Recently we’ve used laser-scanning technology for many applications, including the investigation of this church. The church called us to investigate their steeple, suspecting it was leaning. We tapped Process 3-D Scanning and Surveying, who set up their laser scan in about a dozen locations around the building. (The scan is so high resolution that it… Read More »
When describing a railing system, words often get thrown around that are very generic and often confused with one another. Two we often hear about are guardrails vs handrails. What are the two and what is the difference? The International Building Code (IBC) and the International Residential Code (IRC) have definitions for “guards” and “handrails”,… Read More »
Before you can consider that extra room in the basement as a legal bedroom, several requirements of the 2015 International Residential Code and NFPA 101 need to be met. Start by considering the following questions: Is my ceiling at least 7 feet tall? Does the room have adequate insulation in the walls? Is there sufficient… Read More »
Pre-engineered metal buildings have been built for decades and are growing in popularity. “Pre” engineered is a bit of a misnomer – our experience these days is that the buildings are engineered as part of a typical design process, and just designed by someone other than the structural engineer of record. The manufacturers of the… Read More »
This rooftop patio had been leaking for years. It had a concrete deck surfaced with DEX-O-TEX, which was a textured “rubber” membrane type product. The DEX-O-TEX and miscellaneous patches were removed and a new two-part liquid membrane coating system was applied by Viking Roofing of Hollis, NH (www.vikingroofingnh.com). The installed product consisted of Sikalastic RoofPro… Read More »
So many great things came out of 2020. One of the many is that our long-time friends at 101-103 School Street Condominium in Concord said yes to proceeding with needed structural improvements to this “multi-level” garage. For many years, the cars on the upper level would drip salt and sand through the old wooden floor… Read More »
As engineers, we often get the call to inspect and design improvements for structural members that are close to failing. Building owners often catch these deficiencies before the worst-case scenario comes to life. Surprisingly, we rarely see any that have actually failed, but this is one of them. The age of this home is unknown,… Read More »
Recently we have been asked a lot about fiber reinforcing, and if it should be used in concrete slabs-on-grade. Fiber-reinforced concrete, or FRC, is a common building structural element, and it consists of cement, sand and aggregate, and very small fibers. The fibers can be made from steel, glass, synthetic/polymer materials, or natural materials like… Read More »
A common concern we receive from owners of older homes is a sagging/sinking floor. Sagging floors can occur for several reasons and might be scary for homeowners, but a qualified engineer knows exactly what signs to look for to determine how to fix it. All structures settle over time (especially in the first few years)… Read More »
Around here, most residential garages, whether attached to the house or detached, include a concrete slab-on-grade. Concrete slabs-on-grade are strong, durable, and easy to maintain. To provide more usable square footage, garage floors are sometimes built elevated – we’ve designed a few ourselves using framing systems like cold-formed steel joists, pre-stressed concrete plank, and structural… Read More »
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