University of Washington: Kane Hall

The building’s brick veneer and cast-in-place concrete exterior contained numerous design and installation flaws, compromising long-term integrity and stability.

Seattle, Washington
Client: University of Washington
Dates of Service: 1993

Project Summary: This 1970’s era lecture hall consisted of a cast-in-place primary structure with long-span, post-tensioned concrete beams clad with a conventional brick veneer. Its brick veneer cladding displayed numerous areas of cracking, which was in places quite pronounced. While numerous hairline cracks became apparent several years after its construction, the most severe cracking appeared shortly after completion.

The PL:BECS report included highly specific maps of the building’s exterior identifying all observed problems in its exterior cladding.

The building’s brick veneer and cast-in-place concrete exterior contained numerous design and installation flaws, compromising long-term integrity and stability.

PL:BECS Services: The University of Washington wanted to develop an understanding concerning the causes of the masonry cracking, to find out whether the building possessed any problems related to its design and construction, and to identify appropriate corrective measures to safeguard the building’s long-term integrity.

PL:BECS performed a detailed evaluation of the building’s exterior brick cladding and concrete structural elements. Services included a detailed visual examination, non-destructive evaluation of masonry anchor densities, masonry absorption testing, and infiltration detection, as well as surgical openings in the cladding to examine supporting ledgers, flashings, veneer ties, and other components of the building’s exterior envelope.

PL:BECS prepared a detailed report summarizing all observed findings and problems, analyzing their causes, and outlining detailed corrective recommendations.

The investigation revealed that the brick veneer cracking reflected design errors, such as complete absence of vertical or horizontal expansion joints, while the most severe cracking reflected damage resulting from post-tensioned creep of the primary concrete structural beams. Numerous other deficiencies were also uncovered, including woefully inadequate anchorage of the brick veneer and of some of its support ledgers, absence of through-wall flashings, and numerous other flaws.

Though such flaws could have been readily precluded at the design and construction phases, the analysis concluded that the corrective work needed to safeguard the building’s long-term integrity and safety would cost roughly 1.5 million dollars in 1993.