BUILDING DEFECT:

CASE STUDY AT TAMAN SERI INDAH, PULAU PINANG

NUR DIYANA BINTI MD.KASIM

A thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the

requirements for the award of the degree of
Bachelor of Civil Engineering

Faculty of Civil Engineering & Earth Resources

Universiti Malysia Pahang

NOVEMBER 2009
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ABSTRACT

Malaysia is one of the developing countries and many projects are being
implemented. Currently, which some of the projects involve construction of
buildings. The construction industry helps to generate the nation’s economy as well
as providing benefits to construction companies. But some of these firms acted
unprofessionally by involving in projects that do not meet the standard especially in
housing development. There are a lot of defects to the houses purchased by house
buyers especially in terms of material and workmanship. This study is conducted to
identify types of building defect occur in building and to identify causes of building
defect occur in building. Besides that, study on building defects which occur at case
study area also has been done. The resident satisfactions level on their housing after
defect liability period also being analyzed. The study area is located at Taman Seri
Indah, Penang. The methodology adopted is through literature review and interview
with the developer and house buyers. The data are collected through questionnaire
that had been distributed to the parties involve in construction and the house buyers
at study area. Types and causes of building defect also can be identified according to
survey that has been done to people that involve in construction industry. The results
also show the poor workmanship is the major contributor to poor quality of
construction. In order to minimize the problem, the contactor has to provide workers
with necessary experience and skills. The finding of this study can be used for future
references.
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ABSTRAK

Malaysia merupakan sebuah negara yang membangun dengan projek-projek

baru dan antara projek ini adalah melibatkan projek pembinaan bangunan baru.
Industri pembinaan dapat menjana ekonomi dan dapat memberi keuntungan kepada
sesebuah firma. Namun begitu, terdapat sesetengah firma ini bertindak secara tidak
profesional dengan menceburi bidang ini tanpa mengira spesifikasi yang telah
ditentukan. Terdapat banyak aduan yang diterima mengenai kecacatan ke atas rumah
yang dibeli, samada dari segi kualiti kerja mahupun bahan binaan yang digunakan.
Kajian ini dijalankan bagi mengkaji jenis-jenis kecacatan dan punca-punca yang
kecacatan yang berlaku di dalam bangunan. Di samping itu, kepuasan pembeli di
kawasan kajian selepas tempoh tanggungan kecacatan juga telah dikenalpasti. Kajian
telah dijalankan di Taman Seri Indah, Pulau Pinang. Penggunaan pendekatan kajian
literatur dan temubual dengan pemaju dan pembeli rumah akan menjawab objektif
kajian yang telah ditetapkan. Data dikumpul malalui kertas kaji selidik yang telah
diedarkan kepada mereka yang terlibat dalam industri pembinaan dan pembeli rumah
di kawasan kajian dijalankan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan, jenis-jenis dan punca-punca
kecacatan ke atas bangunan dapat dikaji. Selain itu, berdasarkan kepada keputusan
kajian, ketidakmahiran pekerja merupakan penyumbang terbesar kepada kecacatan
dan kualiti bangunan. Sebagai langkah untuk mengurangkan masalah ini, pihak
kontraktor dikehendaki menyediakan pekerja yang mempunyai kemahiran tinggi dan
juga berpengalaman di dalam bidang masing-masing.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER TITLE PAGE

DECLARATION ii
DEDICATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
ABSTRACT v
ABSTRAK vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF TABLES xi
LIST OF FIGURES xiii
LIST OF APPENDICES xiv

1 INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 Introduction 1
1.2 Problem Statement 3
1.3 Objectives 6
1.4 Scopes of Study 6
1.5 Study Methodology 7
1.6 Significance of the Study 8
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2 LITERATURE REVIEW 9
2.1 Introduction 9
2.2 Types of Defect 11
2.2.1 Erosion of Mortar Joints 11
2.2.2 Peeling Paint 11
2.2.3 Cracking of Walls / Leaning Walls 11
2.2.4 Unstable Foundations 12
2.2.5 Roof Defects 12
2.2.6 Honeycombing 12
2.2.7 Dampness 13
2.3 The Causes of Building Defect 13
2.3.1 Erosion of Mortar Joints 13
2.3.1.1 Weathering Action 14
2.3.1.2 Unaccommodated Building Movement 14
2.3.1.3 Influence of the Freeze/Thaw Cycle 14
2.3.2 Peeling Paint 15
2.3.2.1 Water 15
2.3.3 Cracking of Walls / Leaning Walls 15
2.3.3.1 Settling 15
2.3.3.2 Deterioration 16
2.3.3.3 Shrinkage 16
2.3.4 Unstable Foundations 17
2.3.4.1 Lateral Pressure 17
2.3.4.2 Structural Settlement 18
2.3.5 Roof Defects 18
2.3.5.1 Thermal Movement 18
2.3.5.2 Surface Cracking 19
2.3.5.3 Membrane Cracking 19
2.3.5.4 Surface Decay 19
2.3.5.3 Water Ingress 20
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2.3.6 Honeycombing 20
2.3.6.1 Segregation 20
2.3.6.2 Poor Workmanship 20
2.3.7 Dampness 21
2.3.7.1 Rainwater 21
2.3.7.2 Leak in Plumbing 21
2.4 Factors That Govern Building Defects or Problems 22
2.4.1 Climatic Conditions 22
2.4.2 Location of Building 23
2.4.3 Building Type and Change in Use 23
2.4.4 Maintenance of Building 24
2.4.5 Building Age 24
2.5 Building Materials and Their Common Defects 25

3 METHODOLOGY 28
3.1 Introduction 28
3.2 Literature Review 29
3.3 Data Collection 29
3.3.1 Primary Data 29
3.3.1.1 Reports and Records 29
3.3.1.2 Questionnaire 30
3.3.1.3 Interview 30
3.3.2 Secondary Data 30
3.4 Data Analysis 31
3.4.1 Average Index 31
3.5 Conclusion 32
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4 DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULT 33

4.1 Introduction 33
4.2 Data Collection 34
4.3 Types of Building Defect 37
4.4 Causes of Building Defect 40
4.4.1 Peeling Paint 40
4.4.2 Wall Cracking 42
4.4.3 Unstable Foundation 44
4.4.4 Roof Defects 45
4.4.5 Dampness 47
4.4.6 Honeycombing 49
4.5 Building Defects Occur at Taman Seri Indah 51

5 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION 69

5.1 Introduction 69
5.2 Conclusion 70
5.2.1 Objective 1 70
5.2.2 Objective 2 71
5.2.3 Objective 3 72
5.3 Recommendation 73
5.3.1 Recommendation for the Study 73
5.3.2 Recommendation for the Future Studies 74

REFERENCES 75
APPENDICES 77 - 89
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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE

4.1 Respondents Success Rate (Industry) 35

4.2 Respondents Success Rate (Residents) 36
4.3 Analysis on Types of Building 37
4.4 Number of Respondents and AI of the Peeling Paint 40
4.5 Number of Respondents and AI of the Wall Cracking 42
4.6 Number of Respondents and AI of Unstable Foundation 44
4.7 Number of Respondents and the AI of Roof Defects 45
4.8 Number of Respondents and the AI of Dampness 47
4.9 Number of Respondents and the AI of Honeycombing 49
4.10 Building Defect Complaint Refer to Trade at Study Area 51
4.11 Percentage of Roof Defects Complaint 52
4.12 Percentage of Plumbing Complaint 53
4.13 Percentage of Sanitary Complaint 55
4.14 Percentage of Floor Complaint 56
4.15 Percentage of Wall Complaint 57
4.16 Percentage of Door Complaint 59
4.17 Percentage of Window Complaint 60
4.18 Percentage of Ceiling Complaint 62
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4.19 Percentage of Electrical Complaint 63

4.20 Data Analysis For Building Defect at Study Area 64
4.21 Number of Residents That Satisfied on Their Housing 67
4.22 Number of Residents That Unsatisfied on Their Housing 67

5.1 Ranking of Types of Building Defect and Ranking of Causes 71

of Building Defect
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LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE

1.1 Flow Chart of Study Methodology 7

4.1 Types of Building Defect 38

4.2 Causes of Building Defect by Water 41
4.3 Causes of Building Defect by Wall Cracking 43
4.4 Causes of Building Defect by Unstable Foundation 44
4.5 Causes of Building Defect by Roof Defects 46
4.6 Causes of Building Defect by Dampness 48
4.7 Causes of Building Defect by Honeycombing 50
4.8 Defects of Roof 52
4.9 Defects of Plumbing 54
4.10 Defects of Sanitary 55
4.11 Defects of Floor 56
4.12 Defects of Wall 58
4.13 Defects of Door 59
4.14 Defects of Window 61
4.15 Defects of Ceiling 62
4.16 Defects of Electrical 63
4.17 Total Percentage of Resident Complaints on All Terms 65
4.18 Number of Resident Complaints in All Terms 66
4.19 Satisfaction Level of Residents on Their Housing 68
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LIST OF APPENDICES

APPENDIX NO. TITLE PAGE

A The Star, 1 May 2007 77

B The Star, 16 July 2008 79

C The Star, 16 November 2008 81

D News Straits Times, 14 December 2008 82

E Questionnaire 85
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Now one might ask, how were these defective buildings allowed to be
occupied assuming that they have met the requirements of building by-laws and are
certified fit for occupation. Many researches had been done to prevent this problem.
However, this problem still cannot be solved. If this problem can be solved, it will
prevent uncomfortable to customer, reduce the maintenance of building to people
which maybe close up million dollars per year.

The quality of the workmanship is another aspect that has been giving
contractors a bad name. The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is
supposed to wrestle this issue by requiring all relevant laborers or those in a similar
trade to undergo a skills training programmer conducted by the CIDB Academy.

Besides, lack of enforcement and supervision also contributed to these

defects. However, a good project management team acting on behalf of the client
should be able to look after the interest of its clients by making sure the contractors
do not compromise on the quality of the workmanship through its resident engineer.

Traditionally, we are only concerned with the financial burden of getting the
building erected and we are not made aware of the yearly maintenance cost, the
operational cost and replacement cost. At times, the total cost of these three elements
might surpass the construction cost (Siti Hamisah Tapsir, 2007).
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1.2 Problem statement

Building defect is one of the major components of building that needed

attention. When a building fails to perform as it should, we immediately look for
answers. Is the problem is the result of someone’s failure to assemble it properly? Is
the problem an act of nature? Was the proper maintenance of the building not
performed as it should have been? The answers often depend upon a number of
factors: the age of the affected building component, the exact nature of the problem,
the presence or absence of human error, or some combination of all three (3).

According to the National Building Agency (1985), defects occur either

because of poor design, or low quality workmanship, or because the building was not
constructed according to the design, or because it has been subject to factors not
allowed for in the design. These primary causes may operate singly or in combination
and result in defects indicated by changes in composition of materials; in the
construction itself; in the size, shape or weight of materials; or simply in appearances.

As stated in The Star Tuesday May 1, 2007, “Pak Lah orders immediate
inspection of government buildings” (Appendix A). Based on this statement, The
Prime Minister ordered an immediate inspection of all government buildings for
defects referring to a spate embarrassing defects in new government offices - the
collapse of a ceiling due to a leaky sprinkler system at the Entrepreneur and Co-
operative Development Ministry in Putrajaya.
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Besides that, some 170 residents of block four at Taman Jaya, Skudai, are
living in fear as the building they occupy may collapse anytime due to severe cracks
on the walls and floors. According to one of residents of that block, the problem
started three (3) years ago when a wall that divided two (2) ground floor units situated
at the left side of the building cracked. She also said, “The fracture was so serious
that the bricks fell off, exposing the steel bars used as supports”. More over, residents
were also afraid if the building will collapse and don’t know where to move. This
statement is stated in The Star Wednesday July 16, 2008 (Appendix B).

More over, as stated in The Star Sunday November 16, 2008, Housing and
Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Ong Ka Chuan, said the ministry had received
about 250 complaints every year on building defects from buyers. “Many of those
defects are caused by defective or poor quality building materials” (Appendix C).

Then, the Bukit Damansara tragedy has open many eyes toward the significant
of proper maintenance not just to avoid building defect but the world disaster. As
stated in New Straits Times Sunday December 14, 2008, Works Minister Datuk Mohd
Zin Mohamed is baffled how rainwater was trapped atop Taman Bukit Mewah which
he believes led to the Bukit Antarabangsa landslide.
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"I suspect this is caused by humans, so let's not blame Mother Nature," he told
Public Works Department (PWD) engineers. He ordered the PWD, which is
spearheading a three-month geotechnical, forensics and integrity probe of the slope
and building structure stability, to come up with answers on the cause of the landslide
and provide recommendations to avert disasters (Appendix D). Will the tragedy of
landslide in Bukit Antarabangsa teach us some lesson? Or will it be a platform for
people to point fingers at each other, or will it be the stage for people to condemn the
work of God?

Because buildings are not single products but rather an assembly of individual
parts and components often put together by different contractors; and because the
materials used often require periodic maintenance to maintain their projected service
lives; and because acts of nature often intervene to test the resistance of building
components to leaks and decay, it is usually never exactly clear why a particular building
defect occurs. The average person who might sit in judgment one day cannot easily
understand, much less unwinds the disputes that arise over these enigmatic, technical and
often costly problems (Tyler, 2008)
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1.3 Objectives

The objectives of carrying out this study are as follow:

a) To identify types of building defect occur in building.

b) To identify causes of building defect occur in building.
c) To study on building defect occur at case study area.

1.4 Scopes of Study

In relation with the objectives of the study, the scopes of study are:

a) The study will be conducted at Taman Seri Indah, Kepala Batas, Penang
as case study area.
b) The study will be carried out the data on building defect occur at case
study area.
c) Questionnaire will be prepared and interview will be conducted with the
parties involve in construction industry and residents at case study area.
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1.5 Study Methodology

Exploration of Sources

Problem Identification

Discussion with Supervisor

Research Title

Establish Objective and Scope

Data Collection

Primary Data Secondary Data

- Reports & Records - Reference books
- Questionnaire - Journals
- Interview - Newspaper
- Observation - Magazine

Compile and Organize

Analyze
- Microsoft Excel
- Average Index

Conclusion and Recommendation

Figure 1.1: Flow Chart of Study Methodology

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1.6 Significance of the Study

Building defects are so common that Malaysians do not bat an eye anymore,
or one could say they are immune to news of these defects when highlighted. The
question is why we must let this issues conquer the development of building?
Nothing packs a more costly punch and ruins a project than a construction defect
dispute. I choose this title for my study because I personally interested to understand
this issue more deeply and get the knowledge by my own way and experience.

When a building suffers defects, the causes of that defect have to be properly
identified before any remedial work can be undertaken. The study has been done to
assist professionals and students who are involved in building construction to
identify types of building defects and its causes. Besides, the readers will know the
satisfaction level of residents at my case study area.
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A building or construction defect is a defect or deficiency in the design,

construction, or materials on a construction project. Broadly speaking, building
defects fall into two (2) categories: defects that affect the performance of the structure,
and defects that affect the appearance of the structure. From the legal perspective, a
building defect is defined in somewhat different terms. Legally, a building defect is a
violation of the applicable building code, a violation of the standard of care in the
community in which the project is located, or a violation of the manufacturer’s
recommendations (Robert S.Mann, 2007)

Defect is the nonconformity of a component with a standard or specified

characteristic. Defect is used sometimes as a synonym for “failure”, but the preferred
meaning is to indicate only a deviation from some (perceived) standard that may, but
will not necessarily, result in failure (David, 1997)
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2.2 Types of Defect

2.2.1 Erosion of Mortar Joints

Basically, the main function of a mortar joint is to even out irregularities of

individual blocks, whether they are of stones or bricks. At the same time it provides
some adhesion between the blocks. Decayed mortar can be removed forcibly by the
use of a mechanical disc or carefully raked out by using a knife or spike manually.

2.2.2 Peeling Paint

Peeling paint usually occurs on building facades, mainly on plastered walls,

columns and other areas which are exposed to excessive rain and dampness. Some
buildings located near the sea may face a much greater risk once the signs of peeling
paint are visible on the exterior walls.

2.2.3 Cracking of Walls / Leaning Walls

Apart from distributing loads from roofs and floors to foundations, external
walls may be harmful to a building if they are structurally unsound. Cracks in wall,
either vertical or diagonal, are common symptoms of structural instability.
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2.2.4 Unstable Foundations

Foundations are a part of a building which distributes loads from roofs, walls
and floors on to the earth below. They are structurally important to the permanent of
a building and if this is lacking there is no point of spending large sums of money on
other superficial restoration work.

2.2.5 Roof Defects

Besides being one of the main structures in a building, roof may act as a
weather shield, giving protection to users or occupants from rain and sun. Therefore,
it is important to treat any aging roof tiles.

2.2.6 Honeycombing

Honeycombing refers to voids in concrete caused by the mortar not filling the
spaces between the coarse aggregate particles. It usually becomes apparent when the
formwork is stripped, revealing a rough and 'stony' concrete surface with air voids
between the coarse aggregate. Sometimes, however, a surface skin of mortar masks
the extent of the defect. Honeycombing may extend some depth into the member.
Honeycombing is always an aesthetic problem, and depending on the depth and
extent may reduce both the durability performance and the structural strength of the
member. Formation of honeycombing is due to the presence of air and bubble at the
surface of formwork and results a separation between aggregates and cement
mixture. This problem will damage the concrete and more serious attack the
reinforcement bar in concrete.
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2.2.7 Dampness

Dampness can be a serious matter, particularly to buildings located near

water sources. Not only does it deteriorate building structures but also damages to
furnishings. The main cause of dampness is water entering a building through
different routes. Water penetration occurs commonly through walls exposed to
prevailing wet wind or rain. With the existence of gravity, water may penetrate
through capillaries or cracks between mortar joints, and bricks or blocks before
building up trap moisture behind hard renders. Water may also drive further up the
wall to emerge at a higher level. Dampness also occurs in walls due to other factors
such as leaking gutters or down pipes, defective drains, burst plumbing and
condensation due to inadequate ventilation.

2.3 The causes of building defect

2.3.1 Erosion of Mortar Joints

Erosions of mortar joints are caused by factor as discussed below which are
weathering action, unaccommodated building movement and influence of the freeze
cycle or thaw cycle.
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2.3.1.1 Weathering Action

Weathering is inevitable. Wind and rain erode mortar. Mortars lacking

Portland cement are especially vulnerable to weathering from acid rain. On extreme
exposures, the mortar joint can be weathered away to a depth of several inches.
Usually, weathering of mortar is accompanied by deterioration of masonry.

2.3.1.2 Unaccommodated Building Movement

Prior to the 20th century, building movement caused by wind, thermal

cycling, and masonry growth due to moisture absorption was poorly understood.
Tolerance for movement was not designed into structures. When movement or
uneven settling of a building's foundation or walls, occurs, cracking of the masonry,
usually at mortar joints will occurs. Repeated thermal cycling causes the masonry to
expand and contract breaking the bond between the mortar and units.

2.3.1.3 Influence of the Freeze/Thaw Cycle

Moisture entering at a cracked or open mortar joint can freeze, expand, and
cause a section of the joint and a portion of the surrounding masonry to pop off. This
is called spalling. It can be repetitived and cause a chain of failures.
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2.3.2 Peeling Paint

2.3.2.1 Water

If water vapor condenses underneath the primer or finish pressure will result
causing the paint to lift from the surface and crack. This crack will be very small, but
it will allow more water onto the surface and behind the finish. This process
accelerates until peeling paint is notified. A possible cause of water infiltration is
inadequate or split caulking. Applying the best sealant and using proper caulking
techniques can make or break any paint job. An additional area of concern is water
vapor in the exterior walls. This can be a major problem with older homes that do not
have plastic vapor barriers installed between the framing and drywall or plaster.

2.3.3 Cracking of Walls / Leaning Walls

2.3.3.1 Settling

Footers (the things foundation sits on) may be built on loose material. It
might expand or contract over time because of the weight on it. In any case, settling
results from the shifting. So, cracks that develop from that settling will be seeing.
Loose backfill that has been placed around the house can also settle and exert extra
pressure on the walls, creating the same problem, especially if that backfill is
comprised of lots of dense clay materials.
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2.3.3.2 Deterioration

Deterioration is the gradual adverse loss of physical or chemical properties of

a material (American Society 1990; American Concrete 1979) People expect their
roofs to need replacing periodically. They also expect to re-paint their home
periodically. What they do not realize is that the same thing applies to a foundation.
The coatings put on the walls can break down over time, allowing water to come in
contact with the concrete. Once that happens, the water begins to affect the strength
of the concrete. At that point, discolorations, water, cracks, or bowing of the walls
might begin to see.

2.3.3.3 Shrinkage

Shrinkage comes from the curing of the concrete or mortar. As it shrinks,

cracks develop, usually along mortar lines, but sometimes in the form of vertical
cracks. Once there is a crack, it is weaker than the surrounding wall and that leads to
the possibility that pressures from outside will begin to bow that wall. Later
shrinkage is caused by continuing hydration and carbonation (Rollings, 1993)