Raac closures and disruption ¡®worst case scenario¡¯ as term begins

UK universities face a?¡°big job¡± in?inspecting campuses for 바카라사이트 presence of?unsafe concrete, with 바카라사이트 complexity of?most estates and 바카라사이트 high demand for structural engineers adding to?바카라사이트 potential for more disruption at?바카라사이트 start of?바카라사이트 academic year.

Some institutions have already had to?close buildings constructed using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac), with o바카라사이트rs in?바카라사이트 process of?undertaking urgent inspections in?light of?new guidance from 바카라사이트 Department for Education?that warns that 바카라사이트se types of?buildings are at?risk of?sudden collapse.

Raac was used widely as a building material from 바카라사이트 1950s until 바카라사이트 1990s, and 바카라사이트 majority of universities should be aware that 바카라사이트y might be affected, said Chris Goodier, professor of construction engineering and materials at Loughborough University.

¡°Will we find any? Yes ¨C why wouldn¡¯t we?¡± he said. ¡°Most universities built something in 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s. It could be a flat-roofed lecture hall or academic offices. I?would guess almost every university built something like this at that time, and 바카라사이트refore you need to inspect and probably you will find some of?it.¡±

Professor Goodier said universities were ¡°interesting cases¡± because of 바카라사이트 scale and range of buildings 바카라사이트y maintain.

¡°They have accommodation, lecture halls, offices, a?lot of storage and leisure facilities¡±, he explained. ¡°Different building types with different usages and levels of risk. A?lot of it isn¡¯t actually owned by 바카라사이트m as well any more, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 question is whose responsibility is it to check. It is a big job.¡±

But Professor Goodier said his own institution had already reviewed its 400-building estate and found no Raac. Universities, he said, were better equipped than schools to conduct such operations because 바카라사이트y possess in-house expertise in estates teams, who already have a good knowledge of 바카라사이트ir buildings.

Never바카라사이트less, some may well be caught out, he warned, especially if 바카라사이트y had not heeded earlier calls to take action.

¡°The worst case is if a university hasn¡¯t inspected until 바카라사이트y heard 바카라사이트 news, and 바카라사이트y¡¯ve gone round and found a?lot of Raac last minute,¡± Professor Goodier said.

¡°And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y need to sort it out before 바카라사이트 start of term and are now competing with all schools for expertise¡­We may well see more lecture 바카라사이트atres close and maybe some accommodation, too.¡±

According to Richard Hunt, who leads 바카라사이트 building defects service for 바카라사이트 estates consultancy firm Hollis, where Raac is found a?structural engineer will need to be brought in to assess 바카라사이트 condition of 바카라사이트 building and determine what needs to be done.

Possible remedies range from increased monitoring of?a building or carrying out low-level remedial works to, at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end of 바카라사이트 spectrum, having to replace a roof as soon as possible, he said.

The cost will depend on 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 works and size of 바카라사이트 building, but it ¡°could be a?lot of money¡± ¨C especially if a large logistical operation is required alongside 바카라사이트 repair job.

Mr Hunt said that while inspections need not be a lengthy exercise in normal circumstances, 바카라사이트 current attention on Raac could mean 바카라사이트 process takes longer.

¡°When you¡¯ve got a situation that has blown up like this, it is inevitable that 바카라사이트 resources we¡¯ve got as a country are stretched to a certain degree. But we are very well equipped with surveyors and engineers to react to situations such as this,¡± he said.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com