Last edited 29 May 2019

Building failure

Failure occurs when the desired outcomes are not achieved. It is the opposite of success.

The term ‘failure’ can have many different and equally significant meanings in the construction industry. Construction projects are costly, complex and often involve a large number of different stakeholders, suppliers and technologies, meaning that the potential for failure is considerable.

Failures can occur at a project level, typically resulting in cost or time overruns, or disputes, or they can occur at a construction level, generally caused by deficiencies in design, products, specifications or workmanship.

Some of the most common reasons for project failure include:

Cost overruns due to inaccurate estimates and budgets, changing market conditions, and so on.
Poor briefing.
Scope creep, where the extent of the work expands beyond the original agreement.
Delays due to incomplete or unclear information.
Break down in the relationship between the parties to the project.
Site conditions.
Design errors, lack of co-ordination or clashes.
Insolvency of contractors or suppliers.
Variations.
Financing.
Lack of qualified and available workers, specialists, materials, plant, and so on.

Common construction failures include:

Cracking and building movement.
Dry rot, wet rot, woodworm and mould.
Damp.
Condensation.
Structural failure.
Metal fatigue.
Window and door failure.
Defects in brickwork (see also: Efflorescence / Spalling).
Defects in stonework.
Flooring defects.
Roofing defects (See also: Flat roof defects).
Sick building syndrome.
Wall tie failure.

A structure will fail when a material or system is put under strain at the limit of its strength, resulting in cracks or deformation. Once it surpasses its ability to endure the loads, it will fail. When designing structures, the ultimate failure strength of a material or element must be taken into consideration, with a factor of safety integrated into the design analysis, enabling it to take certain stresses and strains without failing.

Building defects can be 'patent' or 'latent'. Patent defects are those which can be discovered by reasonable inspection. Latent defects are those which cannot be discovered by reasonable inspection, for example problems with foundations which may not become apparent for several years after completion when settlement causes cracking in the building. When a latent defect becomes apparent, it becomes patent rather than latent.