All Tied Down

Suburb: MANLY
Date: 12/12/19
​Project:
Bellmont Façade Engineering inspected the internal cracking occurring within a unit in Manly. 

It was concluded that the internal cracking was likely caused by the weight of bricks that hold down what are called tie down supports. Such supports secure the roof and provide resistance against wind uplift.
In this unit, strong multi-directional winds caused movement of the tie down supports which ultimately caused the horizontal cracking within brickwork.
Alternatively, the cracking could’ve also been a result of the corrosion of steel elements, a.k.a. ‘rust jacking’, where the displacement of building elements occurs due to the expansion of steel.

Recommendation:
We recommended the following:
 
- Inspection of the remaining upper level units of the complex to ascertain whether similar cracking is visible on the interior rendered & exterior brick walls (where access is provided).
 
- Creation of a series of investigation holes in the walls (from inside the occupancy) to facilitate use of a bore scope camera to view the condition of brick ties and tie down plates or straps used and assess the level of deterioration.
 
The scope of works includes:
A:            Rooftop Repairs
B:            Embedded Steel Fixing Removals
C:            Steel support Beam Replacement
D:            Steel Pillar Treatment
 
Outcome:
In solving these suspected issues Bellmont delivered the installation of new gutter brackets along the perimeter of the rooftop, removal of corroded pre-existing mild steel fixings, installation of new sheeting and flashings for skylight including complete weatherproofing, installed new sheeting accommodating existing vents and complete weatherproofing, as well as treatment of the steel pillars. 

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