RESIDENTIAL BUILDING COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA: CAUSES, EFFECTS AND SOLUTIONS
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RESIDENTIAL BUILDING COLLAPSE IN NIGERIA: CAUSES, EFFECTS AND SOLUTIONS
CHAPITRE ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Since independence, the Nigerian government has made a concerted effort in the area of quantitative (but not qualitative) supply of mass housing through massive budgetary and policy provisions; however, the rate at which existing ones are collapsing requires immediate attention.
The number of building collapses across Nigeria is so worrying that it is difficult to predict the repercussions on the construction industry and the Nigerian economy as a whole. Imagine what edifices these structures could have been if they had been built properly.
According to Famoroti (2005), Nigeria, particularly Lagos State, has become the “world’s junk-yard” with collapsed structures worth billions of naira.
It is unfathomable that a country with such much potential in its construction industry should endure such a massive building collapse. Fadamiro described building as “an enclosure for spaces designed for specific use, meant to control local climate, distribute services, and evacuate waste” in 2002.
Buildings are structural entities that can secure themselves by sending weights to the earth. Buildings are further described as “structures for human activities that must be safe for the occupants” (Odulami, 2002). However, as a result of their collapse, these same buildings have been posing threats and dangers to individuals either during or after construction.
Collapse as a whole occurs when a component or entire body of a structure collapses and abruptly gives way, and the structure cannot achieve its intended purpose as a result of this failure. The collapse of a building is a severe case of building failure. It denotes a total or partial collapse of the superstructure (Arilesere, 2002).
Building failure happens when one or more elements of a building fail due to the incapacity of the material that makes up the components of such building elements to execute their original purpose successfully,
which may eventually lead to building collapse. Buildings are intended to offer people with comforts and shelter, but the same building has also served as a danger trap for the same people.
Buildings are supposed to meet basic standards such as constructability, design performance, cost effectiveness, quality, safety, and timely completion (Olusola, Atta, & Ayangade, 2002). Buildings are generally expected to be stylish and useful, however many projects are built that do not meet any of these basic characteristics.
As a result, there has been an increase in the number of building collapses, some of which have claimed innocent lives. Many studies have been conducted, and various workshops have been held in major cities across the country by various bodies,
government agencies, and institutions to investigate the causes of building collapse in Nigeria, but none have been able to determine how each of the determined factors directly leads to building collapse in the country.
According to Olusola (2002), structural design and quality management are two of the major causes of building collapse in Nigeria.Material variability, testing variability, judgement factor, contractor variability, poorly skilled workers, and unprofessional conduct are all aspects of quality management.
The study sought to investigate cases of residential building collapse in Nigeria in order to discover the causes, consequences, and solutions.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
A defect or imperfection, deficit or fault in a building element or component causes a building to collapse. It could also be due to a performance omission. The extent or degree of deviation of a structure from the “as – built” state, which in most cases represents the acceptable standard within the neighbourhood, locality, state, or country, can thus be attributed to the degree of building collapse.
(Ikpo, 1998). Building collapse, on the other hand, can simply be defined as the whole or partial/progressive failure of one or more components of a building, resulting in the building’s incapacity to serve its primary function of comfort, satisfaction, safety, and stability.
Building collapses in Nigeria have been a major source of concern for all parties, including building industry professionals, government, private developers, clients and users, and neighbourhood residents.
The researcher’s worry about the increasing number of building collapses in Nigeria forms the basis for this study to determine the key causes, impacts, and potential remedial strategies for building collapses in Nigeria.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s objectives:
1. Investigate the reasons of Nigerian building collapses.
2. To determine the consequences of building collapse in Nigeria.
3. Determine the corrective actions or techniques to building collapse in Nigeria.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the reasons of Nigerian building collapses?
2. What are the consequences of Nigerian building collapse?
3. What are Nigeria’s corrective measures or responses to building collapse?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the study’s implications:
1. The findings of this study will educate the general public and the current administration on the causes, effects, and remedies to building collapses in Nigeria.
2. This research will also serve as a resource base for other academics and researchers interested in conducting additional research in this sector in the future, and if utilised will go so far as to provide new explanations for the topic.
1.7 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
This study on residential building collapse in Nigeria examines the causes and effects in order to discover a long-term solution to the problem of frequent building collapse in Nigeria.
STUDY LIMITATIONS
Financial constraint- A lack of funds tends to restrict the researcher’s efficiency in locating relevant materials, literature, or information, as well as in the data collection procedure (internet, questionnaire, and interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will conduct this investigation alongside other academic activities. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.
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