Good day everyone,
[Ontario, Canada] Client has a steel beam above the garage supporting the second floor above. The roof, above the second floor, is trussed and loads the outer walls. The steel beam has a post at each end with a third in the middle of the span. Total beam length is 20' 2"...
This is a fun one, folks. We got a call today, late in the work day (basically at closing time), and the individual was panicked and worried. They claimed that during drywall works following a garage leak, a column had "disintegrated" and the house was about to collapse.
Right. At this point I...
Thought this would be interesting to our little community, and serve as an excellent reminder of why snow loads must always be carefully considered in design:
Ottawa Parking Garage Collapse [CBC]...
Good day everyone,
Looking for opinions and experience-based feedback from other engineers regarding an unfortunate situation that has arisen. We have a non-paying client that has refused to settle their bill. Fortunately, this is a first for us. The bill is truly minor (~$1,500), but has been...
We have a rafter framed roof with a ridge plate (rather than ridge beam). There are few collar ties, but the rafter ties (which act as the ceiling joists) span in the direction opposite of what I would expect (they are perpendicular to the collar ties and parallel with ridge). There is a knee...
Good day everyone,
A client I am working with has requested a suspended porch canopy over the main entrance to their home. Snippet below. I am yet to do something of the sort and was hoping to get some tips on the design, construction and generally "accepted" approaches. The canopy is...
Good day folks,
We are being asked to provide a concrete ramp design for wheelchair access; this is a first for us. Not complicated obviously but just wondering if there are any standards or resources that could be glanced at to ensure that we is specified is "common"? For reference the ramp is...
Hi folks. I've got an interesting break in a truss. One of the webs is completely split along its full length. All other truss sections are solid and in good condition. No idea how this would have even happened. Perhaps someone hit the web member during a reno, or sat on it, or something else...
The question is simple: WTF is this roof framing? I have never encountered this before and it's super odd to me. Looking for any information...
Specifics:
3-storey above grade building (no basement) with flat roof is in Ontario, built in late 50s/early 60s according to the new owner...
Good day and happy holidays folks,
I have a client who wishes to deepen their foundation (increase the total basement height). I have a standard detail for this that is typical to my part of the country (Ontario, Canada) when completing this work on poured foundations. I have used it many times...
Good day/evening folks,
So what started as a simple load bearing wall removal job has turned into a headache. The original plans of the building show a load bearing wall directly above a spine beam in the basement. Cool. I got a new beam to replace the wall being removed, got new posts...
Good evening folks.
I picked up a job assisting a homeowner rebuild a garage of theirs. The previous two-bay garage was built by the previous elderly homeowner who passed away. It was a complete mess hobbled together, and collapsed during a period of disrepair. My client, the new owner, has to...
Good day everyone,
A friend of mine has requested that I take a job on for him. That's great and I am willing to do so, but he has an idea to create a deck using Eastern White Cedar from his own property for the framing and decking. The issue is that the wood is ungraded (i.e. sawed, planed...
Good day everyone,
I'm not really one to take shoring jobs but a friend of mine asked, so I am entertaining the request. FWIW I am 90% focused on residential, custom home design and maintenance engineering.
Situation:
Commercial building, three storeys above grade. Block walls (CMU) above...
I have a simple query. What is the risk or adverse conditions brought on by a 6” foundation wall detail?
Background:
Based on Ontario, Canada. My client builds single story bungalows, slab on grade, no basement. To date they’ve been pouring full depth walls (past frost line depth) and the...
Good day everyone,
For my Ontario colleagues mostly, but I welcome all feedback and advice. I am a structural engineer with my own firm and this year (2023) is the first year our licensing body - PEO - requires CPD (continuous professional development). Their description of this is as follows...
