In the wake of several structures collapsing across the country, building techniques can be incorporated to reduce the menace that often leads to the loss of lives and valuable property.
Jacketing is one of the techniques used by construction workers and is often used to strengthen building columns.
Furthermore, this technique is also useful when adding a floor to an existing building. It will add the need for support for the extra weight.
Often construction workers use concrete to increase the column in size, giving it more strength to hold the weight of the building.
Majorly, jacketing consists of added concrete with longitudinal and sideways reinforcement around an existing column.
Reinforcement is properly tied with a shear key using a binding wire to give it more strength.
"Columns are the key structural elements in load transformation. If damage in a column is left unattended, this may lead to the collapse of the entire structure," advised Jacob Engineers.
Notably, some of the reasons that may prompt column reinforcement include flaws in the design, poor structural maintenance, unexpected damage due to earthquakes, and changes in structural functionality.
There are different types of jacketing, including steel jacketing, fibre-reinforced polymer composite jacketing, and reinforced concrete jacketing.
However, one of the disadvantages is that it requires heavy equipment to handle, and maintenance is more difficult.
To curb cases of collapsed buildings, the government in April 2022 introduced new standards for construction materials.
Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Bernard Njiraini disclosed that some of the affected materials were structural steel, cement, and roofing tiles.
"We have an elaborate way of protecting consumers against any manufacturing who will be attempting to reduce the quality of materials they are manufacturing," Njiriani emphasised.
