Whether you’re working on a new housing development or creating buildings for commercial purposes, there are a whole host of safety features and building regulations that must be adhered to.
For the most part, such legislation places a large focus on building stability, ensuring the structure is being built safely and that it won’t fall down or risk the safety of occupants and users.
While keeping a building upright is quite an obvious priority, its importance should never be taken for granted.
Cutting corners or not following building guidelines and regulations properly can be extremely dangerous and in this article, the team here at IKT Consulting will take a closer look at the importance of building stability.
Read on for more…
Defining building stability
Before we go on to explain why building stability is so important, we should first properly define what we mean by the term.
The construction industry is full of vocabulary and terminology that sometimes gets used incorrectly or sees words and phrases used interchangeably when they actually mean different things.
Here is a quick list of some common terms that are used to describe building stability and other aspects referring to a structure’s integrity.
- Building stability: This refers to the ability of a building to remain sturdy and fully intact despite what external forces may come its way.
- Building strength: This denotes the overall strength of a building or structure and considers its capacity to bear heavy loads without failing.
- Building sturdiness: A building’s sturdiness considers how a structure is resilient against external forces over long periods of time.
- Building resistance: Building resistance is all about how a structure can withstand certain elements without becoming damaged or destroyed. This includes fire and severe weather.
All of the above traits are necessary when constructing a new building, and they can be achieved through various methods including innovative designs, choosing quality materials and making sure building practices are being carried out to the highest level.
The importance of building stability
As mentioned above, the stability of a building is one of the most important factors to consider during the construction process. If a building has not been constructed with the proper stability procedures in mind, then it will not be able to fully stand the external forces that it is bound to be exposed to for the duration of its life - making it highly dangerous.
The main reasons why building stability is extremely important include:
To keep people safe
If a building is unstable, then it is a huge hazard for anyone residing, occupying, working or spending any time inside it. It means that it is at risk of full or partial collapse which could lead to injuries or even death.
If you are responsible for building a structure that is unstable, you will be breaking the law and will face severe consequences if an accident occurs.
It supports the building
In a similar vein to the point above, proper building stability helps to keep a structure safe and well supported. Every building is going to be extremely heavy, especially when you consider the amount of weight it will include from people, furniture, objects and more.
This means it is vital that all buildings are constructed in line with the relevant health and safety regulations to ensure that weight is evenly distributed and it is able to withstand large loads.
It is essential to ensure the building has a solid foundation in place that spreads weight equally across several pressure points.
Increases longevity
A building that has been properly stabilised offers increased longevity and enhances its lifespan whether it is designed for domestic, commercial or industrial purposes. If a building is unstable, it’s likely it has bad foundations and this means it will be susceptible to subsidence and structural damage that can cause huge problems.
Protects against bad weather
We all know that the weather in the UK can be less than ideal.
But in really extreme scenarios, such as flooding, earthquakes or severe winds and storms, the weather can wreak havoc on unstable buildings.
Buildings with bad foundations will be affected far worse than those built solidly and with stability.
How to build a stable structure
There are a wide range of ways you can ensure that your building is fully stable during the building process
This includes:
Solid foundations
Undoubtedly the best way to guarantee a stable building is to ensure stable, solid foundations are in place.
A robust foundation is absolutely vital if you are to ensure the weight of the property is evenly distributed across a surface area. This is always the basis of building stability.
Use quality materials
Quality materials should always be used in the construction process to ensure the building is being made to the highest possible standards.
Using substandard materials increases the risk of problems occurring later down the line and the chance that the building will become unstable over time.
You can also consider specialist materials such as insulated concrete forms, or ICFs, that offer greater strength and flexibility.
Use modern construction techniques
These days, most buildings are constructed using modern construction techniques such as modular building and precision engineering. These methods ensure the construction takes place in a controlled and consistent environment which helps with stability.
Utilise technology
Many construction companies will also make use of the latest technologies when constructing a building. This includes things like Building Information Modelling, or BIM, and 3D printing. These technologies provide invaluable information and data that can help to inform the building process and ensure better decision-making which will contribute to greater stability.
Here at IKT Consulting, we’ve spent many years helping homeowners, landlords, architects, developers, contractors and all those working in the construction industry with building stability. We are a team of construction experts who provide leading structural engineering services across Nottingham and beyond.
For more information on our range of domestic and commercial services, contact our friendly team today. We’re always happy to help.
