Building Pathology - Level 2 - Hessle ERGO Centre Flashcards
What is Nickel Sulphide inclusion?
Nickel sulphide is a naturally occurring phenomenon which can be included within glass during its manufacturing process. The nickel sulphide can be stable at high temperatures and stable at lower temperatures.
When the sulphide stone is exposed to higher temperatures it can expand and cause the glass to break.
How does nickel sulphide inclusion get into the glazing?
Naturally during the manufacturing process.
Toughened glazing when the glass is heated and cooled rapidly then the stresses are effectively trapped within the glazing panel. Occurs in areas of tension within the glazing
What did you see on your inspection?
Large glazing panels, south facing and 2 had broken (1 after the initial inspection)
Building was just over 2 years old
Butterfly effect cracking. No crushing etc to suggest impact and not typical pattern associated with thermal stress cracking.
What advice could you give to the client or throughout the design and specification process?
Heat soaking can expose the panels of glazing to this level of temperature differentials and therefore the glazing would shatter hopefully during the heat soaking process instead of in-situ.
What did you advise the client?
As the building was constructed fairly recently I advised the Business Centre Manager to contact the contractor in terms of a latent defect and the possibility of further inclusions.
The glazing panels were subsequently replaced. No further shattered panels of glazing have occurred.
