DSU5412

Building Control, Maintenance and

Improvement

Common Building Defects

Adapted from Sr Gary Yeung’s Handout

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Outline of Contents
• Common Problems of Building Material
• Dampness
• Cracks
• Structural Frame and Walling Materials
• Roof
• Timber
• Internal Finishes
• Water Supply Services
• Paint

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Common Problems of Building Material
• Durability or appearance of materials may change when:
– Solution by rainwater – acidic pollution
– Frost action – expansion by freezing
– Sunlight – thermal movement, discolour
– Abrasion by wind
– Abrasion by running water
– Mechanical damage
– Biological attack – insect, bacteria, plant
– Chemical action - oxidation

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Common Problems of Building Material
• Durability or appearance of materials may change when:
– Corrosion of metal – electrolytic action between dissimilar metals
– Crystallization of soluble salts – calcium, sodium sulphates;
expansion
– Temperature / moisture movement – shrinkage
– Deposit from air or adjoining materials – stain
– Improper cleaning

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Dampness
• Possible Causes of Dampness:
– Water entering through ground floor, basement or upward from
external wall
– Rain water pass laterally through external wall
– Rain water from roof or parapet wall
– Leaking of faulty services
– Moisture generated from operation, e.g. condensation

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Dampness
• Dampness through basement/ground floor:
– Lack of damp proof membrane
– Damage of damp proof membrane
– Underground water rises through porous building material
– Condensation or excessive water applied on surface cause lifting of
floor finish and trapping of dampness

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• Dampness through basement/ground floor:

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• Dampness through basement/ground floor:

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Dampness
• Dampness passing laterally through wall:
– Porous building material, e.g. brick
– Continuous rain driven by wind
– Capillary path through cracks
– Decay of window, timber or steel
– Cure by re-rendering with waterproofing
– Injection by epoxy resin on crack
– Replacement of window component
– Cutting out and replacement of brick

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• Water Leakage from Roof

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Dampness
• Leaking of faulty services:
– Faulty ball valve causing tank overflow; replacement of ball valve
needed
– Temperature different causing pipe fracture; thermal/expansion
tolerance required
– Blocked or broken gutter causing eaves overflow
– Bursting of pipe due to blockage or excessive pressure

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Photo of Pipe Leakage/Problem

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Dampness
• Condensation:
– Moist air coming into contact with a cold, relatively non-absorbent
surface which below dew point & moisture deposited
– Humidity generation, e.g. wet cloth, pipe
– Decoration will be stained or mould growth
– Carpet deteriorate and rot, rusting window
– Rotted timber, may affect structure
– Cure by proper ventilation, improve thermal insulation on wall,
vapour barrier

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Condensation Problem

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Cracks
• Primary Causes of Cracks
– Initial shrinkage movement
– Unequal settlement of sections of foundation
– Overloading of certain parts of the structure
– Thermal movement
– Rusting of ferrous metal and decay of timber
– Sulphate or other chemical attack
– Vibration

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 Photo of Crack of a Beam

– Can anyone think of the reason why such defect happened?

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Cracks
• Initial Shrinkage Movement:
– Structure & finishes placed separately & dry out at different time
– Water content, temperature & humidity may vary at different time
– Differential movement between materials result in cracks
– Allow sufficient time for drying out
– Allow for sufficient expansion joints

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Cracks
• Unequal Settlement of Section of Foundation:
– Unequal loading of building on soil
– Different capacity of different soil
– Soil movement due to fissure water changes, change in water table,
vegetation growth
– Chemical reaction of soil in made up grounds – change in soil
volume & attack to brickwork
– May be remedied by underpinning but expensive; cracks to be filled
– May need to dig pits for inspection

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Unequal Settlement of Section of Foundation

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Cracks
• Overloading Parts of the Structure:
– Application of load while not designed for
– Wind forces set up stresses in wall causing movement in parts &
cracks
– May appear with signs of spalling adjacent to cracks due to
compression
– Additional supports may be necessary in the forms of piers or
columns

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Cracks
• Thermal Movement:
– Long length of exposed wall (e.g. parapet) expand due to sun’s heat
– Excessive temperature changes, e.g. fire, cause changes in
composition or shape
– Part of the structure being placed too close to the heat source, e.g.
fireplace
– Result in cracks or even collapse
– Allowance for expansion required

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Cracks
• Rusting of Ferrous Metals & Decay of Timber:
– Steel will corrode if not properly protected
– Insufficient concrete cover causing water penetration & chemical
attack – spalling, stain
– Exposed steelwork shall be properly primed and painted, repainted
at regular intervals
– Rusted steel shall be removed by wire brush, grit blasting
– Spalled concrete shall be chipped away & reinforcement cleaned

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Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Concrete:
– High alumina cement – set quicker, heat
– Chemical, e.g. calcium chloride, reduce alkalinity of concrete, water
penetrate through & cause steel corrosion
– Aggregate, varying expansion & shrinkage with cement & may cause
crack on surface
– Poor mixing of concrete, carbon dioxide or sulphur dioxide in air
convert into carbonates and sulphates, cause crack, peel

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Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Concrete (Cont’d):
– Inadequate compaction allow water to penetrate & cause steel
corrosion
– Inadequate concrete cover to steel also allow water to penetrate
– Overloading which in excess of design
– Spalling & cracks are common defects
– Epoxy resin mortar repair to spalling
– Injection or mastic pointing to cracks

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Concrete Spalling

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Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Brickwork and Blockwork:
– Salt from mortar/soil - efflorescence
– Stain caused by ferrous salts, steel corrosion
– Fire – heat & sudden cooling, crack & spall
– Cracks – ground movement, moisture movement and thermal
movement
– Efflorescence/stain can be removed by wire brushing
– Cracked/bulged bricks are usually replaced

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Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Stonework:
– Poor design & supervision, & environmental conditions attribute to
decay in stonework
– Crystallization or loading stress - placing
– Rust stain if ferrous metals corroded
– Differential or thermal movement causing debonding from
substrate, spalling
– Chemical attack from rainwater
– Salt attack near coastal area

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Repairs to Stonework

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Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Frames (column, beam):
– Purpose to transmit loads to foundation
– Either reinforced concrete or structural steel
– Allow thermal expansion for long structures, expansion joints
– Allow fire protection to structural steel
– Allow corrosion protection to all steel
– Prevent chemical attack to concrete/steel
– Ensure sufficient concrete cover to enable fire protection and
corrosion resistant

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Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Cladding:
– Facing or architectural decoration not taking any loading
– Allow thermal and structural movement
– Allow weather/rain penetration protection
– Consider method of jointing and fixing, ease of handling and
transportation
– Consider ferrous jointing materials - stain
– Marble, etc. may need to be damp proofed
– Consider vandalism damage

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 Shortening of columns
Creeping and elastic
deformation

Oscillation and deflection

Earthquake and wind loads

• Forces on
cladding panels Differential settlement
Foundation settlement or
caused by lengthening of columns
movement exposed to temperature and
moisture variations

Local deflection
Unequal loading on slabs
and beams

Arrows indicate forces on

the panels caused by the 33
movements
Structural Frame & Walling Materials
• Curtain Walling:
– Cladding system containing windows & panels, to achieve lightness,
simplicity & fixing speed
– Windproof and watertight, structural sealant
– Usually proprietary manufacturer
– Need properly designed drainage system
– Allow thermal insulation to save energy cost and prevent
condensation
– Allow for cleaning and maintenance, gondola
– Allow for thermal movement

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Typical curtain
walling transom

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Roof
• Roof Maintenance depends on:
– Detailing of waterproofing membrane, e.g. at joints, allowance for
movement/expansion
– Type & quality of material used incl fixing
– Quality of workmanship
– Age of roofing
– The pitch of the roof
– Quality of structure below
– Environmental condition, e.g. wind, sunlight, air pollution

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Roof
• Roof leak usually occur at junction:
– Between roofing material joints
– Between building expansion joints
– With parapet wall
– With piping, drains & grating
– With chimney, ventilators
– With other roof installations, e.g. A/C

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Roof
• Common roofing materials:
– Bituminous felt
– Asphalt
– Metal roof covering
• Beware:
– Bubbling – allow ventilation
– Movement of structure
– Junction with parapet – angle fillet
– Bonding with sub-base
– Solar radiation & mechanical abrasion

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Typical Roofing Detail

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Timber
• Timber maintenance shall ensure:
– Proper detailing to enable stability and movement
– Time must be dried – wet rot
– Glue shall be weatherproof – heat, moisture
– Treated with preservatives – fungi/chemical
– No infection of diseases – dry rot, wood boring bettles, termite

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Internal Finishes
• Defects in plastering & tiling:
– Cracking
– Debonding
– Thermal movement, building vibration, damp, stress developed
between materials
• Defects in acoustic ceiling:
– Dust
– Insulation quality
– Maintenance access panel

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• Debonded Tile

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Internal Finishes
• Defects of wood block flooring:
– Uneven due to unequal wear or bad laying
– Loose block due to shrinkage or expansion
– Loss of key with substrate due to fixing
– Rotting or stain due to dampness
– Discolour due to abrasive wearing

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Water Supply Services
• Water supply & sanitary installations:
– Sufficient pressure
– Lagging as insulation
– Routine checking on leakage & corrosion
– Overflowing of cistern – ball valve
– Deteriorated pipe brackets to be replaced
– Air lock of pipe to be rectified
– Hammering noise due to water being restrained

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Painting
• Failure may be due to:
– Over-thinning of paint
– Over-thickening of paint
– Applied in unsuitable atmosphere condition, e.g. humidity, dirty or
wet surface
– Applied in unstable undercoat or substrate
– Inferior workmanship

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Painting
• Common Defects:
– Wrinkling – paint film too thick
– Sagging – paint film too thin
– Crazing – apply while undercoat not dry
– Brush mark – bad workmanship
– Blistering – small area lifting, damp trap
– Flaking – absence of cohesion
– Cracking – due to age
– Chalking – weathering disintegration

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Painting
• Preparation of Surfaces:
– Rubbing down – abrasive smoothening
– Blast cleaning – mechanical abrasive device
– Flame cleaning – oxy-acetylene burner to clean metal rust & mill
scale
– Pickling – immersion of metal to hot organic solution to remove rust
& mill scale
– Phosphating – coating of metal
– Burning off – blow lamp
– Paint remover – organic solvent to soften
– Brining forward – stabilizing primer
– Stopping – filling up holes with filler

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The End
• For questions, please email to johnyip@thei.edu.hk

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End

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