NIGERIA EXPERTS SAY MOST BUILDING IN LAGOS ARE OLD

The President of, the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers, Peter IgbiniJesu, has said most old buildings in Lagos State have outlived their usage.

He made this submission while speaking on local media on the backdrop of the recurring incidence of building collapse, especially in Lagos.

IgbiniJesu, who is also a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, said buildings have expiration dates, adding that a building should stand for at least 99 years depending on how often it is maintained.

He said an integrity test should be carried out on buildings every five years.

“When you look at the whole issue of building, there are three major areas that are involved; the design stage, the construction stage, and the usage.

“Most of those structures have been standing for years and the usage of those buildings has exceeded what they were originally designed for in the sense that you are now giving additional loads that are now bringing various stresses on these buildings, including the foundation.

“These buildings are subjected to vertical loads are horizontal loads. Who knows, these buildings may be designed for residential purposes but somewhere along the line, they may have been converted to other usages. In other words, you are putting additional loads on what the foundation can withstand,” IgbiniJesu said.

SOURCE: DailyTrust