Performance of External Tiled-Wall Systems under Tropical Weathering

Abstract

Concern about whether the tiling materials primarily developed in temperate countries would be durable enough under Singapore's tropical climate was raised after a series of falling-tile incidences. The Singapore building authority responded by launching a research project to review and investigate the entire process of external wall tiling. As part of this effort, a series of layered composite specimens were designed and fabricated by fixing different tiles on concrete slabs with various fixatives. These specimens were subjected to accelerated weathering tests after curing, then tested destructively with chosen yardsticks of pull-off and shear-off strengths, together with the critical displacement corresponding to the commencement of the tile's break off. The findings of these tests confirm that the materials and application methods, when followed according to specification, do not intrinsically cause the falling-tile problem, and the tropical climate of Singapore is also not particularly destructive to them.