Garage Roof Level Assessment and Waterproofing Study
Investigative resolution support
Project Facts
| Location | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Owner | University of Kansas Medical Center |
Overview
When a newly constructed building faces early failures, it’s crucial to promptly identify the issues and gather evidence to determine the responsible party and the best remedial actions. After Parking Garage P5 experienced roof leaks just two years into service, the University of Kansas Medical Center sought our team’s assistance with investigating what went wrong. Our thorough assessment not only pinpointed the leak source but also meticulously documented evidence of sub-standard workmanship. This enabled our client to engage in informed discussions with the contractor to implement effective solutions.
Services
About the Project
Parking garage P5 is a six-level, precast concrete parking garage built in 2017 on the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) campus. After two years in service, the garage remained in good condition overall but the roof level began experiencing leaks.
Our team assessed the leak condition and provided opinion for the cause of the premature water intrusion. We performed an onsite assessment during a rain event to understand the nature and location of the reported leaks. We discovered the leaks were mainly sourced near joint sealants and cove sealants on the roof level. The roof-level joint sealant profile did not conform to parking garage industry standards, leading to premature failure. Similarly, we noticed poor workmanship in the cove sealants that caused premature leaking as well.
We reviewed construction documents provided to us by KUMC, discovering that the faulty joint profile was not included in the construction documents. Our final report to KUMC sparked a discussion with the design team and the contractor to rectify the observed premature joint sealant failures.
