Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(7) erect
scaffolding
(1) erect
scaffolding
masonry wall
steel column
5. follow on trades
start on floor below
4. erect next
lift of masonry
1. erect slab
shutter
3. cast
slab
2. fix
reinforcement
Introduction
block of ats at Ronan Point in 1968 led to a change in Part
A of The Building Regulations, which required structural
engineers working on certain buildings to consider disproportionate collapse in their design. The requirement of
clients and architects for lighter structures with cladding
systems and open-plan layouts has led to further amendments to the The Building Regulations, Part A. The revised
rules specify tying requirements and the building types
which must now be designed to meet these rules. Careful
design and consideration of these rules should not adversely affect the choice of masonry as a structural material.
1.6 Prefabrication
The recent initiatives in the construction industry such
as Latham, Egan and the current Best Practice initiative
have made construction professionals think more about
the whole practice of building procurement rather than just
the specic requirement of each discipline. Construction is
looked upon as a manufacturing process rather than an
ad hoc process. There is a drive for the use of more prefabricated elements produced under factory conditions with
greater quality control. The structural steelwork industry
and the precast concrete industry already provide this
facility.
The Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations impose a duty of care upon a structural engineer to
consider the safe construction and maintenance of any
design proposal. Linking this requirement with the fact that
the majority of fatalities in the construction industry are as
a result of falling from height then the choice of structure
ought to limit the time any person is working at height.
Prefabrication is one way of achieving this. Many multistorey structures are being clad using prefabricated panels
of many materials such as glass, steel sheeting, pvc panels,
to the detriment of masonry, which is a more sustainable
material. Precast masonry panels have been used on structures in the past but this is reducing with the insulation
requirements specied in Part E of The Building Regulations. This is a pity since masonry has an aesthetic quality
which improves with age.