Unsafe design of retrofi t cantilever balconies

摘要

A structural assessment of severalnew balconies being added to anexisting building revealed criticalconcerns in respect of fi xings back intothe existing brickwork.A structural assessment of severalnew balconies added to an existingbuilding was undertaken by thereporter. The design of the fi xingsback into the existing brickwork wasof great concern to the reporter. Thebuilding was of traditional loadbearingmasonry with steel-framed balconiesbeing added to upper fl oors. Thebalconies were supported only at theirjunction with the wall by way of a steelchannel bolted to the wall and at theirends on a triangulated bracket, againbolted to the wall. The balconies werebolted only to the brick outer leaf of theexternal walls (Figure 1).