FAILURES IN A BUILDING

• Cracks in a wall
• Walls are affected by temperature and moisture change.
Materials can suffer from initial shrinkage and/or
subsequent expansion and contraction. This movement
gives rise to the expansion cracks in masonry walls.The
crack shown in the picture is shown as vertical, which is
often the case. However, the crack sometimes follows the
line of least resistance and can end up stepped.

• Expansive crack is of no real structural significance,

although it may allow water into the cavity in brick built
houses, and subsequence cause deterioration of the wall
ties. Therefore filling the crack with a mastic or sealastic
compound is recommended.However, for more severe
cracking it is advisable to form an expansion joint. This
would be cut into the wall, filled with a compressible
material with a waterproof stopper to the outside.On some
modern buildings these are formed at construction stage
and then hidden behind rainwater downpipes.
• Dampness
• Dampness is a state between wet and dry condition.
Damping in building is one of the important aspects to
consider during building design/construction. If neglected,
it will affect the building structure adversely and will
create unhygienic condition for the persons living in that
building.Damping occurs through the penetration of water
into the building components (such as walls, floors, roof
or basement etc).

• Causes
• 1. Poor quality of construction material
• Most of the construction materials such as concrete, brick
or plaster possess interconnected void within them. When
these materials come in contact with water, water finds a
path to penetrate into these voids. Again this water when
aided by capillary action; moves in different direction
causing dampness.
• 2. Faulty construction or bad workmanship
• Suppose a designer has specified that the thickness of
damp-proof-course must be 15 mm. but due to lack of
adequate supervision, the thickness of completed damp
proof course become 10 mm. then this will not serve the
purpose for which it is constructed and consequently it
will lead to dampness in building.
• 3. Defective damp proof course (DPC):
• This is the worst source of ingress of moisture in buildings
to cause dampness.
• 4. Leaking pipes
• throughOld bathroom pipes with damaged seals around
baths and showersCorroded water pipes that are inside the
wallsRusted downpipesHoles in the downpipesLeaking of
water from the pipe joints
• TREATMENT OF DAMPING IN
BUILDINGS
• Installation of Damp Proof MaterialA physical damp
proof course made from plastic can be installed into an
existing building by cutting into short sections of the
mortar course, and installing short sections of the damp
proof course material. This method can provide an
extremely effective barrier to rising damp, but is not
widely used as it requires experienced contractors to carry
out if structural movement is to be avoided and takes
considerably longer to install than other types of rising
damp treatment. The cost is also several times higher than
for other types of rising damp treatment
• 2. Application of Cement Wash
• In this method, a solution of cement in water of thin
consistency is prepared with adhesive gum. This solution
is applied after cleaning the surface.