%0 Journal Article
%T Holistic Diagnosis of Rising Damp and Salt Attack in Two Residential Buildings in Kumasi, Ghana
%A Kofi Agyekum
%A Joshua Ayarkwa
%A Christian Koranteng
%J Journal of Construction Engineering
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/398627
%X Rising damp is one of the most severe phenomena that leads to decay and deterioration of both old and modern types of buildings. This study employed a holistic approach to dampness investigation and sought to examine the problem of rising damp in the walls of two residential apartments in Kumasi, Ghana. The study sought to determine the types of soluble salts and their concentrations in the soils and accumulated percentages in the walls over time and whether there exists any linkage between the salts in the walls and those in the ground. Results from the geotechnical survey of the building sites found that the soils on site 1 consisted of silty sandy gravel with some clay particles and those on site 2 consisted of silty sandy soil with some clay and traces of gravel. The study identified several groups of salts in the walls of the buildings, with the most damaging and dangerous being magnesium sulphate, magnesium chloride, and sodium sulphate salts. Similar salts were identified in the soil samples from the trial pits. The results therefore indicate a linkage between the salts found in the ground and those found in the walls and therefore confirm the presence of rising dampness. 1. Introduction All buildings are expected to be constructed with materials which have the tendency to resist the effects of water throughout their service lives [1]. For buildings to perform this function, there is the need for correct design and maintenance throughout their service lives [1]. Moisture that should not be present in buildings is known as dampness [2]. Buildings are said to have dampness problems when the materials in the buildings become sufficiently damp, leading to materials damage or visible mold growth [2]. Ghana, a country with hotter and drier climate, has experienced dampness for several years [3]. In a study to identify the most dominant type(s) of dampness in residential buildings in Ghana, all the surveyed buildings were identified to have symptoms related to either rising dampness, condensation, or water penetration (including leakages) [3]. However, the most dominant type of dampness was found to be rising dampness as it was identified with many of the buildings surveyed [3]. Hygroscopic salts that led to surface efflorescence, decayed skirting, dampness below 1.5£żm, and mold growth on walls up to 1£żm high were among the symptoms identified with rising dampness in the surveyed buildings. The study recommended a more detailed investigation on selected buildings to identify the root cause of the problem. This paper involves a laboratory study to
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jcen/2014/398627/