GERALD R. GENGE
ABSTRACT
The assessment of the needs for repair of masonry requires that the operational and financial needs of the owners of the building be addressed in addition to the technical
requirements to address the distress. This paper presents a system for organizing the thought process for investigation of the causes of deterioration. The fault tree system
presented illustrates a root-cause assessment plan for investigators so that they may develop logical plans for repair.
Repairs must not only consider the technical issues but also the owner’s financial and operational concerns. Cash flow and property value, future maintenance and aesthetics all must play a part in the decisions for repair. Three cases are presented to illustrate examples of the proper determination of root cause and the selection of repair alternatives.
F-22
