InspectAPedia®   -   Search InspectApedia

Photograph of - cracked  masonry block foundation wall, probably from earth pressur at original construction - notice the wavy mortar. Drop a plumb line to measure total inwards bulging of this block foundation wall.Foundation Crack Monitoring Methods & Devices

  • POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about how to determine if foundation cracking or movement are active & if so, what is the rate of movement

Foundation crack movement monitoring devices & methods:

This document describes how foundation or slab cracks can be monitored for evidence of movement and what general advice makes sense for building owners or buyers where foundation damage is found and/or where further foundation inspection, testing, diagnosis, or repair appear warranted based on a general field inspection.

We include discussion of methods used to perform ongoing monitoring of building foundations for cracking and movement.

InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.

Methods for Monitoring Foundations for Evidence of Ongoing or Episodic Movement

Foundation bulge sketch © Daniel Friedman at InspectApedia.comBuilding foundations may be moving, either continuously or episodically. Most movement is episodic, that is, the movement is not a simple and continuous creep but rather foundation movement or cracking occurs in fits and starts.

Our sketch (left) shows a bulged masonry block foundation wall that has bowed in two inches at its innermost point.)

Usually foundation movement and further cracking occurs in response to occurrences of what has caused the cracking in the first place.

See FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY and

then FOUNDATION MOVEMENT ACTIVE vs. STATIC for distinguishing severe and also ongoing foundation movements.

Examples of Causes of Ongoing Foundation Damage/Movement

On occasion a foundation cracked or damaged by an event (drove a heavy vehicle too close to the masonry block foundation wall) may later move, crack or bend, buckle, lean, bulge, etc. in response to other site conditions that it was previously able to resist before it was weakened by the original damage (frost, water, other vehicles).

Examples of Episodic or Discontinuous Causes of Foundation Damage/Movement

List of Simple Methods to Monitor a Masonry Foundation for Evidence of New or Ongoing Movement

Avongard crack monitor (C) Avongard Co. Crack monitor (C) Carson Dunlop Associates

Measuring a foundation crack (C) Daniel Friedman Alan Carson


...

Continue reading at DIAGONAL CRACKS in BLOCK FOUNDATIONS, WALLS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

Or see these

Recommended Articles

Suggested citation for this web page

CRACK MONITORING Methods at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


Or see this

INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to BUILDING STRUCTURES

Or use the SEARCH BOX found below to Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia

Questions & answers or comments about devices used to monitor cracks in masonry or concrete foundations & walls: sources, uses, interpretation of results. .

Try the search box just below, or if you prefer, post a question or comment in the Comments box below and we will respond promptly.

Search the InspectApedia website

Note: appearance of your Comment below may be delayed: if your comment contains an image, photograph, web link, or text that looks to the software as if it might be a web link, your posting will appear after it has been approved by a moderator. Apologies for the delay.

Only one image can be added per comment but you can post as many comments, and therefore images, as you like.
You will not receive a notification
when a response to your question has been posted.
Please bookmark this page to make it easy for you to check back for our response.
Our Comment Box is provided by Countable Web Productions countable.ca

Comment Form is loading comments...

Citations & References

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.



ADVERTISEMENT