Tall / Old Brick Chimneys

[RFreund]

We were asked to do a condition assessment on an old, tall brick chimney (cylindrical in shape and I don't have the specifics right now). This is really only a condition assessment but does anyone have any information on how these would have been designed/built. Any tips for inspection?

Thanks in advance!

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com

 

[JAE]

Try this!!! Pretty cool old book.

http://www.archive.org/stream/tallchimneyconst00banciala#page/n0/mode/2up

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[SlideRuleEra]

... and here is a "newer" book, too (1899). In the Preface it mentions JAE's 1885 link as an authoritative source:

Chimney Design and Theory

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[RFreund]

Thanks guys!

EIT

http://www.HowToEngineer.com

 

[oldestguy]

I've done some jobs where the caulking and masonry repairs of muilti storied buildings are involved. For areas where direct close visual access can't be done (easily)I used a high powered spotting scope (as for target practice) mounted on a tripod.

 

[OldBldgGuy]

The day of the drone is here. A camera on a drone is the next best thing to being there because you can look in different directions from almost as close as you can get, as opposed to our oldfashioned spotting scope or binoculars. No, I don't have one & can't operate one but a masonry specialist that I work with got into it just before they became the fashionable toy, and he set up a business to do inspections. His son is an amazing pilot! We're in Southern Ontario but he works across Canada.

 

[UtahAggiePE]

One thing to look for is if the mortar is crumbling and falling apart in an old structure like that.