The top causes of structural failure

As he has made observations in his many years of overseeing building projects, Reddy Kancharla has been quite exposed to the biggest problems that make structures fail. In this blog post, he details the top causes of structural failure.

Faulty design

Image source: bestructural.com

Engineering is always a result of a harmonious, cooperative effort among teams with unique specialties and contributions. Great engineers ensure that the actual plans make sense and that they are doable. Sometimes, building design is flawed, to begin with, when the planning stage shows irregularities in the specifications. To eliminate faults in the design, engineers challenge each other’s designs and put them through various scrutinies so that execution is nearly flawless, notes Reddy Kancharla.

Sub-standard materials

Certain standards are followed in construction, and this can boil down to the gradient of materials used, the sizes of screws, and even the type of metal and concrete components needed to create a structure that lasts. If the final product fails and it is discovered that any bit of material used does not follow the minimum standard specs, there are certainly going to be liabilities.

Image source: destinyrestored.org

Useful life

Any building construction has a natural tendency to degrade over time. Like any material, this has a useful life, clearly determined as early as the project’s planning stage. However, with age, a structure wears down. Mainly, this is due to the weather and years upon years of use, among other various factors. For this reason, old buildings eventually have to be scheduled for implosion at some point.

Reddy Kancharla has a master's degree in civil engineering and more than 25 years of experience in civil construction, construction QA/QC, and geotechnical consultation. For more related blogs, visit this page.

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.

Image source: usgs.gov

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.

Image source: wordpress.com

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.