Study of damage distribution and intensity in regions of the facade

Abstract

The ceramic coating systems applied to building facades have relevant aesthetic value and protection functions. The architectural and environmental conditions can greatly influence the degradation process of the facades, which may pose risks and compromise the durability and service life of the building and its components. The degradation process of facades changes according to the region where it takes place. To this end, the present study aims to determine damage intensity and distribution in the different regions of the facade. This study investigated the facades of three buildings that are part of the Materials Testing Laboratory (LEM) database of the Universidade de Brasilia. The degradation was quantified using a methodology proposed by Silva (2014) to generate a degradation index expressed in m2. After the quantification of damages, few indexes associated with the percentage of degraded area, applied to the facade regions, are presented. These weighted indexes allowed to standardize the values observed in each region. Obtaining these indices is fundamental to the study of degradation. The results show that for a comparative analysis between the regions, the observed values should be corrected for the proportionality of the area of each region in relation to the total area of the facade. It was also noted that the continuous walls are the most affected regions, but they do not always present the highest damage intensity.