We received notice on Wednesday of this week that the Engineer would be returning for a second on-site meeting (truly a rarity, and perhaps a signal that something unexpected needed to be tended to).
As it turns out, some significant masonry (brick) deterioration was identified in the east tower, especially in two areas:
It would appear that the cause of the deterioration is long-term exposure in a saturated condition. In other words, water has caused this damage. The affected areas are directly below the belt courses (the white bands toward the top of the towers) which both demonstrate some wide and open cracks where mortar has dried and flaked away. As a result, water has penetrated through these joints, and has saturated the brick on the interior courses, causing some of the bricks to crack.
Prior to undertaking any significant brick restoration, a series of helical ties will be installed in order to unify the masonry construction. Then each course of the brick (there are three wythes in all) will be re-built, complete with fresh mortar.
When construction projects are mobilized there are always surprises. I suppose if this is the only thing we discover, we're really lucky.
As it turns out, some significant masonry (brick) deterioration was identified in the east tower, especially in two areas:
- on the south-east corner of the tower, between the two stone belt courses, and
- the masonry arches below the lower belt course on the north and south sides of the east tower.
It would appear that the cause of the deterioration is long-term exposure in a saturated condition. In other words, water has caused this damage. The affected areas are directly below the belt courses (the white bands toward the top of the towers) which both demonstrate some wide and open cracks where mortar has dried and flaked away. As a result, water has penetrated through these joints, and has saturated the brick on the interior courses, causing some of the bricks to crack.
Prior to undertaking any significant brick restoration, a series of helical ties will be installed in order to unify the masonry construction. Then each course of the brick (there are three wythes in all) will be re-built, complete with fresh mortar.
When construction projects are mobilized there are always surprises. I suppose if this is the only thing we discover, we're really lucky.
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