University of Washington: Kincaid Hall
 The original brick veneer cladding design contained numerous serious flaws which resulted in severe degradation, corrosion, interior leakage, and even posed life-safety hazards. |
Seattle, Washington
Client: University of Washington Dates of Service: 1994-1995, 2002-2003 |
Project Summary: Like many brick-clad buildings of its era, the exterior brick cladding of this 1970’s zoology building suffered from numerous design and installation deficiencies, and displayed severe cracking, moisture degradation, moisture infiltration to the interior, and buckling.
PL:BECS Services: PL:BECS performed a detailed evaluation of the building’s exterior brick cladding and windows. 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.
This culminated in a detailed report summarizing findings and problems, analyzing their causes, and outlining detailed corrective recommendations.
The investigation revealed that the brick veneer cladding suffered from a multitude of serious deficiencies related to both its design and installation. Absence of expansion joints produced widespread cracking of the brick cladding. Sloped brick elements, combined with woefully inadequate through-wall flashing resulted in serious leakage, wallboard damage around windows, and severe corrosion of the brick veneer ties which secured the cladding to the structure, posing a seismic hazard. Inadequate structural design of a large, back-sloped brick panel above the main entry posed additional life-safety risk. Inadequate securement of the brick veneer, as well of the steel ledgers supporting it, combined with corrosion, compromised the integrity of the brick cladding.
PL:BECS prepared a detailed evaluation report summarizing the observed flaws and analyzing their impact on the building’s long-term integrity. Detailed guidance outlined three different possible corrective approaches, ranging in cost from 1.9 to 3.8 million dollars in 1994.
PL:BECS Services: PL:BECS performed a detailed evaluation of the building’s exterior brick cladding and windows. 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.
This culminated in a detailed report summarizing findings and problems, analyzing their causes, and outlining detailed corrective recommendations.
The investigation revealed that the brick veneer cladding suffered from a multitude of serious deficiencies related to both its design and installation. Absence of expansion joints produced widespread cracking of the brick cladding. Sloped brick elements, combined with woefully inadequate through-wall flashing resulted in serious leakage, wallboard damage around windows, and severe corrosion of the brick veneer ties which secured the cladding to the structure, posing a seismic hazard. Inadequate structural design of a large, back-sloped brick panel above the main entry posed additional life-safety risk. Inadequate securement of the brick veneer, as well of the steel ledgers supporting it, combined with corrosion, compromised the integrity of the brick cladding.
PL:BECS prepared a detailed evaluation report summarizing the observed flaws and analyzing their impact on the building’s long-term integrity. Detailed guidance outlined three different possible corrective approaches, ranging in cost from 1.9 to 3.8 million dollars in 1994.
 Field testing revealed that ledgers supporting the masonry cladding had not been adequately secured to the building. |
 The PL:BECS investigation revealed that the masonry flashings had been improperly installed, causing widespread and severe leakage to the interior. |
