Assessing the Consequences of Building Failures

Abstract

The consequences of structural failures, as a result of a hazard, can take several forms: from material/structural damage and human injuries/fatalities to functional downtime and environmental impact. Within a risk-based robustness framework, consequence modelling is an important step in estimating risk, both in determining the robustness of a building and in assessing the benefit of possible robustness-improving measures. This paper highlights the principles to be adopted in estimating consequences arising from potential building failures. The multi-dimensional and variable aspects of the "cost of failure" are discussed, and the various types of consequences arising from building failure are examined. In this respect, a categorisation of failure consequences is presented, together with associated models for quantifying their magnitude.