CROSS Safety Report
Wind on internal masonry walls during construction
This report is over 2 years old
Overview
There has been a generic report from a contractor about internal masonry walls during construction following his experiences of failures.
Key Learning Outcomes
For civil and structural engineers:
-
The design of internal walls should consider the construction phase and whether the design should be governed by this, rather than the in-use phase
-
If the walls have been designed for the permanent condition highlight this on the drawings and the risk register
For construction professionals:
-
If the construction sequence subjects internal walls to greater wind pressures to what they have been designed for, then this should be raised with the design engineer
Full Report
Find out more about the Full Report
The Full Report below has been submitted to CROSS and describes the reporter’s experience. The text has been edited for clarity and to ensure anonymity and confidentiality by removing any identifiable details. If you would like to know more about our secure reporting process or submit a report yourself, please visit the reporting to CROSS-UK page.
There has been a generic report from a contractor about internal masonry walls during construction following his experiences of failures. Such walls are generally designed to withstand internal wind pressures but are often built before the building envelope is complete. This subjects them to significantly higher loads.
The more competent contractors recognise this and provide additional restraints, such as wind posts. However, many contractors, according to the reporter, do not have the skills to do this and are unaware of the limitations of these walls. The reporter suggests that designers should be questioning the programming of structures to ensure that their walls will withstand the pressures predicted for a specified construction sequence.
Submit a report
Your report will make a difference. It will help to create positive change and improve safety.
Our secure and confidential safety reporting system gives professionals the opportunity to share their experiences to help others.
Feedback
No feedback has yet been published for this page.
Expert Panel Comments
Expert Panels comment on the reports we receive. They use their experience to help you understand what can be learned from the reports. If you would like to know more, please visit the CROSS-UK Expert Panels page.
In these situations, the designer of the wall should consider the construction phase and whether the design should be governed by this, rather than the in-use phase. If the wall may be unstable during construction due to short-term wind loads this should be pointed out to the contractor if it is not reasonably practical to design out this load case. The problems may however be more likely to occur when there is no designer involved.