ABSTRACT
Although masonry walls are durable and normally capable of fulfilling their function for many years with very little maintenance, defects are sometimes encountered, usually becoming apparent as cracks or by rain penetration. These can arise from deficiencies in design or construction or from service conditions or a combination of these. Some defects may show up soon after completion of a building whilst others may develop after many years. In some circumstances no symptoms are apparent to the user but an inherent defect may have the effect of reducing the strength of the masonry possibly with eventually serious consequences.
