The Use of Brick as a Construction Material - Term Paper Example

Construction Management: Condition Report Student’s name: Institutional Affiliation: Date Due: Abstract Bricks, wood and steel have been used for several decades in the construction industry. Proper installation and maintenance of the materials has seen buildings constructed from these materials last for several years. Bricks and steel, for instance, last for several years if the causative agents of destruction are kept in check. This paper, therefore, seeks to review instances in which brick and wood failures have occurred, noting possible causes of failure and the applicable remedies. The paper also reviews how steel has been excellently used as a construction material. The Use of Brick as a Construction Material Brick Failure Photo1 Possible Causes of the Crack on the Wall On inspection of the above pictured brick structure, it was observed that one of the main cause of the huge crack on the wall was due to the fact water that was running from the roof of the building leaked and soaked the structures foundation. As a result, the lower foundation walls of the building became weak and could not bear the overall weight of the building. This in effect resulted in stress which was exhibited by the crack. The evidence of water being the root cause of the failure was proven by the presence of green algae on the wall and also dampness. A further assessment of the building revealed that it had a structural brick foundation as was evidenced the soil pile up, therefore, leading to the conclusion that the crack could have resulted due to pressure from the earth. Poor drainage of rain water from the root was noted as the likely cause of the failure[Dav97]. Another notable possible cause of the crack in the building was because the structure was adjacent to a coal mining factory that occasionally uses blasts in the activities. The use of blasts and explosives weakens the soil structure which in turn weakens the foundation of building such as the one in question. Buildings that are located next to such mining fields easily develop cracks on the walls as a result of weakened foundation and structure in general. Such buildings may become hazardous if not properly maintained as they can easily collapse. In concurrence with Douglas and Ransom (2013), an observation of the crack led to the conclussion that it was it was a stair-stepped crack which was likely to result from frost, thermal expansion and settlement. This type of crack was also likely to occur on the corners of buildings with high roof spillage capacity. An examination conducted on the upper parts of the building also disclosed that the wall had bulged outwards as depicted in Photo2. This could be attributed to roof spillage or thermal expansion Photo 2 Solutions to Brick Failure Having noted that the crack on the brick wall could have been caused by different factors, the following solutions were proposed. Firstly, one of the best solutions to the problem on the wall or stair-stepped crack was tuck pointing. This refers to the use of fresh mortar to fill in the defective mortar joints. This process is meant to clean and replace mortar that has been lost with time. Tucking pointing can be applied on the crack in question with the aim of stabilizing the wall and the foundation of the building against movements that are as a result of destabilized soil structure due to the mining activity in the area[Dav97]. The solution is also applicable to failure because of the fact that the crack might have been caused by extreme frost and water damage that is attributable to poor drainage. Sealing of the cracks using fresh mortar will make certain that run-offs from the roof do not leak into the wall. This also call for the unclogging of the roof gutters on a regular basis with the aim of ensuring that water from the roof does not spill onto the wall. Secondly, having observed that the affected part of the building was directly exposed to heat from the sunlight, it was proposed that the concerned parties should consider installing thermal expansion joints which are considered as vital design aspects in averting damage of bricks as a result of thermal expansion. The choice and subsequent utilization of the connectors between the structure and brick veneer are significant aspects that should be greatly considered because of the fact that a number of the connectors allow more movement between the structure and the brick veneer. Nonetheless, even though an outsized brick veneer can be appropriately tightened, the wall is likely to suffer from damages if it lacks expansion joints, particularly on the walls that are directly exposed to sunlight. Thermal expansion is likely to affect longer bricks compared to shorter ones. The thermal expansion of bricks can also be controlled by the application of materials that reflect sunlight away from the affected wall. This includes the painting of the walls white. It is a common knowledge that white surfaces reflect heat from sunlight while black surface absorb, therefore, painting the wall white will reduce the amount of heat energy absorbed by the wall, and this in effect will reduce thermal expansion of the bricks. Thirdly, it was opined that the issue of blast and explosives in mining should involve a consultation between the stakeholders, that is, owners of the buildings in the affected area, residents and users of the buildings and the owners of the mining factories. In case the consultation on what should be done ends up in a deadlock then the owners of the building should sue the factories for the damages caused on the factories. This also calls for regular repair and maintenance of the buildings so that failures on the walls are not left to widen before the necessary actions are taken. Wood as a Construction Material Ching (2011) observes that unlike other construction materials whose degradation are attributable to chemical reactions, the primary dilapidation mechanism for wood are of biological nature, namely; termites and decay. The fungi that is responsible for wood decay needs moisture, mild temperatures and oxygen to thrive. The most destructive fungi have been noted to have an effect on wood when the wood moisture content is beyond the FSP (fiber saturation point). Averting decay is usually done by keeping wood free from moisture. The various species of termites are destructive to wood but the subterranean termites have been marked as the most destructive. Termite destruction and infestation can be averted by denying them access to the wood. This can be carried out through isolation of wood from the ground surface in order to disallow the termites a bridge to the wooden structure. Wood Failures Photo 3 On a keener observation of the above photographed wood sidings, it was noted that one of the remarkable causes of the wood siding failure was moist. This was evidenced by the presence of water on the affected surfaces. High moisture content was also marked by the peeling of paint from the wood[Fra11]. The second possible cause of the wood siding failure was termite activity. This was mainly marked by the presence of termites on the affected areas. There were also soil particles on the affected parts and also next to the sidings. On closer inspection of the surrounding of the structure, several termite hills were observed, an evidence that acted as a pointer to what could be responsible for the damages. A general inspection of the walls also revealed that they were weak and with several gaps being noticed between the sidings. Also the materials used for sealing and putting up the structure were substandard. For instance, the nails used were short, weak and rusty. It was also noted that the building had poor drainage as was evidenced by clogged gutters[Dou13]. On interviewing the owner, he disclosed that during rainy seasons water always leaks from the roof into the wooden walls. The observation also revealed that there was a total lack of repairs and maintenance with the owner citing monetary problems as the root cause of the problem. The negligence was marked by weakened walls, dropping nails, lack of efforts to preserve the wood, and also the owner’s lack of concern about the termite hills that were next to the structure. Lastly, it was observed that the wood used in the manufacture of the wood sidings were of poor quality, and were more prone to defects arising from factors such as water, termites and breakages[Dav97]. Other notable reasons for the failure could have been due to the use of wood sidings that had an extreme degree of moisture content during the installation period. This could have arisen as a result of inappropriate storage, lack of priming on both the end and back. The failure could also be attributed to the use of wood sidings with flat, large and asymmetrical grains. Sapwood as also been noted to heighten cupping and twisting and too much use of it could have resulted in the observed failure. The best construction practices demand that priming of all sides of the sidings be done prior to installation in order to avert failures[Dou13]. A close look at the construction revealed that most of the wood was not primed, and if they were most of them were primed on the front alone. A study of the building also disclosed that the wood sidings were thin and wide in length; hence, they became brittle and were more exposed to the destructive factors. Solution for the Wood Siding Failures Observed in the Building Firstly, in order to combat the main cause of siding failure, which is moisture, it was recommend that the building owner should have first ensured that the sidings used were primed on both sides. Priming is effective and efficient in stopping water from leaking into the wood. Secondly the building owner should have ensured that the siding materials he used were of the recommended size, this implies that the sidings should have not been thin and wide in width. This would have in effect helped in reducing the area exposed to the destructive factors, and would have also reduces chances of breakages occurring. Prior to installation, the owner of the house should have ensured that the sidings were stored in a cool and dry place that was free from moisture. Storage of the sidings also requires that they be stored in an area that is elevated above the ground with the aim of denying termites’ access to the materials. This would have prevented the damages caused by the termites. Also, the building owner should have ensure that the termite ills were cleared from the compound as they seemed to be the main source of the termites that were destroying the wood sidings. Another recommendation that should have been considered before installation of the sidings should have been the use of standard, strong, long and durable nails. This could have been helpful in preventing gaps that occur as a result of improper nailing of the wood sidings. In effect, this would have averted the damages caused by water as it would have made it hard for the water to leak into the wood. Other pre-installation measures that should have been considered include preservation of sidings in order to harden the timber but also to prevent termites and other biological factors from getting access into the sidings. Lastly, it was recommended that in order to stop that damage from gaining access to the other parts of the wall, the owner of the house should ensure that the faulty drainage system is repaired and the clogged gutters are unclogged. He should also consider the replacement of the affected sidings with newer ones as the causative agents are likely to spread from the already affect sidings to the ones that are still good. This will save him huge amounts of money, if he takes into consideration the fact that incase the condition gets worse he will have to repair the whole house or build a new one[Fra11]. Excellence in the Use of Steel as a Construction Material Having observed the above pictured steel structure, it was realized the excellence in construction was attained through observation of several factors. These were as follows: On examination of the building, it was observed that it was made of structurally braced steel frames that supported the hollow core flow units that were made of concrete. The materials used were also zinc coated with the aim of preventing both corrosion and oxidation[Jam07]. On interviewing the engineers working on the building on why the chose to work with steel instead of other available materials, they stated that they decided on steel because of the fact that steel frames were excellently flexible as a result of their intrinsic strength. This presented the benefit of enabling the material (steel) to span over much longer distances compared to timber. The other reason for using steel was because of the fact that the area of construction was more prone to wind and earth tremors and steel had been known to offer resistance to search forces. The drainage system of the building was also well constructed and maintained. The gutters were appropriately installed with the aim of reducing the clogging and also to ensure that water did not leak onto the walls. The roof was also constructed in a manner that they overlapped the walls. This was informed by the facts that incase of clogging or overflow of water from the roof, the walls were not affected. Even though the building had not been fully completed, the engineers were questioned on how they were going to ensure that the structure was comfortable in terms of heat from sunlight. They observed that issue of heat absorption would be resolved through thermal insulation. This was achievable through the application of mineral wool in-between the steel studs and also as an external skin in order to develop a warm construction. This was to be done with the aim of ensuring that the building was energy efficient[Jam07]. Conclusion In a nut shell, the report has indicated that, in order for construction materials to serve for a longer duration, certain considerations must be made. These include factors such as regular maintenance, preservation and constant repairs of faults. The report has also noted that several properties of the construction materials should also be deliberate prior to construction. Factors such as the geographical location of the building also affect the duration taken to decay. One notable aspect that affects all the construction material mentioned was water. Therefore, the buildings should be constructed in a manner that prevents water from causing any for of damage. References Dav97: , (Nicastro, 1997), Fra11: , (Ching, 2011), Dou13: , (Douglas & Ransom, 2013), Jam07: , (Ambrose, 2007), Read More