ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the processes involved in investigating building defects and failures. It shows how to apply diagnostic skills required for the rigorous investigation of building problems outlined in the previous chapter.
Identifying the precise causal factor(s) of building defects is frequently an onerous task for any investigator (Addleson 1992). Constraints of access, time and resources oftenmake the investigator’s job difficult and demanding. When problems occur in buildings it is crucial that their root cause is properly identified. If the initial diagnosis is inadequate or mistaken, this may result in
• the significance of the defect being underestimated, leading to it being ignored, unattended or marginalised;
