Built structures, such as houses and buildings, are seen as permanent. Construction is probably the most expensive process that people undertake, and a project can be extremely high-priced, and also very influential in the community that it is local to. The time-frame of such projects is also exceptional, sometimes estimated in years. So, problems in their construction or design need to be comprehensively investigated in order to ascertain the cause. This is why construction deficiency investigations are performed.
Despite the massive costs involved in large construction projects, and despite their important nature, sometimes disasters do happen. Buildings collapse or structures partially fail. This is, of course, hazardous to their users and residents. Other issues, such as inoperative electric installations, are also sometimes encountered. At such times, the investigation into what went wrong needs to take into account some critical items.
As a primary administrative matter, they need to investigate whether the project in its commencement stage was ever inspected or approved by the local building authority. Were the final plans submitted to the authorities? And if they were indeed submitted, was the latter's approval forthcoming? Then again, in the case of approved plans, did the contractor actually stay with what the authorities approved, or did they attempt to alter or adapt the plans according to their own specification? Absent approval is a very serious problem, because the authorities can, in extreme situations, order that the offending work be entirely demolished.
Furthermore, the building of unapproved plans, or even structures which never had plans, is illegal and can be punished by law. A fine is usually the penalty, but where the illegal work has collapsed or caused other problems, the criminal sanction might be more severe because the contractor did not seek legal permission to commence.
The building regulations passed by the local authority are not to be ignored, either. They are law and ignoring them is a crime. The attitude that building regulations are just there to preserve out-dated styles and heritage or because the residents of a particular town have a particular taste is mistaken. Most of the regulations are concerned purely with safety and disregarding them can place the structure and its users at risk.
Another aspect of construction is the nature of the materials in the structure. An untrained person cannot adjudge this issue properly. The contractor needs to be able to decide what materials they are going to use for which parts of the project. Concrete is one example. Is the quantity of concrete suitable for the structure's nature? Are the foundations deep enough to support the structure? Is metal reinforcement required in the concrete itself? These might sound like impossible engineering issues to some, but they are standard calculations for construction contractors. If the contractor cannot answer them, they need to be investigated further.
The qualifications of the workers are another issue that needs attention. If unqualified workers were employed on the site, this is something that the investigator(s) should look at. The authorities might assume an unfavorable opinion of a project that employed unqualified workers, even if they were experienced.
All of these issues need to be resolved by the investigator(s), in addition to the technical questions about the disaster. Sometimes, it is obvious to all parties involved how the structure failed, but the reason behind the incorrect building work or deficient materials is what the authorities, and society at large, are more interested in.
Despite the massive costs involved in large construction projects, and despite their important nature, sometimes disasters do happen. Buildings collapse or structures partially fail. This is, of course, hazardous to their users and residents. Other issues, such as inoperative electric installations, are also sometimes encountered. At such times, the investigation into what went wrong needs to take into account some critical items.
As a primary administrative matter, they need to investigate whether the project in its commencement stage was ever inspected or approved by the local building authority. Were the final plans submitted to the authorities? And if they were indeed submitted, was the latter's approval forthcoming? Then again, in the case of approved plans, did the contractor actually stay with what the authorities approved, or did they attempt to alter or adapt the plans according to their own specification? Absent approval is a very serious problem, because the authorities can, in extreme situations, order that the offending work be entirely demolished.
Furthermore, the building of unapproved plans, or even structures which never had plans, is illegal and can be punished by law. A fine is usually the penalty, but where the illegal work has collapsed or caused other problems, the criminal sanction might be more severe because the contractor did not seek legal permission to commence.
The building regulations passed by the local authority are not to be ignored, either. They are law and ignoring them is a crime. The attitude that building regulations are just there to preserve out-dated styles and heritage or because the residents of a particular town have a particular taste is mistaken. Most of the regulations are concerned purely with safety and disregarding them can place the structure and its users at risk.
Another aspect of construction is the nature of the materials in the structure. An untrained person cannot adjudge this issue properly. The contractor needs to be able to decide what materials they are going to use for which parts of the project. Concrete is one example. Is the quantity of concrete suitable for the structure's nature? Are the foundations deep enough to support the structure? Is metal reinforcement required in the concrete itself? These might sound like impossible engineering issues to some, but they are standard calculations for construction contractors. If the contractor cannot answer them, they need to be investigated further.
The qualifications of the workers are another issue that needs attention. If unqualified workers were employed on the site, this is something that the investigator(s) should look at. The authorities might assume an unfavorable opinion of a project that employed unqualified workers, even if they were experienced.
All of these issues need to be resolved by the investigator(s), in addition to the technical questions about the disaster. Sometimes, it is obvious to all parties involved how the structure failed, but the reason behind the incorrect building work or deficient materials is what the authorities, and society at large, are more interested in.
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