What is a structural Audit:
The way we need a mandatory regular medical checkup after the age of 40 years, similarly the building structure of the apartment you stay in also requires regular check-up called a structural audit of the building.
Why is structural audit necessary:
- A) And if your society has adopted model bye-laws of cooperative societies, it states that
The Society shall cause to undertake the Structural Audit of the building as follows
- for buildings aged between 15 to 30 years: once in 5 years
- for buildings aged more than 30 years: once in 3 years (Bye Law No 76(a) Society to carry out Structural Audit)
- B) It depicts the current structural status of the structure.
What is the extent of damages and leakages in the building structure and
How to attend to the damages and leakages to prevent the further deterioration of the building structured.
How structural audit is done:
- 1) visual inspection
- 2) Testing
- 1) The building structure is physically inspected by the technicians or engineers to note the damages, distress, and leakage source.
- 2) The structural members are tested for strength by an indirect method called NDT(Non-destructive test) like UPSV or Schmidt hammer. And by a direct method called DT(destructive method) like core cutting test.
The results of DT and NDT are used to ascertain the current strength of concrete. Suggestions by Shekhawat Building Repair Company are :
- 1) The structural audit should be done on time and should not be skipped under any condition.
- 2) Repair to be done according to the method specified in the structural Audit.
- 3) Minor cracks, damages, and leakages source should be immediately attended to.
- 4) A basic fund equal to the amount required to paint the entire building should be collected regularly and the building should be painted every three years. This will help to fill the cracks and minor damages and will prevent the loss of a huge amount usually needed to spend on major repairs. If the minor damages and leakages are not attended timely.
- 5)Legally only structural license holder(STRXXXX) can conduct audit, but practically as these structural engineer are less interested in building repairs jobs, As repairs take too much of time and energy. new We hope municipal bodies will start giving licenses to graduate engineers/diploma holders as the market is growing and due to apathy of structural engineers towards repairs work.
