Structural engineer in Chiang Mai area?

[trevoromgh]

Unfortunately a rather large crack has appeared in an external wall in my house and has spread and widened quite dramatically over the last few months.  I have looked back at photographs of when the house was being built 3 years ago and can see the walls affected are made from a white breeze block type material but quite narrow about 4" wide.  Luckily the photos seem to show these walls are not supporting the roof but the ceiling no doubt is hung off it so a proper mess would happen if the wall collapsed.

 

Can anyone suggest a builder or structural engineer they have used in the CM area please as it won't be long before I see daylight through these darn cracks and they need bracing ASAP I think.

 

Many thanks

[jonwilly]

I am not a Structural Engineer.

As I understand Building matters in Thailand, the streanght of Thai houses is in the Pillars, the posts that are build and then the walls are just filled in.

I looked at building my own house on an occasion. A Draughtsman/Architect drew up the plans which where then approved by an engineer at the Ampure. I could have and did plan to move some of the walls but under no circumstances could I move the support Pillars/Posts without an engineer resubmitting the new plans to Amphure.

 

john

[Dante99]

8 minutes ago, trevoromgh said:

but the ceiling no doubt is hung off it so a proper mess would happen if the wall collapsed.

Ceilings are most often hung from wires connected to the roof framing but they are connected to the walls at the edges of course.

 

If it is unlikely that the cracks are because of shrinkage in the wall materials, they are likely to be due to shifts in the structural elements the wall materials are attached to.  So you will need to confirm the integrity of those, not just patch cracks.

 

Builders often avoid problems like this because small gain and large downside.  

 

I got good structural engineering help by contacting the head of the Civil Engineering Department at CMU.  If you are near Mae Joe, you might check with the University there,  I recall hearing that they taught some Engineering but not sure.

 

 

[northsouthdevide]

As johnwilly stated, walls very rarely support anything here in Thailand. The structure of your house, be it 1 or 2 storey, should be supported by reinforced concrete posts, usually prefab for 1 storey. 

Is the crack vertical? 

Is it above a window or a door? 

Settlement is common in buildings , but is more common, and extreme if the posts aren't layed properly, or if are layed too soon when land is made higher. 

You will need to ask more than one decent local builder to look at it before deciding what steps to take, 

Sorry I can't recommend one as I'm not from up them ways. 

[Dante99]

23 minutes ago, jonwilly said:

I am not a Structural Engineer.

As I understand Building matters in Thailand, the streanght of Thai houses is in the Pillars, the posts that are build and then the walls are just filled in.

I looked at building my own house on an occasion. A Draughtsman/Architect drew up the plans which where then approved by an engineer at the Ampure. I could have and did plan to move some of the walls but under no circumstances could I move the support Pillars/Posts without an engineer resubmitting the new plans to Amphure.

 

john

It is post and beam.  Posts are vertical and beams horizontal.  Beams in foundation, mid-wall and top of wall are common.  

[trevoromgh]

Thanks very much for all your advice guys.  Yes it's my belief the roof won't fall down because it's supported by re-enforced concrete pillars but the wall and ceiling collapsing would make quite a mess on its own as they are high ceilings and cracks which are diagonal across the two walls are about half way up so carry a fair bit of weight.  There are no doors involved but a picture window is at the end of one of the cracks so needs to be supported whilst repairs are made. 

 

I did wonder whether perhaps last years earthquake may have been the cause but then I'd expect more cracks elsewhere if that was the case unless it was a weak spot.