Top 15 Causes of Building Collapse in Nigeria
Building collapse can be as a result of any number of reasons. Some are man-made reasons while others are natural in nature. Usually, we can do a lot to prevent our buildings from collapsing, especially when it is as a result of an artificial factor. However, natural disasters like the earthquake, tsunami, floods and the likes can not be stopped, some of them can be controlled.
Luckily for us in Nigeria, we are not burdened with so many natural disasters, hence, most of our building collapse are as a result of human errors and negligence. This article would be talking about the various reasons for building collapse in Nigeria. Information Guide Nigeria
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1. Bearing Capacity of the Soil
Every structure sits on the soil, the ability of the soil to hold a building is very important. There are some soft soils that cannot withstand the weight of a building, therefore if a building is placed on them, the soil might give in and the building might collapse. It is important to dig deeper to get your building well seated on the ground to avoid such.
2. Soil Liquidation
Liquid is simply water. Too much water in the soil of a building can cause it to collapse. At times an area could be a water log before a building is constructed on it. It is important to fill up the waterlogged area very well. Another scenario would be as a result of flood, the water going into the earth surrounding your building can weaken the structure and lead to an eventual collapse.
3. Bad Foundation
Just like almost everything in life, the strength of the foundation makes the strength of the building. It has been said that the price of a foundation could cost almost half of the entire building price. The foundation is the most important structure of a building. If a foundation is weak, it can cause a building to collapse. A solid foundation is required to carry a building as high as you want. Causes of Building Collapse
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4. Inferior Building Materials
The materials are the components that make up the buildings. The steel, blocks, rods, cement. Interior or counterfeit materials can result in a weak structure that would collapse over time. The blocks can start to wear off, the pullers are made of rods, granite, and cement, if these are all bad, it would definitely make the building collapse in a couple of years.
5. Unprofessional or Bad workers
At times a contractor can do it for greed. They could be provided with enough funds and they would still hire semi-professionals that would mix the good materials wrongly, or steal some of the materials. Usually, they try to cut costs so they can make some gains and they end up getting unprofessional to work on the buildings. EPL Results and Key Statistics
6. Structural Design
A good building should be well mapped out and drawn out. A bad design can lead to the collapse of a building. When a contraction builds an unrealistic design, it can cause the building to collapse. The upper storeys shouldn’t be heavier than the lower ones. All these should be drawn out and labeled. Two Contestants Join The Gulder Ultimate Search
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7. Error in Construction
Mistake is a normal thing that happens to everyone, however, a mistake in the construction of a building can possibly lead to the collapse of the building. A bad call in the kind of materials or texture can lead to structural failures that can be catastrophic for the building in the future.
8. Corrosion of Reinforcement
The pullers and steels are the supporting strength of a building and once they start getting bad, the building starts to loose its strength. Some of these reinforcement corrosions can be fixed. However, ignoring them can lead to weakening the building and the eventual collapse.
9. Too Much Load
Like I said earlier, the building is as strong as the foundation. Even a good foundation has the number of storeys it can take, once the storeys are too much for the foundation to handle, it can make it collapse. Changing the initial use can increase the weight of a building. For instance, a building initially created for residents is then converted Into an office with a lot more people, with files and cabinets. We should always b mindful of the loads. Npower recruitment
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10. Non-Tested Building
It is unlawful to build a structure without testing it. Testing a building gives you an idea of the use of the building. The number of people that can occupy the building. The kind of properties to put in the building in order not to threaten the structural integrity of the building.
11. Maintenance of Building
It is very important to take good care of your buildings. Overtime, a building would get worn, rain would fall and that can weaken the structure. Over-stretching a building can make it worn and it is important to maintain it. Re-plaster the building, paint it, all these would reignite the life of the building and prevent it from collapsing. dollar to naira rate
12. Condemned Buildings
Just like anything else, buildings can die, especially if they are very old. They are made of blocks and steel and cement. All these can get worn out and deteriorate. It usually takes a lot of time. So many buildings in Lagos Island have been for a very long time and the government have marked them as unsafe to live in, yet people stay in them. These buildings don’t even have enough strength to stand on their own, yet people are putting more load on them. It can result in the collapse of the building. WAEC result
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13. Fire Disaster
This is one disastrous event that pulls down everything in its part. A big fire would burn down a building from the roof and through its walls. The steals would melt and the pillars would fall. Fire is a very destructive episode that even a building with a good foundation and superior materials can’t withstand. JAMB form
14. Storm and Floods
Although it is very unlikely for the wind to result in the collapse of a building, it can weaken it. The flood, however, has caused a lot of damages in the past years in Nigeria. A great flood can collapse a building and take its parts with it. People leaving in riverine areas can attest to this fact.
15. Landslides and Minor Earthquakes
Although Nigeria almost never experience earthquakes, there have been some minor events in the past, the most recent being in 2006. However, the landslide is a serious event in Nigeria. Rocks and sands wash off a hill or mountain and they have led to the collapse of so many buildings living around these areas. JAMB Result
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