Framework for building defects and their identification technologies: case studies of domestic buildings in Melbourne, Australia

The construction industry is one of the largest contributors to the economic development of a country, but dealing with major challenges such as building. Defects can affect project cost, duration and stakeholders’ relationships. Thus, to reduce the adverse effects, identification of defects in the early stages of the construction is essential. To identify the most prevalent defects, this paper used the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) database as the main source of data. Five cases from VCAT database were chosen and the most frequently observed defects were considered for further study. Accordingly, installation errors in pipes, water damages, plumbing defects, internal water leakages and wall cracking were some of the common defects observed in the selected case studies. A Defects Identification and Analysis Framework (DIAF) is then proposed by mapping the defects with causes and identification technologies like the ASDMCon (Advanced Sensory Based Defect Management at Construction Sites), BIM-based Defect Management (BIMDM), Electric-Type Geophysical and Infrared Thermography. The proposed framework can help construction managers or quality managers to mitigate building defects by adopting appropriate measures. This study contributes to the knowledge of developing a framework which can be used to identify and analyse defects in buildings.