Abstract

The purpose of this compendium is to survey why many buildings in Nigeria collapse, during or after completion, and find remedy against future occurrences. The method used here is the stock-taking of occurrences as reported in media. It also takes into account the field – book reports by the authors as they ventured out in the field to interview some architects. It was discovered that quite a number of these cases are never reported for fear of sanctions. The findings were that governments don’t make such sanctions public. Moreover, the use of quacks in the building industry had contributed in no small measure. Conclusion therefore was that, Government must develop stiffer measures on defaulters and get consultants and contractors registered. All registered consultants (architects and engineers) must be made public and Quacks must be made to find their ways out of the building industry. Draughtsmen should not claim to be architects, engineers or builders.

Highlights

  • A building, well planned, designed, funded, constructed and maintained does not stand the chance of failure

  • Akeju (1984) has drawn attention to the lessons to be learnt from structural failures for the benefit of the construction industry

  • Hammond (1988) has blamed the collapse of buildings in Nigeria on lack of control in the marketing of cement and the production of low strength sandcrete blocks by manufacturing industries whose products are never checked to ensure that pre-determined minimum strength is maintained

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

A building, well planned, designed, funded, constructed and maintained does not stand the chance of failure. Akeju (1984) has drawn attention to the lessons to be learnt from structural failures for the benefit of the construction industry. Structural failures of building have become one of the most disturbing problems facing the construction industry in Nigeria, and on a universal scale. Such may be a minor and preventive approach to the causes of failure themselves rather than corrective

GENERAL VIEWS ON STRUCTURAL FAILURES
MAJOR CAUSES OF STRUCTURAL FAILURES
Lack of Maintenance
CASES OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN NIGERIAN BUILDINGS
EXAMPLES OF COLLAPSED BUILDINGS
Failure and collapse of Ipakodo
MEASURES OF PREVENT COLLAPSE OF BUILDINGS
Educating the General Public on Corrosion Prevention
CONCLUSION
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