Tying up those slabs
Another change since the Canterbury earthquakes is that all reinforcing in slabs on the ground must now be tied into the foundation wall reinforcing.
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Another change since the Canterbury earthquakes is that all reinforcing in slabs on the ground must now be tied into the foundation wall reinforcing.
The recent earthquakes in Canterbury have highlighted the need to secure items that may be critical to occupants’ survival after an earthquake. One such item is the hot water cylinder.
Lessons from the Canterbury earthquakes mean that all concrete floor slabs must now be reinforced with steel bars or welded mesh with a reasonable degree of ductility.
The roof is usually the first thing to fail when a building is damaged in a severe storm. This risk can be minimised by making sure there are good structural connections.
A single, boron-based treatment class, H1.2, may now be used for almost all enclosed timber framing. This has simplified framing timber, but have treatment processes or on-site handling changed?
Almost all building materials move of their own accord. This needs to be allowed for during design and construction or this movement can create problems with the durability of materials and, potentially, the building’s weathertightness.
Mixing old and new materials when renovating brings challenges, but there are ways to work with these so the differences are not obvious.
Injuries in the construction industry are high, with acc claims over the previous year costing over $100 million. Here’s some simple advice to help reduce your risk of injuries in and around a building site.
All timber floors deflect to some degree under load, but a floor that deflects too much when walked on can be disconcerting. Floors rarely fail, but a bouncy floor often indicates a problem with the floor joists.
Timber weatherboards have an excellent performance history. Builders using a good product and following basic handling, installation and finishing procedures should ensure a quality job.