Abstract
Not counting domestic dwellings, it has been estimated that in Australia alone, some tens of thousands of masonry buildings and structures have exceeded their design life, with many of these being at risk of partial (or worse) collapse from falling or dislodged masonry. This has significant implications for human life but also for the urban environment and economic health of building owners, managers, and insurers and for local and national economies. This risk can mainly be attributed to the slow deterioration of masonry under atmospheric and other environments and the corrosion of so-called wall ties. Wall ties are relatively thin pieces of steel that tie the outer leaf of masonry walls to the stabilized inner leaf. The problem is likely severe for scenarios such as cyclonic and earthquake events, as they cause area-wide damage and the potential wide-spread loss of human life—losses that could be prevented by timely intervention. This paper reports on the in situ inspection of two case study buildings and the data obtained from controlled wall tie corrosion field trials, which are used to develop predictive models of structural response. These models will inform practical tools that will be developed for building assessment, cost-effective monitoring, and rectification, assisting in the management of existing masonry buildings.
Highlights
The corrosion of wall ties, small and numerous metal fitments that provide structural stability for masonry brick veneer and double brick cavity walls, is often not observed until it is too late
ReFsiuglutsre 2 presents the corrosion loss measured for the duplicate wall ties exposed for fourtFeeignumreo2ntphrseasteTnrtsigtgh,eWcAor,rfoosrioenaclhoswsamll etiaesmuraetderfioarl tthhaet dwuapsltiecsatteedwcoamll ptiaerseedxtpoopsreedvfoiorufosluyrtreeepnomrteodntrhessualttsTr[i3g,g4,1W9]A
Corrosion strength losses derived from fourteen-month empirical field mass loss data are reported and demonstrate higher corrosion losses than those predicted by published predictive models for galvanized fitments
Summary
The corrosion of wall ties, small and numerous metal fitments that provide structural stability for masonry brick veneer and double brick cavity walls, is often not observed until it is too late. This is relevant to Western Australia (WA), where a significant proportion of existing and new infrastructure is predominantly built with double-brick cavity wall construction [1]. There is particular concern with buildings of heritage value, where both the condition of wall ties and destructive inspection techniques are unsuitable. This highlights a need for other approaches to ensure the integrity of ageing masonry walls
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