ENSURING SAFE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION -

BUILDING SAFETY THROUGH

BUILDING CONTROL INITIATIVES
8 November 2019

Keynote Address
Er. Chew Keat Chuan
Commissioner of Building Control
Group Director, Building Engineering Group
Building and Construction Authority
Hard Rock Hotel (New Orleans, 12 Oct 2019)

• 18 storey
• Retail, Hotel, Residential
• 3 Dead,
• 30 Injured
Video: Hard Rock Hotel
Why do structures fail?
(A) Unforeseen high actions and insufficient structural
strength

(B) Human Lapses 94%

Emphasis in
Design Process Source: Brehm E., Hertle R. (2018)
 Design Process
1 Structural Scheme
2 Structural Analysis
3 Structural Design
4 Production of Drawings
5 Quality Check
6 Submission to BCA
 Errors during Design Stage
Failure to design key structural elements

Failure to understand the structural behaviour

Modelling vs
Incorrect modelling assumptions Design Intent

Error in translation Design ≠ Drawing Detail

• From Design Calculation to Structural Drawings

• From Structural Drawings to Shop Drawings
 Robust Structural Scheme
• Current: QP provides structural scheme based on Archi
and other requirements – leading to complicated multiple
transfer system

• Complex Structure  Seek Pre-consultation with BEG

• Desired: QP’s structural scheme should be designed

upfront and passed to the Architect
 Simple load transfer without transfer structures
 Suitability of structural systems
• Compression vs Tension
systems (Ductile vs Brittle
failure)

• Preferred mode is
compression system
 Tension Structural System – High Risk
• E.g. hanging floors, steel suspension bridge
Connections to the supports – CRITICAL!
Weaknesses
Use pre-installed anchors
Connections
Loads in hangers may
not be uniform
Tension members
Sudden
Failure
Mechanism
Video: Indonesia Stock Exchange Building
(Jakarta, 15 Jan 2018)
> 70 injured
Single Point Failure leading to Total Collapse
5 Dead, 1 Missing
> 12 injured
System should have capability of
load redistribution – removal of
single structural element should
not lead to total collapse

Bridge (Yilan, Taiwan, 1 Oct 2019)

 Structural Scheme
Novel Structure – Complex Load Transfer

• Specialist Consultants to be
on board

The Museum of the Future,

Dubai (2019)
Structural Analysis and Design
Idealisation of the Model
• Pinned or Fixed?
• Does the Analysis tally with the Design Intent?

Use of Analysis Software

• Generally can be designed by one analysis software
• Specialised design software (e.g. prestress design)
• Hand calculations required for some elements
(e.g. corbel, anchorage bend)
 Structural Analysis and Design
Key Issues
• Steel design effective length

• Consideration of dynamic or 2nd order effects

• Effects of Staged Construction not considered

• Redundancy check – column removal

 Structural Analysis and Design
Redundancy for failure  Robustness
• E.g. Flat slab

• Prevent progressive collapse from loss of column support

• Catenary action

Catenary Catenary
Column/Wall failed action action
 Multiple Designers
• Safety gaps at the interfaces due to
differing design assumptions
15 Jun 99 – Compassvale Roof collapse
Column designed for Compression only
Truss designed using
Plane Truss Model By Designer 2
By Designer 1

0.35fcuAc + 0.67fyAsc
 Inadequate understanding of Structural Behaviour
Opal Tower (Sydney, 24 Dec 2018)
Level 4 & 10 - Structural cracks on hob
beams, precast wall panels and floor slab

Column Column

Structural INADEQUATE
Precast DESIGN AT HIGH
Wall BEARING STRESS
Failure zone Hob beam ZONES
Column Column
 1. Unusually NARROW Upstand transfer beam
Lessons Learnt → AVOID HIGH BEARING STRESS ZONES, BY SIZING
ADEQUATELY FOR TRANSFER BEAMS

Precast Wall
High bearing Stress concentration
Beam
~1200mn Columns
200mm ~800mn
Plan view of slab Plan area of upstand beam on column

2. SPLITTING / BURSTING EFFECTS on HOB BEAM

eccentric axial DUE TO HIGH BEARING STRESS
load leading to
→ DESIGN TO PROVIDE TIE-LINKS FOR DETRIMENTAL TENSILE
non linear flow
of stresses – 110mm width TRANSVERSE FORCES WITHIN RC ELEMENT WHERE THERE IS
resulting in grout NON LINEAR FLOW OF STRESSES – EC2 Strut & Tie Modelling
bursting forces

Upstand Hob Beam

*dimensions @Level 10
180mm
Opal Tower
Column
(Sydney, 24 Dec 2018)
Production of Drawings

• Structural plans to reflect the correct design intent

• Avoid translation error

• E.g. steel connection bolt detail and weld thickness,

reinforcement detailing, anchorage and lap lengths,
incorrect use of standard details
Quality checks before Submission to AC / BCA
Quality / Reliability Management System
• In-house checking engineer to check that ALL structural
elements designed for
• Checking of design and drawings by QP

No checking engineer

Multiple checking engineers

Checking by AC
Quality / Reliability Management System
• Check for ALL key structural elements
• Evaluate that correct loads and building analysis
have been designed for
• Experienced and competent staff
AC
PE

Engr
Conclusion
• Human lapses in design can happen in any firm, big and
small
• Building failure can be avoided by:
• Having a good structural scheme with adequate redundancy
• Comprehensive analysis and design
• Responsible and competent staff
• Good in-house Quality Management System