The Building Informatics Approach to Modelling Construction Quality Assurance Parameters to Prevent Structural Collapse of Building
Corresponding email: lekan.amusan@covenantuniversity.edu.ng
Published at : 25 Apr 2019
Volume : IJtech
Vol 10, No 2 (2019)
DOI : https://doi.org/10.14716/ijtech.v10i2.1175
Lekan, A., Samuel, O., Faith, O., Ladi, A., Adegbenjo, A., Peter, N.J., 2019. The Building Informatics Approach to Modelling Construction Quality Assurance Parameters to Prevent Structural Collapse of Building. International Journal of Technology. Volume 10(2), pp. 386-393
| Amusan Lekan | Building Technology Department, Covenant University.PMB 1023 Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Osinowo Samuel | Building Technology Department, Covenant University.PMB 1023 Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Osawaru Faith | Building Technology Department, Covenant University.PMB 1023 Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Awotinde Ladi | Building Technology Department, Covenant University.PMB 1023 Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria |
| Adelakun Adegbenjo | Building Technology Department, Osun State Polytechnic, Osun State, Nigeria |
| Nkolika J Peter | Building Technology Department, Covenant University.PMB 1023 Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria |
Building collapses have become
a global phenomenon and continue to occur unabated, with properties and lives
being lost on a daily basis all over the world.
This study addresses important issues that have been identified to be
the major causes of the problem of building collapses. The study aims to
develop parameters that could be used to assure quality processes in building
construction using building informatics, with the intention to prevent building
structure collapse on construction sites.
In order to achieve this, a random survey technique was used based on
the purposive method, in the form of a structured questionnaire distributed to
100 respondents. 100 structured questionnaires, designed using a Likert scale
from 1 to 5, were employed in the data collection. The random sampling
technique was used for the sample selection. The data collected were analysed
using a relative agreement index and subjected to factor rotation, from which
factors with high eigenvalues were extracted and used to create a model aimed
at supplying information on building collapse prevention. The study reveals
that the construction industry is filled with many unqualified personnel, poor
supervision; non-compliance with designs (i.e. a structural issue) as a result
of the addition of under designed or over designed components which can cause
excessive loading; lack of regard for environmental issues; inappropriate
planning of construction activities; poor maintenance; and, most importantly,
the use of inferior materials in other to save costs, All these issues affect
the construction industry and contribute to building failure.
Business entity; Collapse; Government; Information; Intervention; Model
Buildings
are the most critical factor for the survival, shelter and wellbeing of people,
and for the social, economic, cultural and environmental milieu in which most
human activities are undertaken. However, there have been innumerable cases of
building collapses, whose history could be traced back to the time of the
building of the Tower of Babel, which collapsed on account of God. Various
antecedents in the Babylonian Kingdom after this incident led to the
promulgation of building regulations in 14BC by King Hammurabbi, an Emperor in
the kingdom. According to Akinpelu (2002), buildings can be defined as
permanent or temporary structures enclosed within exterior walls and a roof,
and including all their attached equipment and fixtures that cannot be removed
without cutting into the ceiling floors or walls (Agwu, 2014; Amusan et al., 2018).
Building information is a system which provides information, as well as knowledge and data, that can be derived from data which represent values and are attributed to parameters, and knowledge which signifies understanding in the field of building construction, maintenance and use. It also contributes to residential construction training and consultation programs that use a building science-based systems approach to help clients build better buildings which are safe, durable, healthy, comfortable and efficient, and which are better for the environment and the economy. According to Douglas (2002) the intervention approach involves using selected strategies to direct the process of intervention, based on the desired outcomes, data evaluation and evidence, which can serve to promote health, establish or restore skills and functions, maintain the existing status, introducing compensation strategies or methods.
Building collapse can simply be defined as a total or partial/progressive failure of one or more components of a building, leading to the inability to perform its principal functions of comfort, satisfaction, safety and stability. Building collapse occurs due to two major reasons: the cosmetic/additional reason, which is the addition of elements which were not formally planned for, thereby preventing the structure from being able to support these added components; and the structural or subtraction reason, which includes reductions in or omission of constituents in the structure, thereby making it unable to fulfil its appropriate functions or to be structurally instable (Oloyede et al., 2010). This study is designed to analyze the various causes of building collapse, which have been proven to be the result of departures from the “as built”/expected state to an inferior one, leading to tragic situations and providing an explanatory approach with various preventive measures to prevent continuing occurrence of building collapse in Nigeria. For example, an alarming number of 130 building collapses with a death toll of 250 people took place between 1999 and 2009 in Lagos alone.
From the
analysis presented in the study, it has been established that professional qualification
can lead to better performance on project sites, and that for professionals to
be effective in preventing building collapse, minimum professional requirements
are necessary; for example, a diploma in a construction-related discipline.
Moreover, to ascertain material quality, non-destructive testing of construction
components can be used to ensure the required quality and for improvements to
be made. Similarly, excessive changes in the use of buildings could result in a
reduction in the strength and stability of a structure, and therefore adding
more structural components to cater for changes in use could help to prevent
structural failures. The model presented could assist in safeguarding against
building collapse if used during construction work with regard to issues that
relate to the determination of the quality of materials, construction design
and operation processes.
The author is grateful to the
management of Covenant University for the sponsorship of this publication and
for financial and moral support.
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