Decay

Lect
ure
6
 Causes of Decay
The first step in any conservation project is
identifying the causes of decay and failure in
.building structures and materials
All buildings materials and structures have a
limited lifespan and need to be repaired or
replaced.
All materials decay as part of the normal
weathering process.
The rate of decay is linked to
• the quality of the material
• original workmanship
• quality of design and detailing
• level of maintenance or the way the building
is being used
 Factors causing decay
• Climatic
• Biological and botanical
• Natural disasters
• Human beings
 Climatic Causes
Sun:
• Causes the break down of protective coatings like paint
• Fading of internal and external surfaces and fabrics

Rain:
• Accelerates decay
• Will streak mark or stain a surface overtime.
• If it enters the building it will cause damage of the structure
• Can soak into surrounding soil if directed into the open
leading to foundations being undermined
 Climatic Causes
Raising Damp:
• Water moving up through the building fabric as a result of
capillary action especially in porous stones or earth
structures.
• Depends on the ground conditions
• Water accumulating against the base of the building and
not draining away
• If there are dissolved salts in a porous material,
evaporation of the water will result in the deposition of
crystals on the surface, if this happens it shows that water
penetration has occurred
 Climatic Causes
Raising Damp:
 Climatic Causes
Temperature fluctuations:
• Different building materials react to this differently by expanding and
shrinking
• Usually movement is minimal and is accomodated by the structure, but when
it is significant it may cause failure of the material.

Wind:
• Especially when particles like sand are carried by wind against a soft building
material.
• In seaside locations salt is carried by spray and wind rapidly corrodes metals.

Heat and Humidity:

• Cause ideal environment for insect infestation
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Insects:
• Mainly attack timber
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Animals: birds and vermins
• They gnawing through materials or dislocating
them
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Fungi:
• Either wet or dry rot
• Have to deal with cause of damp and better
ventilation
• Treated with fungicidal washes
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Fungi:
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Plants:
• Seeds are carried by wind
• They block rainwater goods and cause
structural damage
• Climbers such as ivy can grow roots in mortar
and can cause cracking in masonry
• Controlled by biocides
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Plants:
 Biological and Botanical Causes
Plants:
 Natural Disasters
Earthquakes
• Any building in a seismic zone is prone to
earthquake damage
• Many buildings are designed to survive
earthquakes, but in some areas the vernacular
buildings were not intended to survive
because they could be easily rebuilt
 Natural Disasters
Earthquakes
 Natural Disasters
Volcanoes
 Natural Disasters
Tsunamis
Floods
Storms
Lightning causes damage especially in bulidings with high
steeples
Fires:
• Burning of materials
• Smoke Damage
• Use of water to put off the fire leaves the building
saturated
 Human Beings
• Wear and tear
 Human Beings
• Lack of maintenance and poor building
management

• Inappropriate repairs can be irreversible

damage to the building

• Pollution : air pollution and acid rain, traffic

 Human Beings
• Vandalism
 Human Beings
• Terrorism
 Human Beings
• Terrorism
 Human Beings
• War