Water Leakage Through Building Facades

Derived from an American Society for Testing and Materials symposium of the same title held in March 1996 in Orlando, Florida, 23 papers canvass the art and science of design (including using the rainscreen RAIN computer program), repair, and testing and quality control issues (e.g. using modified A

Rain water is expected to penetrate through joints in building facades. Consequently, a secondary line of defense is recommended in facades that contain frequent joints to collect, divert, and drain the water to the exterior. Concrete facades have historically been designed without this secondary line of defense because concrete walls have very few joints and it was believed that water would not penetrate concrete. However, due to shrinkage cracks in concrete, improper design, sealant joint failure, wall profile, and condensation water leakage has occurred through concrete facades. This water leakage may be controlled and be prevented from leaking into the interior of the building by a secondary line of defense. Details of a secondary line of defense against water leakage in concrete facades are presented in this paper.

Combined with ASTM Standard Practice for Periodic Inspection of Building Facades for Unsafe Conditions (E 2270), this new publication provides a rational guide for building owners and governing authorities to help ensure the safety of our aging building infrastructure. Twenty-four peer-reviewed papers, written by experts who bring first hand knowledge and experience to this work, cover faade ordinances; historic buildings; data collection techniques; and repair techniques."

Buildings clad with multiple facade components perform well when they are properly designed and constructed. When water leakage does occur, typically it happens at the interface of the different components. The authors have performed numerous field investigations regarding water leakage of buildings and will discuss, through case studies, reasons for the leakage at the interface and examine how it could have been avoided. Additionally, design principles will be discussed regarding better water resistance performance of these interfaces. Problems with water leakage can be avoided if designers, manufacturers and installers perform a thorough study of each material and it's interface with adjacent materials. Through the cooperation of these parties in the development of a complete understanding of each component and its interface with the other components, proper design and detailing, pre-construction meetings with all parties, pre-construction mock-up testing, on-site field observation, and quality control testing, water tight buildings can be erected.

This text provides a broad view of the research performed in building physics at the start of the 21st century. The focus of this conference was on combined heat and mass flow in building components, performance-based design of building enclosures, energy use in buildings, sustainable construction, users' comfort and health, and the urban micro-climate.

Annotation All of the presentations and the papers in this publication address ways to improve the performance of exterior building walls, or ways to identify, understand, and avoid the factors leading to failures in the future.

Many city mandated facade inspections require the inspection team to evaluate whether the building facade is vulnerable to water leakage. Due to the large number of facades that require inspection, the professional charged with this essential task must be trained to determine quickly if a facade is vulnerable to water infiltration. if there is evidence that the watertight integrity of the building facade is compromised, further investigation should be performed to determine the source(s) of water leakage.

The use of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite materials has had a dramatic impact on civil engineering techniques over the past three decades. FRPs are an ideal material for structural applications where high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios are required. Developments in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for civil engineering outlines the latest developments in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites and their applications in civil engineering. Part one outlines the general developments of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) use, reviewing recent advancements in the design and processing techniques of composite materials. Part two outlines particular types of fiber-reinforced polymers and covers their use in a wide range of civil engineering and structural applications, including their use in disaster-resistant buildings, strengthening steel structures and bridge superstructures. With its distinguished editor and international team of contributors, Developments in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for civil engineering is an essential text for researchers and engineers in the field of civil engineering and industries such as bridge and building construction. Outlines the latest developments in fiber-reinforced polymer composites and their applications in civil engineering Reviews recent advancements in the design and processing techniques of composite materials Covers the use of particular types of fiber-reinforced polymers in a wide range of civil engineering and structural applications