One might think that in such a large building, one component failing or breaking wouldn’t be a huge problem. However, in certain situations, a structural phenomenon known as progressive collapse quietly compromises the strength of the entire building. One damaged load-bearing element could lead to the collapse of its entire building.

Typically, progressive collapse occurs when a load-bearing structure endures a high amount of stress for an extreme amount of time. For example, a supporting pillar cracking under pressure from decades of supporting the weight of a building could result in progressive collapse. Once the structural integrity of that pillar is lost, the remaining parts of the building suddenly must endure more pressure. This ultimately leads to those parts collapsing as well, resulting in a chain reaction that ends once a large section or even the entire structure collapses. Without careful inspection of every load bearing element, progressive collapse poses a huge threat to the safety and stability of the entire building.

The Rana Pasa in Bangladesh is an example of progressive collapse that resulted in a high death toll. It was a commercial building that was built without proper permits in Bangladesh. The fifth through eight floors lacked proper supporting walls, meaning the building had a low structural integrity. One day, it began to collapse as the structural walls in the lower floors began to crack, putting more pressure on the remaining walls until finally the entire building collapsed. It trapped thousands of people and resulted in a death count of over 1,000 people. This building collapse shows the danger of ignoring structural supports and how buildings can easily collapse when their structural supports are ignored. Progressive collapse was a danger that I never thought about before researching it. While one faulty structural wall or column may seem insignificant in large buildings like skyscrapers, if those elements are damaged, it may lead to the destruction of the entire building with severe consequences.