DIAGNOSING TIMBER DEFECTS IN TRADITIONAL MALAY HOUSE: A CASE STUDY OF RUMAH KUTAI KAMPUNG SELAT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21837/pm.v23i38.1856Keywords:
Timber Traditional House, Rumah Kutai, Defects, LearnedAbstract
Timber traditional houses can bring a significant image of the Malaysian built environment heritage. Indeed, it is one of the most valuable treasures that must be sustained for future global reference. The building owners and professionals are responsible for ensuring that these assets are in good condition and safe for its occupants. However, the occurrence of defects contributes to significant cost overrun. There are limited studies undertaken on diagnosing the nature of timber defects for traditional timber houses. Thus, it is crucial to systematically track and record these defects. This paper aims to identify the nature of timber defects that occurred in Rumah Kutai Kampung Selat. This house was selected due to its unique Perak traditional architecture. Three research objectives were established: (i) to identify the types of timber defects, (ii) to determine the causes of the defects, and (iii) to analyse the overall building condition rating. A qualitative research approach was adopted. The building inspection was carried out to record only architectural and structural defects. These defects were recorded in the conditional survey form via visual inspection and survey tools. The data were analysed using frequency analysis to measure the frequency of the defects manifested. In addition, the condition of the property was also evaluated using the Building Assessment Rating System. The findings revealed that there are 30 of these defects, primarily related to weather conditions, insect attack, and wear and tear. With a proper methodology adopted in studying defects, there is much to be learned to provide insights to the owner/caretaker in planning to repair and sustain their houses.
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