BPI Lesson 3 - Foundation & Building Crack - Revised PDF

BUILDING PATHOLOGY & INSPECTION
MOVEMENT & CRACKING PROBLEMS

School of the Built Environment
OVERVIEW
• Types of movement
• Measuring movement
• Subsidence & Settlement
• Significance & Effects of Movement
• Significance of cracking
• Investigating cracks
• Dealing with movement
• Underpinning
• Precautionary measures

LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Understand the main types of movement in a building and

their effects on its structure and fabric.
2. Know how to assess cracking in a building and when to call

for more expert advice.
3. Identify appropriate remedial measures for dealing with

excessive movement and cracking in low-rise buildings.

ESSENTIAL READING
• BRE: Digest 361 and GRG 1, SUBSIDENCE DAMAGE TO

DOMESTIC BUILDINGS: A guide to good technical practice
• Noy & Douglas : Chapter 5
• SLICE: Introduction to Movement in Buildings (See student-

centred learning pack in the Vision VLE)

Movement & Cracking Problems
Types of Movement

Types of Movement
• SOURCES
– Chemical
– Physical following slides
– Structural
– See BRE Digests 251, 361 (and 75)
• MANIFESTATIONS
– Reversible? – affected components recover
– Irreversible? – materials exceeded their elastic limits

TYPES OF MOVEMENT - Chemical

TYPES OF MOVEMENT - Chemical

TYPES OF MOVEMENT - Physical

TYPES OF MOVEMENT - Physical

TYPES OF MOVEMENT - Structural



Measuring Movement

Measuring Movement
• WEDGE RULER – ruler with 0.5 – 0.05mm increments / make initial
assessment of crack / up to 0.01mm accuracy / for assessing small change in
crack

Measuring Movement
• VERNIER GAUGE & CRACK MARKER PINS – accurately
graduated and calibrated / hand held / measuring between two fixed points (crack
marker pins)

Measuring Movement
• STRAIGHT EDGE – provide reference point for measuring when
components are out of plumb

Measuring Movement
• TELL-TALES – measure movement
– ‘Avongard’ perspex plates – over time indicate extent and
direction of movement / cross hair marked on and another plate a series of
graduated markings
– Glass plates – glass plate fixed rigidly across a crack / glass plate
crack if there is movement / does not show extent of crack

CRACK MONITORING
DEVICES - 1

CRACK MONITORING DEVICES - 2

CRACK MONITORING DEVICES - 2

CRACK MONITORING
DEVICES - 1

CRACK MONITORING
DEVICES - 2

Measuring Movement
• LEVEL/THEODOLITE – survey of large buildings / large crack / to
monitor movement or changes in level

Measuring Movement
• TEMPERATURE/
HUMIDITY
MEASUREMENT – only
when moisture is suspected to be
the principal cause of the observed
movement / measure ambient
environmental conditions / wired
back to computer for analysis

Subsidence &
Settlement

Subsidence & Settlement
• SUBSIDENCE – subterranean collapse
– Below Ground Factors
– Occurs at Any Time
– Effects May Be Serious
• SETTLEMENT – overloading
– Above Ground Factors
– Damage Manifests Early On
– Effects Usually Small-Scale

SUBSIDENCE

Examples of Settlement

Causes of Subsidence
• UNDERMINING – removal of load bearing ground

Figure 1: Subsidence Cracking

• DEFECTIVE DRAINS – running water
below ground / undermine foundation / old pipe /
sewerage ducts may collapse due to overloading
• OTHER SOIL EROSION &
SOFTENING – increase water table / soil
erosion
• FLOODING – increased movement of water
through the soil resulting in erosion and soil
collapse

Figure 4: Effects of Broken Drains

Figure 4: Effects of Broken Drains

• DESSICATION OF COHESIVE SOILS – increased
temperature / moisture content in soil reduced / clay shrink / localized collapse
of structural elements
• HEAVE/ REHYDRATION OF CLAY SOILS – dry clay re-
hydrated may expand / upward thrust or heave

Figure 2: Shrinkage of Clay Soil
Desiccation of clay soils

Figure 3a: Heave of Clay Soil
Re-hydration of clay soils – removal of trees

Figure 3b: Hogging due to rehydration

Figure 3c: Hogging due to frost heave

• LANDSLIP – due to flash flood , vibration , excavation or flash flood /
considerable damage
• VEGETATION – remove of vegetation – landslide / roof structures can
disrupt load bearing soils / fracture drain linings - structural movement above
ground.

Tree Root Spread

Causes Unrelated to Foundations

• VIBRATION – local demolition , heavy plant – disruptive to buildings and
soil layers / settlement / possible crack and even collapse
• CREEP – shrinkage and expansion of material


• ALTERATIONS TO STRUCTURAL PERFORMANCE
• OVERLOADING


• POOR DESIGN
• POOR WORKMANSHIP/ QUALITY CONTROL

Significance of
Movement

Significance of Movement
• GENERALLY
– May Affect Stability – dislodge bearing and flex joints
– Distortion/Disfigurement – components may not return to their
original position
– Cracking
– Detachment

Significance of Movement
• EFFECTS OF DETACHMENT
– Loss of Protection/Seal – loss of water / air tightness
– Loose Sections - health and safety risk
– Spoiled Appearance

Effects of Movement & Cracking

• MOVEMENT
– Generally – subsidence
– Clay Shrinkage
– Heave of Clay Soils
– Defective Drainage

Effects of Movement & Cracking
• CRACKING
– Rain Penetration
– Air Infiltration
– Heat Loss
– Reduced Acoustic Performance
– Spoiled Appearance
– Ingress of Dirt and Insects
– Potential Instability

Types of Cracks
• ORIENTATION
– Horizontal
– Vertical
– Diagonal
– Random
• STYLE
– Tapered
– Parallel
– Even
– Uneven
EXAMPLES OF SUBSIDENCE CRACKING

EXAMPLES OF SUBSIDENCE CRACKING

EXAMPLES OF SULPHATE ATTACK

EXAMPLES OF CRACKING

Investigating Cracking

• KEY POINTS/QUESTIONS
– Significance of Damage? – performance of building
– Is It Worsening? – risk
– Context of Building

• SITE OBSERVATIONS
– Type of Property
– Form of Construction
– Site Details
– Location and Extent of Cracks
– Analysis of Cracks – orientation of crack / type of crack

Recording Cracks

INVESTIGATING CRACKING

CATEGORIES OF CRACK DAMAGE
• 0: <0.1 mm ]
• 1: 0.1-1 mm ] Aesthetic…………….
• 2: 1-5 mm ]
• 3: 5-15 mm ]
] Serviceability……….
• 4: 15-25 mm ]
• 5: >25mm Stability……………….
(Source: BRE Digest 251)


(Source: BRE Digest 251)

Common Types of Crack Damage

• CHEMICAL
– Crazing
– 0.1 to 1mm
• PHYSICAL
– Thermal/Moisture
– 0.5 to 5mm
• STRUCTURAL
– Settlement/Subsidence
– 5 to 25mm+
Crack Analysis 1 - recording

• STYLE OF CRACKING:
– Horizontal
– Vertical
– Diagonal
– Random
• CATEGORY OF CRACKING:
– 0-5
• CONDITION OF CRACKING:
– Clean/Dirty
– Sharp/Blunt
• SIGNIFICANCE
School OF CRACKING?
of the Built Environment
CRACK ANALYSIS 2
Significance of cracks Is the movement across the
(decision matrix) crack:
Static? Cyclic? Prog?
Is the crack only aesthetic? Yes
Is the crack affecting No

serviceability?
Is the crack affecting stability? No

CRACK ANALYSIS 3
Suggested Cause/s of Yes Possible No
Cracking
Alterations:
Settlement:
Shrinkage:
Subsidence:
Sulphate attack:
Thermal:
Wall-tie failure:
Combination:
Other:……………………

DEALING WITH MOVEMENT

• MINOR CRACKING
• MEDIUM CRACKING
• MAJOR CRACKING
• ROTATION/BOWING

Underpinning

Underpinning
• REASONS
• TRADITIONAL METHODS
• MODERN METHODS
• SPECIAL
– Pile and Beam/Needle or Beam Jack Pile
– Raked Mini Piles (‘Pali Pace’)
– Cantilever Piles
– ‘Hoopsafe’ System
– ‘Pynford’ System
• ALTERNATIVES
– Soil grouting
School of–the Built Environment
Rehydration
Mass Concrete
Underpinning

Beam and Mass Concrete Pier Underpinning

Cantilevered Beam and Knuckle Underpinning


Raking Pile Underpinning/ Jacked Underpinning

Shoring

Common Building Defects
EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
School of the Built Environment 82

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
Explain the principal causes of cracking in buildings (10 marks indicative).
Three main causes of cracking
1) Chemical
Chemical reaction arising from the environmental interaction with the building material could cause the
material to expand or shrink which results in building crack. Example of such chemical causes are
a) Sulphate attack. This is caused by groundwater or inappropriate mixing of say gypsum into the
concrete.
b) Corrosion and oxidation. Similar to sulphate attack, oxidation arises from acidic rain or bacterial action
in sewers - anaerobic bacterial produce sulfur dioxide which dissolves in water and then oxidizes to
form sulfuric acid.
c) Carbonation. Carbon dioxide from air can react with the calcium hydroxide in concrete to form calcium
carbonate. Such carbonation increases the weight of concrete and causes corrosion to the concrete
reinforcement.
Mostly the walls and floors are affected in the form of debonding between concrete and aggregate and
expansion. An overall loss of concrete strength happens as a result which further cause building crack.

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
2) Physical
Physical environment differs slightly from chemical reaction causes. Building crack may happen as a direct
result of the temperature change or change in moisture content. Example of such physical causes are
a) Temperature change and wetting and drying. Continuous exposure of rain and sun and in certain
countries extreme weather eg winter causes the building material to expand and contract. This is
especially so for concrete, timber or walls built with different material eg bricks and concrete. Different
rate of thermal movement causes the once perfectly aligned wall to crack. This is especially true for
large and tall brickwall exposed to the sun.
b) Freezing and thawing of absorbed water. Porous materials eg fire clay products , natural stones,
weaker concrete material may absorb water and if the water is not drained or dried up could either
freeze in a cold country or deteriorate the material performance. The frozen water within the material
may thaw which results in expansion and shrinkage of the material and hence crack.

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
3) Structural
Structural change within the building and its surrounding could potentially upset the structural integrity of
the existing design and hence results in building crack or even collapse. Examples of such structural
causes are
a) Change in structural loading. Unnecessary or illegal addition of floor or overloading of live load eg
heavy equipment or high volume of people would stress the loading capacity of all structural
members. This affects all material along the load path.
b) Differential soil settlement. Surrounding soil movement arising from excavation works, soil erosion or
loss of groundwater could cause soil settlement or weakening of soil bearing capacity. If the building
foundation is not sufficiently strong, crack may occurs at the foundation which eventually affect the
structural members eg column, beams and floor. This is especially so for weak soil eg marine clay or
buildings built on a slope.
c) Vibration from heavy construction eg tunneling works could cause oscillating strain fields that affects
brittle walling materials. Brickwall may also be affected.

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
Outline a formal procedure for monitoring and assessing the significance of cracking (20 marks indicative).
Formal procedure for monitoring cracking
Similar to a property condition survey, a formal procedure for monitoring building crack would involve a
systematic , consistent and periodic approach to inspect a building for possible crack. The various steps
are outlined as follows :-
• Client’s requirements – This involves soliciting client’s approval for inspection and the scope and
remuneration for the service and agreeing on the approach, liability and extent of survey.
• Building identification – to identify the type of building and its use for various parts of the building as
well as its form of construction and address. We should be equipped with the as-built drawings so that
we know if there is any unauthorized alteration.
• Inspection /Approach - Monitoring of building crack should be systematic eg from interior to exterior
and from highest floor to lowest floor. It should be consistent in terms of the standard and scope of
survey and also the recording. It should be periodic so that if there is any issues we could see the
trend and hence identify the likely causes.

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
Formal procedure for monitoring cracking
Similar to a property condition survey, a formal procedure for monitoring building crack would involve a
systematic , consistent and periodic approach to inspect a building for possible crack. The various steps
are outlined as follows :-
• Measuring – This involves using equipment and tools to measure the alignment of the building. If there
is any crack or potential crack due to nearby activities , we should use various tools eg wedge ruler,
vernier gauge and crack marker pins, tell tales devices, level and theodolite. Such measurement
should be consistently recorded for analysis purpose.
• Analysis – An analysis of the cracking if any helps in the monitoring of the crack to evaluate the
significance of the crack.
• Remedies – Upon confirmation of the analysis of the cracking, a remedy is then recommended.

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
Formal procedure for assessing the significance of cracking
The significance of the cracking is judged based on the extent , pattern as well as the location of the crack.
Extent of cracking – 0 to 5mm crack width is usually aesthetic crack eg crack on the plaster and paint. This
is not damaging to the building and could easily remedy with routine maintenance and repair work.
More than 5mm to up to 25mm crack width indicates that the performance of the crack area eg wall is no
longer performing according to its serviceability and should be replaced soonest possible.
Any crack more than 25mm poise a serious stability issue and must be rectified immediately for the safety
of the user.

EXAMS REVIEW
2012 Dec Paper
Formal procedure for assessing the significance of cracking
The significance of the cracking is judged based on the extent , pattern as well as the location of the crack.
Pattern and location of crack – Any crack at structural members eg structural column , floor and foundation
must be treated with immediate and serious concerns. This is because such locations if damaged could
lead to the collapse of the building or part of the building leading to death and injuries of people and
damage of properties.
If the crack pattern is staggered along the wall it is not as significant as this is most likely a movement
crack of the brickwall. Unless the brickwall is a structural wall, the situation could be easily rectified by
replacing the wall. If however the pattern of the crack is sporadic this signifies a structural damage and a
significant crack.

BPI Lesson 3 - Foundation & Building Crack - Revised PDF

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BUILDING PATHOLOGY & INSPECTION

MOVEMENT & CRACKING PROBLEMS

School of the Built Environment

1. Understand the main types of movement in a building and

2. Know how to assess cracking in a building and when to call

3. Identify appropriate remedial measures for dealing with

School of the Built Environment

• BRE: Digest 361 and GRG 1, SUBSIDENCE DAMAGE TO

• Noy & Douglas : Chapter 5

• SLICE: Introduction to Movement in Buildings (See student-

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

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Causes Unrelated to Foundations

School of the Built Environment

Causes Unrelated to Foundations

School of the Built Environment

Causes Unrelated to Foundations

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

Effects of Movement & Cracking

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment

School of the Built Environment