LETTERS: The collapse of a 12-storey residential tower block in Miami, Florida, recently should concern all condominium builders, owners and managers in every country, and Malaysia is no exception.
We should learn from the tragedy when the findings of the inquiry into the disaster is released.
Malaysia has its fair share of high-rise condos that are more than 40 years old. Owners of such high-rise buildings should monitor them regularly.
This brings to mind the Highland Towers collapse in December 1993, which was partly caused by a landslide attributed to a burst water pipe.
About 100,000 cubic metres of earth were displaced, and breached a retaining wall and compromised the foundation of the building.
There are many reasons why such buildings can be safety hazards. Over time, structures may not be strong enough to support its load. The material used could be stressed beyond its limit, causing fractures or excessive deformities.
Material fatigue or corrosion due to geometry, design or its properties can cause fissures and cracks that could lead to collapse under normal loading conditions.
Even shoddy workmanship, defective materials, vandalism, or natural disasters can lead to weakened structures. So, there is no substitute for regular and systematic checks on buildings, especially those that are decades old.
Engineers must be contracted to conduct structure integrity tests and implement remedial actions.
We must remember that modern buildings were not constructed the way some ancient buildings, like the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China and the Pyramids of Egypt, were.
Today's buildings have a lifespan determined by the materials, structural design and the condition of the surrounding environment.
Of great importance is the materials, which are constantly changing. For instance, metal pipes that used to be in older buildings have been largely been replaced with plastic, which have a shorter lifespan.
More and more materials are being substituted with new, hybrid products whose lifespans have not been tested.
The use of these products is understandable because of the need to construct buildings at the lowest cost.
Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye
ChairmanAlliance For Safe Community
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times