Movement joint issues in major residential development

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England, United Kingdom

The construction of more than 100No houses in a major residential development encountered issues related to the provision of movement joints in masonry walls.

Changes to the brick specification led to inappropriate movement joint spacing, later requiring extensive remedial works, including saw-cutting hundreds of joints. This led to a dispute between the contractor and the designers.

I was engaged to participate in a multi-disciplinary investigation, to examine the allocation of contractual obligations and responsibilities among the architect, structural engineer and specialist subcontractor, compliance with design standards, and the appropriateness of remedial works.

The findings of this investigation served as evidence in an Adjudication.