How to resist diagonal cracks in brick walls

Load bearing structures are mostly recognized for small houses. Normally clay bricks and cement blocks are used to develop them. Diagonal cracks in brick walls of the home may occur due to various reasons like deflection of the wall supports, foundation settlement, soil movement, and vegetation near the home.

Given below, the reasons of diagonal cracks in walls of load bearing structure and remedies to get rid of the issue.

Diagonal Cracks in Walls of Load Bearing Structure:

01. Diagonal Cracks in External Corner of the Building: These types of diagonal cracks in outside walls become broader at the top. These turn out to be thin since they move downward. The cracks transmit via DPC and spread up to the foundation of the house. These cracks come out when these are developed on shrinkable clay soil like black cotton soil. They also look when there is a shallow foundation in the house.

Once the clay soil dehydrates, it will shrink and arrange space for movement of the foundation. Such soil employs heavy pressure at the time of swelling and shrinking and in this way transform supporting soil to be unsteady. This Movement results in collapsing of foundation and therefore diagonal cracks seem to come out at the corner of the house. Besides, sometimes the trees which grow quickly adjacent to the house enhance the chances of diagonal cracking. It occurs because of the process of dehydration of soil by the roots of trees.

The following remedies should be taken to resist the diagonal cracks in outside corner of the building.

• The foundation should not be based on shrinkable clay soil. If necessary, upsurge the depth of foundation. The foundation should be lied on a level where the crack ends. Such cracks are visible while excavating the pit.
• Arrange essential foundation depth for foundation system.
• Plant the trees keeping minimum 2 meters distances from the boundary of the house.
• Cover the boundary of the house by applying 2 m wide flexible waterproof apron. i.e exact plinth protection.

Arrange flexible waterproof apron or plinth protection at a the depth of around 500mm underneath the ground level and chased 30 to 40mm into the wall. The apron is set on 100mm thick PCC laid to slope 1 in 30, and it is also chased into masonry.

To get the complete instructions, click on the following link. www.gharpedia.com

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Published By

Rajib Dey

www.constructioncost.co

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