Keywords
Citation
Turner, P. (2000), "The Technology of Building Defects", Structural Survey, Vol. 18 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/ss.2000.11018aae.002
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2000, MCB UP Limited
The Technology of Building Defects
The Technology of Building Defects
John Hinks and Geoff CookISBN 041919780X
Keyword: Building, Defects
Whereas previous books on the subject of building defects have tended to illustrate where defects can occur and how they can be diagnosed and remedied, this book in addition describes in some detail the technology of building components and elements. It provides a refreshingly useful tool to help to understand their physical and chemical properties, and will be of considerable help both to designers of buildings during the selection process, and to those who wish to further their understanding of how buildings fail.
There is much useful information here for the practitioner, whether involved in specifying building materials and components, in defect diagnosis, or in planned maintenance. The book is clearly written and jargon free, and the properties of a wide range of materials and components are described in useful summary form without going into unnecessary detail, and the text is well supported by examples of common usage in buildings.
The section on building elements includes a concise overview of the various types of ground movement and their effects on buildings as well as comprehensive sections dealing with movement in walls, floors, and roofs. Also included are brief sections discussing radon, distortion of buildings, wind effects, and the visual assessment and monitoring of structural movement. A useful list of sources of further information complements the text at the end of each section, and there is a comprehensive index.
Practitioners should not be deterred by the general educational objectives which are provided at the beginning, and the revision notes at the end of each section, which are clearly aimed at people who are in a structured learning environment. This is a useful reference source which bridges the gap between materials science and actual defects commonly found in buildings, and collates concisely much information from a wide variety of sources in an easily accessible format.
Peter Turner