CHAPTER ONE

1.0           GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background of the Study

        Buildings are constructed primarily to meet one of the human physical needs. Aside feeding, shelter is the next paramount thing in human life in the hierarchy of human want. Building provides accommodation for everyman, his belongings, pet and other of his living and non-living goods and equipment needed for his daily living apart from meeting the need of shelter, building also provide a form of environmental satisfaction to man both mentally and psychologically.

        According to Jinadu, (1996) in his book Understanding the Basis of Housing, “building is a form of shelter comprising of the main structural element such as foundation, wall, floor, door, window and the roof structure.” A building must be adequately designed and efficiently constructed in such a way that its provides expected conditions compatible and appropriate for the activities to be carried out within it on completion, and also ensure the comfort, piracy and safety of the occupant. The materials with which the building is constructed must satisfy basic functional requirement of weather resistance, thermal insulation, fire resistance, sound insulation, strength and stability, durability and resistance to wear and tear. (Awe, 2007).

        It is obvious that building collapse does not suddenly happened; rather there should be symptoms preceding the occurrence of such collapse. Consequently, those with poor foundation quickly manifested with damp walls up to the second floor level. The question is, how long will the building last before they sink or collapse? Perhaps most developers and builders after the madly rushing to erect structures in some parts of the nation, without taking into cognizance the aquatic soil structure, buildings were erected on poor foundations. Today, these buildings have manifested serious structural defect. They are all sinking, cracking, collapsing or standing precariously awaiting demolition.

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