Crack development in an old church building due to clay shrink-swell

Cracking is a common occurrence in any building. Where they occur in historic buildings, however, they present a greater concern due to the structure’s cultural significance. A common reason for cracking is the ground movement beneath foundations as a result of shrinkswell in clay subsoils. In this paper, we present a shrink-swell case that is causing the progressive movement and cracking of a centuries-old church, the Massenheim Evangelical Church in Hessen, Germany. Results of field and laboratory investigations reveal a layer of very highly expansive clay. The upper part of this layer appears to be within the active zone, and therefore subject to volume change with seasonal fluctuations in water content. The development of cracks with time is aligned with the prevailing climatic conditions during the observation period. A possible mitigation measure is the use of micropiles that bypass that part of the layer that lies within the active zone.