Loads on a Building
Structural engineers design buildings to withstand loads of all types. The building’s frame must be designed to withstand a combination of all those loads with some being more present than… Read More »
Unbalanced Loads in a Building on a Slope
When a house is constructed with a full basement wall on one side and walkout on the other, there is very large unbalanced lateral force induced by the upslope soil… Read More »
Frost Protected Shallow Foundation
We discussed in the past the importance of concrete foundations being protected against frost heaving. The frost depth in most of New England is between 4 and 5 feet below… Read More »
Steel Corrosion from Vehicles
Take a look at this metal deck and open web steel joist floor structure. As you can see, the metal deck and the open web steel joists are severely corroded. If… Read More »
Load Bearing Walls Beat LVL Beams
We have had the pleasure of working with Chuck Wood of Colonial Builders recently. He is leading spectacular renovations of a few old buildings in Concord. Each time I visit… Read More »
Interlocking Concrete Block Retaining Walls
Whether you are looking for a lower cost retaining wall to enhance your yard or to support your driveway, the Interlocking Concrete Block (ICB) (a.k.a. segmental concrete block) retaining wall… Read More »
When an Engineer Renovates a Swing Set
Last year our family was lucky to inherit a swing set that had served another family well but was beyond its originally intended service life. Amongst many inadequacies, the original… Read More »
ICF Forms
ICF is the abbreviation for Insulated Concrete Form, an emerging new building technology which simplifies constructing foundations. These forms are made of rigid insulation tied together in hollow blocks which… Read More »
Is This Beam Wood or Steel? Or both?
Structural steel is becoming more common in homes, as structural steel gets stronger and lighters and its cost per pound comes closer to alternatives like engineered lumber. The challenge with… Read More »
UniCast North Addition Design
One year ago (https://myteamengineering.com/project-spotlight-uni-cast/), we helped design a small southern addition to expand the manufacturing space for Uni-Cast in Londonderry, NH. Since then, construction has been completed and their aluminum casting… Read More »