Case 4
Navigation
- Introduction
- Causes of Defects
- Good Practices
- Standards
- Maintenance and Diagnostics
- Remedial
- Similar Cases
- References
Cause of Defects
- Migration of wind-driven water from the external to the internal face may bring the soluble salts in cement out to the surface where they crystallized (Figure 1).
- Lack of provision for drainage pipes and canopies may lead to the splashing of rain water uncontrollably over the surface of the wall.
- The thickness of the wall or the external surface finishes may not be able to provide the required water-tightness of the external wall.
- Cracks in the wall may provide passage to seep water inside the wet area. Cracks in the wall may provide passage to seep water inside the wet area. They can occur due to:
- Differential structural movement; such as the joint between window frame and wall
- Structural deficiency
- Drying shrinkage of cementitious materials
- Slight expansion of bricks as they absorb water. Process is not completely reversible as the material dries out and can cause stresses in the wall