Check the structural integrity of halls and buildings

As the owner or operator of buildings, or as the person authorised to dispose of them, you are responsible under the German Civil Code and the relevant state building regulations for ensuring public safety and the proper maintenance (inspection and, where necessary, repair) of your buildings. This applies to private owners as well as to the federal government, the federal states and local authorities.

TÜV NORD supports owners and operators of industrial halls and other buildings by carrying out structural assessments of relevant building components. This helps to prevent risks and resulting damage at an early stage or to better assess existing damage from a safety perspective.

The early detection of defects not only helps to prevent damage to property and personal injury, but also helps to maintain the value of your building. This is because defects can often be rectified more cost-effectively if they are detected at an early stage.

Our assessment is carried out as part of a two-stage safety concept that takes all eventualities into account.

Tragic real-life examples have shown that building components can lose their original material properties over time, for example as a result of repeated exposure to extreme weather conditions. Furthermore, in practice, many buildings have undergone structural alterations without sufficient consideration being given to their structural stability (e.g. during roof refurbishments, changes of use or the installation of solar panels).

Previous studies have shown that a high proportion of industrial halls and other buildings have safety-related defects. For cost reasons or due to a lack of skilled personnel, necessary maintenance work is not always carried out in a timely manner. The severity of damage is sometimes greatly underestimated, which can give rise to significant risks to building safety.

The basic module forms the basis of the safety assessment and includes the following services:

• All freely accessible areas are inspected once by an expert.
• The expert draws up a general description of the condition of the premises and documents any obvious defects in structural components, assessing these from a safety perspective (including photographic documentation).
• Based on this assessment, recommendations for further action are made.

The supplementary module builds on the results of the basic module and may include various services, e.g.:

• The structural design documents to be submitted are compared with the current structural conditions in a ‘target-actual comparison’. This enables the identification of any additional loads, for example resulting from conversion works, roof refurbishments, mobile phone masts, solar panels and air-conditioning systems.
• Based on the findings from the basic module and the results of the review of the design documents, detailed investigations are carried out on key parts of the load-bearing structure where necessary.
• We offer the testing and determination of material properties in our recognised and accredited testing laboratory. This enables us, for example, to assess the load-bearing capacity of individual structural elements.
• All damage and deviations from specifications identified are recorded in an inspection report. Finally, an assessment of the building’s condition is carried out.
• Based on all the results of the entire assessment, specific recommendations for further action are made.

The building inspection is carried out in accordance with, or based on, the following guidelines and regulations:

• Guidelines for the inspection of the structural stability of buildings by the owner or authorised representative, published by the Conference of Ministers and Senators of the Federal States responsible for Urban Development, Construction and Housing (ARGEBAU)
• RÜV, Federal Guideline for the Monitoring of the Safety of Structures
• VDI Guideline 6200, Structural Stability of Buildings – Regular Inspection
• DIN 1076, Civil engineering structures along roads and paths – Monitoring and inspection
• RI-EBW-PRÜF 2017, Guideline for the standardised collection, assessment, recording and evaluation of results from structural inspections in accordance with DIN 1076
• Individual operator guidelines

Do you want to engage with your project stakeholders as equals and make well-informed decisions during the construction phase?

• Quality control throughout the construction process – ensuring quality: Put your trust in TÜV NORD’s quality control services throughout your construction phase!
• Advice on protecting your building fabric – put your trust in TÜV NORD: building defect inspections for your property
• Building physics and energy consultancy – Optimal build quality: TÜV NORD building physics services for your property
• Building renovation: Concepts and advice – Achieving the ideal result with a well-thought-out plan: independent advice for your building renovation
• Preventative preservation of evidence – put your trust in TÜV NORD: professional assessment of the building’s condition
• Advice before purchasing a property – Invest with confidence: TÜV NORD property purchase advice
• Valuation of your property – Trust in our expertise: TÜV NORD property valuation
• Building materials testing laboratory – Ensuring quality: Precise testing of your building materials for your construction project

Benefit from our independent and experienced building surveyors.

• You’ll avoid high follow-up costs caused by construction defects discovered too late.
• You can make well-informed decisions and improve the quality of your build.
• You’ll enjoy greater peace of mind and a better overall sense of security – right from the start

Further information TÜV NORD Systems