BUILDING

DETERIORATION
Building Defect and
Deterioration
Definition of Defects
 Problems and failure in buildings can be
broadly attributed to either defects or
deterioration
 Defect – defined as an unexpected early
failure because of faulty design,
manufacture, installation or maintenance
 Defects – arise due to error or omission
that is, breech of contract or negligence by
designer or contractor
Defects and Deterioration
 Deterioration – natural process which
may be unavoidable, although minimised
by care in design and the selection of
materials
 the rate of deterioration is excessive it may
be due to a defects, such as the selection
and use of unsuitable materials or an
event, such as a water leak resulting in
fungal decay.
Cont’d
 Defects are a matter of concern for range of
reasons
 The client is entitled to what he or she is paying for; a
defect represents a shortfall on that
 Defects take time to rectify and this may delay
completion and handover of the building
 Much time and money may also be expended in
identify possible causes of defects, especially to
attach blame
 There may be significant disruption and consequential
loss if defects are to be corrected in occupied
buildings
 The time span may be short or long depending on a
number of factors;
 The quality of the materials and manufacture of the element
 The appropriateness of the element to the environment in which
it is installed
 The processes of degradation operating on the element
 Degrees of intervention to arrest deterioration (e.g painting
timber)
 The thresholds of performance acceptability to the building users
Causes of Deterioration / Defect

 Causes of deterioration/defect can be

define as follows
 Inadequate brief
 Faulty design decisions
 Construction methods
 User activities
 Maintenance
 Fair wear and tear
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 Inadequate brief
 Defects can originate at earlier stage
 i.e in client brief may lay down unrealistic cost
limits or fail to give vital information on the
functional requirement of the building
 Usually there is no indication of the likely
period of use nor of the client’s attitude
towards maintenance
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 Faulty design decisions – the most common
faults may be grouped as follows;
 Failure to follow well established design criteria in the
choice of structural system and selection of materials
 Ignorance of the basic physical properties of
materials, e.g failing to make allowance for the
differing thermal and moisture movements of
materials used in combination
 Use of new material or innovative forms of
construction which have not been properly tested in
use (quoting manufacturer’s simulated lab test)
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 Faulty design decisions (cont’d)
 Misjudgement of user and climatic conditions
under which the material will have to perform
 Complex detail that have a low probability of
successful execution on an open building site
 Poor communications between different
members of the design and construction
teams
Faulty design decision – the failure consider
easy to maintain and replace
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 Construction methods
 Speedy construction can result in careless
and skimped work
 Many such defects could be avoided by
ensuring greater care at all stages in the
process, proper training of operatives and
closer supervision
 Introduce Quality Assurance (QA) such as
ISO 9002
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 User activities
 Caused by unintentional misuse through a
lack of information on the correct mode of
use, or by deliberate acts of vandalism
 Solution – to provide the designer with more
information on the degree of severity of use
so that a better match can be made between
the robustness pf the fittings and finishings
and the conditions of use
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 Maintenance
 Incorrect identification of the true cause of a
defect, and inappropriate remedial work, will
not only do nothing to rectify the original
defect but may substantially worsen the
condition of the building
 Lack of care in carrying out repairs and
inspections
Causes of Deterioration/Defect -
Cont’d
 Fair wear and tear
 Even with the best quality products properly
installed, used and maintained, failure occurs
sooner or later
Nature of Building Defects
 Past and present research has helped to identify
the principal causes, yet many of the problems
relating to poor-quality design, construction,
repair and maintenance continue to reduce the
utility and value. (David, 2002)
 The classification of defect agencies proposed
in ISO 6241:1984 offers a useful distinction
between those agents acting outside and inside
building (refer next Table)
Example of Moisture
in Building
Example of Moisture
Sink in Building
Classification of agents acting outside and inside
buildings (ISO 6241:1984)
MECHANICAL AGENTS

Agents Acting outside the building Acting inside the building

Atmosphere Ground Occupancy Design
Consequences
Gravitation Snow and Ground and Live loads Dead loads
rainwater loads water pressure
Forces and Ice formation Subsidence, Handling force, Shrinkage,
imposed or pressure, thermal slip indentation creep, forces
restrained and moisture and imposed
deformations expansion deformations
Kinetic Wind, hail, Earthquakes Internal Water hammer
energy external impacts, impacts, wear
sandstorm
Vibration and Wind, thunder, Traffic and Noise and Services noises
noises aeroplanes, machinery vibration from and vibrations
explosions, traffic, vibrations music, dancers,
machinery noises domestic
appliances
Classification of agents acting outside and inside
buildings (ISO 6241:1984)
ELECTROMAGNETIC AGENTS

Agents Acting outside the building Acting inside the building

Atmosphere Ground Occupancy Design
Consequences
Radiation Solar radiation, Radioactive Lamps, Radiating
radioactive radiation Radioactive surfaces
radiation radiation
Electricity Lightning Stray currents - Static electricity,
electrical supply
Magnetism - - Magnetic field Magnetic fields
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Classification of agents acting outside and inside
buildings (ISO 6241:1984)
CHEMICAL AGENTS

Agents Acting outside the building Acting inside the building

Atmosphere Ground Occupancy Design
Consequences
Water and Air humidity, Surface and Water sprays, Water supply,
solvents condensations, ground water condensation, waster water
precipitations detergents, seepage
alcohol
Oxidising Oxygen, ozone, Positive Disinfectant, Positive
agents nitrous oxides electrochemical bleach electrochemical
potentials potentials
Reducing - Sulphides Agents of Agents of
agents combustion, combustion,
ammonia negative
electrochemical
potentials
Classification of agents acting outside and inside
buildings (ISO 6241:1984)
CHEMICAL AGENTS (cont’d)

Agents Acting outside the building Acting inside the building

Atmosphere Ground Occupancy Design
Consequences
Acids Carbonic acid, Carbonic acid, Vinegar, citric Sulphuric acids,
bird droppings, humic acids acids, carbonic carbonic acids
sulphuric acid acid
Bases - Lime Sodium, Sodium
potassium, hydroxide,
ammonium cement
hydroxides
Salts Salty fog Nitrates, Sodium Calcium
phosphates, chlorides chloride,
chlorides, sulphates,
sulphates plaster
Chemically Neutral dust Limestone, silica Fat, oil, ink, Fat, oil , neutral
neutral neutral dust dust
Classification of agents acting outside and inside
buildings (ISO 6241:1984)
BIOLOGICAL AGENTS

Agents Acting outside the building Acting inside the building

Atmosphere Ground Occupancy Design
Consequences
Vegetable Bacteria, seeds Bacteria, Bacteria, house -
and microbial moulds, fungi, plants
roots
Animal Insects, birds Rodents, Domestic -
termites, worms animals

THERMAL AGENTS

Agents Acting outside the building Acting inside the building

THERMAL Atmosphere Ground Occupancy Design
Consequences
Thermal Heat, frost, Ground heat, User-emitted Heating, fire
Agents thermal shock frost heat, cigarette
 ATMOSPHERIC
AND CLIMATIC
ACTION

HUMAN EXCESS
FACTORS MOISTURE

CAUSES OF
DEFECT,
DAMAGE &
DECAY

CHEMICAL,
PHYSICAL &
FIRE
BIOLOGICAL
ACTION

MOVEMENT