TM 5-852-9/AFR 88-19, Vol. IX
b. Foundation. The integrity of the building foundation must be preserved. If the structure is on piling,
which requires a frozen foundation be preserved, no action should be taken which will tend to thaw this
foundation. Open spaces under some structures have been skirted to maintain warm floors inside the building.
This action has thawed the permafrost and caused foundation settlement and heaving. Sometimes structures
have been skirted for the summer months when outside temperatures exceed the building temperatures. In
this case, skirting should be removed when the exterior temperatures drop. If the foundation subgrade is a
free draining material, unrestricted drainage must be maintained.
c. Paint and protective coatings. Protective coatings such as paints and rust inhibitors should be
maintained to prevent structural deterioration or other adverse effects.
d. Condition of structural wood. In the dry arctic winter conditions, timbers tend to dry out, shrink, and
crack. If checking cracks run diagonally across a member, they can destroy its strength. Shrinkage can loosen
bolts and timber connectors. Methods of combating these conditions are: using clamps to force cracks shut
and prevent their extension; drilling holes at ends of cracks to intercept them; adding moisture to the
atmosphere; and reinforcing members by adding steel, plywood plates, or additional members. Bolted timber
construction should be periodically inspected, and bolted connections tightened or shimmed to maintain joint
tightness. This process reduces the possibilities of connectors becoming ineffective or members twisting.
Proper maintenance and renewal of paint systems and seal coats will reduce the timber drying hazard.
e. Protecting the floors where tracked vehicles are housed. Frequently, arctic buildings that house
tracked vehicles have certain floor areas reinforced with steel rails or plates to prevent floor damage from
the steel cleats. Vehicles with chains or metal lugs should not be operated on unarmored floor areas. If such
vehicles must be operated on unprotected floors, the floors should be planked, covered with metal plates, or
protected by some other armoring means to prevent chipping or gouging.
f. Expansion and contraction joints. Expansion and contraction joints should be periodically inspected
to ensure they are free of ice or other foreign materials which would restrict expansion and cause
unanticipated stresses.
g. Inspection for ice jacking of slabs and foundations. Periodic inspections should be made of slabs on
grade and foundations to detect jacking because of ice or settlement of foundation materials. Foundations,
walls, columns, and connections should be inspected after seismic disturbances or flooding to detect any
changed conditions. If there is any indication of damage to the structural integrity of the building, a structural
engineer should be consulted.
7-4. Mechanical. The building contractor normally furnishes equipment manuals containing descriptive
literature, parts lists, and installation, maintenance, and lubrication instructions. The following additional
information on mechanical features is needed for proper operation and maintenance:
a. Heating and ventilating. A description of the operation of heating and ventilation, air conditioning,
exhaust, and waste systems is needed. The control system or sequence should be explained, and the
importance of maintaining the system design should be stressed.
b. Operating requirements. The design criteria needed for proper system operation should be stated.
For example, how many vehicles, and of what type, is the exhaust system designed to handle? Users should
be cautioned not to warm up vehicles in areas that were not designed for that purpose.
c. Anticipating trouble from incorrect operation. An explanation of what can happen if the system is
not operated as designed should be included. For example, if the humidity is set too high, condensation will
occur and the structure will deteriorate more rapidly than if humidity is regulated correctly.
d. Flow diagrams. Flow diagrams are required to simplify explanations of the system.
e. Maintenance instructions. Additional maintenance instructions beyond those recommended by the
equipment manufacturer should be included, if required.
7-5. Electrical. Generally, electrical controls are an integral part of systems such as heating and ventilating
systems, and they should be covered in the instructions for each particular system. Equipment manuals should
be examined for accuracy and adequacy. If the manuals are not adequate to fully cover the electrical systems,
additional material should be obtained. Instructions for specific items should refer to the material in the
equipment manuals. Schematics and wiring diagrams are generally shown on the contract drawings and
should be referred to in the operating instructions. If sufficient schematics and wiring diagrams are not shown,
they should be added to the operating instructions. The system operation description should refer to
schematic control diagrams and cover each diagram in detail, describing how and why the system functions.
The instructions should explain exactly what will happen if the system is operated incorrectly. Special design
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