DEBRE MARKOS UNIVERSITY

DEBRE MARKOS INSITUTIUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM
DEPARTEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND
MANAGEMENT
CONSTRUCTION SITE SUPERVISION
GROUP ASSIGNMENET
SECTION - A

GROUP MEMBERS ID NO.

FEVEN DESTA……………………...TER/0957-10
KALKIDAN GIRMA……………....TER/0471-10
KALKIDAN BEKELE……………....TER/0223-10
NETSANET YEZBALEM………….TER/0235-10
NIGIST BALECHA………………….TER/0421-10
EBRAHIM SEMAN…………….…TER/0146-10
TIGIST GAHANOV………………..TER/0802-10

Submitted to – ASMAMAW MESELE

Submission date - 24/09/2013 E.C
 Defects in construction
The construction industry all around the world is getting modern, advance and growing day by day.
Inspite of the development, construction industry is dealing with one major problem i.e. building
defects. Structural Engineers are always striving to overcome challenge of defects in buildings.

A defect is a building flaw or design mistake that reduces the value of the building, and causes a
dangerous condition. Common construction defects can include siding and fascia, windows, roofs, wood
floors, ventilation, and compaction not done to specifications leading to ground subsidence and
eventual early deterioration of foundations. This may lead to the complete failure of a structure. Defects
may also be related to design and engineering, structure, soil settlement and drainage, settling of
concrete slabs and parking lots, equipment, roofs, mechanical, and finishes. When we are looking at
construction defects and what causes them, we can put them in two basic types structural and non-
structural defect. These two types are mainly categorized under design defect, material defect, and
poor workmanship.

Design defect
Design defects are typically a consequence of the architects or engineers failing to produce an accurate
or well-coordinated set of construction documents. It is critical that the plans and specifications are
reviewed and followed. Engineers and architects detail products and methods to be used in the
specifications. Unforeseen site conditions may require the architect and engineer to redesign areas of
the project, such as changes to foundation footings resulting from poor soil conditions. Mechanicals,
such as plumbing, HVAC, and electrical, must be designed for the proper project.

Material defect
Material defects from the manufacturer are sometimes not realized until after installation has taken
place.
Building materials are typically tested before being used in any building and go through a process of
tests and reviews by independent testing laboratories and professional committees.

Fig. located in DMU block 17

Workmanship defect
A simple definition of workmanship is "the level of skill with which a product is made or a project done."
Workmanship defects typically result from the contractor’s failure to follow the construction
documents, industry quality standard practices, or the manufacturer's installation instructions.
Workmanship defects can include improper soil compaction, concrete finishing, weatherproofing
systems, improper or lack of flashing.

All parties involved in the design and construction of a project must go to necessary lengths to prevent
construction defects. For a contractor, implementation of quality control and experience in the use of
the materials being used is important to minimize defective work.
 Fig located in DMU male dormitory

1. Structural defect
As we have said above this defect type may be categorized under design defect, material defect and
workmanship defect or their combination. Building structure includes earth retaining walls, columns,
beams and flat slabs. Structural defect can be as cracks in foundations (Substructure), cracks in floor or
slabs (superstructure), and cracks in walls (superstructure).

These defects can be caused by

improper soil analysis
inappropriate site selection
the use of defective materials.
can occur over time due to deterioration
wear and tear
overloading and
poor maintenance
 Remedial for most of the structural problem can be by implying the exact and detail of the
design and planning. Structural defects in a building must be repaired to maintain the
building’s structure and to prevent any further failures. Regular inspection is the key to
protecting the ‘health’ of a building’s structure.
Structural defect that always occurs are steel corrosion, cracks, and deflection.

Structural defects resulting in cracks

Cracks in concrete buildings have several causes. They may show total extent of damage or problems of
greater magnitude. They may represent critical structural distress, lack of durability, or they might
influence appearance only. The importance of cracks dependent on the nature of cracking and type of
structure.

Fig. located in DMU block 31 Fig. located in DMU block 02

 Cracks that penetrate the surface rendering into the structural concrete or load-bearing brick
wall
 Cracks that appear on structural elements of buildings such as beams
 Long cracks that run across the wall
 Rusty stains that appear on the cracks
 Diagonal cracks that appear on the corners of window frames or door frames
 Causes of structural cracks in building
Structural design, detailing, and specifications.
Shrinkage of concrete or mortar
Insufficient reinforcement
Excessive differential movement due to improper foundation design
Land soil settlement, soil pressure and construction defect
Increased concentration of stresses as a result of poorly design re-entrant etc.…
Errors that may occur at this stage include inadequate thickness, insufficient reinforcement, incorrect
geometry, improper utilization of materials, and incorrect detailing.

Fig. located in DMU Male Dormitory

Remedial measures
Architects, Structural Consultants and Specifies shall consider the following measure to avoid cracking
and subsequent deterioration of structures:
 Proper specification for concrete materials and concrete.
 Proper specifications to take care of environmental as well as sub - soil conditions.
 Constructible and adequate structural design.
 Proper quality and thickness of concrete cover around the reinforcement steel.
 Planning proper reinforcement layout and detailing the same in slender structures to facilitate
proper placing of concrete without segregation.
 Selection of proper agency to construct their designs.

2. Non-structural defect
Non-structural defect in a residential building is described as a defect in a non-structural element of the
building as a result of defective residential building work. Non-structural defect includes defect in brick
work, dampness in old structures, and defects in plaster works.

Defect in brick work

Defect can arise in brick works because of poor design or specification, the use of sub-standard
materials and poor standards of workmanship.

Causes of defect in brick works

Improperly mixed mortar
Exposing freshly laid bricks to bad weather
Not adjusting the suction of the bricks
 Bed joints that are filled improperly
Bed joints that are too thick
Sulphate attack
Crystallization of salts from bricks
Shrinkage on drying

Remedial measures
 By using good quality of brick and mortar
 By protecting masonry from moisture
 Efflorescence in brick can be remedied by brushing and washing the affected surface repeatedly.
 Adopting suitable construction details and choosing material in such a way that entry of
moisture into the body of brick work can be checked.

Fig. located in DMU Power House

Dampness
Dampness is generally defined as unwanted and excessive water or moisture. The existing of
dampness in building is one of the most damaging failures that really must be taken care of. It can
cause damage in brickwork by saturating them, decaying and breaking up of mortar joints, rotting
in the timber structures, defecting by the corrosion of iron and steel materials and also destroying
the equipment in the building. Even if the level of dampness is low, the value of the building can be
highly affected.
Dampness can be a serious matter, particularly to the building located near water sources. Somehow,
the water can enter the building bit by bit through different routes resulting in dampness.

Causes of dampness
Dampness in building originated from a number of sources such as:
Rain: Precipitation can be wind driven that it penetrates joints that remain watertight in normal
weather condition. The gutter overflow also can collect and be the aspects of dampness against
walls.
Condensation: Humid air condensation on cooler surface or within, or between, building
materials also can result to dampness. Air can become humid in several ways, including from
the occupants’ water vapors.
 Rising damp and flooding: It may be contract with groundwater or floodwater. It also the
groundwater may be absorbed by the walls and transported up the wall by capillary action.
Services leaks: It may not just from pipes and tanks, but also the overflowing of condensation
forming together with ventilation systems.
Construction process: It is where the process of mixing water to form mixtures that dry out for
the construction purpose before the building is functioned, but sometimes by retaining
moisture that shows and causes problems in the completed building.
Use of the building: This may includes the cleaning of the building, spills, and apparatus leaking.
Moisture in the air: It is in contrast with condensation. Hygroscopic salts can extract moisture
from the air in condition that would not allow that moisture to undergo the process of
condensation.
Dampness comes and goes according with the change of condition. Dampness also may leave
stains or traces of mold and lichens and also in certain cases, mosses.

Remedial measures
 By providing better drainage or fixing leaking pipes.
 Install a physical or chemical DPC(damp proofing coarse)
 Any affected plaster or mortar must be removed, and the wall treated, before replacing the
plaster and repainting
.

Fig. located in DMU new Building Fig. located in DMU male Dormitory

Rising dampness
Rising damp starts at the bottom of an internal wall and moves upward due to capillary action. Visible
signs of rising damp are paint peeling, damp smells and staining on the walls.

Causes of rising dampness

Faulting plumping
Damaged guttering
Leaking pipes
Rising of ground water
Faulty or non-existent DPC

Remedial measures
  Surface treatment
 Remedial DPC installation
 Regularly check our DPC
 Make sure the plumping is correct and not damaged
 Make sure the ditch is well drained

Fig. located in DMU block 09

Roof dampness
Causes of roof dampness
Poor drainage
Defect construction
Imperfect roof slop
The roof is either damaged or not properly shielded from out side condition
Poor material choice

Remedial measures
 Replace all worn missing shingles
 make sure that all joints and the roof line are sealed tightly
 replace old gutters
 using modern roofing material that provide high degree of insulation
DAMPNESS IN THE CEILING BELOW ROOF SLAB/TERRACES/BALCONIES .

Causes
Roof slopes not proper. water stagnates at some points.
Rain water pipe choked. So water collects around that location and gradually seeps below in the
roof.
Overhead tank not water proofed so water seeps from it through its pillars to the roof slab.
Area around overhead water tank at roof not properly cleaned. so some vegetation starts
growing due to dampness and makes its way through the roofing from where water also seeps.
Water proofing of roof not properly carried up to the pillars of overhead water tank because of
which water can seep through this junction of pillars to the roof slabs.
Water proofing treatment done over roof not carried up to specified height over parapet wall.

Remedial measures
 Correct the roof slopes wherever required by putting screed concrete and put adequate number
of rain water pipes.
 Water proofing should be done inside the overhead water tank on roof.
  Roof area around and below the water tank should be properly cleaned and no vegetation
should be allowed to grow due to dampness.
 Overflow pipe provided in the O.H.T. at roof should be carried up to the nearest rainwater pipe..
 Roof topping concrete should not be cast continuously but rather laid in panels and the grooves
between panels should be filled with a sealant or polymer mixed cement.

Fig. located in DMU block 17 Fig. located in DMU block 31

Defect in plaster work

Plaster is a common material used in construction all around the world. Easy to work with and also easier to
repair. However, there will be times when your plaster starts to show signs of wear and tear or other
problem. If the plaster quality is not good enough it can cause many problems later. Understanding what
type of problems can occur and its causes, we can resolve them before they become bigger issues.

Common plaster defects and their primary causes & prevention.

1. Blistering of plastering surface: is the formation of small patches of plaster, swelling out
beyond the plastered surface, arising due to late slaking (addition of water to lime) of lime particles in the
plaster. This defect is usually caused due to the uneven mixing of plaster.

Remedy: This can be prevented by ensuring appropriate mixing between cement and it’s components
used to form plaster.

2. Plaster De-bonding
De-bonding occurs when a plaster is separated from the wall. It can be caused:
by an excessively thick plaster layer,
inadequate substrate preparation
due to a dusty, oily or dry substrate
.
Remedy : To prevent de-bonding of plaster, we need to take care of the following things during plastering.
 Remove dust & oil from the substrate before plastering.
 Allow substrate to reach correct moisture content.
 If necessary you should use bonding chemical .
 Fig. located in DMU male dormitory Fig. located in DMU block 09

3. Cracks on Plastered Surface

One of the most common problems you would have observed in plastering is the crack. Cracks on the
plastered surface can be in different forms:

 Crazing – It is a network of fine cracks like spider web. They are usually very fine and do not extend
through the whole depth of the plaster. It occurs due to presence of excess fine content in the sand
or due to dry base on which plaster is applied – when base absorbs the water and fines accumulate
on the surface, it leads to crazing.
 Separation crack at joints – It usually occurs at joints of two different materials for example at
junction of RCC & Brick work. It occurs due to differential thermal movement.
 Crack with Hollowness – This crack occurs due to hollowness in plaster. Other reasons could be
extra water in the plaster mix or due to poor workmanship.
Causes:
Mainly cracks occur due to bad workmanship or expansion and shrinkage in the plaster during drying.

Fig. located in DMU Hall Fig. located in DMU block 09

Remedy

 Ensure the addition of water in mortar done is by skilled mason and not by unskilled labor to ensure
desired workability in terms of handling and application.
 It can be avoided by proper curing of the plaster in order to slow down any rapid drying.
 Taking care of workmanship and material quality issues will help in preventing cracks.
4. Efflorescence on Plastered Surface
When a newly constructed wall dries out, the soluble salts are brought to the surface and they appear in the
form of a whitish crystalline substance. This is called efflorescence. Efflorescence is caused :
plasters when soluble salts are present in plaster making materials as well as building materials such
as bricks, sand, cement etc. Even water used in the construction work may contain soluble salts. It
seriously affects the adhesion of paint with the wall surface and causes further problems.

Remedy
 All Construction materials used for wall should be free from salt.
 Ensuring that the surface is moisture-free.

5. Falling Out of Plaster

This defect can happen in two forms – Flaking of plaster and peeling off plaster.
Flaking of plaster: The formation of a small loose mass on the plastered surface is known as flaking. It is
mainly due to bond failure between successive coats of plaster.

Fig. located in DMU block 10 Fig. located in DMU block 01

Peeling off plaster: The plaster from some portion of the surface comes off and a patch is formed. This is
termed as peeling. It is also mainly due to bond failure between successive coats of plaster.

Fig. located in DMU new Building Fig. located in DMU block 31

Remedy: Both defects can be prevented with proper material selection and surface preparation. Imperfect
adhesion can be minimized by good workmanship.

6. Popping of Plaster

Popping is the formations of conical like holes that break out of the plaster. It is caused due to the
presence of contaminant particles such as burnt lime or other organic materials in the mix of mortar.

Remedy: To prevent popping in plastering, you need to ensure that no contaminant particles are
present in the mortar mix.
7. Loose Plaster

When the plaster gets displaced on external impacts like application of material or tapping, etc., it is
termed as loose plaster. This is caused mainly due to improper mixture and inadequate curing.

Remedy: It can be prevented with the use of proper mixture and adequate curing. Good workmanship
will help in avoiding this problem.

8. Plaster falling off from ceiling

Often the vibration of people going up and down by the stair for many years is cause to
Plaster falling off from ceiling. The vibration will travel through the plaster and cause hairlines
Cracks between the wood lath, and plaster.

Fig. located in DMU male dormitory

Common Building Defects

In general, there have several building defects which usually occur to building parts such as
roofs, walls, floors, ceiling, toilets, doors and windows. Building defect that are regularly found consists
of: wall crack, peeling paint, dampness, timber decay, fungi and small plant attack, sagging or
deformation, erosion of mortar joint, defective plaster rendering, insect or termite attack, roof defect,
and also unstable foundation, and services.

Crack on walls
It is the nature of many construction materials to crack as they age and as they expand and
contract, particularly with exposure to moisture as they get wet and dry out alternately. There are
cracks in common areas, such as exterior walls, interior walls at corners of doors and windows, and
ceilings (usually in the middle). Crack defect have classified of visible damage to walls.

According to the construction, the occurrence of wall crack is because they are overloaded or
because the structure has settled or heaved. Vertical and angled crack are usually caused by
settlement or heaving. Nevertheless, for horizontal crack are more likely to be caused by lateral
pressure. There are varieties types of vertical crack such as:

a) Vertical crack away from corners

Foundation wall cracks
The crack is running along between the foundation and the top of the building. Cracks are
usually the widest at the top of the building diminishing to a hairline crack at or near the
foundation level. They may run through the foundation or they may only start above first
floor opening. It is obviously detected in each of the opposite elevations of the building.

Fig. located in DMU hall block 17 Fig. located in DMU male dormitory

b) Between bay window corners

Cracking at sides of bay windows. In either is the masonry or timber stud construction.
It may become quite wide ranging in 5 – 15mm.
 Fig. located in DMU block 31

Causes
These cracks are caused due to vertical shear cause by differential strain in lightly loaded masonry
below the opening and heavily loaded portion of wall having no opening.
Remedial measures
•Too much difference in stress in different walls or parts of a wall should be avoided.
•Portions of wall acting as pillars and having too much concentric loads should be replaced by RCC
pillars if possible.
c) random crack in flooring

Causes:
Flooring has been cast continuously without making panels.
Cracks occur due to development of tensile stresses on account of shrinkage and thermal
contraction of concrete and occur mostly in first dry spell.

Fig. located in DMU block 10 Fig. located in DMU block 17

Fungi and Small Plant Attack

Mold and fungi are found everywhere either both indoors and outdoors all the year round. The terms
fungi and mold are often used interchangeably, but mold is actually a type of fungi.
There are three common causes of mold

a) Water leakage:-will happen by the plumbing that is not installed properly. Sometime water leakage
also comes from the toilet. Besides that, the gutter of roof also can cause the mold that will attach itself
to the wall.
b) Moisture:-Moisture of the wall can cause the faster growth of the mold. The moisture is affected due
to the improper material that was used for this environment where this building receives less of
sunlight.
c) Humidity:- Higher humidity can cause the growth of mold faster. Plus, the residence was surrounded
by abundant of big trees and reduces of direct sunlight through the building. Thus the degree of
humidity around the building is high.

Fig. located in DMU Yoftahe Nigussie Hall Fig located in DMU students learning Hall

Defective plaster rendering

Plaster or render is like mortar coating over the block work. The coating on the inside walls
called plaster, then the coating outside the walls called render. Plaster and render is totaling
different. The render is generally richer and mostly in cement than the plaster due to weather
resistant.
The both of plaster and renders have different function. The renders is provided to protect them from
the influences of weather. Mostly the defective plaster rendering occurs on the external walls, column
and ceiling.

Fig located in DMU block 09 Fig. located in DMU block10

Causes of defective of plaster rendering
by biological attacks arising from penetrating rain,
Evaporation, condensation, air pollution, dehydration and thermal stress.
The mold or harmful growth, insect, animals, and traffic vibration also will contribution causes
May crack due to either shrinkage or movement in the substrate.
Loss of bond between coats
Surface cracking
Friable powdery surfaces
Water damage
Movement of structure
Non suitable of renders and plasters
Chemical attacks
Efflorescence
Lime Bloom
Popping or Pitting

Electrical installation defect

It can be occurred due to poor wiring in the house or lightning strikes or faulty appliances or damaged
power lines. Surges are common and last for a microsecond but if you experience frequent surges lead
to equipment damage that degrade life expectancy particularly.

Fig. located in DMU male dormitory

Fig. located in DMU Main library
Causes;

Deterioration due to duration of usage.

Improper connections. Such as, electrical outlet or switches.
When outlets installed close to water leakage.
Quality of workmanship
The boxes installed in rated walls are improperly installed
The conduit or cables are insufficiently supported as required by codes in the electrical
closets.
Remedy
 Sockets outlet, switches and other electrical equipment should be installed properly.
 Take care when we plug &turning on and off.
 Avoid any moisture near to the electric installed area

Defect on pipe line

Causes
In appropriate/unscheduled installation of pipe line.
Poor workmanship
In appropriate joint of pipe line which results to the defect of the wall.
Seepage in the walls of toilet above toilet floor level causes leakage in water supply
lines which are concealed in the walls.
 Fig located in DMU block 44 Fig located in DMU Yoftahe Nigussie Hall

Remedies
 Make a chase in the wall along the route of water lines in the toilet/bathroom and expose these
lines at the location+ of dampness. Then examine them for leakage.
 In extreme cases some pipe piece can also be found cracked rusted (especially when pipes have
become quite old) which should be replaced.
 As preventive measures, during the time of new construction, all the water lines must be
pressure tested before concealing them and before accepting the work. This will save much of
future maintenance problem.
 Reduce the pressure of water flow.
 Installing/Maintaining the pipe line with skilled workmanship.
 Repair if there is any leakage

Defects in stairs
Dangerous stair risers including improper stair height or depth, or uneven stair height or depth.
Damaged steps, including rotting wood. Improper or inferior lighting. Defective handrails or railings,
or lack of handrails.
Many accidents occurring on stairwells are caused by various types of negligence. This can include:
Defects in the stairway, the stairs themselves, or the stairwell
Dangerous stair risers, including improper stair height or depth, or uneven stair height or depth
Damaged steps, including rotting wood
Improper or inferior lighting
Defective handrails or railings, or lack of handrails
Slippery steps
Design defects
Poor workmanship
Poor quality materials
Design deficiencies
 Material deficiencies
Construction deficiencies

Remedial measures

 Maintenance of stairways and compliance with local building codes.

 Use appropriate types of material
 Skilled workmanship

Fig located in DMU Male Dormitory fig. located in Debre Markos town

RECOMMENDATION

In construction industry, there is varying of the methods to minimizing or reduce the construction
defects.
 Improving quality control can be known as a method to minimize the construction defects
occurs.
 A quality control programs can be set up by the builder and use to reduce the construction
defects.
 Besides that, structuring their contract with certain of the rules that can ensures that the
parties take responsibilities on the defects that created under his works.
 Construction defects can be also minimizing by the improved oversight, for example builder can
improve their building inspection practices in all the way.
 Other than that, if there is insufficient for improve the quality control, it also can through
licensing, certification, and education requirement to improve the quality control.

CONCLUSIONS
It should be pointed out that, entire buildings are subjected to the various forms of defects, failures,
deterioration and variation. The literature has explored a number of building defects and its
contribution factors which can be associated to the major theme of this paper. It is significant to
appraise each defect and failure in every part of building and find out the primary causes of each
individual defect and failure. Then, remedy them correctly. The contribution factors to these defects and
failures must be investigated intensely. Once founding out the possible causes of the defects and
failures, it is imperative to distinguish how to keep away from it in the future and reduce the effect to
the minimum.