Water permeation through cracked single skin masonry

Single skin masonry is an important form of wall construction and if it contains small cracks, moisture can permeate from the outside to the inside of the wall. An experimental study of water seepage through small cracks in masonry has been undertaken that focuses on the influence on the seepage rate of various geometric and environmental parameters, including rainfall intensity, wind speed, crack width and crack orientation. The experimental program embraces four simulated rainfall intensities, five wind speeds, three crack widths and crack orientations in the horizontal and vertical directions. Experimental results suggest that increases in the rainfall intensity, the wind speed and the crack width all lead to increased seepage. Thresholds are identified for these environmental conditions, beyond which the seepage rate does not significantly increase.