS
CAUSE :
POORLY PREPARED FOUNDATION FOOTINGS,
CONSTRUCTION.

BLASTING ON AN ADJACENT BUILDING LOT TO PREPARE THAT

SITE.

FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION FRONT FOUNDATION WALL AND

PORTIONS OF THE RIGHT FOUNDATION WALL WERE
SETTLING.

EFFECT :
Remedial action- CRACKS INCREASE IN SIZE
CHANGE IN STRENGTH
PROVIDED PROPER BED

DEFECTS- DIGONAL FOUNDATION CRACKS

CAUSE :
INITIAL FOOTING SETTLEMENT.
EXPANSIVE CLAY SOIL,
FROST DAMAGE,
DAMAGE FROM A TREE CLOSE TO THE FOUNDATION
WALL.

Remedial action-
PROVIDED PROPER
BED
Super structureWALL
DEFECTS- CRACKS ON WALLS
CAUSE -

TEMPERATURE VARIATION AND DIFFERENCE IN

COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION OF MATERIALS.
MOISTURE CONTENT CHANGES.
ESPECIALLY ON CASE OF EXCESSIVE LOADING.
GORUND MOVEMENT I.E. UNEQUAL SETTLEMENT,
EARTHQUAKE, LAND SLIDE, CREEP.
VIBRATION FRON TRAFFIC, MACHINERY.
DUE TO CORROSION
TREES
CONSTRUCTION DEFECTS EG. JOINTS
IMPROPER JOINTS.
EXTERNAL FORCES.
UNEQUAL SETTLEMENT.

EFFECT OF CRACKS :
CHANGE IN SHAPE.
CHANGE IN APPEARANCE.
SEEPAGE OF WATER.

Remedial action-
FILLING OF PUTTY. PLASTERING. CLADDING. APPLICATION OF WATERPROOF PAINT.
COVER JOINT BEFORE PLASTERING BY 30CM OF RABBIT MESH.
CRACKS DUE TO MOISTURE MUST BE FILLED WITH EPOXY RESINS AND SEALENTS.
TERRACE SLAB JOINT MUST BE PROVIDED ALONG THE CENTRE .
 Type of cracks on wall-
VERTICAL CRACKS:
OCCURRENCE:- STRIAGHT, WIDEST ON TOP AND DIMINISHING
THE WIDTHS.
CAUSE:
FOUNDATION ON SHRINKABLE CLAYS.
TREES HACE DISSICATED SOIL.
ABSENCE OF EXPANSION JOINTS.
SHRINKAGE OF SUB-SOIL.
SETTLEMENT DUE TO BEARING CAPACITY
.

DIAGONAL CRACKS:
OCCURRENCE:- ALONG THE CORNER OF JOINTS.
DIAGONAL CRACKS BELOW WINDOWS.

CAUSE:
VIBRATIONAL IMPACT.
DUE TO EXPANSION OF BRICKS

HORIZONTAL CRACKS :
OCCURRENCE:- CRACK BELOW TERRACE FLOOR LEVEL.
BELOW LINTEL LEVEL OF WINDOW.
CRACKS OPEN AND CLOSE WITH CHANGES IN
TEMPERATURE.

CAUSE:
DIFFERENCE OF MATERIALS AND THEIR BONDING.
CRACKS OPEN AND CLOSE WITH CHANGES IN
TEMPERATURE.
 IRREGULAR CRACKS:

OCCURRENCE AT VARIOUS LEVELS OF THE WALLS.

CAUSE:
HEAVY TRAFFIC.
VIBRATION DUE TO INDUSTRY.
SIESMIC MOVEMENT.

TOOTHED CRACK:
OCCURRENCE:-OCCURS ALONG THE ZIG-ZAG DIRECTION

CAUSE:
DIFFERENCE OF MATERIAL AND THEIR BONDING.

STRUCTURAL CRACKS:
CAUSE :
TREES PLANTED VERY NEAR TO BUILDING CAN CAUSE
UNEQUAL SETTLEMENT.
DUE TO CHANGES IN GROUND WATER TABLE.
SLOPPING GROUND SUFFER CREEP.
GEOLOGICAL FAULT.
MINNING.
CONTINUOUS VIBRATION CAUSES CRACKING.
FOUNDATION RESTING ON BLACK COTTON SOIL.