WHY THERE IS A RECENT NEED FOR A TECHNICAL AUDIT FOR BUILDINGS?
Prof. Mainak Ghosal
What is a Technical audit? According to Wikipedia, a Technical audit(TA) is an audit performed by an auditor, engineer, or subject-matter expert evaluating deficiencies or areas of improvement in a process, system, or proposal.
The need arises due to – poor structural design/construction or owner’s/client’s wishes to upgrade or National Building Code’s recommendations(for TA of all important public/private buildings with more than 15m height every 3 to 5 years/MCD directive/High Court notice) or due to change in Loading conditions due to altered use/additions/alterations or Losing strength due to Fire or new Tall Building Code 16700 rendering > 50m tall buildings non-compliant with existing codes or new NDMA Guidelines which prohibit hidden beams/soft stories/floating columns/Flat Slabs/PT/Precast/PEB Constructions/Vetting from academic institutions/review of all existing Hospitals with a recommendation to retrofit if found to fall below suggested performance levels. Last but not the least, there are revisions of BIS-1893(part -1) and BIS-13920 since 2016, which makes the existing structures likely to be non-compliant.
The methodologies of the technical audit are as follows
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Technical site/field visit for Buildings – Technical site or field visits are conducted to collect the primary data regarding the identification of building deficiencies.
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Performing/Conducting complete Survey – This includes both structural & architectural survey which also includes non-structural attachments/apparatus and to inspect any visible damage and to prepare post-construction as-built drawings.
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Simplified Vulnerability Assessment – To perform simplified vulnerability assessment with respect to seismic/wind or any other parameters based on the existing building characteristics like irregularity or mathematical modeling to identify buildings that require detailed vulnerability assessment or should opt for re-construction process. Use of Structural engineering software like STAAD Pro/E-TABS/ SAAP etc. Moreover, BIS-15988 specifies the audit has to be carried out as per the latest revised seismic codes and ASCE 41.
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Carrying out Non-Destructive Tests – NDT like Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity testing, Rebound Hammer testing, Rebar Location, etc.
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Other alternatives like the addition of Shear walls/RC concrete jacketing/Steel jacketing/CFRP wrapping/Bracings/Dampers or Base Isolation systems/Grouting/Guniting.
But despite such stringent authoritative recommendations, it has been observed that there is a lack of adequate site information or conflict of interests among the concerned engineers/architects.
Where the capacity building is the forte, unaware clients want the cheapest conventional solutions which is not always the most preferred solution as per Ms. Sangeeta Wij (Managing Partner, SD Engineering Consultants LLP) who has carried out audits for more than 1500 buildings for World Bank & other Clients.
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Compiled by:-
Er. Mainak Ghosal
PhD (pursuing), ME (Struct.), PGDM, MBA (HR), MIE, MSc (REV), BSc, FIV
Consultant, Banking & Construction Industry, Former Faculty — JIS College of Engineering, Kalyani, Nadia, Bengal, and Global Institute of Management & Technology (GIMT), Krishnanagar, Nadia, Bengal. The Author was formerly associated with PHED, Govt. of Bengal as Assistant Engineer (Civil).
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