ABSTRACT
Project-specific, off-site testing of the building envelope is now common for large, technically complex, prestigious developments. However, not all testing regimes adequately consider the interfaces within and between elements or components of the building. The standard tests provide an evaluation of the design and construction of the building but not necessarily of the fundamental design concept. Nor will these tests guarantee that the completed building will not leak [1].
This paper gives preliminary results from a research programme named “Testing Methods for Construction Interfaces” funded by the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The programme has developed a theoretical model for interface testing. The model has been field-tested on 15 contemporary construction projects in the UK, USA and Singapore. Information gathering used a semi-structured questionnaire supported by interviews with members of the project teams and by obtaining project documentation relating to testing.
