Part A Structural Design Checklist Template

Approved Document A in the UK is a required guideline that helps the public, especially those in construction and building, understand how to design buildings to ensure they are strong and meet the Building Regulations of 2010 (for England and Wales). Approved document part A highlights three major key factors of a structurally sound building, which are loading, ground movement, and disproportionate collapse.

Loading

Part A places importance on how loads on a building are considered and calculated. Loading plays an important role in keeping a building supported to avoid deformation, deflection, or any movement that could place the building’s integrity in jeopardy. The combined load of a building—including dead load, wind load, and imposed loads—must be fully identified and accounted for on ordinary loads and dynamic loads to ensure that the structural parts that carry these loads are adequately designed for full integrity.

Because of its criticality, construction companies are strongly recommended to follow codes, like BS EN 1990 for structural design basis and BS EN 1991 for loading that includes dead load (building’s own weight), elemental loads (wind, snow, and ambient heat), and accidental loads. Following Part A and these codes ensures that the building, its occupants, and the neighboring structures are free from any impending danger and collapse.

Ground Movement

The ground where a building will be constructed needs to be surveyed as per approved document A. The ground needs to be surveyed for any movements, like swelling and shrinkage of subsoil, freezing, erosion, or subsidence, which could pose a threat to the safety and integrity of the constructed building. During the design phase, it should be ensured that these surveys are conducted to help anticipate any potential ground movement and provide the necessary measures to mitigate and eliminate risks.

The foundation and structural design of the building should integrate these measures prepared during the design phase to ensure that they are fully equipped to stay steady and sturdy for any sudden ground movements. Part A also mandates the frequent continuation of these surveys to guarantee the provision of measures tailored to new ground and soil conditions. Doing so helps protect the building and occupants living in it.

Disproportionate Collapse

Approved document, Part A, has provided a mandate on how the robustness of a building is defined. It said that buildings should be designed so that if a structural part fails or a portion collapses, the entire structure should remain standing. The building should be designed in a way that redundancy, ties, load paths, and alternative load-sharing are integrated to ensure that a total collapse will not happen.

A full collapse of a building will mean a catastrophic event and put the occupants and the surrounding neighborhood in critical danger. To avoid such occurrences, different building classes should practice providing keen attention to detail when designing the structure. The design should provide details, like floor anchoring, horizontal ties, and proper connections between design elements. Providing these details places a higher level of survivability on the occupants and everyone near the premises.