Forensic Analyses of Cracking in Exterior Wall Constructions

Dealing with historic masonry buildings, architects and engineers often face the problem of cracking in various types of exterior wall construction. Understanding structural and environmental causes of cracking, observed in exterior masonry walls during building envelope inspections, should always be the basis for the design of repairs and maintenance. Analyzing and understanding the underlying condition causing cracking is a good practice and is necessary to provide a lasting repair solution and avoid recurrence of the issue. Analyzing the shape and direction in which the crack propagates, the number of cracks and the location of their occurrence can be a source of valuable information during visual inspections. With the use of crack gauges, as well as probes and non-destructive testing methods, engineers can assess the severity of the underlying issue in more detail. This paper describes a comprehensive study of interpreting cracking in a range of exterior masonry wall types.