IDENTIFICATION AND DIAGNOSIS OF BUILDING FAÇADE FAILURES

Early building walls were usually constructed of stone or masonry and were intended to support the structure and to shelter the building occupants. Over the past 100 years building walls have become lighter and thinner. While they still serve to keep the weather out, these newer walls no longer support the structure. They often contain complicated interdependent components which can increase the likelihood of failure. Facade failures are not just limited to collapse, cracks, or excessive water or air infiltration. Building facades that do not comply with project specifications, governing building codes, or industry standards have also failed. Even facades that do not meet aesthetic standards or the desired appearance may also be considered to have failed to the owner or architect. Considering the complexity of contemporary wall systems, understanding why they fail to perform as expected is seldom an easy task. Failures can originate from a wide variety of influences; such as accumulated differential thermal or moisture expansion, inadequate wall cavity drainage, or material incompatibility. Complicated internal leak control systems or intricate connection or support mechanisms further increase the probability of facade failures. Special diagnostic techniques and tools are needed to properly identify facade failures to enable effective remediation (Beasley 2001).