3 factors that cause the downfall of buildings

With so many fatal incidents involving architectural failures that have occurred over the years, the likelihood of a structure collapsing isn’t something that should be overlooked by builders, engineers, architects, developers and property owners. It is important to know and understand the reasons behind the disintegration of buildings to avoid such a thing from happening in the future.

Having said that, we will explain some of the most usual causes of building collapse in this blog post.

Structural failure

Shortfalls of buildings’ physical components are the culprits behind most architectural collapses. These can occur because of various factors such as:

• Inferior materials: When a building collapsed in northern Rwanda in 2013 (killing a total of six people), investigators found that inadequate foundations were one of the reasons behind the tragedy. In addition, a lot of buildings in Uganda are made up of counterfeit materials which lead to several issues that led to fatalities and serious injuries.

It’s crucial to ensure only authentic and high-quality building components are used.

• Poor workmanship: Workers are given the responsibility to create the concrete—and in some cases, they mix them incorrectly. Defective construction techniques can also lead to a building’s early ageing which leads to deteriorations.

Cutting costs by hiring unqualified contractors is bad as it will only make you spend more on repair expenditures.

• Design inadequacies: Having high-quality building components don’t guarantee a strong and stable structure. Why? Because construction involves a set of guidelines that need to be followed strictly. That’s why civil engineers—who work to come up with efficient structural design—are pivotal in every project.

Water-oriented damages

A lot of building materials are vulnerable to damages brought about by contact with water. In New South Wales, Australia, many commercial and industrial building owners, as well as builders, seek help from professional waterproofing companies in Sydney to ensure the constructions steer clear of such issues.

Leaks can cause concrete to corrode and steel to rust which can ultimately lead to the collapsing of the structure.

Natural calamities

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, storms, floods and tsunamis have led to the collapse of many buildings in different countries.

Japan is known for creating high-quality structures and technologies as well as being one of the best-prepared nations in the world of catastrophes. They’re one of the several countries that have experienced tremendous architectural failures because of giant tsunamis and earthquakes.

Sometimes, having a well-built building isn’t enough. So, it’s best to establish an effective evacuation plan should the time arrive.

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