The parking garage of the St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein collapsed last year due to a design flaw and defects in the execution. The garage is still out of use.
The construction of the top lane collapsed first. All eight underlying ramps then also collapsed. Defective connections were the direct cause, the Dutch Safety Board (OVV) concludes in a report. These were “designed too weak and executed differently on some parts”. As a result, the construction was “too weak to carry the ramps”.
Other factors also played a role in the collapse. For example, an extra layer of asphalt was applied to the top lane in 2015 due to wear and tear. But no account was taken of the effect of the weight increase on the construction.
According to the OVV, the reason the defects did not come to light earlier is that the design and execution were “insufficiently calculated and checked” by the responsible parties. It was also not clearly established which party was responsible for the garage. The OVV states that the control and supervision of the ramps was insufficient.
The council therefore advises the Minister of Housing and Spatial Planning to draw up a legal framework. This should state how clients, builders and building owners must demonstrably check the structural safety “during all phases”.
No one was injured in the collapse of the ramps. The demolition of the garage started a year later.
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