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In recent years there have been a number of high profile disasters where structures have collapsed; in some cases the consequences were devastating. Many things can have an effect on the soundness of a building or other type of structure. Over time, factors such as extreme weather, earthquakes, or simple deterioration will take its toll on a structure. Some recent, high profile news stories have shown us what can happen when a structure can withstand no more.
On June 19, 2008 a construction worker lost his life in Houston Texas when the scaffolding and part of a wall collapsed, trapping several workers in the rubble, and on March 4, 2008 a vacant building collapsed in Harlem New York; prompting the halt of train service in the area due to fear that the vibration from the trains may cause a neighboring building to collapse as well.
In Kenya, on December of 2006, a large building under construction collapsed, injuring dozens of construction workers, and killing more than 11. Building standards appear to be the cause of this tragedy. Another building collapse in Iran on June 30, of 2008 took the lives of 19 people; the cause of this tragic building collapse was the building's instability.
Collapsing buildings are catastrophic, but there have also been some recent tragedies concerning the collapse of bridges and tunnels. In many of these cases poor construction or erosion are to blame for the disaster.
In July of 2006, a newlywed couple would have their lives together cut short when they made the fateful decision to drive through the Boston Big Dig Tunnel, and over 12 tons of concrete fell onto their car from the ceiling of the tunnel. The husband was able to crawl out of their crushed car, but his wife was not so fortunate, and was killed.
On August 1, 2007 a Minneapolis bridge on Interstate 35-W collapsed, killing 13 people and injuring 145. This tragic bridge collapse is just another in a long line of structure failures due to poor construction, or erosion that was not attended to.
As a result of these and other tragedies, the soundness of structures has become one of the most scrutinized elements of new construction, and the focus has shifted to methods of ensuring that new buildings and structures are constructed in a way that ensures the building's longevity.
Buildings, as well as other types of structures are designed to withstand a certain weight load, but what a building or structure may actually withstand can vary, depending on the quality of construction, as well as the quality of the materials used in the construction of the building.
If poorly constructed, any type of structure is subject to collapse, from a single family home to a skyscraper, or long bridge. In most cases the collapse of a building or other type of structure can be contributed to bad design, foundation failure, bad construction, extraordinary loads, or a combination of these factors.
In the case that a collapse is due to bad design and construction, the underlying issues are not only miscalculating the stress that the structure may handle at a future time, but also the construction materials that are used when the structure was built. The cause of many collapsed buildings or other types of structures have been attributed to the use of salty sand to make concrete, the substitution of inferior steel for the steel that had been specified, etc.
No matter how well a building is designed, it will not last if the foundation is faulty, or the materials used are substandard. For this reason, using only high quality materials is essential for new construction projects, and renovations.
Today, there are construction chemicals that can be used to help increase the life and stability of new structures and for the reinforcement of old structures. There are many advantages to using construction chemicals, including increasing a structures ability to withstand environmental hazards. In many cases of building collapse, you will find that when the structure was built, substandard materials were used, including poor quality construction chemicals. To avoid this you should always use only the highest quality construction chemicals from a prominent construction chemicals manufacturer.
Construction chemicals are often used in construction projects to ensure the best end results, which include the structure's stability. Some of the construction chemicals that are commonly used include, concrete admixture, surface treatment, waterproofing, grout, floor topping, coating, sealer, and floor hardening. In particular, concrete admixture and silicone sealant can help to strengthen structures, as well as protect it from environment hazards, including severe weather and ground shifting. It is significant to remember that construction chemicals are an important element of quality construction materials.
A construction chemical supplier can ensure that you have the proper concrete admixture for your project so that you can be certain that your building's foundation will be up to code and able to withstand the elements, as well as the test of time.
Silicone sealant is also an important element to protecting a building from extreme weather. Without protecting a structure from the elements, the chances of collapse will increase as years of exposure begins to erode the construction materials, but if you protect with silicone sealant, you may be able to nearly eliminate this problem.
To get the best construction chemicals on the market, research your construction chemicals supplier and only choose those manufactures with a solid reputation for supplying only the best in the industry.
