Building Inspectors Research Articles

Comparative analysis of saliency map algorithms in capturing visual priorities for building inspections

This study investigates the efficacy of saliency mapping algorithms in capturing the visual priorities of building inspectors for structural damage assessment. Our work established a ground truth dataset by implementing eye-tracking technology to capture the gaze patterns of building inspectors. Further, it enables a detailed evaluation of the saliency models’ ability to reflect experts' visual attention during inspection tasks. Our comparative analysis assesses the performance of three saliency models— EnDec, DeepGaze, and SALICON— against this ground truth data, using conventional saliency metrics such as Area under the Curve, Similarity, Normalized Scanpath Saliency, Correlation Coefficient, and Kullback-Leibler Divergence. Our findings reveal that while the SALICON model demonstrates a marginally better performance and highlights areas where these models fall short, particularly in accurately reflecting the critical visual properties of inspectors, this insight is crucial for advancing the field. By highlighting these limitations, we have drawn attention to the need for developing more specialized saliency models tailored to the unique demands of building inspection tasks. Thus, the study not only fulfills its objectives of comparative analysis but also contributes to the broader discourse on improving automated structural inspection systems. This study highlights the need to develop specialized computer vision models to address specific building inspection challenges. By identifying strengths and improvement areas, this research contributes valuable insights and highlights the potential and current limitations of applying computer vision techniques to real-world building inspection tasks.

:Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality

:<i>Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality</i>

Book Review: Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality by Robin Bartram

Book Review: <i>Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality</i> by Robin Bartram

REALITY CAPTURE METHODS FOR REMOTE INSPECTION OF BUILDING WORK

Abstract. Conventional building inspection, which requires in-person visits by a qualified inspector, can be costly, time-consuming, and even pose health and safety risks. The travel restrictions of the global Covid-19 pandemic further highlighted the need for remote inspection methods. Using reality capture techniques to create a digital 3D representation of the site offers promise for remote inspection of building work. This paper aims to assess different reality capture methods and their visualizations for remote inspection of building work through a case study conducted in Melbourne, Australia. The reality capture methods included terrestrial and mobile laser scanning, RGB-D imaging, and aerial photogrammetry using a UAV. Professional building inspectors participated in the evaluation process by conducting remote inspection based on the captured data and comparing it to the on-site experience. The assessment involved different visualizations of the data, including 3D panoramas, point clouds, and triangulated surface meshes. The results indicate that image visualisation and the ability to make measurement on images are desirable by professional inspectors. These findings support the adoption of reality capture techniques for remote inspection of building work, which can enhance the safety and efficiency of the process.

Classification-based Method for Wall Crack Detection System

It is imperative to ensure that building inspectors have adequate resources and tools to conduct their inspections efficiently and effectively. Relying solely on manual labour to check for wall cracks is inconvenient and may prove inefficient and poor use of time and financial recourses. Besides, there are concerns regarding the need for skilled inspectors due to their limited accessibility and the subjective nature of their evaluations. Previously, image processing and artificial intelligence have been independently utilized to identify wall cracks and estimate their width. However, more can be done when integrating these two approaches to produce a comprehensive solution. This study presented a technique to indicate wall cracks utilizing a pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model called Squeezenet. Then, the following image processing can precisely estimate the width of the cracks in pixels. Based on the total models studied, 78% were successfully detected and classified into their respective crack groups. Although 22% of the remaining models were mistakenly classified, the system still managed to detect the presence of cracks in them accurately. This study only considers analyzing projected cracks categorized as minor, moderate and major. Nevertheless, the discussion does not address the translation of pixel approximations into their respective physical measurements.

Stacked decks: Building inspectors and the reproduction of urban inequality. By Robin Bartram. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2022. 224 pp. $27.50 paperback

<i>Stacked decks: Building inspectors and the reproduction of urban inequality</i>. By Robin Bartram. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2022. 224 pp. $27.50 paperback

IDENTIFICATION OF DEFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION WORKS DURING BUILDING INSPECTIONS

Meeting the quality requirements in construction works is critical for structural safety of the buildings, particularly in seismically active regions with old building stocks. Code compliance through strict inspections is essential not only for reliable structures, but also for prevention of cost and time overruns causing financial losses. In Turkey, building inspections are mandatory during the construction phase of the projects and building inspectors are responsible from the inspection of the construction works to ensure code compliance. Building inspectors are frequently subjected to different type of problems due several defects during inspections. This study aims to identify the frequently encountered defective construction works based on a quantitative study. A questionnaire was administered to 57 building inspectors by using 1-5 Likert scale to evaluate 20 critical construction work items. The results, which were ranked according to the Relative Importance Index (RII) showed that concrete works, reinforcement works, and HVAC are the top three works where problems were frequently observed during inspections. On the other hand, less problems were observed in painting, landscaping works and prefabricated construction works.

IDENTIFICATION OF DEFECTIVE CONSTRUCTION WORKS DURING BUILDING INSPECTIONS

Meeting the quality requirements in construction works is critical for structural safety of the buildings, particularly in seismically active regions with old building stocks. Code compliance through strict inspections is essential not only for reliable structures, but also for prevention of cost and time overruns causing financial losses. In Turkey, building inspections are mandatory during the construction phase of the projects and building inspectors are responsible from the inspection of the construction works to ensure code compliance. Building inspectors are frequently subjected to different type of problems due several defects during inspections. This study aims to identify the frequently encountered defective construction works based on a quantitative study. A questionnaire was administered to 57 building inspectors by using 1-5 Likert scale to evaluate 20 critical construction work items. The results, which were ranked according to the Relative Importance Index (RII) showed that concrete works, reinforcement works, and HVAC are the top three works where problems were frequently observed during inspections. On the other hand, less problems were observed in painting, landscaping works and prefabricated construction works.

A machine learning-based structural load estimation model for shear-critical RC beams and slabs using multifractal analysis

This paper presents a machine learning model for load-level estimation for shear-critical reinforced concrete (RC) beams and slabs using multifractal features of their characteristic crack patterns to automate and provide well-informed decisions for RC damage assessment. Multifractal analysis was conducted on a database of 508 images, of which critical features were extracted from the singularity and generalized dimension spectra. These features are used as predictors for the load-level estimation model. The extreme gradient boosting algorithm yielded the best performance among the four machine learning models considered. The mean of the predicted-to-true ratio for the developed model was 1.04 with a coefficient of variation of 0.27. Upon applying Shapley additive explanations, the fractal dimension, information dimension, correlation dimension and the area under the left branch of the singularity spectrum were the critical features influencing load-level estimation. The proposed model can be useful to RC building inspectors.

Stacked decks: Building inspectors and the reproduction of urban inequality. By Bartram,Robin, University of Chicago Press. 2022. ISBN: 978‐0‐226‐82114‐6. $27.50

The British Journal of SociologyEarly View BOOK REVIEW Stacked decks: Building inspectors and the reproduction of urban inequality. By Bartram,, Robin, University of Chicago Press. 2022. ISBN: 978-0-226-82114-6. $27.50 Elizabeth Korver-Glenn, Corresponding Author Elizabeth Korver-Glenn [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0001-9513-8122 Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USASearch for more papers by this author Elizabeth Korver-Glenn, Corresponding Author Elizabeth Korver-Glenn [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0001-9513-8122 Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 08 June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-4446.13041Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. REFERENCES Du Bois, W. E. B. [1899] 1996. The philadelphia negro: A social study. University of Pennsylvania Press. Ladner, J. (1971). Tomorrow’s tomorrow: The black woman. University of Nebraska Press. Mills, C. W. (1997). The racial contract. Cornell University Press. Mueller, J. C. (2020). Racial ideology or racial ignorance? An alternative theory of racial cognition. Sociological Theory, 38(2), 142– 169. https://doi.org/10.1177/0735275120926197 Pattillo, M. (2013). Housing: Commodity versus right. Annual Review of Sociology, 39(1), 509– 531. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-071312-145611 Early ViewOnline Version of Record before inclusion in an issue ReferencesRelatedInformation

Review of “Stacked Decks: Building Inspectors and the Reproduction of Urban Inequality”

SStacked Decks provides a fresh look at the work of building inspectors. Chicago, where Bartram’s research takes place, is one of the most racially segregated cities in America, with deep pockets of concentrated poverty. Not surprisingly, building conditions vary significantly among neighborhoods, and 3-1-1 nonemergency calls for service about building conditions often originate from poor, disinvested neighborhoods—areas where substandard housing is most concentrated. Yet inspectors cite fewer building code violations in poor neighborhoods than one would expect based on these calls, and far more in wealthy neighborhoods. The book starts by asking: What explains the divergence between calls and violations? Bartram argues that inspectors have wide discretion over which code violations are (and are not) issued citations. They neither assess all buildings the same way nor do they record or follow-up on all violations they see. Stacked Decks is a much-needed examination of how inspectors make sense of complex situations, and how their sense of deservingness influences their judgment.

The Premises for Not Being On Premises: The Case for Virtual Building Inspections

In Australia, building surveyors and inspectors perform the statutory duty of carrying out mandatory inspections. Some of these duties involve making firm decisions with serious implications. In recent years, at least two life-threatening cases against government officials have occurred; they involved a building inspector and an environmental officer. The increasing complexity of building inspections, in which building surveyors/inspectors operate in hostile environments, requires radical rethinking around the need for in-person inspections. The state of Victoria is on the cusp of making major changes that could reassign the majority of building inspection work currently undertaken by private building surveyors and inspectors to be under the council in the next 1–2 years. The additional workload for the council and increased strictness by them makes it all the more pertinent to consider the possibility of technological aids. To address present and emerging concerns around the safety and inefficiency of in-person inspections, this study explains the merit behind the proposed adoption of reality capture as a collaborative virtual preinspection tool that commences with ubiquitous reality capture for virtual preinspection and concludes with a mandatory in-person inspection.

Amphibian species detection in water reservoirs using artificial neural networks for ecology-friendly city planning

Planning cities regardless of natural resources has led to the existence of threats for several species that occupy an important place in local ecosystems. Constructing buildings, bridges, or motorways over water reservoirs is perilous for resident amphibians, which belong to one of the most fragile animal groups. An automated system that reliably identifies whether any amphibian species live in a water reservoir before construction in that region will help building inspectors during city planning and will ensure that citizens can enjoy the opportunities provided by nature. In this paper, an intelligent amphibian species detection system is developed using features extracted from GIS and satellite images. The presence of seven amphibian species is detected using an artificial neural network (ANN). Depending on the spatial features of the region, the proposed cascade-forward backpropagation neural network (CFBNN) model, a special type of ANN, determines which amphibian species live there to enable ecological precautions to be taken before construction starts and to preserve the biodiversity for the future health of the community. The results clearly demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly outperforms recently suggested strategies with more than 15% improvement on average. The performance of the system shows that the proposed detection approach can be a useful tool for smart and ecological city planning.

Mould Surface Sampling Techniques and Collection Efficiency on Paper-Faced Gypsum Board

Surface sampling techniques for non-viable fungi in building environments are useful tools for investigators in determining hazards to occupants. However, data regarding capture efficiency in this context is limited. Our data demonstrates that collection efficiency of Bio-Tape surface capture medium on paper-faced gypsum board only captures between half and three-quarters of mould present on the surface. Surface sampling using a dry-swab technique showed similar efficiency of capture to tape lift samples. ‘Surface air’ samples had poor collection efficiency and should be avoided where possible in preference to other sampling options. Finally, we propose a sampling strategy based on non-viable microscopy techniques followed by molecular analysis for validation and speciation of samples of interest. Improvements in sampling and data analysis techniques for mould sampling of buildings will aid in providing meaningful results to help building inspectors evaluate health hazards.

Condition assessment of buildings in Romania: A proposed method and case study

The condition assessment of existing buildings represents a very useful and cost-efficient tool for evaluating the damage extent and deciding upon the suitable maintenance or repairing strategies. According to the active Romanian norms, the building owners have to periodically assess the building's condition in order to evaluate if the characteristic aptitudes for safe operation are still ensured. However, even if the assessment requirement is enforced by a national norm, no clear and practical method is provided. This paper proposes a new building conditions assessment (BCA) method, based on the general principles provided in the national norm, characterized by a large degree of applicability, which aims to reduce the existing gap and inconsistencies in the assessing process and to help the activity of building inspectors. The method, denoted as PEST (the Romanian acronym for Method of Assessing the Technical Condition), consists in a procedure of carrying out the site investigations and in a methodology of evaluating the damages and establishing the degradation classes of the building, for both structural and non-structural components. Also, for each degradation class, accessible ratings and colour codes are proposed, in order to increase the awareness level of the building's owners. According to the extensive literature review done by the authors, no such methods have been proposed so far in Romania.The efficiency and the applicability of the method were checked by performing condition assessments for 62 buildings of various types, ages and constructive systems. By applying the proposed method, the site investigations have been systematically carried out with great success and rapidity. The results were reliable and precise and the assessment process, based on the proposed logic flowcharts, was very consistent, proving that the method can be successfully applied to various types of buildings.The implementation of the new proposed PEST method, which is developed in accordance with the general premises of the national norm, can represent a major step forward for the Romanian construction industry, not only because it fills a gap, by providing a unitary and consistent assessment tool for building inspectors, but also because it can contribute to a more safer building environment for present and future generations.

English

This qualitative case study explored the managerial practices of small construction companies in Masvingo city with a view to relating findings to the newly introduced education 5.0 in Tertiary institutions in Zimbabwe. The study was motivated by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development&rsquo;s thrust to introduce innovation and industrialisation hubs in universities in the country culminating in the setting up of production units at these institutions. The study was conducted at small construction enterprises in Masvingo city because production units were at their infancy stage in the country at the time. Hence it was felt that universities could draw lessons from the private sector after the study. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used to generate data on the views of building inspectors, workers and owners of the small construction enterprises as well as residents of Masvingo city, towards the small enterprises&rsquo; managerial practices. Participants felt that the financial management practices were sound but no formal marketing strategies or quality control systems were said to be in place in the enterprises. The study recommended small construction enterprises in Masvingo city to market as well as improve on their quality management skills for their enterprises to remain viable. In that vein, production units at universities should work towards improving their management styles in areas such as financial management, marketing strategies as well as quality control systems. &nbsp; Key words: Managerial practices, production units, marketing strategies, quality control systems, industrialisation, innovation.

Collapse of public buildings, stability checks and the roles of facility managers in Ghana

PurposeThe study investigated the perceived causes of structural failure of public buildings, frequency of stability checks, stability checking procedures, measures to enhance public building stability checks and the roles of facility managers in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachFollowing a comprehensive literature review, the study employed a structured questionnaire survey and gathered the opinions of sixty-seven facility managers on the facility management practices. Following statistical pretesting of the dataset for reliability, distribution and agreement among the responses, the study analysed the dataset using mean scoring and weighted analysis.FindingsThe analysis showed that external building inspectors rarely inspect stability checks of the studied public buildings in Accra. It is also found that both reactive and proactive stability checking protocols are implemented in public buildings in Accra, but inadequate knowledge of facility managers limits technical stability checks. The study further revealed that stability checks of public buildings can be enhanced through incorporating site and location conditions into the design early upfront, active engagement of facility managers in the design and construction of public buildings, adequate budgetary provisioning for planned maintenance of public buildings, and encouraging appropriate use of public buildings.Originality/valueThis paper, to the best of the authors' knowledge, represents the first attempt to comprehensively examine the causes of structural failure of public buildings, frequency of stability checks, stability checking procedures, measures to enhance public building stability checks and the roles of facility managers in Ghana, from the perspective facility management.

House characteristics and condition as determinants of visible mold and musty odor: Results from three New Zealand House Condition Surveys in 2005, 2010, and 2015.

This study assessed associations between house characteristics and mold and musty odor, using data from three consecutive (2005, 2010, and 2015) New Zealand House Condition Surveys, involving a total of 1616 timber-framed houses. Mold, musty odor, and house characteristics were assessed by independent building inspectors. We used multivariate logistic regression analyses mutually adjusted for other house characteristics for each survey separately. Positive and independent associations were found with tenure, ventilation, insulation, and envelope condition for both mold in living and bedrooms and musty odor. In particular, we found significant dose-response associations with envelope condition, ventilation, and insulation. Odds of mold increased 2.4-15.9 times (across surveys) in houses with the worst building envelope condition (BEC; p<0.05-0.001 for trend); optimal ventilation reduced the risk of mold by 60% and the risk of musty odor by 70%-90% (p<0.01 for trend). Other factors associated with mold and musty odor included: tenure, with an approximate doubling of odds of mold across surveys; and insulation with consistent dose-response patterns in all outcomes and surveys tested (p<0.05 for trend in two surveys with mold and one survey for odor). In conclusion, this study showed the importance of BEC, ventilation, and insulation to avoiding harmful damp-related exposures.

Building collapse in cities in Ghana: A case for a historical-institutional grounding for building risks in developing countries

Building collapse discourse in developing countries has long followed an internal focal approach. The approach frames the menace around problens that are within the countries. Emphasis is often placed on individual factors (such as developers and building practitioners’ negligence) and administrative challenges (relating to the enforcement of building regulations). This study examined how this diagnosis holds up against evidence systematically collected and forensically analyzed on specific country situations. The study assembled detailed empirical data via interviews and focus group discussions from a range of professionals, including building inspectors, planners, architects and researchers in Ghana and draws on data from various secondary sources. The data was, in turn, interpreted within a critical postcolonial institutional framework. The study found that the internal focal approach to building collapse is largely problematic. Not only does it create a false impression that developing countries have a danger-prone construction culture, but also its intent focus on factors internal to the countries overlooks the systemic underdevelopment conditions (i.e. inherited and externally-imposed factors) which interplay with the internal factors actually create, indeed, maintain and worsen building safety problems in those societies. The study findings challenge not just the way building collapses in developing countries are studied, they also raise issues with the repertoire of interventions that are often proposed for addressing such risks in those parts of the world.

A critique of overpopulation as a cause of pathologies in African cities: Evidence from building collapse in Ghana

Urban discourses in Africa have long followed the conventional pathological–indeed Malthusian–view that the continent’s urban problems are the result of overpopulation. This study examines how this diagnosis holds up against evidence on specific urban problems systematically collected and forensically analyzed. The study assembled detailed empirical data on building collapses in cities in Ghana, via interviews and focus group discussions, from a range of professionals, including building inspectors, planners, architects and researchers in the country and draws on data from various secondary sources. The data was knitted together and interpreted within the political economists’ methodology of accident research framework. Based on this analysis, the study found that the population-heavy approach to urban problems in Africa totters badly. Not only is it too focused on problems internal to Africa, but it also overlooks the systemic underdevelopment conditions (i.e. inherited and externally-imposed factors) which interplay with the internal factors created the present socio-political-economic order determining life chances of people in cities in the continent. Africa’s urban problems, the study will argue, do not stem from population characteristics, but the prevailing socio-political-economic systems that shape, dictate and structure access and the distribution of resources and exercise of power. The socio-political-economic systems are, however, not natural creations – they are the legacies of colonial and post-colonial national policies and the neoliberal-capitalist programs of international bodies implemented in the continent. The present-day conditions in cities in Africa are, therefore, best understood not in the context of their population characteristics, but the various colonial and post-colonial national policies and programs of international bodies that organized and continue to organize the continent’s urban systems for particular purposes.