BRE to help revise the 'restrictive' LPS guidance forged in the wake of 1968 gas blast
In 1968, Ivy Hodge struck a match in her kitchen and caused a gas explosion that resulted in the collapse of most of her tower block in East London.

Four people died, though miraculously, Ivy Hodge, a 56-year-old cake decorator, survived.

The tragedy was blamed on the structural unsoundness of the tower block. It led to general opprobrium of post-war system-built towers and new guidance was introduced to prevent such a disaster ever happening again.

Inconsistencies
Now, however, this guidance is thought to be too restrictive, and there may be inconsistencies in the way the robustness of tower blocks are assessed.

So a consortium of partners, private companies and local councils, has obtained a grant from the DTI to try for a more rational approach.

The two-year project will try to revise existing guidance on the structural assessment of large panel system (LPS) tower blocks and develop more advanced methods of assessing their performance under accidental loading (like the explosion Ivy Hodge caused).

BRE will contribute with parallel research into reducing LPS block owners' costs.

If you manage LPS stock, the BRE wants your help. In return you get to use the resulting guidance.

For more information call Barry Reeves on 01923 664 558.

Source

Construction Manager