PREVENTIVE AND REMEDY

MEASURES IN BUILDINGS
 Rotting, corrosion, efflorescence and rusting
all relate to the weakening of the strength and
thereby performance of structural members
used in buildings
 Especially from timber, metal, bricks and
concrete
 Most of the defects are due to moisture, oil
and smoke/fire
 Porous and absorptive property of the
material compliment to these problems
The major problems are
 Destroy aesthetics

 Allow passage of the catalytic agents of

disease into the structure
 Gradual decompose and affect the quality
and strength of material
• Brick (Efflorescence)
• Timber (Rot)
• Metal (Corrosion - Ferrous & Non-Ferrous)
• Concrete (Corrosion, Staining,
Efflorescence)
EFFLORESCENCE
 Efflorescence is a deposit of soluble salts, usually white in
color, which can appear on the surface of masonry or
concrete.

 Efflorescence is a
crystalline deposit of
salts that can form
when water is present
in or on brick, concrete,
stone, stucco or other
building surfaces.
 efflorescence can appear
as a powdery substance
on floors and walls
• A white stain appearing on the face
of brickwork caused by deposits of
soluble salts formed on or near the
surface of the brickwork as a result
of evaporation of the water in
which they have dissolved.

• It is unusually harmless and

disappears within a short period of
time;
Three conditions must exist for efflorescence to
occur:
 Water-soluble salts must be present.
 Moisture must be available to transform salts into a soluble
solution.
 Salts must be able to move through a material to its surface.
The moisture will then evaporate and cause the salts to
crystallize, resulting in efflorescence.

 Water, rain and snow are the primary sources of moisture

and may impact the degree of efflorescence.
 Condensation, groundwater wicking and interior activities
also may affect the degree of moisture generation.
 Powdery efflorescence Crystalline efflorescence

Various building surface installation problems may lead to

efflorescence, including:
 Use of masonry without sufficient ventilation
 Use of masonry in areas that lack a proper moisture barrier
 Joint material failure
 Improper ground storage
• Efflorescence can appear on concrete surfaces,
although it is most common as on brick walls.

• The major cause - allowing water to be trapped for

long periods between the cast concrete and the
formwork and poorly formed construction or similar
joints allowing water to enter the concrete
structure.

• Emphasis should always be on good design and

workmanship on first instance
 Eradication of Efflorescence:
 Stop the source of access of moisture
 Remove plaster from both sides
 Allow the wall to become thoroughly dry
 Remove bad brick work and fill the voids by cement
concrete(1:2:4)
 Check the mortar joints carefully and pack the joints where
necessary after removing loose mortar
 When the wall is fully dry, remove whitish mould and wash
the surface by tamarind water and wash again with clean
water
 Then the surface is plastered with C/S mortar not leaner
than 1:4 with admixture of water proofing compound
Methods of efflorescence removal range from:
• Wire brushing
• Water rinsing with a garden sprayer or pressure
washer can dissolve efflorescence, allowing it to
run off.
• Various chemical applications
• To mechanical methods such as grit blasting

Dry brushing or with clean water may be used to

remove the salt deposit but the use of acids may
be left to experts.
 Preventing Efflorescence
1) Hydrophobic Sealant: Applying an impregnating hydrophobic
sealant to a building material surface can prevent the absorption
of water. The sealant also will stop water from traveling within a
building material.

2) Damp Proof membrane: Installing DPM such as polyethylene

sheeting between a building material and soil can minimize the
risk of salt entering the material.

3) Quality Masonry Construction: Implementing overhanging

copings, eaves etc.. will minimize the risk of water from entering a
wall.

4) Increased Emphasis on Landscaping and Sprinklers: Paying

special attention to landscaping and sprinklers will ensure you can
prevent water from reaching porous building materials.
 Preventing Efflorescence
5) Installing Grout With Mechanical Vibration: Consolidating grout
with mechanical vibration will limit the chance of voids in the
grout.

6) Using Dense Tooled Mortar Joints: Leveraging dense tooled

mortar joints reduces the porous nature of a wall, making it tough
for salts to migrate through it.

7) Utilizing Grout Admixtures: Grout admixtures, such as chemical

additives that are designed to improve the flow of a grout mix and
reduce its water content simultaneously, may reduce voids in
grout.

8) Storing Masonry Materials Properly: Keeping masonry

materials off the ground and covering them with waterproof
materials can protect these materials against groundwater and
precipitation.
Leaching and Staining

 The leaching occurs when water leaks into concrete

dissolving the calcium causing a staining to occur on top
of the surface.

 Leaching of the concrete is due to formation of lime on

the surface.
 Vegetation:
 Growth of vegetation damages
masonry seriously
 Vegetation deep entered into the
brick work may extent great
pressure and cracks appear may
result in destruction of masonry
 Vegetation should be removed and
roots should be destroyed by
copper sulphate
DEFECTS IN TIMBER
(ROTTING)
Commonly Used Timber

Teak
 Best for retaining shape and its durability
 Secure to white ant/ insect attacks
 Weak against fungus attack (rot)
 Used for construction and furniture

Deodar
Used for low quality timber works
Sal
 Secure to insect & fungi attack
 Good for structural timber

Haldu
 Fairly hard and strong wood
 Commonly used for doors and window frames,
floor boards, paneling etc
 Decay of Timber
 Alternate dry and wet conditions
 Defective seasoning of the timber
 Fungi developing diseases such as rots
 Insects such as marine borers, beetles, termites
etc
 Lack of ventilation
 Dark and damp conditions
Types of Decay in Timber
Wood Worm
 Wood Worm infestation of
untreated timber is a relatively
common problem
 beetle measures up to 25 mm
long when mature, and can lay up
to 200 eggs on the rough surface
of untreated timber.
 After 2-3 weeks, the larvae
emerge and bore into the timber.
 They can be detected by the powdery deposits known as
‘frass’ left on the surface and the bore holes of around 3
mm diameter.
Dry Rot
 Rot due to certain fungi which feed on
wood and convert them into fine powder

 Some reasons for dry rot are:

not properly seasoned timber

warm moist conditions

confined atmospheric condition

unseasoned timber if tarred, charred

or painted
Wet Rot
 occurs where there is the continual
presence of moisture, such as leaking
pipework, a lack of ventilation which
results in condensation, or a defective
damp proof course.
 Decomposition of timber due to
moisture where timber converts into
grayish brown powder
 Some reasons for wet rot are:
alternate wet and dry conditions
unseasoned timber exposed to rain
and wind
 Preservation of Timber
 Protect timber structure from attacks of fungi and
insects, borers, termites and marine organisms
 Prolongs the life and durability of timber structures
 Preservatives are painted, sprayed or impregnated
 Most efficient means is good seasoning and free
circulation of fresh air
 Leaks in water supply pipes, rain water and drains
should be avoided
 Timber should be kept dry during construction and
also protect timber from getting damp after
construction
Preservation of Timber (Contd.)
 Prevent dampness to timber floor and ventilate the
space below and around the timber floor
 Exposed timber can be preserved by impregnation
of poisonous chemicals to fungi
 Protect against moisture by oil paint
 There are three types of preservatives:
i. Oil type
ii. Chemical (organic solvent) and
iii. Water soluble preservatives
 Coal tar, oil paints, creosote oil are most common
used preservatives
Qualities of Preservatives
 Should be Cheap, durable, unaffected by heat and
light, non combustible and easily available
 Smell should not be very unpleasant
 Safe
 Should not affect strength and outlook
 Should offer high resistance to moisture
 Should efficiently kill fungi and insects
Methods of Preservation of Timber

Charring – Kept wet for ½ - 1 hrs and then burnt to

depth about 15mm

Tarring – Applying hot tar in the surface

- Mainly used for submerged surfaces

Painting – Makes timber beautiful and also prevents

white ant attack
Methods of Preservation of Timber (Contd.)
Creosoting – Creosote oil (obtained by distillation of tar)
mostly used for poles, piles etc

Wolman’s salt – Mixture of creosote oil and sodium

fluoride – effective against fungi

Ascu-treatment – Composition of i) Hydrated arsenic

pentoxide (1part), ii) Copper sulphate (3 parts) and iii)
Potassium Dichromate (4parts)
Methods of Preservation of Timber (Contd.)

Vacuum-Pressure process –Absorption of preservative

Hot and cold process – Timber is stacked in the tank

and submerged in cold preservative and then heated
and again cooled

Seasoning of timber –Removing surplus moisture from

freshly converted timber
CORROSION
 Corrosion refers to any process involving the deterioration or
degradation of metal components. The best known case is
that of the rusting of steel.
 Metals are derived from ores and metallic state is unstable
 Reversion process is known as oxidation or corrosion
 Corrosion of steel is an electrochemical process resulting the
conversion of metal into oxides and salts
 Corrosion is the destruction of a substance or its properties
 Both oxygen and moisture must be present in order for
corrosion to occur
 The substance resulting out of corrosion is known as rust
 Rusting is just oxidation of iron at the surface. This
process is activated by the presence of moisture and
carbon dioxide.
 Atmospheric pollution also accelerates rust formation.
 Corrosion is slow but steady eating away of metal and is a
consequence of rusting
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR CORROSION

The nature of the surrounding environment such as

availability
- of water
- oxygen
- ionic species
- pH and
- temperature
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR CORROSION
 Composition of steel and concrete
 Inferior material
 Poor workmanship
 Structural design defects
 Inadequate maintenance
 Presence of active gases and harmful salts in the
surrounding atmosphere
 Chemical composition of metal itself together with its
internal structure
 Pores and cracks in the surface
 Steel rusts more easily than wrought iron
EFFECTS OF CORROSION
 Rust occupies a volume much greater than the steel itself
 This exerts large expansive stresses on the surrounding
concrete
 As concrete is low in tensile strength, these stresses can
cause cracking and sapling
 Permits faster ingress of water, oxygen and chlorides,
accelerating corrosion further
 May adversely affect the structural performance of
reinforced concrete
 Reduces the cross-sectional area of the steel making
discontinuous surface, thus reducing its resistance to
stresses
PREVENTION FROM CORROSION
 Tarring : Iron is dipped in hot coal tar so that a film of it
sticks to the surface which protects the surface from rusting
and corrosion.
o Pipes or ends of poles to be embedded in earth are
usually given this protective treatment.
 Painting: Paints usually the lead paints are applied on the
surface to be protected.
o Exposed metal surfaces as in case of roof trusses
and bridge structure are given this treatment which
have to be repeated after regular interval of time.
 Enamellings provides better and long life protection as
compared to painting.
o This treatment is given only to smaller surface.
PREVENTION FROM CORROSION
 Galvanizing: depositing a thin film of zinc on the iron/steel surface
is termed as galvanizing.
o The surface to be galvanized is first cleared from all foreign
materials by giving it an acid wash to be followed by wash of
clean water.
o The surface is then dried and dipped in molten zinc. The fine
film of zinc that gets deposited protects the surface from
contact with atmosphere and consequent oxidation
 Sheradising: clean of all foreign deposits by acid wash and then
with clean water- dried and covered with zinc dust and enclosed
in steel boxes to be heated in furnace under controlled
temperature.
o Molten zinc spreads over the whole surface and on cooling
forms a thin protective layer.
o Sheradising gives better protection then galvanizing.
PREVENTION FROM CORROSION
 Tin plating: After cleaning the surface with acid wash
followed by clean water and drying in is dipped in a bath of
molten tin. A protective layer is left on the surface.
 Electroplating: By the process of electrolysis a thin film of
nickel, chromium, cadmium, copper, zinc is deposited on the
surface to be protected.
Corrosion of Concrete
 In sewers / drains made from
concrete, the sewer acids causes
corrosion of concrete
 Ground water with
concentration of alkaline salts is
harmful to sewer pipes
 Sulphate resisting cement or
high alumina cement is
recommended
Corrosion of Concrete
 Seawater has same effect

 Mixture of air and sea water rapidly corrodes

concrete and steel
Protection from Corrosion of Concrete

 Lining pipes with clay tiles

 Using stoneware pipes
 Jointing materials can be from resisting cement
or high alumina cement
 Use of coal tar or bitumen
STRUCTURAL STEEL
WORK
Causes of Defects:
 Destroy the aesthetics
 Allow the passage of the catalytic agent of the
disease
 Gradually decompose and affect the material
quality and strength
 Prevention is better than cure…
STRUCTURAL STEEL WORK
• a coat of red oxide paint before erection.

• Temporary measure by mean of a coat of white

wash or by covering it with slaked time.

• A coat of paint made with pulverized oxides of

iron, linseed oil and drier.

• A coat of raw linseed oil before the first coat of

red lead paint is applied, and immediately after
the steel work has been cleaned.