Building elements
New materials and methods of construction bring with them risks of unexpected failure. Equally, understanding buildings of the past, the way in which they function, and traps and pitfalls of certain forms of construction is essential in diagnosing defects, and ultimately leading to repair.
This section is maintained by Danny Medcalf of Nottingham Trent University.
Related content
Features:
- Building history: bricks and mortar
- Cavity walls: fixing defects
- Chimney maintenance: fixing the problems
- Fixtures and fittings: composition and risk
See also the building defects database, a bank of over 300 images with expert commentary from leading industry practitioners and legal experts.