In recent years we have witnessed increasing number of collapsed architectural structures that have resulted in loss of lifeand resources due to one major factor: Lack of Structural Integrity.
Structural Integrity Assessment is an approach to assess whether a structure is fit to withstand the service conditions safely and reliability throughout its predicted lifetime. Structural integrity is an engineering field that helps ensure that either a structure or structural component is fit for purpose under normal operational conditions and is safe even should conditions exceed that of the original design.
Mr. Yomi Ogunade, Project Director for Portalsrock Development Limited, a Nigerian construction company explained some causes of structural failures.
1) Poor communication between the various design professionals involved, e.g. engineers involved in conceptual design and those involved in the supervision of project execution.
(2) Poor communication between the fabricators and erectors.
(3) Bad workmanship, which is often as a result of failure to communicate the design decisions to the persons involved in executing them.
(4) Compromises in professional ethics and failure to appreciate the responsibility of the profession to the community at large.
(5) Lack of appropriate professional design and construction experience, especially when novel structures are needed.
(6) Complexity of codes and specifications leading to misinterpretation and misapplication.
(7) Inadequate preparation and project review.
(8) Poor training of field inspectors.
(9) Insufficient construction time.
One thing is constant for all of these causes, structural failures can be avoided if handled with utmost integrity.
