The Forensic expert kollegium conducts, in both judicial and pre-trial order, construction and technical expertise of the quality of completed works related to the installation of all types of foundations.
A foundation is a load-bearing structural element, a part of a building or structure that carries all loads from the overlying structures and distributes them to the ground. The durability and safety of a building or structure directly depend on the proper condition of its foundation. During long-term operation, as well as as a result of errors made during design and construction, foundations may develop deformations, cracks, and other signs of deterioration. An unsatisfactory foundation condition may lead to an emergency condition and, in particularly severe cases, to the collapse of the building or structure.
The specialists of the Forensic expert kollegium conduct expertise of the following types of foundations:
- foundation concrete blocks;
- concrete foundations;
- monolithic reinforced concrete foundations;
- slab foundations.
During this expertise, the experts examine the following parameters:
1. Determination of the quality of foundation concrete building blocks:
- use of materials complying with applicable standards;
- identification of deviations from the design layout axes;
- deviation from horizontality, verticality, and straightness (flatness) of the constructed foundation;
- difference in level between adjacent blocks;
- presence of horizontal and vertical waterproofing;
- actual appearance of the constructed surface (presence of cracks, chips, cavities, and honeycombing);
- determination of the size and thickness of joints between blocks.
2. Determination of the surface quality and appearance of monolithic, concrete, and reinforced concrete foundations:
- determination of the surface class;
- determination of the actual surface appearance (presence of honeycombing, formwork panel and formwork element imprints, exposed reinforcement spacers in the lower zone, exposed plastic fastening elements, build-ups, projections, and depressions).
3. Determination of the quality of foundations made of reinforced concrete floor slabs:
- measurement of the level difference at slab joints;
- sealing of joints between slabs;
- actual appearance of the slab surface from the wall side (presence of honeycombing, chips, areas with exposed reinforcement, and areas with delamination of the protective layer).
Violations of the requirements applicable to these parameters shall be considered defects in foundation installation.
Based on the analysis of expert practice, it can be noted that most foundation defects are of a production nature, caused by violations of the requirements of technical normative legal acts and design documentation.
Foundation inspections may be carried out during construction, as well as during reconstruction or major renovation of a building. Foundation expertise at the Forensic expert kollegium is performed through visual inspection of the object, as well as the necessary control measurements and surveys, with the results recorded on site. The measuring instruments and auxiliary equipment used during the inspection undergo periodic state verification (calibration) in accordance with the established procedure.
The following questions are submitted for resolution within foundation expertise:
- Determine the quality of the construction of the foundation (basement walls) of a residential building.
- Determine the factors that caused the identified defects.
- If poor-quality work and non-conformities are identified, determine the cost of the repair works required to eliminate them.
You can consult on expertise of the quality of completed works related to the installation of foundations at the Forensic expert kollegium at: Minsk, Zhukovskogo st., 11 A, 4th floor
or by phone +375 (17) 317 04 71; +375 (17) 317 04 72; +375 (17) 317 04 73; +375 (17) 317 04 74; +375 (17) 317 04 76; +375 (29) 109 60 11; +375 (44) 588 60 11