Forces on buildings and structural impacts

Forces on Buildings

When constructing my pre-fire plan for the furniture and appliance store, a number of problems are immediately apparent. Among these, the building is designed with heavy timber construction, and this poses certain potential dangers. The fist problem would be that timber lends itself to burning easily and quickly, so the primary building material can act as tinder in the case of a fire. In the event of a fire, the building can quickly go up in flames simply due to the nature of the construction materials. Second, timber lends itself to rot over time, and rotting timber can degrade structural integrity and weaken the building's frame and supporting materials. The building itself may be weak and that in and of itself could present a problem in case of a fire or collapse. Third, due to the nature of the building's materials, there may be a potential termite problem. Though the building may look sound to the outside observer, like with rot, the building may be lacking in structural soundness. Again, this could pose significant dangers to firefighters or rescuers in the event of a fire or collapse. And lastly, the building lacks modern reinforcement materials such as steel or cement. These materials could aid in supporting the structure in the event of a man-made or natural calamity, with of course, these materials providing further aid for rescuers and firefighters.

The next major apparent hazard is the placement of the heavy appliances on the second floor. Obviously, should the building's structural foundation become weakened owing to a fire or earthquake, the second floor could collapse merely due to the weight of the appliances. Had the business owners chosen to place lighter-weight products such as electronics on this floor, this potential danger could be somewhat, if not dramatically, diminished. Further, even without the event of fire, wood rot or termites, it could also be that the second floor does not have the load-bearing capacity to handle the business's heavy freight, and it could collapse because of the simple fact of gravity.

The third potential problem is the roof-renovation. Again, depending on the status of the renovation, the building's structure could be weakened do the lack of a roof providing structural support. The construction materials used for the renovation could also pose potential hazards to fire fighters and rescuers. Heavy materials on the roof or stored on the upper floors could foster floor or structural collapse; the materials could block pathways rescuers could need to save lives and property; and lastly, the materials could clutter areas around the building in such a manner as to impede firefighting or rescue efforts. The placement of construction materials should be such that they do not interfere with any type of emergency service. The roof may also have "open areas" that could allow inclement weather in, for example, rain or drizzle somehow sparking an electrical fire.