PROJECT TITLE:INVESTIGATION ON THE CAUSES OF BUILDING CRACKS CASE STUDY:MBAGALA KIBONDEMAJI PROJECT TYPE:PROBLEM SOLVING NAME OF THE STUDENT:EDGAR

LYAPEMBILE ADMISSION NUMBER:100101P7299

INTRODUCTION
Mbagala kibondemaji is located at Temeke municipal in Dar es salaam city.The buildings in this area develop openings on their walls known as cracks which gives an impression of faulty and poor quality work.Cracks reduce the stability of the building and so the building gets weaker and weaker if cracks are not treated properly

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Buildings at Mbagala Kibonde maji have been attacked by cracks where by out of 10 houses 5 of them are having cracks on their walls.The cracks formed affect the serviceability and stability of the building and that might cause accident to people and properties

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

To study the major and minor causes of cracks of buildings and give out suggestions on how to prevent building cracks at Mbagala Kibondemaji

OUTCOME OF THE PROJECT

To come out with the report of causes of cracks of buildings at Mbagala Kibondemaji and give out the remedial measures which should be taken to overcome building cracks

SCOPE OF THE PROJECT

The scope of this project is to Identify type and properties of soil found in the area. Examining features found on the area.

METHODOLOGY
The methods to come up with the causes of cracks of buildings are 1.Literature review 2.Data collection 3.Data analysis

LITERATURE REVIEW
TYPES OF CRACKS 1.Vertical cracks 2.Horizontal cracks 3.Diagonal cracks CAUSES OF CRACKS 1.Foundation subsidence 2.Foundation settlement 3.Incompatibility of building material 4.Vibration 5.Vegetation 6.Workmanship

DATA COLLECTION
Data were collected from Initial inspection of the area by looking at different features found in the area eg.vegetation,landslips,mines,type of foundation. Soil sample taken from the area and several laboratory tests were conducted i.e atterberg limit test,sieve analysis(grading)

SITE INSPECTION RESULTS

TYPE OF TREES TYPES OF BUILDING MATERIAL USED IN THE AREA TYPES OF CRACKS AND FOUNDATION OTHER FEATURES FOUND IN THE AREA Mango tree , mwarobaini Blocks and bricks Diagonal crack, vertical crack,concrete strip foundation The area is of sloping ground and also in 2009 there has been bomb explosion in the area which caused heavy vibration

DATA COLLECTED
ATTERBERGS' LIMITS TEST
LOCATION : OPERATOR : DATE :
MBAGALA KIBONDEMAJI

EDGAR LYAPEMBILE 4/1/2013

Test No. TYPE OF TEST Initial dial gauge reading Final gauge reading Cone penetration Container No. Mass of wet soli + container Mass of dry soil + container Mass of container Mass of moisture Mass of dry soil Moisture content (w) Cone penetration

1 2 3 4 LL LL LL LL mm 4.2 3.9 3.6 3.8 3.9 3.8 4.2 4.0 mm 19.3 19.1 21.8 22.8 25.5 24.8 28.7 29.5 mm 15.2 18.6 21.3 25.0 7 42.55 37.81 17.61 4.75 20.20 23.50 15.2 B37 40.49 35.76 17.42 4.73 18.34 25.79 18.6 11 36.22 32.12 17.50 4.10 14.62 28.10 21.3 9 44.80 38.90 20.50 5.90 18.40 32.07 25.0

PL

PL

gm gm gm gm gm % mm

B107 33.13 30.69 17.57

14 32.97 30.56 17.43

2.44 2.42 13.12 13.13 18.60 18.13 18.45

CONE PENETRATION (mm) / MOISTURE CONTENT (%)

30 28 26 25.0 24 CONEPENETRATION (mm) 22 21.3 20 18 16 18.6

15.2
14 12 10 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 MOISTURE CONTENT (%)

Liquid limit : Plastic limit (PL) Plasticity index (PI) Linear Shrinkage (LS)

27 18 9 4

SIEVE
s

Overall mass of sample Pan No D 64 Mass of Pan + soil Mass of Pan + dry soil
OPERATOR: DATE:

(gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) % (gm) % (gm) (gm)

0 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

EDGAR LYAPEMBILE 03.01.2013

(gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm)

Mass of Pan alone Mass of water mass of dry soil Moisture content Overall dry mass of sample % Passing on 19mm
Equivalent mass of sample used for test Equivalent mass > 19mm used for test Correction Factor

Before Washing Mass of Pan + soil Mass of Pan alone Mass of soil Dry mass After washing Mass of Pan + soil Mass of Pan alone Mass of dry soil Mass of washed fines Correction Factor Mass of Dry Soil used for test
Bs test sieve Mass of Pan "+ soil Mass Retained

502.00 229.00 272.50

436.00 229.00 207.00 65.5 1.01

Mass retained Correction Value

% retained

Total % Passing

Mass of Pan

75mm 63mm 50mm 37.5mm 25mm 19mm

Mass retained Passing 19mm

Mass of Pan

12.5mm 10mm 6.3mm

Mass of Pan

229.00 100 99.8 98.3 72.2 53.4 35.5 21.0 12.5 9.8 0.1

4.75mm 3.35mm 2mm 1.18mm 600micron 425micron 300micron 212micron 150micron 63micron Passing Total

229.50 232.10 282.30 267.60 265.50 258.60 246.50 235.00 248.90

0.50 3.10 53.30 38.60 36.50 29.60 17.50 5.50 19.90 204.5

0.5 3.1 54.0 39.0 37.0 29.9 17.7 5.6 20.1 206.9

0.2 1.5 26.1 18.8 17.9 14.5 8.5 2.7 9.7 99.9

Gradation Curve
120

100

Percentage passing (%)

80

60

40

20

0 0.01 0.10 1.00 Sieve size (mm) 10.00 100.00

Wet/Dry Sieving Method (Hydrometer Analysis )

CLIENT: PROJECT:BH NO: SAMPLE NO: DEPTH(m): OPERATOR:EDGAR DATE:3/1/2013

Before Washing Mass of Pan + soil Mass of Pan alone Mass of soil Dry mass After washing Mass of Pan + soil Mass of Pan alone Mass of dry soil Mass of washed fines Correction Factor Mass of Dry Soil used for test
Bs test sieve Mass of Pan "+ soil

(gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm)

503.00 230.00 273.00

Overall mass of sample Pan No Mass of Pan + soil Mass of Pan + dry soil Mass of Pan alone Mass of water mass of dry soil Moisture content Overall dry mass of sample % Passing on 19mm
Equivalent mass of sample used for test Equivalent mass > 19mm used for test Correction Factor

(gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) (gm) % (gm) % (gm) (gm)

437.00 230.00 207.00 66.00 1.1 0.0

Mass retained Correction Value

Mass Retained

% retained

Total % Passing

Mass of Pan

75mm 63mm 50mm 37.5mm 25mm 19mm

Mass retained Passing 19mm

Mass of Pan

230.00

12.5mm 10mm 6.3mm

Mass of Pan

230.00 100 230.00 232.93 282.60 268.00 245.80 259.00 247.00 236.00 236.00 0.50 3.3 52.9 38.6 35.3 30.0 16.5 5.4 18.6 201.1 0.6 3.6 58.2 42.5 38.8 33.0 18.2 5.9 20.5 221.3 0.3 1.6 19.9 20.1 18.4 15.6 8.6 2.8 9.7 97.0 100 98 79 58 40 24 16 13 3

4.75mm 3.35mm 2mm 1.18mm 600micron 425micron 300micron 212micron 150micron 63micron Passing Total

Gradation Curve
100 90 80 Percentage passing (%) 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0.01
#REF! Series2 #REF!

0.10

1.00 Sieve size (mm)

10.00

100.00

Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology. Civil & Building Engineering Department. Materials Testing Laboratory. ATTERBERGS' LIMITS TEST CLIENT : LOCATION : OPERATOR : DATE : Test No. TYPE OF TEST Initial dial gauge reading Final gauge reading Cone penetration Container No. Mass of wet soli + container Mass of dry soil + container Mass of container Mass of moisture Mass of dry soil Moisture content (w) Cone penetration
30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 22

MBAGALA KIBONDEMAJI EDGAR LYAPEMBILE 4/1/2013 1 2 LL LL mm 2.6 2.6 1.9 1.5 mm 17.4 17.9 20.2 19.9 mm 15.1 18.3 14 42.80 40.20 29.40 2.60 10.80 24.07 15.1 B107 47.30 43.90 30.00 3.40 13.90 24.46 18.3

3 LL 1.6 1.4 22.1 22.7 20.9 49 45.30 42.00 29.90 3.30 12.10 27.27 20.9 3.9 28.8 24.3

4 LL 3.7 27.8

PL

PL

gm gm gm gm gm % mm

9 44.80 38.90 20.50 5.90 18.40 32.08 24.8

11 32.90 30.49 17.43 2.41 13.06 18.45 19

B37 33.13 30.69 17.57 2.44 13.15 18.56

CONE PENETRATION (mm) / MOISTURE CONTENT (%)

24.8

CONEPENETRATION (mm)

`
20.9 18.3

15.1 24 26 28 30 32

MOISTURE CONTENT (%)

y = 1.0615x - 8.8685

Liquid limit : Plastic limit (PL) Plasticity index (PI) linear shrinkage

27 19 8 3.5

SUMMARY FOR SIEVE AND ATTERBERGS LIMITS TEST DATA COLLECTION

Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology.
Civil & Building Engineering Department. Materials Testing Laboratory.
CLIENT: PROJECT:3/1/2013 DATE:BOREHOLE No. 1 DEPTH(m) 1.50
Sieve Size:(mm)

GRAIN SIZES DISTRIBUTION 2

1.50

19 12.5 10 6.3 4.75 3.35 2.00 100 1.18 98 0.600 72 0.425 53 0.300 36 0.212 21 0.150 13 0.063 10 CLASSIFICATION uscs SC % Gravels % Sand % Fines LL (%) PL (%) PI (%) 0 90

100 98 79 58 40 24 16 13

10
27 19 8

DATA ANALYSIS
The data I collected from the tests I conducted the results obtained according to British standard(BS1377) the type of the soil is inorganic clay of low plasticity subgroup symbol-CL as shown on the plasticity chart below. From site inspection the available trees around the area are few metres away from the walls of the buildings ,where by their roots have the characteristics of spreading and covering a very long distance and also the depths of the building foundation constructed are not enough considering the area is of a sloping ground.

Plasticity chart and Classification

Monday, May 20, 2013

21
21

Reference
Johnson, R. W. (2001). CRACKING IN LOW-RISE BUILDINGS. LONDON: CRC LTD. Bonshor, R.B., Bonshor, L.L., BRE (1996). CRACKING IN BUILDINGS.LONDON:CRC LTD. Craig,R.F.(2004).Craigs Soil Mechanics(seventh edition).chapman and Hall publications.