When a huge building crumbles to the ground, it’s jolting. Large structures often seem invincible to the general population, but structural engineers know there are quite a few factors that go into designing and executing a building that will stand up against the test of time, natural forces and its maximum load-bearing allowance.
Structural failure can cause vast amounts of damage and even be deadly, so it’s absolutely vital that structural engineers pay close attention to the way they design and carry out building plans. Here are 5 of the main influences that cause structural damage to occur:
- External Conditions and forces
- Over estimating how much usage the structure will have
- Contractors not following methodology
- Faulty design process
- Using substandard quality of materials
External Conditions And Forces
Things that are outside of an engineer’s control, such as earthquakes, fires, tornadoes and similar natural disasters make up a large percentage of structural damage that occurs every year. That is why it’s so important for a structural engineer to account for the possibility and likelihood of disasters happening and to design a structure that should be able to withstand them.
Over Estimating The Structural Usage
Structures are built based on the amount of the load they are assumed to need to support. You wouldn’t build a residential home and assume you could park a dozen cars on its roof. In the same way, you wouldn’t design a massive structure like a parking garage if you thought anything aside from several hundred tons worth of cars’ weight was going to bear down on the structure. Overestimating how much weight a structure can withstand leads to a large amount of faulty designs and even more damage.
Contractors Not Following Engineer’s Plans
Engineers and contractors both do their best work when they work hand in hand, with the structural engineer providing a blueprint of how the structure should appear and the contractor carrying out the building processes appropriately. However, at times a contractor may want to go their own direction and forgo what a structural engineer has suggested, which can easily turn into a disaster.
Error In The Design Process
We all depend on structures everyday, whether we go into an office building, walk into shops or even use a parking garage. Designing a structure requires a great amount of mental consideration, attention to detail and experience to carry out the job completely. It’s important that a structural engineer have their facts straight, have accurate data to work with, and take into account the purpose the structure is supposed to serve.
Substandard Quality Of Materials
Cutting corners to save a buck on materials is never a good idea, especially when the materials support a building or home that provides space for people to interact. If a contractor uses a low quality of materials or gouges the amount of materials needed for a project, that decision could jeopardize the dependability of the structure. Anyone who works around design processes and construction knows that costs add up quickly, but opting to use high quality materials in the way they are supposed to be used can easily turn into a safety factor.
Reputable Structural Engineers In The Greater Fort Worth Area
No matter what the job entails that you need done, you want to make sure it’s done right. That includes attention to detail from start to finish, looking deeply at any potential risks, evaluating them and making them known. At Nortex Structural in Keller, Texas, our team of experienced and reputable structural engineers know what it takes to provide excellent service. We’re committed to providing our customers with anything they might need to know to make the best decisions in order to move forward with their projects. Call us today at 817-470-5046 to connect with one of our team members.
