Building Collapse - The 9 Most Signs of Collapsing Buildings

Building Collapse - The 9 Most Signs of Building Collapse

What Is Subsidence in Buildings?

Building subsidence is the movement of house foundations or building structures due to the collapse of the soil under the house, where the non-solid soil slides slowly over time.

Subsidence is a common problem that can affect many buildings, and leads to many problems, such as cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings. Subsidence can cause serious damage to the structural integrity of the building, which may make it unsafe.

In This Article We Will Learn About:

1. Signs of house subsidence.
2. Reasons for house subsidence.
3. Solve the problem of wall cracks.
4. Risks.
5. What Should I Do If I Notice That My House Has a Sinkhole?

Signs of House Subsidence:

House subsidence is a common problem in many buildings, which negatively affects the building, such as cracks in the walls and other manifestations that indicate the collapse of buildings. So, we will share with you some of these signs:

1. The presence of cracks on the interior and exterior brick walls, which become evident over time, especially near windows and doors.
2. The presence of cracks between walls, ceilings, doors, and windows, and between the walls and the floor.
3. Cracks are 3 mm or more wide.
4. Uneven floor surfaces, i.e. have slopes.
5. Doors and windows become difficult to close and open.
6. There are cracks in the walls of the ground floor.
7. The cracks are wider at the top than at the bottom.
8. Cracks spread diagonally across the wall.
9. Landings in the outer courtyard of the building.

If some of these signs of subsidence are noticed, a specialized engineer must be sought to search for the causes, identify the problem, then take the right decision and initiate the repairs required to maintain the safety of the building.

Reasons For House Decline:

There Are Many Factors That Cause the Decline to Occur, Including:

• Dry weather makes buildings vulnerable to subsidence, as they shrink and swell depending on their water content.
• The presence of trees near the construction causes damage, because their roots extend under the construction and absorb moisture from the soil, thus causing it to dry out and expose the soil to shrinkage.
• Increasing loads on the structure, such as building additional floors without taking into account the bearing strength of the building and its foundations, or by placing heavy equipment on its roof.
• There is a leak in the sewage pipes, which causes high humidity under the building foundation, and thus the ground under the foundations softens, affecting the building and causing subsidence.
• Earthquakes and earthquakes are a major cause of building collapse.
• If the quality of the soil on which the building is being built is clay, it expands under the foundation due to its absorption of rain, and shrinks in hot weather, causing its surface to be uneven, and thus the building to tilt.
• Old properties because they were built with shallower foundations than modern buildings require.
• There are also structural errors made by the engineer supervising the construction of the house. It is possible that the foundations are small and cannot withstand the pressure after the house is completed.
• The presence of water sources closes to the house, such as springs and rivers.
• The presence of agricultural land near the building.
• Heavy rainfall.

Solving The Problem of Wall Cracks:

We must know the cause of the decline first and then start with the appropriate solution, and these treatments include:

1. Reinforcing The Building Foundations: The technician digs around the building foundations with a small drilling machine, so as not to cause damage to the foundations, and all the voids are filled with cement materials mixed with water that contribute to giving solidity and durability to the building foundations, and thus subsidence will not occur again.
2. Removing Trees Close to the Building: because their roots extend under the building and cause the tiles to sink, affect the foundations of the building and cause subsidence.
3. Repairing Sewage Pipes: Because a defect or breakage in them causes water leakage under the building, and thus high humidity, which is one of the causes of subsidence.

After knowing the main causes of subsidence and treating them optimally, repairs are then made to the cracks and fissures that occurred in the building.

Risks of Building Collapse:

Being complacent about the problem of decline and not dealing with it seriously leads to many problems and risks, the most important of which are:

• The property loses its real financial value.
• Risks related to the safety of residents.
• House collapse.
• The sewage network could be damaged.

What Should I Do If I Notice That My House Has a Sinkhole?

In this case, it is necessary to seek the assistance of inspection experts from Building Rank Company, so that our team of trained and competent engineers can inspect the building and conduct a careful examination, determine the causes of the house’s collapse and the extent of the damage, and provide the necessary recommendations to solve the problem.

After examining and obtaining the report, it is necessary to seek the help of a company specialized in treating buildings, and then carry out the recommended repairs, and not tolerate the problem because of its serious consequences.

Conclusion:

In the end, we hope that in this article we have shed light on a serious and important issue, which is the collapse of buildings, because it is a serious problem that some buildings can suffer from, which negatively affects the building and the residents. We have explained the signs of building collapse, its causes, treatment, and potential risks.

With our best wishes for everyone's safety.