Unsafe concrete disaster may lengthen to different public buildings, specialists warn

Sep 02, 2023 at 4:43 AM

The disaster over unsafe concrete in faculties might lengthen past the schooling sector to different forms of public buildings, specialists have warned.

They say the dimensions of the issue with bolstered autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is “much bigger than schools” and will embrace hospitals, police stations, and court docket buildings.

Even personal sector websites resembling buying centres and residential tower blocks may be impacted, specialists say.

Meanwhile, Labour MP Dame Meg Hillier, chairwoman of parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, has warned the problems with RAAC in faculties are simply the “tip of the iceberg” of upkeep points for websites throughout England.

It comes after 104 faculties and faculties have been instructed by the Department for Education (DfE) to partially or fully shut buildings just days before the start of the new school year over fears concerning the security of amenities constructed with RAAC.

Labour has known as for an “urgent audit” throughout the general public sector property, whereas the Liberal Democrats say the general public should be given “urgent clarity” over whether or not hospital wards and buildings may be pressured to shut.

Politics latest: More classrooms could shut over collapsing concrete fears

RAAC is actually a lighter-weight type of concrete, used to construct roofs, faculties, faculties and different buildings from the Fifties till the mid-Nineties,

But specialists concern that the fabric has now reached the tip of its shelf life and is liable to break down.

Though not confirmed, it’s estimated that round 24 faculties in England have been instructed to shut completely due to the presence of RAAC.

Schools minister Nick Gibb has admitted extra might be requested to close school rooms.

But the issue might be far wider than simply faculties, specialists say, with different buildings susceptible to “sudden and catastrophic collapse” if RAAC isn’t eliminated.

Chris Goodier, professor of building engineering and supplies at Loughborough University, mentioned the “scale of the problem is much bigger than schools”.

What is Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete?

Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete – handily shortened to RAAC – is actually a light-weight type of concrete.

It was used to construct roofs, faculties, faculties and different buildings from the Fifties till the mid-Nineties, in line with GOV.UK.

In comparability to conventional concrete, RAAC is weaker. It is made in factories utilizing tremendous combination, with chemical compounds to create gasoline bubbles and warmth.

Both the fabric properties and structural behaviour differs considerably from conventional bolstered concrete.

In 2019, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety highlighted the numerous danger of failure of RAAC planks.

Three years later in 2022, the Office of Government Property despatched a security briefing discover to all property leaders, saying that “RAAC is now life-expired and liable to collapse”.

Chris Goodier, professor of building engineering and supplies at Loughborough University, mentioned: “It is RAAC from the Fifties, 60s and 70s that’s of essential concern, particularly if it has not been adequately maintained.

“RAAC examples have been found with bearings (supports) which aren’t big enough, and RAAC with the steel reinforcement in the wrong place, both of which can have structural implications.”

He says it may cowl public sectors together with well being, defence, and justice, in addition to some personal sector buildings.

NHS suppliers have already recognized 14 hospitals, which have been constructed “either wholly or in major part with RAAC”. Seven of those are thought of “critical” and never match for goal past 2030.

Three buildings operated by Police Scotland have additionally been discovered to include RAAC after an investigation of 65 constructions.

Matt Byatt, president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, says any high-rise buildings with flat roofs constructed between the late Sixties and early Nineties may include RAAC.

According to Dame Meg, the DfE has been conscious of a “significant problem” with RAAC since a roof collapse in 2018.

She warns that this week’s announcement may have a “significant impact” on the division’s wider college upkeep programmes.

Read extra:
Disruption at primary school with unsafe concrete to last until 2025
Which other buildings are at risk of concrete collapse?
Ministers urged to publish full list of impacted schools

In an opinion piece in The Times newspaper, she writes: “At our hearing in July it was clear that officials were being thorough with the proportion of school buildings they were working on, including the surveys of 600 schools with RAAC which have led to this week’s decision.

“But that is the tip of the iceberg of a failing college property in England. Most of the 700,000 pupils at present being educated in substandard buildings will not be in RAAC buildings and can now be ready longer for the enhancements they want.”

Around 104 faculties or “settings” in England discovered with concrete liable to collapse are set to be closed or disrupted – on high of 52 which have already been affected this yr.

The authorities says the colleges wanted to shut due to security fears, which have arisen resulting from concrete failing “with no warning”.

While the DfE has beforehand targeted on remediation, Mr Gibb says the division is now taking the “cautious approach” that all the concrete must be eliminated.

Labour is looking on ministers to “come clean” and publish the full list of schools that might be impacted, as they haven’t but been publicly named.

It has additionally accused the federal government of “neglect and incompetence” over their dealing with of the problem.

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