Safety information search results

A reporter questions the validity of using two-dimensional finite element (2D FE) shells to model structural elements such as pile caps.

A reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) assessment was carried out by persons who did not appear to have appropriate experience, potentially putting building users at risk of harm.

During a site visit, the permanent works design engineer noticed that hydro-demolition of the end of a floor supporting beam had taken place out of sequence. This introduced a pattern of bending moments and shear forces that were not considered in the original design.

This is a technical note from a reporter about the methods their firm uses for punching shear design because there was concern about punching shear design spreadsheets possibly leading to potentially unsafe situations. .

An existing large shopping centre built circa 1975 had a number of external storerooms and loading bays with roofs constructed using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) planks. The planks had deflected to the extent that they needed replacing.

A reporter says that there are structural issues with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels installed in a building as late as 1998. This date is significantly later than previous reports suggest as the last significant use of RAAC elements in the UK.

Concerns in respect of the sufficiency of finite element modelling of masonry walls as part of a reinforced concrete framed building.

A reporter raises concerns about the underestimation of bending moments in perimeter columns when assessing punching shear in adjacent concrete slabs. Punching shear failures can be brittle and catastrophic. Designers need to include the appropriate ultimate moment in the design actions.

A building constructed in the early 1990s has been found to contain reinforced aerated autoclaved concrete (RAAC) planks. This date is important since it is much later than the previously thought last significant use of RAAC in buildings in the UK and potentially affects the scope of buildings that could require screening for RAAC problems.