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Abstract
Architectural terra cotta cladding was used extensively before the 1930s. With change in building technology, the usage declined drastically, but a large number of outstanding examples of ornate terra cotta structures are still in service. Terra cotta has been used in these buildings sometimes as a load- bearing masonry, but mostly as cladding over a framing system. Generaly, no provisions were made for movement, either absolute nor differential, in the backup framing or in the cladding. Moisture expansion of the clay body and thermal fluctuations caused cracks to develop, allowing moisture to enter the wall, thereby accelerating the weathering and deterioration. This study deals with the distress, deformations and the strain accumulation in the terra cotta cladding caused by weathering and by contraction and expansion of the material. Field investigations of terra cotta failure and laboratory tests are discussed and examples of degradation of the material and the different modes of failure are shown. The cause of deterioration is analyzed and recommendations for rehabilitation introduced.
Architectural terra cotta cladding was used extensively before the 1930s. With change in building technology, the usage declined drastically, but a large number of outstanding examples of ornate terra cotta structures are still in service. Terra cotta has been used in these buildings sometimes as a load- bearing masonry, but mostly as cladding over a framing system. Generaly, no provisions were made for movement, either absolute nor differential, in the backup framing or in the cladding. Moisture expansion of the clay body and thermal fluctuations caused cracks to develop, allowing moisture to enter the wall, thereby accelerating the weathering and deterioration. This study deals with the distress, deformations and the strain accumulation in the terra cotta cladding caused by weathering and by contraction and expansion of the material. Field investigations of terra cotta failure and laboratory tests are discussed and examples of degradation of the material and the different modes of failure are shown. The cause of deterioration is analyzed and recommendations for rehabilitation introduced.
Date
9/1981
9/1981
Author(s)
Sven Thomasen
Sven Thomasen
Page(s)
108-
108-
Keyword(s)
building cladding deterioration; field investigation; terra cotta stress measurements; terra cotta rehabilitation
building cladding deterioration; field investigation; terra cotta stress measurements; terra cotta rehabilitation