Spalling Brick—Material, Design or Construction Problem?
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 13, Issue 4
Abstract
A 1987 addition to a Midwest high school included the use of a white utility brick. The original building was surrounded on three sides by the new addition, which provided a striking appearance. Approximately 4 years after the completion of the school, a number of problems, which neither the architect nor contractor were able to resolve, were examined. The problems generally fell into two categories, water infiltration and spalling of brick. Although water infiltration is not an unusual building problem, spalling brick is. It is not uncommon to see old neglected brick walls, such as parapets, saturated with water. Typically, in these instances, the face brick is intact, and the mortar has deteriorated. In this building, the opposite occurred. The brick was deteriorating, but the mortar was not.
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References
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“Standard specification for facing brick (solid masonry units made from clay or shale).” (1995). C 216-95a, ASTM, West Conshohocken, Pa.
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“Standard specification for mortar for unit masonry.” (1996a). C 270-96a, ASTM, West Conshohocken, Pa.
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“Standard test method for water penetration and leakage through masonry.” (1996b). E 514-90, ASTM, West Conshohocken, Pa.
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“Standard test methods for sampling and testing brick and structural clay tile.” (1996c). C 67-96, ASTM, West Conshohocken, Pa.
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Technical notes on brick construction. (1985). 7B Revised, Brick Institute of America (BIA), Reston, Va.
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Received: Oct 9, 1998
Published online: Nov 1, 1999
Published in print: Nov 1999
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