Damage trends in residential structures

Normal environmental factors induce significant loads to houses during their design life. The majority of damage experienced is associated with footing movement and is generally caused by moisture related effects brought about by factors such as nearby vegetation and defective plumbing. Serviceability is typically affected by jammed windows and sprung floors, while other forms of damage such as cracking are frequently encountered in non-structural components such as plasterboard and masonry veneer. Correcting a defect requires not only accurate diagnosis of the root cause(s) but also careful selection of the appropriate rectification works since certain traditional techniques have proven costly and ineffective. This paper reports on the development of a unique database to capture damage information from detailed structural inspections of a large number of houses in Victoria. Data from 1000 damaged houses are summarised and presented in this paper. The database demonstrates significant trends relating damage to other parameters such as age of structure, foundation classification, vegetation, and repair costs. The database has become a useful tool for managers of large housing stock to refine their maintenance programs, assess repair techniques and plan property acquisitions.