Log cabins have been around for a long time. The first evidence of these structures dates back to the Bronze Age in northern Europe.
They were used as temporary shelters because they were easy to assemble and disassemble. Fabrication and shaping of the logs were minimal and required very little work. …
This is the second in a two-part article on repairing aging, normally reinforced, concrete garage structures existing in aggressive weather environments. Part 1: The Designer’s Perspective was published in the April 2016 issue of STRUCTURE® magazine. …
In 2009, maintenance workers at Canada Place observed brown spots on several stay cables of its large fabric membrane roof. Based on this observation, Canada Place Corporation, the authority for maintaining the facility, launched an evaluation of the cables and the protective coating of the wires that make up the cables. …
Structural repairs are never “one size fits all” and, by combining flexibility and creativity, structural engineering professionals can employ innovative approaches to repair older wooden structures. These creative solutions can foster goodwill with existing clients, gain new design commissions, and help develop a reputation as a thought leader in the process. …
This is the first of a two-part article on repairing aging, normally reinforced, concrete garage structures existing in aggressive weather environments. The first article is from the perspective of the engineer and the second article from that of the contractor. While the topic is the same, and the articles are complementary, they are not intended to be a point-counterpoint. …
Aging infrastructure and stricter seismic design guidelines cause many structures to need seismic upgrading. This is especially true in the Pacific Northwest, where the Puget Sound area is prone to large magnitude subduction zone earthquakes. …
Recently, Pennoni Associates was involved in the investigation and assessment of several existing parking garages constructed with precast, prestressed thin slabs. In this type of structural system, precast planks function as stay-in-place formwork and become a part of an overall composite slab once a field-cast topping is placed and the shoring is removed. …
During site work and, specifically, underpinning work involving existing buildings, it is best practice to perform monitoring of any buildings in the vicinity that may be influenced by the work. This monitoring includes both optically surveying the existing structures for displacement and installing vibration monitors to continuously monitor and record peak particle velocities. …
The U.S. Department of Transportation has determined that the country has too many existing bridges that need replacing or upgrading, rehabilitating or retrofitting. At the end of 2014, according to the National Bridge Inventory, more than 145,800 highway bridges are listed as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete; this is about 27% of all bridges based on total bridge deck areas. In some states, the situation is even worse; for example, in California the deficient bridges are 34.6%, and in New York State they are 59.8%! …
This series of articles discusses a number of commonly encountered structural issues on renovation and restoration projects that focus on historic houses of worship, and provides guidance on ways to address them. Parts one, two, and three of this series dealt with foundations, wall systems, and roof framing in historic houses of worship. This article addresses interior architectural components and finishes. …