In the heart of Indonesia, a once-promising Hotel Apartment project now stands as a stark reminder of construction failure, abandoned for six long years. The building, a ghostly silhouette of what could have been, is not just an eyesore but a potential hazard, vulnerable to disasters and collapse. This is the stark reality that Puspita Ambartiyas, a researcher from the Civil Engineering Department at Universitas Teknogyakarta, sought to address in her recent study published in ‘Rekayasa Sipil’ (Civil Engineering).
The adverse impacts of abandoned buildings are far-reaching, encompassing structural, physical, environmental, aesthetic, health, economic, reputational, and ecological concerns. “Abandoned buildings with unknown structural strength are very vulnerable to disasters and can be dangerous if they collapse,” Ambartiyas warns. Her research delves into the causality of construction failure, using Event Tree Analysis (ETA) and Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) methods to unravel the complex web of events leading to the project’s demise.
The study began with a Rapid Visual Screening (RVS) analysis, revealing that the building had sustained damage to 43.67% of its structural components, placing it in the ‘Moderate Damage’ category. This initial assessment set the stage for a deeper investigation using ETA and FTA, which are used to determine the causal flow of construction failure scenarios and identify the root causes.
The implications of this research extend far beyond the confines of this single project. In the energy sector, where infrastructure projects are often large-scale and high-stakes, understanding the probability and causes of construction failures is crucial. The insights gained from this study could shape future developments, influencing risk management strategies and enhancing the resilience of energy infrastructure projects.
Ambartiyas’s work underscores the importance of proactive risk assessment and mitigation. “By identifying the causal flow of construction failures, we can better predict and prevent similar incidents in the future,” she explains. This proactive approach could save energy companies millions of dollars in potential losses and prevent the environmental and social impacts of abandoned projects.
The study’s findings are a clarion call for the construction industry to embrace advanced analytical methods like ETA and FTA. These tools can provide a comprehensive understanding of construction failures, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions and mitigate risks effectively.
As the energy sector continues to evolve, with a growing emphasis on sustainability and resilience, the insights from Ambartiyas’s research could prove invaluable. By learning from past failures, the industry can build a more robust and reliable infrastructure, ensuring the success of future projects and minimizing the risk of abandonment.
