INGENIEUR
Do You
Know?
Forensic
Engineering
By Pang Soo Mooi
Building Failure during Babylonian era
During the Babylonian era, a person who would be
held responsible in the event of a building failure is
clearly spelt out in the Hammurabi Code of 1950 BC.
The code is simple, direct but punitive and states:
“If a contractor builds a house for a man and does
not build it strong enough, and the house which
he builds collapses and causes the death of the
house owner, then the contractor shall be put to
death.”
Introduction of Accredited Checkers and
Mandatory Inspection of Buildings
The amendment of the Street, Drainage and
Building Act 1974, Act 133 (1995) enabling the
local authority to order a review of safety and
stability in the course of erection of building
under section 70B and the mandatory inspection
of buildings of more than 5 storeys every 10
years under section 85A were the result of the
recommendations of the Commission of Enquiry
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JUNE 2013
on the collapse of Highland Towers, Ampang,
Kuala Lumpur in 1993.
Similarly, the requirement of Accredited
Checkers and periodic inspections of buildings in
Singapore were also introduced after the collapse
of New World Hotel in 1986.
Collapse of New World Hotel, Singapore -
March 15, 1986
In spite of the under-designed structure of the six-
storey building, the owner had added an extra 75
tons to the building after its occupation consisting
of retiling of the building façade, installation of
water tank and cooling towers on the roof.
The failure started in two columns on the
second floor and one column at the car park
on the ground floor. As these columns failed,
their loads were transferred to other parts of the
structure. This triggered a chain reaction resulting
in the collapse of the whole building like a pack of
cards.
An hour before the collapse, workmen were
seen propping up the cracking supporting pillars
with wooden props. Rescue workers had to dig
four tunnels underneath the collapsed building to
rescue eight persons trapped underneath.
Collapse of Sampoong Department
Store, South Korea, 1995
What was to be constructed originally as a four-
storey residential building was changed to a
departmental store during the construction
stage by the future Chairman of the building. The
change resulted in the cutting away of a number
of support columns to install escalators. The
revised construction plans were not accepted
by the contractor. He was then terminated and
construction was continued by the Chairman’s
own construction company.
The building was completed in 1989 and the
Sampoong Department Store opened for business
in mid-1989. The fifth floor which was earlier
planned as roller skating ring was converted
to eight restaurants with heated concrete
base and hot water pipes running through it.
The construction company appointed for the