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Description

Following the identification of High risk RAAC within the Mansard extension (the 2nd floor) of the Town Hall, as classified under the IstructE (Institution of Structural Engineers) guidance, the second floor was isolated from use. To further support an evaluation of risk a series of internal investigations have then been undertaken to identify the implications of a single and multiple RAAC collapse. The findings of the investigation confirm that the current floor construction (the roof of the original 1930's building) was never designed to accommodate dynamic loads resulting from a panel failure of this magnitude. The RAAC panels in question span significant distances and are of considerable mass; should one or more panels fail without warning, which is the nature of RAAC, the resulting impact load could therefore exceed the second floor's load-bearing limits causing the floor structure to fail. This could lead to a cascading effect to the floors below. These findings necessitate risk mitigation measures to prevent any potential structural failures and ensure the safety of the building occupants below this area.