Delamination of plaster on masonry wall due to hammer drill

[csd72]

I got asked recently to look at a historic house(circa 1850) where the internal plaster has delaminated in a corner allegedly as a result of a service pipe drilled through an adjacent wall.

The wall is a an external wall intersection. Imagine a capital T in plane with the two left hand side surfaces rendered with a crack in the corner and the other surfaces exposed brick. The drill was through the right hand side of the T.

I am having problems coming to a conclusion on this as I find it hard that a drill would cause enough vibration for this but I have not found anything to support a decision either way.

Has anyone heard of this type of thing happening and are there any references available. I have access to UK codes but have not found them particularly helpful.

 

[msquared48]

Are the walls brick, concrete, or wood? Apparently, you are talking brick for at least one.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[MiketheEngineer]

While not saying it did - hammer drill can do this kind of damage!!
Did it to my self!!

 

[ztengguy]

is the plaster a structural item? cant they patch it and say ok?

 

[csd72]

Sorry, it is brick with an internal lime or concrete plaster with a wallpaper over the top. It is a faded but very expensive wall paper. One patch would mean repapering the whole room.

Not much for a builder but these are utilities guys that do this for lots of jobs and one claim could open the floodgates. If it their fault then they will fix it but I really want to have some evidence to help me recommend one way or the other.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

You might possibly be able to save this with an Elmer's type glue holding everything place??

 

[kieran1]

Might the plaster have already been "boast" I had problems with plaster in old houses with solid masonry walls. Water/damp penetration through the soild walls and seasonal factors can cause the plaster to become boast over time. The vibrations would then cause the problems you mention. I've come across this before and was only able to mention the utilities work as a "possible cause" as you can't say for certain. In my case the company offered to pay for redecoration of my clients room.

Kieran

 

[Ron]

Older lime plasters embrittle with age. A hammer drill engaging brick, concrete or concrete masonry will cause a lot of vibration,

 

[csd72]

kieran1,

Yes that was the type of scenario that I was thinking most likely. There are signs of some moisture issues there though nothing major. Very hard to prove without destructive investigation though.

 

[csd72]

I have closed the report off with the following wording:

"There appears to be some indication of minor damp problems in the exterior of this building and this may have caused the initial weakness in the system that made it more vulnerable to vibration.

Without resorting to intrusive investigations it is very hard to draw a definitive conclusion on these cracks."

And left it at that, thanks everyone for the comments/queries.