Chapter 3: Stability

To design and construct a safe structure, several requirements need to be satisfied. There is often considerable attention on design of structural elements such as floors, beams and columns and their mechanical strength. Stability, however, is one of the most important requirements as inadequate stability can lead to catastrophic failure. Assessment and design for stability requires a thorough understanding of the behaviour of a structural system and load paths which need to be considered from the outset in the design process. This chapter discusses principles of stability and how it can be achieved for various structural forms and materials with focus on building structures. General principles and philosophy of stability are explained. This is, then, followed by a review of possible approaches for low rise and multi-storey buildings in steel, in-situ and precast concrete, masonry and timber construction. Various structural arrangements to provide stability in vertical and horizontal planes will be reviewed. Special consideration is also given to stability of buildings during alteration, demolition and dismantling and where a building is adjacent to new construction.