Learning from experience to avoid collapse Available to Purchase

In developing countries, there are more structural collapses than in those countries with older traditions of safety and regulation. Many deaths and injuries occur, but with changes in culture and regulation, much can be achieved to improve structural safety. Often the failures occur during construction, although in other cases buildings or bridges fail while in service. With increasing population comes increasing urbanisation and new cities where growth may not be regulated and risks are taken with standards of construction. To bring about a reduction in failures, there needs to be concentrated attention by governments, national and local, on initiating, legislating and enforcing measures to improve construction standards. The three principal areas where action should be taken are pre-construction activities – such as design, followed by the selection of contractors – construction and in-service life. In a developing country, the environment all of these factors can be tackled by strong and motivated government and industry by using advice transferred from outside. This includes transferring knowledge at all levels, so that the lessons that have been learned in one country can be passed on to another.