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A construction defect is that which makes a project dangerous, unsafe or causes real
damage to the consumer.
Building defects affect society at large due to possible danger posed; they also result in
direct and indirect cost in repairs, abnormally high maintenance, disputes and possible loss
of building use.
Construction defects usually include any deficiency in the performing or furnishing of
the design, planning, supervision, inspection, construction or observation of construction to
any new home or building, where there is a failure to construct the building in a reasonably
workmanlike manner and or the structure fails to perform.
Remedies:
Coping should be provided at parapet wall top and its slope
should be towards inside the roof rather than outside so that
water from the coping falls on the roof rather than on the
outside wall.
Gola should be made at junction of roofing and parapet and if
possible should be taken a little bit inside the parapet wall by
making a chase.
Seal the gap around rainwater pipe mouth on the roof slab.
2.Horizontal cracks in brick mortar joints
Causes:
Weakening of mortar due to sulphate attack. These cracks normally
occur after 2-3 years of construction as the reaction is slow.
Remedies:
Sulphate contents of the brick should be checked before allowing
their use.
Brickwall should not be allowed to be damp because sulphate attack
happens only in presence of moisture.
The correct remedy is to reconstruct the affected areas.
3. Rising dampness
Caused by the absence or
breakdown of a damp
proof course or
membrane. It is POWDERY
characterized by wet RESIDUE
patches to ground floors
and walls with sometimes
a white powdery
'tidemark' deposit.
EFFECTS OF DAMPNESS
Various effects (indirectly defects) , cause due to dampness in
building , are mention below:
A damp building creates unhealthy living and working conditions
for the occupants.
Presence of damp conditions causes efflorescence on building
surfaces which ultimately results in disintegration of bricks ,
stones , tiles etc. and hence in the reduction of strength.
It may result in softening and crumbling of plaster.
It cause bleaching and flaking of paint which results in
formation of colored patches on the wall surface.
It result in corrosion of metals used in construction of
building.
Timber when in contact with damp conditions gets
deteriorated due to the effect of warping , buckling and rolling
of timber.
All electrical fittings get deteriorated causing leakage of
electric current with the danger of short circuit.
Dampness promotes the growth of termites and hence creates
unhygienic conditions in building.
PREVENTION OF DAMPNESS
1.Use of Damp-proofing Course:
These are the layers or membranes of water repellent materials, such as Bituminous felts,
Mastic asphalt, Plastic sheets, Cement Concrete, Mortar, Metal sheets, Slates, Stones, etc.
Causes:
Differential settlement in foundation due to expansion
of clayey soil by absorption of moisture.
This may happen when the rainwater finds entry in
soil or if a tree is cut suddenly in the vicinity
of structure so that the soil which was earlier
dehydrated by the tree again absorbs moisture
and swells.
Remedies:
In clayey soil, foundation should be taken as much as deep
so as to minimize the effect of moisture entry as much as
possible.
Adequate plinth protection and drainage arrangement
should be made around the building to minimize water
entry in the foundation.
2.Diagonal cracks in brick walls (wide at top and narrow at bottom)
Causes
Differential settlement of foundation due to shrinkage of clayey soil by
absorption of moisture.
Structural overload
Remedies
In clayey soil, foundation should be taken as much deep so as to
minimize the effect of moisture entry as much as possible.
Avoid constructing walls on filled up soil.
Avoid overloading.
Masonry work shall be proceeded symmetrically and uniformly
at all levels.
Remedies
Leave expansion or contraction joints at regular interval specially in long stretches of wall.
Remedies
Before casting R.C.C slabs over brick wall, smooth bearing plaster should be done over brick
walls occupied with whitewash/bitumen coating or tarred paper over it. It allows slab to move
freely over wall due to thermal expansion/contraction/shrinkage.
7. Diagonal cracks in walls over R.C.C. lintels
Causes
Due to drying shrinkage of lintels and sudden deflection of
lintels after removal of shuttering.
Remedies
Use precast lintels as far as possible for small openings.
Construct brick wall over lintel after it has undergone
considerable shrinkage.
Construct brick walls over lintel after shuttering below it is
removed so that it doesnt undergo sudden deflection with the
construction of brick wall over it.
Remedies
Some gap should be left between top of panel wall and soffit of the beam/slab so that beam
can deflect freely.this gap can be filled by weak mortar.
Remedies
As far as possible long stretches of walls should be intercepted by cross walls and
expansion joints should be given at suitable interval.
Bricks should be allowed to undergo initial moisture expansion before use.
Tables 1. Internal wall defects
2. External wall defects
3. Floor defects
4. Door defects
5. Roof defects
6. Ceiling defects
CONCLUSION