Building Pathology Flashcards
Can you name three wood-boring beetles?
1) Common Furniture Beetle
2) Death-Watch Beetle
3) House Longhorn Beetle
What are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic stones?
1) Igneous - Produced by the cooling of fluid from interior of the earth e.g Granite.
2) Sedimentary - Produced by the compaction of weathered igneous rocks or shell fragments e.g Limestone.
3) Metamorphic - Produced by modifying rocks with heat and pressure e.g Marble.
What are three types of Asbestos?
1) Chrysotile - White
2) Crocidolite - Blue
3) Amosite - Brown
Where would you commonly find asbestos within a building?
What is Regent Street Disease?
Steel frame corrosion. Frequently found in London’s Regent Street, hence the name. Causes delamination and loss of strength.
What are the two types of wood-rotting fungi?
1) Wet rot
2) Dry rot
What are the symptoms of dry rot?
1) Large cuboidal cracking
2) Reddish/Brown fruiting body with red spore dust
3) White Mycelium when wet, grey with purple/yellow patches if dry
4) Moisture content 20-40%
What are causes of Damp/Moisture Ingress?
What are causes of cracking within buildings?
1) Cavity wall tie failure
What is settlement?
The downward movement of the ground due to loads applied to it (e.g the structural load of a building).
What can cause differential settlement?
Extensions to a building constructed using different materials or with a different foundation depth.
What is heave?
The expansion of soil causing upward movement. Caused by heavy rain or frost.
What is subsidence?
The downward movement of the ground not due to load. E.g the shrinkage of soil due to trees or defective drains
What equipment can be used to test for dampness?
What is Radon gas?
