Faridat Ogundairo
The General Manager of Lagos State Materials Testing Laboratory, Olufunsho Elulade has identified that building developers are the ones responsible for the building collapse in the state.
Elulade during an interview in a popular newspaper highlighted the challenging terrain in Lagos State, particularly the presence of a high water table, especially on the island.
According to him, the responsibility lies with building developers who fail to conduct proper tests on building materials before commencing construction.
He stressed that developers must undertake essential soil tests to overcome these challenges.
The GM emphasized that if the construction process is adhered to the state’s regulations and the builder ensures a solid foundation, there should be no reason for a building to collapse.
He further added that neglecting the required tests is a significant contributing factor to building collapses.
He said,” lack of conducting building material tests before any building is constructed can sometimes lead to building failure or collapse, fake materials are very prominent in a building collapse,all buildings require non-destructive tests either during construction or post-construction because that is how we can guarantee that quality materials were used and meet up with the required standard.
“Once you get it right from the foundation,you follow and abide by the state law, I can tell you that there is no reason for that building to collapse”.
Elulade also advocated for the mandatory conduction of material testing, particularly soil tests, at the inception of any construction project.
He explained that a structural engineer should design a suitable foundation based on the results of soil testing before an architect focuses on the aesthetic aspects of the project.
He therefore advises them to always make sure that they get their construction materials tested in order to reduce the rate of building collapse in the state.
“Materials testing needs to be conducted, especially a soil test because it is from that soil test that the structural engineer would be able to design the kind of foundation that is suitable before it is given to an architect to come up with the aesthetic.
Hence, if the right steps are not followed or the requisite tests are not complied with, these are some of the major reasons buildings collapse.My message to the developers is just to obey the law and make sure they get their construction materials tested in order to reduce the spate of building collapse in the state”, Elulade said.
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