ASTM E2841-11
(Guide)Standard Guide for Conducting Inspections of Building Facades for Unsafe Conditions
Standard Guide for Conducting Inspections of Building Facades for Unsafe Conditions
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
This guide is intended to provide building professionals with a methodology for conducting periodic condition assessments of building facades, for the purpose of determining if conditions exist in the subject facades that represent hazards to persons or property. It addresses the performance expectations and service history of a facade, the various components of a facade, and the interaction between these components and adjacent construction to provide a stable and reliable enclosure system. This guide was written as a parallel document to Practice E2270. Practice E2270 is written in the imperative form as a Standard Practice and is designed for adoption by specifying authorities. This guide is intended as a dissemination of explicit knowledge gained from experience of conducting periodic facade inspections. Implicit in this guide are general facade inspection techniques that have been tailored for periodic inspections. These tips and techniques are shared to provide a comprehensive template from which a facade inspection program can be tailored.
QualificationsUse of this guide requires knowledge of basic physics, construction and building exterior wall design principles and practices.
ApplicationThe sequential activities described herein are intended to produce a complete and comprehensive evaluation program, but all activities may not be applicable or necessary for a particular evaluation program. It is the responsibility of the professional using this guide to determine the activities and sequence necessary to perform an appropriate condition assessment for a specific building properly.
Preliminary AssessmentA preliminary assessment may indicate that localized conditions in a wall system exist which are limited to a specific element or portion of a wall. The evaluation of causes may likewise be limited in scope, and the procedures recommended herein abridged according to the professional judgment of the investigator. A statement stipulating the limits of th...
SCOPE
1.1 This guide is intended to establish procedures and methodologies for conducting inspections of building facades including those that meet inspection criteria for compliance with Practice E2270. For the purposes outlined in this guide, unsafe conditions are hazards which could result from loss of facade materials.
1.2 Investigative techniques discussed may be intrusive, disruptive or destructive. It is the responsibility of the investigator to establish the limitations of use, to anticipate and advise of the destructive nature of some procedures, and to plan for patching and selective reconstruction as necessary.
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
1.4 This standard may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment. This standard does not purport to address all of the safety problems associated with its use. Establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. Awareness of safety and familiarity with safe procedures are particularly important for aboveground operations on the exterior of a building and destructive investigative procedures that typically are associated with the work described in this standard.
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Designation: E2841 − 11
Standard Guide for
Conducting Inspections of Building Facades for Unsafe
1
Conditions
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2841; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
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1. Scope 2.2 SEI/ASCE Standards:
SEI/ASCE 7 Minimum Design Loads for Building and
1.1 This guide is intended to establish procedures and
Other Structures
methodologies for conducting inspections of building facades
SEI/ASCE 37 Design Loads on Structures During Construc-
including those that meet inspection criteria for compliance
tion
with Practice E2270. For the purposes outlined in this guide,
unsafe conditions are hazards which could result from loss of
3. Terminology
facade materials.
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of general terms, refer to
1.2 Investigative techniques discussed may be intrusive,
Terminology E631.
disruptive or destructive. It is the responsibility of the investi-
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
gatortoestablishthelimitationsofuse,toanticipateandadvise
3.2.1 facade—a wall system including its exterior and
of the destructive nature of some procedures, and to plan for
interior components, fenestration, structural components, and
patching and selective reconstruction as necessary.
components for maintaining the building interior environment
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded (also called building facade).
as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
3.2.2 sheds:
standard.
3.2.2.1 sidewalk shed—a shed erected along a sidewalk to
1.4 This standard may involve hazardous materials, protection pedestrians from overhead construction.
operations, and equipment. This standard does not purport to
3.2.2.2 light-duty shed—a sidewalk shed designed to sup-
address all of the safety problems associated with its use.
portalive-loadof150psfandassuchnotintendedformaterial
Establish appropriate safety and health practices and deter-
or debris storage.
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
3.2.2.3 heavy-duty shed—a sidewalk shed designed to sup-
Awareness of safety and familiarity with safe procedures are
port a live-load of 300 psf and may be used for the storage of
particularly important for aboveground operations on the
material or debris subject to weight limitations.
exterior of a building and destructive investigative procedures
that typically are associated with the work described in this
4. Significance and Use
standard.
4.1 This guide is intended to provide building professionals
with a methodology for conducting periodic condition assess-
2. Referenced Documents
ments of building facades, for the purpose of determining if
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2.1 ASTM Standards:
conditions exist in the subject facades that represent hazards to
E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
persons or property. It addresses the performance expectations
E2270 Practice for Periodic Inspection of Building Facades
and service history of a facade, the various components of a
for Unsafe Conditions
facade, and the interaction between these components and
E2505 Practice for Industrial Rope Access
adjacent construction to provide a stable and reliable enclosure
system. This guide was written as a parallel document to
Practice E2270. Practice E2270 is written in the imperative
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This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Performance
form as a Standard Practice and is designed for adoption by
of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.55 on Exterior
specifying authorities. This guide is intended as a dissemina-
Building Wall Systems.
tion of explicit knowledge gained from experience of conduct-
Current edition approved Dec. 1, 2011. Published January 2012. DOI: 10.1520/
E2841-11.
ing periodic facade inspections. Implicit in this guide are
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For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
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Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), 1801 Alexander
the ASTM website. Bell Dr., Reston, VA 20191, http://www.asce.org.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
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E2841 − 11
generalfacadeinspectiontechniquesthathavebeentailoredfor material and system specific considerations. The sequence of
periodic inspections. These tips and techniques are shared to activities is intended to lead to an a
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