Through-life management of LPS dwelling blocks, including their structural assessment for accidental loads and actions

Author(s): S.L. Matthews, B. Reeves
Paper category: Conference
Book title: Concrete Repair, Rehabilitation and Retrofitting III (ICCRRR)
Editor(s): M.G. Alexander, H.-D. Beushausen, F. Dehn, P. Moyo
Print ISBN: 978-0-415-89952-9
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Pages: 303- 304
Total Pages: 2
Language: English

Abstract: 
Societal and sustainability are drivers which are generally encouraging the extension of the service life of existing buildings. In the UK there are many high rise Large Panel System (LPS) built dwelling blocks, generally constructed in the 1960’s, which are expected to remain in service for an extended period. This poses challenges because LPS dwelling blocks in the UK are treated as a special class of building as a result of the collapse in 1968 of one corner of Ronan Point, a 22 storey LPS dwelling block situated in London, following a piped-gas explosion. As these buildings continue to age, and some have now been in service for over 45 years, deterioration processes are expected to affect aspects of their future performance.
Owners of LPS dwelling blocks have an ongoing responsibility for the safety of these blocks, which requires their periodic inspection and structural assessment. Historically the guidance used for structural assessment of LPS dwelling blocks for accidental loads has been the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (MHLG) Circulars 62-68 and 71-68, produced in 1968 shortly after the Ronan Point incident. These MHLG Circulars, along with other related guidance from that era, were never withdrawn and notionally remain in force today. However, this guidance has become outdated by subsequent developments.
The paper outlines an approach to the through-life management of LPS dwelling blocks, together with associated procedures for their structural assessment for accidental loads and actions. This is based upon the outcomes of a programme of work carried out by BRE over an extended period (mid-1990’s to 2011) to develop new guidance, which was recently published as BRE Report 511 ‘Handbook for the structural assessment of large panel system (LPS) dwelling blocks for accidental loading’ (Matthews & Reeves 2012).

Online publication: 2014
Publication Type: abstract_only
Public price (Euros): 0.00