HUBBALLI: The ongoing repair work of columns at the basement area of the under-construction building in Dharwad is said to be a possible reason for its collapse. It is also alleged that the building foundation was faltered due to tinkering with its design. It is learnt from nearby building owners that cracks were appearing in the columns, so the work was going on to strengthen them by giving additional packing. In order to strengthen it from the base, the builder has been accused of digging the pits around the columns without taking any precautionary measures like jacking the beams.
A structural engineer said it was not the right way of strengthening the columns. “If the builder had dug the pit around the column, the base of the building might have weakened and developed vibrations and finally might have led to the collapse. There are structural methods to follow for strengthening columns of an already constructed building,” he said.
“If the information on the pillar strengthening works is true, it was a criminal negligence. Since shops in the complex were already occupied by business establishments, the building owner should have informed them about the repair work which might have saved many lives,” the engineer added.
A civil engineer who visited the accident spot said the pillar and slab concrete of the building have no adequate amount of jelly stone and the steel used was not as per the grade. “The jelly stones act as binding cement, sand and steel and give strength to concrete. Due to the lack of jelly stones, weakness might have developed in the pillars and resulting in the cracks,” he said.
While the builders used ready mix concrete, they should have been particular about an adequate mix of cement, sand and stone jelly. As the RMC is fed through pipes using elector motor, the agencies which prepare the RMC intermix less amount of jelly, he said.