Assessment of Building Failures in Kenya: Nairobi Case Study
Assessment of Building Failures in Kenya: Nairobi Case Study
Assessment of Building Failures in Kenya: Nairobi Case Study
FAILURES IN KENYA:
NAIROBI CASE STUDY
ALUORA KENNETH
E25-0707/05
JOMO KENYATTA UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND
TECHNOLOGY
PROJECT SUPERVISOR: ENG. MANG’URIU
CHAPTER1. INTRODUCTION
Buildings are structures that shelter human beings,
their properties and activities from the environment.
Several building codes are universally accepted for the
design and construction of buildings.
Failure is a great deviation between observed results
and expected results.
There are several cases of building failures that have
been witnessed in Nairobi.
PROBLEM STATEMENT AND JUSTIFICATON
Corruption and fraud The construction
play a major role in industry has massive
building failures in capital inflows whereby
Nairobi. corruption is feasible.
Other causes include Rules and regulations
lack of funds, tendency have to be followed to
for shortcuts, lack of avoid building code
knowledge of the public violations
and placing trust in
unqualified individuals.
STUDY OBJECTIVES
The primary objective is to assess the failure of
buildings in terms of design and construction.
The secondary objective is to find out the structural
and non-structural causes of building failure.
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
A building may either be defined in terms of its height
or occupancy.
In terms of height we have low rise buildings that go
up to 12 floors or 35 meters and high rise buildings that
go > 12 floors.
In terms of occupancy we find buildings for residence,
commercial, institutional and industrial buildings.
Causes of Failure.
Structurally, building failure is caused by bad design,
faulty construction, foundation failure, extra ordinary
loads, unexpected failure or a combination of the
listed.
Non structural causes include corruption, boycotting
professionals, contractors taking shortcuts and a
general conflict between the architects and structural
engineers.
Study Area. Nairobi
A case study was done on Nairobi district.
The settlement structure of Nairobi district is urban.
Some of the challenges facing Nairobi district are rural
urban migration, population growth and poverty.
These challenges contribute to erection of sub-
standard structures.
Main type of soil is black cotton which is not suitable
for construction.
CHAPTER 3. METHODOLGY
Data collection was in the form of documentation
from reports.
Well structured questionnaires were also distributed
to the building team.
In depth interviews were also done on chosen
professionals.
Finally there was a study of photos.
CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS.
In situ studies of the failures may not be possible as
the rubble has to be cleared out.
Time constraints and financial constraints due to the
large coverage of the topic.
Study of building failures is a sensitive topic.
CHAPTER 4: DATA
COLLECTION AND RESULTS.
4.1 Documentation from reports