Translating Engineering

Giving Back… Historic Jackson Rooming House – Part 2

2011-07-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

There has been a new addition to the Jackson House family. Last month, Mr. Robinson was investigating a strange sound coming from under the house when he came across a puppy he described as “thinner than skin and bones.” He pulled the malnourished animal from under the house and sought out a veterinarian. To Mr. Robinson’s surprise, the vet gave the puppy a clean bill of health. The puppy just needed food, water, and love. The vet also gave Mr. Robinson the following words of wisdom: “You didn’t find this puppy. This puppy found you!” With that, Mr. Robinson took the puppy home and cared for it. Mr. Robinson has named her Bright Eyes for obvious reasons. Bright Eyes has been dubbed the “House Mascot” and you can find her sitting next to Mr. Robinson on the porch or close behind him as he walks from room to room.

I would also like to extend a big “Thank You” to everyone already involved in this project and to those who have offered their assistance. The rescue and restoration of the Jackson House promises to offer several challenges and opportunities to give everyone a chance to contribute.

For more information on restoring your historic structure, or to learn more about historic restorations, please feel free to contact Matthew Depin, EI at: mdepin@brackenengineering.com

It's not rocket science... Weight of Ships v. Weight of Water?

2011-07-01T08:00:00.004-04:00

Question: Did the Magdeburg Water Bridge have to be designed to withstand the additional weight of ship?

"Non-Engineer" Answer: No

Explanation: The Magdeburg Water Bridge only needed to be designed to support the weight of the water because a ship will displace an amount of water equal to the weight of the ship, regardless of how heavily a ship may be loaded.

Commentary: The Magdeburg Water Bridge is a navigable aqueduct in Germany that connects the Elbe-Havel Canal to the Mittelland Canal, and allows ships to cross over the Elbe River. At 918 meters, it is the longest navigable aqueduct in the world. Construction of the water link was started as early as in the 1930s but due to the World War 2 and subsequent division of Germany the work remained suspended till 1997. The aqueduct was finally completed and opened to the public in 2003.

Giving Back… Historic Jackson Rooming House – Part 1

2011-06-28T08:00:00.001-04:00

Bracken Engineering is proud to announce its involvement in the rescue and restoration of the Historic Jackson Rooming House. The Jackson Rooming House (aka Jackson House) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in downtown Tampa.

History
Built in 1901, the Jackson House is now one of the only standing residential structures in downtown Tampa. During the time of racial segregation, the Jackson House offered boarding to African-American travelers visiting the black businesses along Central Avenue. Entertainment acts such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, and James Brown stayed at the Jackson House, along with their supporting band members. The first room on the right of the entryway would typically accommodate the headliner and allowed around the clock access to a piano in the adjacent sitting room. Current owner, Mr. Willie Robinson Jr., recalls growing up in the 24-room boarding house filled with music, laughter, and good times.

Bracken Engineering is currently developing a set of Comprehensive Repair Plans to address the remaining repairs necessary to restore this building to its former glory and maintain its status on the National Register. The road ahead promises to be long and winding, but the experiences and memories gained will truly be worth it. Bracken Engineering is proud to be a part of another historic building restoration.

For more information on restoring your historic structure, or to learn more about historic restorations, please feel free to contact Matthew Depin, EI at: mdepin@brackenengineering.com.

It's not rocket science... What can I do to help maintain my older home?

2011-06-24T08:00:00.002-04:00

Question: What can I do to help maintain my older home?

"Non-Engineer" Answer: Educate yourself

Explanation: Within the Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater area, there are hundreds of restoration companies that specialize in older home restoration. These companies will often do free on-site estimates and give you a quote the same day. However, hiring a specialist in any area will be pricey and may require the work to be done over a long time period. If you are looking to save some money and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can do the work yourself.

Depending on what you are working on, let’s say re-glazing a 50 year old window, you can contact one of the window restoration companies and ask if they are putting on any workshops in the near future. Many companies and home improvement stores offer free workshops on the weekend that teach proper maintenance of your home as well as restoration of specifies systems. By searching the internet or making a few calls, you can find a workshop that is right for you. There are also non-profit organizations that host workshop events. Becoming a member of one or several of these organizations is a cheap way of staying informed of local workshops and getting connected with the people that can help you the most with maintaining your older home. The more you know, the more confident you will be when tackling weekend projects.

Commentary: If your home is registered as a historic structure on either the National Registry of Historic Places or through your local municipality, you will be required to submit any modifications of your home to be review by the state’s Historic Architect before work can be started. Historically registered structures require a great deal of attention to detail in order to remain identifiable as a true Historic Building. It is strongly recommended that you check with your local Historic Representative before commencing any work.

It's not rocket science... Desensitized to Danger

2011-06-21T08:00:00.004-04:00

Commentary: During a deployment in response to the recent tornado damage in Alabama, I witnessed a residential area with destruction to 90 percent of the standing structures. During my evaluating the remaining 10 percent of homes, I came across the following condition:

These pictures show a utility pole that had been pulled out of the ground and snapped in half by the tornado. The two halves of the pole are being suspended by one of the original guy-wires and the tangled mess of telephone and cable lines spanning between buildings. This was a conditional hazard to say the least. What shocked me most was that several people were walking under and through this area with little to no regard for the danger. I immediately asked that this area be barricaded to prevent access. To my surprise, I was told, “Its fine. It has been that way for two weeks now. Besides, that’s for the phone company to clean up.”

I then realized that the people walking through this area had become desensitized to their surroundings. With respect to the total devastation and collapsed buildings they had experienced with the tornado, a leaning utility pole was the least of their worries. With this in mind, I brought the on-site manager to the rear of the leaning pole, pointed out the only guy-wire supporting the pole, and made him understand the danger.

It is very important that when you find yourself in one of these situations you stay constantly mindful of your surroundings. Stay alert and stay focused. The most important thing is the safety of yourself and those around you.

It's not rocket science... What can I do to help minimize storm damage to my home before Hurricane season gets here?

2011-06-17T08:00:00.007-04:00

Question: What can I do to help minimize storm damage to my home before Hurricane season gets here?

"Non-Engineer" Answer: Install bracing.

Explanation:
The two main sources of structural damage to homes during a hurricane is failure of the overhead garage doors and failure of the roof’s gable ends. Both of these systems can be modified with bracing to help resist the strong lateral forces applied by high winds.

Garage doors are held in place by only the thin metal tracks running along the sides of the opening. Over a typical 16-foot span, it will not take much deflection of your overhead garage door to pull the door off its tracks. However, these doors can be braced relatively easily. Most manufacturers and/or home improvement stores sell ‘upgrade’ kits with all the necessary accessories for bracing your overhead door. These kits typically contain hollow-steel or aluminum braces that are attached to each section of the overhead door and help increase the overall rigidity of the system. Alternatively, a single mid-point vertical brace can be installed at the center of the door opening. This brace type anchors to the slab and the exterior wall above the door opening and will provide additional rigidity along the middle of the door opening.

Gable end roof systems are more difficult to brace. Depending on the existing gable end framing, bracing can be accomplished with additional vertical and/or diagonal bracing. Any modifications done to your roof system should be properly permitted and then performed by a licensed contractor. If you have large gable ends at your home or you are concerned about your roof system, contact a structural engineer or your local building inspector and request a structural evaluation of our roof system.

Commentary:
All structures are susceptible to damage during a storm event. Just because a structure has been modified, braced, or built to meet current code requirements does not ensure that it will survive a storm event. Please, IF AN EVACUATION ORDER IS ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA… EVACUATE, staying in your home will not increase your homes chance of survival but could decrease yours.

It's not rocket science... “Sinkhole Repair Incentives”

2011-06-14T08:00:00.010-04:00

How large of a “rebate” or an incentive can I get from my “Sinkhole Repair” contractor?

“Non-Engineer” Answer: NONE – IT IS ILLEGAL!

Explanation: On May 17, 2011 the Governor of Florida signed into law revisions to Florida’s “Sinkhole Statute” F.S. 627.706. One of the items found within this new law is language that makes it illegal for a contractor to provide or a homeowner to accept rebates when having insurance paid sinkhole repair work performed.

The policyholder may not accept a rebate from any person performing the repairs specified in this section. If a policyholder does receive a rebate, coverage is void and the policyholder must refund the amount of the rebate to the insurer. Any person making the repairs specified in this section who offers a rebate, or any policyholder who accepts a rebate for such repairs, commits insurance fraud, a felony of the third degree punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 1980 775.084.

Commentary: This provision most likely resulted from the fact that the practice of providing incentives went unchecked and spiraled out of control. Perhaps the most blatant examples were cases where the insured received golf carts or in some even more blatant cases, a percentage of the cost of the repair. A fact that was underscored by the Florida Insurance Council which previously wrote: “The ineffectiveness and inherent fraud surrounding the current sinkhole claims process is underscored by a recent review that indicates only 27 percent of policyholders with moneys paid as a result of sinkhole claims actually had repairs done to their property.” For more information on the revisions to the law please visit: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov

It's not rocket science... Dead & Live Loads

2011-06-10T09:31:00.000-04:00

Does a floor live load translate into a dead load?

"Non Engineer" Answer: NO

Explanation: A live load is defined as a load produced by the use and occupancy of a building and does not include construction or environmental loads such as wind, snow, rain, earthquake, flood or dead loads. A dead load is defined as the weight of materials of construction incorporated into the building. Therefore, a load is either a dead load or a live load or an environmental load.

Why does it mater? Because, when designing a building various loads are combined in different ways and with different factors applied to them. In other words, it doesn't make sense to apply all of the loads at the same time.

Thank you to the reader that submitted this question.

It's not rocket science... Tree Roots

2011-05-31T08:14:00.000-04:00

Will pinning stop a wall from cracking due to a tree root?

"Non Engineer" Answer: NO

Explanation: Underpinning was designed to lift portions of structures that drop. Tree roots typically cause damage to structures by heaving the ground upward (along with anything resting on the ground). So, because the tree root and the underpin do the same thing, using an underpin to lift that which is already lifted doesn’t make sense.

Underpins can however be employed as part of a structural modification to fix or prevent damage caused by tree roots. Specifically, if the footing is a continuous strip type footing (monolithic or stem wall) then a portion of the strip footing could be removed and a grade beam installed to carry the structure and bridge the root. In this scenario underpins could be used at either end of the grade beam so as to provide support. Keep in mind that this type of work can only be designed and directed by a properly licensed and qualified structural engineer.

Thank you to the reader that submitted this question.

Understanding the (nerd) gene ... Pre-flight briefings

2011-04-26T10:38:00.002-04:00

With more than forty years of air travel under my belt there are only a few memorable preflight briefings.

Certainly one of the most memorable was the US Airways flight attendant who lip synced the entire prerecorded safety briefing while performing the demonstration. Perhaps the most entertaining preflight briefing, this flight attendant added somewhat exaggerated facial expressions and physical gestures that served to emphasize the briefing. At the end of his briefing the attendant received a well deserved round of applause.

Perhaps the most memorable was the Southwest commercial flight attendant who during her briefing on oxygen masks said; "... in the event of a loss of cabin pressure oxygen masks will drop down from the bulkhead. In the event you are traveling with a small child be sure to put your mask on first before assisting your child. In the event you are traveling with more than one child ... pick the one you like best."

And, without a doubt the most memorable pre flights are the rescue helicopter flights. Those are the preflight briefings provided by the crew chief just outside the helicopter and under the running blades. Those are the ones that include phrases like "... when this helicopter hits the water it WILL flip upside down and fill with water, you will wait till it fills and then it is up to you to get out that door ..."

Giving Back... Disaster Response

2011-04-21T13:54:00.001-04:00

Over the last two years I have had the good fortune to work for the International Code Council (ICC), and with members of the FEMA USAR Structures Specialist Subgroup (SSG), members of the National Council of Structural Engineering Associtions' (NCSEA) Structural Engineering Emergency Response (SEER) plan committee, and with instructors from the Applied Technologies Council (ATC) on developing a Disaster Response Inspector class and certification. The goal was to develop a class, outside of the first response community, intended to train and ultimtely certify code and design professionals to perform post-disaster structure assessments.

As has been demonstrated and proved in the past, the sooner a community commences these types of assessments, the sooner it is able to commence recovery. In fact, the longer a community waits the more likely it will never fully recover.

Understanding the (nerd) gene … How to spot the engineer in the crowd (Cont.)

2011-03-29T15:06:00.000-04:00

Again, to my fellow engineers I apologize …

fas·tid·i·ous (fa-stid-ee-uhs) adj. 1. excessively particular, critical, or demanding; hard to please: a fastidious eater 2. requiring or characterized by excessive care or delicacy; painstaking.

That individual certainly is fastidious when it comes to details, he must be an engineer.

Because my dad (a fastidious engineer) is building our tree house, this project will never be finished.

Giving Back.. Our 4th Annual "Erin Go Bracken"

2011-03-25T14:53:00.000-04:00

On March 16th Bracken Engineering hosted its 4th annual “Erin Go Bracken” celebration. This Irish-themed event included lunch catered by Sonny’s Barbeque, two informative learning sessions aimed at educating our client base about common engineering issues, and last, but certainly not least, a reception including a St Patrick’s Day essential- green beer!

Two complimentary professional development courses on “Identifying Water Intrusion” and “Identifying Wind Damage” were offered and presented by Bracken Engineering project managers. Continuing Education Credits for these classes were provided to clients in qualified professions.

This year, nearly 120 clients and industry professionals attended “Erin Go Bracken”. We would like to extend our thanks to our Bracken Engineering clients and peers who attended and made this event a success. It was truly our pleasure to be able to give back to those who are such a vital part of our extended “Bracken Family”!

If you would like to stay informed about details of upcoming Bracken Engineering events, please visit our webpage and subscribe to our quarterly eNewsletter.

It's not rocket science... What is the difference between the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge?

2011-03-22T10:17:00.002-04:00

Non-Engineering Answer: The type and method of construction.

Explaination: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is called a cable-stayed bridge whereas; the Golden Gate Bridge is called a suspension bridge. A cable-stayed bridge has one or more towers that support the deck with cables. The bridge deck near the towers is built as cantilevered. Then further from the towers, the deck is supported by cables connected to the support towers.

In comparison, a suspension bridge is usually built with a pair of towers that intermittently support suspension cables. The bridge deck is then hung below the suspension cables on vertical suspenders. The main load from the bridge deck is transferred into the suspension cables (in the form of tensile stress), which are horizontally anchored to the earth at the foot of the bridge on each side.

The advantages of the cable-stayed bridge is that a greater stiffness is achieved which reduces deformations of the deck; and the cables can be used as temporary and permanent supports during the construction process. Also, the design of the cable-stayed bridge can allow for one or multiple towers depending on the style the designer is trying to achieve.

The disadvantage of the cable-stayed bridge is the cables pulling to the sides as opposed to directly up. Because of this, the bridge deck is required to be stronger to resist the resulting horizontal compression loads. The advantage of the suspension bridge is that greater spans can be achieved with less material than most other types of bridges. Also, they can potentially perform better during earthquakes because they are less rigid.

A disadvantage of the suspension bridge is the construction of the anchorage to the earth due to poor soil conditions. Also, the suspension bridge does not perform as well during high wind events, and some access below the deck is required during construction, which can increase safety issues.

Commentary: As of today, both types of bridges are still being constructed around the world. The decision of which design to use is typically based on the existing site conditions, the project budget, and the style that is trying to be achieved. Both the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge are examples of incredible American icons.

It's not rocket science...What is the difference between a pier, a post, and a column?

2011-03-18T13:37:00.001-04:00

Non-Engineering Answer: They are all about the same.

Explanation: A pier is an intermediate vertical support for either a bridge deck or a foundation beam. A pier is typically constructed of concrete or masonry and can also be used as a temporary supporting member. Although most dictionaries allow the term pier to be used interchangeably with the word column; generally piers are found within the substructure of a building or bridge whereas, columns are typically thought of as being a superstructure component.

A post is typically used as an upright support to carry vertical loads or serve as a point of attachment. Posts are generally tall and slender in nature and made of timber, aluminum, or steel. Although most dictionaries allow the term post and column to be used interchangeably, generally most people associate a post with a slender column used for a porch, handrail system, or fence no thicker than a 6“x 6” member.

A column is most often defined as a vertical compression member consisting of a base and typically a round shaft, but can also be rectangular. Columns can be made from any of the major building materials including: concrete, masonry, steel, wood, aluminum, etc. A column, on the other hand, is most commonly associated to a vertical supporting component with dimensions greater than or equal to 8 inches.

Commentary: Walker’s Building Estimators Reference Book defined a column as “a vertical member whose horizontal dimensions measured at right angles to the thickness does not exceed three times its thickness”. Technically, all three words can be used interchangeably to describe a structural component supporting a vertical load. However, as an individual in the construction industry, the most appropriate term for a specific application should be used to describe the building component.

It's not rocket science... Skyscrapers as an Economic Barometer

2011-03-15T11:32:00.003-04:00

Guest Post by Garrick Infanger, Armstrong Forensic Engineers

It is sometimes said that when a host of super-skyscrapers are announced or under construction that a recession is pending. Such was the case leading up to the 2007-2009 recession when the Burj Khalifa, currently the world’s tallest building (2717 feet), ran into financing problems. Other skyscrapers of the era included the Shanghai World Financial Center (1614 feet), Trump International (1389 feet), and the Bank of America Tower (1200 feet).

An extreme example of this is Venezuela’s ‘Tower of David’, a 45-story skyscraper in Caracas abandoned during a period financial crisis. Unlike the rest of the world, Venezuela has not bounced back and during Hugo Chavez’ rule the building still has not been completed. The New York Times recently documented the 2,500 squatters that now call the tower home:

The squatters live in the uncompleted high-rise, which lacks several basic amenities like an elevator. The smell of untreated sewage permeates the corridors. Children scale unlit stairways guided by the glow of cellphones. Some recent arrivals sleep in tents and hammocks…

Few of the building’s terraces have guardrails. Even walls and windows are absent on many floors. Yet dozens of DirecTV satellite dishes dot the balconies. The tower commands some of the most stunning views of Caracas. It contains some of its worst squalor.

Is the latest slate of super-skyscrapers an ominous sign? Will the Indian Tower (2,362 feet) in Mumbai portend disaster for the Subcontinent? Will the giant towers in the Middle East, the Makkah Royal Clock Tower (1,972 feet) or the Doha Convention Center (1,808 feet), be affected by developments there?

It seems that society only hesitates for financial or political strife or recession. We will always push to build bigger, build more dramatic, and build better buildings.
–
Garrick Infanger writes for the Forensic Engineering Hub, an engineering-focused blog sponsored by Armstrong Forensic Engineers.
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Photo Credit: New York Times

It’s not rocket science… Metro-dome Collapse

2011-03-11T09:49:00.000-05:00

Update: What is the suspected cause of the collapse and what is going on now?
Shortly after the collapse of the Metro-dome roof collapse the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission hired Walter P. Moore to conduct an assessment to determine repair to the roof.

What was the result of the assessment?

The assessment found that there were multiple stresses on the fabric panel and the condition of the panels were more severe than originally expected. In short it was reported that the panels suffered abrasion and wear from their continued exposure to wind, ice, snow and moisture. The report also stated that the life expectancy of the fiberglass roof fabrics is expected to be only 20 to 30 years and the Metro-dome was beyond this life expectancy. Other associated deformations contributing to the collapse of the roof was the deflation of the roof three prior times. The assessment also concluded that a number of the panels were stressed beyond their normal working limits. While overstress alone does not mean that the material is compromised, when combined with continued wear from snow and ice, concern remains.

The assessment by Walter P. Moore concluded that the Metro-dome roof needed to be completely replaced rather than repaired. In Walter P. Moore’s assessment report of the Metro-dome’s roof they stated, “ Our assessment is based upon our own visual observations, results of fabric sample testing, review of the Birdair’s detailed visual survey, consideration of further damage in the deflated condition, and various forms of qualitative and quantitative risk analysis we have conducted on the roof. Taken together, our findings suggest an unacceptable level of risk for future deflation events without complete replacement of tensile roof membrane.” Future reports may be released by Walter P. Moore regarding the cause of the December 12, 2010 collapse.

What’s going on now?

The Metropolitan Sports Facility Commission made the decision to replace the Metro-dome’s damaged roof. The Commission opened the project for bids and received only one bid proposal. This was from Birdair, Inc. who was the original designer and installer of the Metro-dome Roof. The reason believed that more proposals were not received was the Commission established that the project must be completed in time for the Vikings pre-season on August 1st. Work on site is expected to begin as early as March 17th and material installation as soon as March 30, 2001.

Understanding the (nerd) gene … How to spot the engineer in the crowd (Cont.)

2011-03-04T09:50:00.000-05:00

Again, to my fellow engineers I apologize …

The engineer in the crowd will be the one who, while watching the movie, is evaluating it and commenting on whether or not; a car can actually jump that far, or whether a person can actually do that with a computer, or whether the explosion would actually look like that, or whether the rooms that they are walking through match the outside of the building …

The engineer in the crowd will be the one who needs all of the information or every last instruction before starting

Giving back … Science Olympiad

2011-03-01T09:54:00.000-05:00

Reprinted in part from Bracken Engineering’s eNewsletter: Volume 5, Issue 2 (February) http://www.brackenengineering.com/learning.asp

Recently Bracken Engineering employees volunteered time to work with students involved in the Science Club at a local high school. Each week the Bracken mentors visited the school to work with two teams of students in preparation for the 2011 Science Olympiad Regional Competition which recently took place. One team chose to participate in the helicopter competition which challenges students to construct a model helicopter designed to achieve a maximum flight time using only the power generated by a limited amount of rubber bands. The other team chose to compete in the tower competition in which students are challenged to design and build the most efficient tower capable of holding the maximum load of just over 30 pounds.

Team Helicopter ultimately claimed first place and managed to design and construct the only helicopter capable of sustaining flight. Team Tower also claimed first place and constructed the lightest tower capable of sustaining the full load. Bracken Engineering would like to wish their sponsored teams the best of luck as they advance on to the State Competition! To find more information about the Science Olympiad, please visit http://www.soinc.org/

One more item that I would like to share is a quote that one of our Science Teachers uses in closing her emails … The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds the most discoveries, is not "Eureka!" (I found it!) but "That's funny..." ~Isaac Asimov

It’s not rocket science... Building Out

2011-02-25T07:56:00.000-05:00

Should I get a permit to enclose my porch?

“Non-Engineer” Answer: YES

Explanation: Simply put, permitting an addition or modification to your home is the only way to insure that the work is being performed in accordance with the basic requirements of the Code. Some modifications, such as enclosing a porch, can have a drastic impact on the performance of your home in high wind events or extreme loading events such as hurricanes and snow storms. Modifications, such as enclosing a porch, can also have a big impact on the energy efficiency of your home.

Commentary: When enclosing your porch, you need to consider lighting, ventilation, fire egress, and electrical issues of enclosing a space originally constructed to be an exterior space. IT is also worth knowing that unpermitted additions and modification have been known to result in electrical fires.

It’s not rocket science... Adding On

2011-02-22T15:37:00.001-05:00

Can I add another story (floor) to my house?

“Non-Engineer” Answer: YES, But You Will Need To Strengthen Your House First

Explanation: Most residential structures are designed to support only those loads that were contemplated when the structure was built. That is to say, if the structure was designed and built as a one or two story structure then the foundation, walls, columns and beams are only sized to support a one or two story structure. To add a second or third floor without beefing up the foundation, walls, columns and beams can overload some or all of the original structure.

Commentary: The most common form of adding a floor (or additional space) is by modifying existing trusses so as to create storage space or a bonus room. Pre-engineered wood trusses (common to home built within the last 50 years) are some of the most highly optimized building components there are. They are very susceptible to damage and once compromised can begin to fail. In other words, when trusses are “modified” without the benefit of engineering, bad things can happen.

It's not rocket science... Historic Structures

2011-02-18T12:22:00.001-05:00

Are all historic structures alike?

“Non-Engineer” Answer: NO.

Explanation: Any municipality can legislatively identify an historic structure or even create historic districts thereby making each structure within that district a contributing structure. However, true Historic Structures are found listed on the National Register of Historic Places as maintained by the U.S. National Park Service.

Commentary: To be a true Historic Structure on the National Register, the structure must have significance in American history and/or significant architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association. In addition true Historic Structures must meet one of the following: (a) associated with events that have made a significant contribution to our history; (b) associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; (c) embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or represent the work of a master, or possess high artistic values, or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; (d) have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history.

Of the 1.4 million resources (properties) tracked and kept on file by the U.S. National Park Service only 80,000 have been added to the National Register of Historic Places.

It's not rocket science... Load-bearing Walls

2011-02-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

What is the difference between having damage to a load-bearing wall or damage to a wall that is not load-bearing?

"Non Engineer" Answer: Whether or not the building could fall down.

Explanation: To fully understand the difference between the type of damage to a building that can result from damage to a load-bearing wall vs. a non-load-bearing wall one must first understand the definition of load bearing wall and non-load bearing wall. A load-bearing wall is quite simply a wall that "bears a load" of a structure resting on it by transferring the load to the foundation system. A non-load-bearing wall is a wall that offers no significant structural support to a building and supports nothing other than the weight of itself and cannot hold loads the same as a load-bearing wall would be capable of doing. Non load-bearing walls are typically interior walls. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load-bearing_wall)

Since load-bearing walls are the walls of a structure that support the weight of the structure itself, damage to a load-bearing wall can be detrimental to the structural integrity of a building and can cause floors to sag, finishes to crack and even result in structural collapse.

Since non load-bearing walls only support their own weight damage to non-load-bearing walls would be far less structurally significant and usually more cosmetic in nature than resulting in a compromise of the structural integrity of a building.

Commentary: With many home owners attempting D.I.Y. renovation projects themselves, it is extremely important to know which walls in your home are load-bearing and which are not. Mistakenly or incorrectly removing a load-bearing wall can result in catastrophic damage to a building and danger to the handyman. It is always best to consult a Professional Engineer when attempting to determine whether or not a wall is load-bearing.

It's not rocket science... Mezzanines

2011-02-11T12:57:00.000-05:00

What is a mezzanine?

“Non-Engineer” Answer: A mezzanine is a landing or a partial floor between floors.

Explanation: A mezzanine is not counted as its own floor and does not add to the total number of floors within the building when it meets certain criteria.

Commentary: The criteria that allow for a mezzanine requires that it be constructed of the same type of materials and fire resistance rating as the building in which it's located. Building codes limit the total floor area of a mezzanine to no more than 1/3 to 1/2 of the floor area that the mezzanine looks down upon , and require it to be open to the floor below except for walls not more than 42" high. This last requirement has been relaxed and full height walls are allowed if the occupant load is less than 10 or in some sprinklered buildings meeting specific egress criteria.

It's not rocket science... Licensed?

2011-02-08T12:55:00.000-05:00

How Do I Verify If an Engineer is Licensed?

“Non-Engineer” Answer: Check with your State’s engineering licensure board

Explanation: Nearly every state has an on-line method of looking up and/or verifying those engineers licensed to practice in your state. If after searching, the individual does not appear then chances are they may not be licensed to practice in your state. Always take that extra step to verify that your engineer is licensed to practice in your state.

Commentary: Engineering may employ science and physics but as a profession it is regulated at a state level. As such, you cannot assume that because an individual is licensed to practice in one state, they are licensed (or allowed) to practice in another state.