Structural assessment is an important area of study for civil engineers because the goal is to examine existing structures and determine their safety and stability. Civil engineers must have adequate technical knowledge and experience to evaluate the structural integrity of buildings, bridges, dams, tunnels and other structures. This article examines what a structural assessment is and explains some of the techniques used by civil engineers to assess the safety and stability of structures.
A structural assessment is a thorough examination of an existing structure to determine its safety and stability. The assessment is typically carried out by a civil engineer who has the technical knowledge and experience necessary to assess the structural integrity of the structure. The engineer inspects the structure for signs of damage or structural instability and also evaluates the condition of the foundation, support systems, and all other structural components.
Why we need structural assessments
The evaluation of structures is carried out for various reasons, which may be mandatory or other. The main focus of structural assessments is as follows.
- When it is necessary to modify the existing structure for which there are no design drawings.
- When it is necessary to assess the condition of the old structure
- Excessive settlement occurs in existing structures, possibly including new buildings.
- Cracks in the new structure, cracks in brick walls or structural cracks in beams, columns, etc.
- If it is found that a part of the structure does not have the required strength after construction, this can be determined by examining the concrete cubes poured during concreting.
Main steps of structural assessment
In structural assessment, the basic procedure must be followed. This is common in all types of structural assessments.
- Visual inspection
- Taking the necessary measures
- Structure examination
- Analysis and design of the structure if necessary
- Providing recommendations
Let's discuss each phase type in detail.
Visual inspection
The first phase of a structural assessment is visual inspection. During visual inspection, all visually recognizable defects are recorded for future action.
cracks in concrete, Deterioration of concrete , Corrosion of reinforcement , Development of foundations , Cracks in brick walls , Failure of supports , Failure of beams etc. are detected during visual inspection.
If the information collected during the inspection is sufficient to reach a conclusion, the necessary recommendations for correction are made. If further assessment is required, the client will be informed and advised to proceed with further assessment.
After the visual inspection, a decision is made on how further assessment should be carried out. In the next step, the necessary measurements, the test plan and other information about the structure, such as existing drawings, etc., are processed.
Take measurements
This is related to examining the structure.
At this stage, the necessary measurements of the structure such as dimensions, crack widths, crack patterns, crack location, etc. are recorded. In addition, the settlement of the structures and the change in the width of the cracks are also recorded.
The recorded information is used for structural analysis, testing and design purposes.
Structure examination
After visual inspection, the test plan is determined. The degree of damage and the number and type of assessment required are determined. There are basically two types of tests, namely:
- Non-destructive tests: Carried out without damaging the structure. Rebound hammer test, ultrasonic pulus velocity test, etc. This is the best way to learn about the characteristics of the structure. However, due to delays in these tests, implementation is not possible Non-destructive testing is not sufficient.
- Destructive testing: Destructive testing provides more accurate results; however, they are expensive and damage structures as we need to collect samples. Therefore, destructive tests are carried out in conjunction with non-destructive tests. Combining these tests provides more reasonable results in terms of accuracy and cost.
Analysis and design
This is done based on the requirements of the structural assessment. It may not be necessary to perform structural analysis and design for all structural assessments.
Existing architectural and construction drawings, actual site measurements, etc. are used to model the structure. Material properties such as concrete quality, reinforcement strength, etc. are used from existing drawings. If unavailable or differ from test results, material properties will be changed based on actual conditions resulting from testing.
to give recommendations
All information collected during the structural assessment is used to reach conclusions and make necessary recommendations.
In this process, observations made during on-site inspection, test results, analysis results, design results, on-site measurements, etc. are examined and recommendations are made based on these results.
