CBS Wall Crack on Apartment Building Storge Room 1

[askey]

The Storage Shed is integral with the apartment complex that was designed and constructed in the '60s in South Florida. The wall contains a crack that runs from the lower block course to the top course under the tie beam. The crack follows the mortar joints up the wall in a zig zag fashion at a general 45-degree angle. Reviewing the plans reveals no steel/filled cells in the wall in the crack area. Any tips on how to assess structural integrity of this structure?

 

[DaveAtkins]

The kind of cracking you describe generally means settlement of the foundation. If so, the settlement issue must be addressed first. Then perhaps tuckpointing the masonry will restore its structural integrity.

DaveAtkins

 

[pmkPE]

I agree about the problem being one of settlement. Tuck pointing is a potential cosmetic remedy, if there is steel at all in the wall perhaps post tensioning the wall laterally after the point of settlement has been raised could be a possibility - there are too many unknowns at this point to give solid advice.

By the way - imagine a line drawn perpendicular to/from the 45 degree crack to the ground - this is most likely where the settlement problem begins.