Friday, 10 January 2020

Common causes of structural failure and how they can be prevented

As a civil engineer, one of Reddy Kancharla’s biggest fears is structural failure. In fact, he believes it to be one of the biggest fears of many engineers all over the world.
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On that note, Reddy Kancharla explores a few structural failures, their causes, and how they can be prevented.

When buildings collapse, there are normally a number of culprits, which include a lack of stability, faulty construction of beams and walls, as well as inadequate rods used for columns. To prevent this catastrophic structural mishap, engineers and construction teams should stick to the standard construction requirements. They may also connect any other parts to the main structure.

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As for footbridges, they can be compromised when the welding itself is found to be defective. These structures, made of trusses, cross girders, and RCC slabs, may buckle under extreme load. Reddy Kancharla notes that for a footbridge to be safe and reliable, structural steel fabrication is necessary.

However, Reddy Kancharla also says that one of the most tragic structural failures happens with residential buildings. Oftentimes, when a residential building collapses, it’s due to their being built on weak foundations. One of the best ways to prevent this is to have it checked and re-checked by geotechnical engineers to ensure that the ground is safe, and that contractors and engineers spend a lot of time planning the foundation.

Reddy Kancharla has more than 25 years of experience in projects involving civil construction, geotechnical consultation, and construction QA/QC, including 10 years of senior management experience. For similar reads, visit this page.