CROSS Safety Report
Collapsed section of dwelling built of cob construction
This report is over 2 years old
Overview
A reporter says that a traditional cottage built of cob construction collapsed without warning in 2016.
Key Learning Outcomes
For construction professionals and designers:
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Careful consideration is needed for the selection of construction materials and their corrosion protection to ensure they are suitable for the given environment
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Consider introducing a quality management procedure to ensure construction elements have the correct protection to prevent deterioration
Full Report
Find out more about the Full Report
This section contains the Full Report submitted to CROSS and describes the reporter’s concerns or experiences. However, the text has been edited for clarity, and identifiable details have been removed to ensure anonymity and confidentiality. If you would like to know more about our secure reporting process, or submit a report yourself, please visit the reporting to CROSS-UK page.
A reporter says that a traditional cottage built of cob construction collapsed without warning in 2016. From their experience, collapses of cob construction are usually caused by water ingress, but the cause for this collapse is currently unknown as there was dry weather and no recent rainfall.
The reporter speculates that there was a possible loss of lateral support to gable end due to rot in the first floor joists.
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Expert Panel Comments
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Cob, also known as cobb, is a building material that comprises subsoil, straw (or another fibrous organic material), water, and occasionally lime. There is evidence of cob being used for building construction purposes in prehistoric times in various parts of the world and it was used for centuries in the south-west of England. Cob building has experienced something of a revival in recent years as a form of sustainable construction. For more information, see the Designing Buildings Wiki page on cob building.