Building Pathology

Catalog description

This course addresses the deterioration of buildings—their materials, assemblies, and systems—with emphasis on mechanisms of deterioration, enabling factors, material durability, and functional longevity. Construction details and assemblies are analyzed for existing and potential deterioration pathologies and their impact on function and performance. Lectures cover: concepts in durability; building environment and microclimate; psychrometrics; soils and soil moisture; physics of moisture in buildings; systems thinking; wall and roof systems; structural systems; building services systems; introduction to hazardous materials and non-destructive evaluation; and diagnostic thinking. Students with with BArch or BEngr degrees, including ARCH majors may waive the HSPV 5510 prerequisite. Email the HSPV Department for a permit.