Recent content by Thoughtclaw

Hey folks, a customer came to me with concerns about the following situation. We've got two courses of block on top of a wall footing that are fully grouted and have started to form hairline cracks. I'm wondering if the grout is expanding and contracting, and maybe that's what's causing the...

It appears to be settlement to me, but it's hard to say without digging out next to the footing.

Hey folks, I was called out to look at a new building where hairline cracks have appeared in the block over cold joints in the strip footing underneath. The customer says he'll be satisfied as long as it doesn't get any worse. I'm thinking of epoxying rebar into the existing footing and...

Thanks, everybody. I can tell you that the trusses have plenty of bearing on the block. I have no information on vertical rebar (or lack thereof) in the walls, but I can investigate that. But clearly Cliff is correct that there's no corner joint reinforcement. I will figure out the wind...

Hey folks. I just visited a block building in which both the front and rear walls are separating from the rest of the building, and appear to have been doing so for quite a long time. I've attached a bunch of photos. I haven't seen anything quite like it. My initial thought is to put an angle...

Thanks so much, guys. I'm going to explore the truss idea. I feel silly for not thinking of it myself.

Hey folks, I've been asked to design a bridge structure that will carry some piping across a parking lot, a span of 70 feet. The client was thinking a suspension bridge might make the most sense, given the long span, but we're only talking about a load of 2.9 pounds per lineal foot, and the pipe...

Thanks so much, Joel. I was able to figure it out with the software. Dik, thanks for your questions. I designed it as a flexure element. The flat of the angle will be welded to the plate.

Apparently my file didn't properly attach. Trying again.https://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=c9068e7e-45be-486e-9f13-027eb0425268&file=EPSON273.PDF

Hello all. I've been asked to design a steel plate to support a 12'0" tall water tank with a 10'0" diameter. The framing has already been designed by others, but the tank manufacturer has said we need to put a plate under it. There is a 6x6 angle down the center of the frame (very rough sketch...

Thanks for your input, Ingenuity. It was built in 1999.

Apparently only one photo uploaded; here's another one.https://files.engineering.com/getfile.aspx?folder=0399a5e7-6708-4859-a4ef-1009009e6222&file=193226427_319660049698930_8304357573105270891_n.jpg

I was just called out to inspect some fresh spalling in a Spancrete panel at a car dealer/service shop. The photos show the bottom half of an 8" panel that has 2" of concrete poured overtop. We had a brief but intense rainstorm here yesterday, and it's not clear whether the spalling happened at...

Thanks again, guys. The exception still doesn't apply because the projection is going to be flashed directly into the existing roof. The only roof plan I have is the sketch I attached with my initial post. The units are denoted by X's.

Thanks, Dik and Curveb. I have 7-10, not 7-16, but I'm guessing you're referring to the provision that you can neglect drift if it's less than 15 feet? Both sides are longer than that. And unfortunately, they have to be where they are. I'll go ahead and add the loads together. I appreciate the...