AN INVESTIGATION TOWARDS CRACKS IN SELECTED RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN SAKI WEST LOCAL GOVERNMENT, OYO STATE

Abstract

Cracks on walls are serious defects in building structures and strong agents of building collapse. Therefore, prevention must be taken from the initial stage of building construction. This work examined, and investigate the strategies for controlling building cracks in selected residential buildings in Saki-West Local Government with a view to reduce the impact of cracks on buildings. While the specific objectives are to identify the symptoms/signs of cracks in buildings, examine the factors that contribute to the causes of cracks in residential buildings and proffer ways of minimizing or reducing the cracks in residential buildings in Saki-West Local Government. The researcher used Yaro formula to get the number of questionnaires to be distributed to the professionals in the study Area. Registered Professional data were collected from the Ministry of work and transport and professional bodies in Oyo State. The study population of the area is 160 but, purposive sampling was adopted to distribute (80) questionnaires based on-going projects works in the study Area. Descriptive and inferential statistic were used, index and ranking method were adopted to find the relationship between the variables obtained. Findings revealed that uneven settlement of foundation first with the mean score of 4.87. Creep was rated second with the mean score of 4.80 while chemical reaction was rate third with mean score of 4.79. With these symptoms of cracks rankings, it implies that the bearing capacity of the soil is too low to carry heavy loads due to any of the following factors non – uniformity nature of the sub – soil, unequal load distribution of the soil strata and eccentric loads. Once any of the building components loses stress, the result of it is cracking. Recommendations were made that use of concrete with low shrinkage and slump should be given adequate priority while constructing foundation of building, blocks containing too much of soluble sulpahtes should be avoided for use and construction professionals should carefully select materials of small moisture movement for use in building structures.