Free structural engineering! 3

I came across this site, where a structural engineer designs for free!!!!

http://www.justanswer.com/structura...-structural-steel-beam-span-28-no-deeper.html

Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[msquared48]

Free? I don't think so...

Accept Your Answer
Happy with your answer? Just click "Accept" to pay your Expert.

Notice the word "pay".

However, it does appear that if you are not happy with the answer, you don't have to pay. Boy, could I have a lot of fun with this!

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

http://mmcengineering.tripod.com

 

[bridgebuster]

"if you are not happy with the answer, you don't have to pay"

Sounds like a lot of clients we work for

 

[ztengguy]

Well, thats just asking to be sued when something goes wrong. I dont even like giving advice over the phone, when I can ask 1000's of questions. Usually want to look at a drawing, or the situation if a remodel or something.

 

[JAE]

Makes for an interesting question - how is this different than Eng-Tips? In one sense, most of the activity here is simply between engineers - offering tips to fellow engineering professionals. Over there the answers are simply for others who are not engineers.

Some of their experts are licensed PE's. I wonder how this relates to the engineering laws where you can't practice in a state without a license? Is answering a question online for someone in New York state the same as practicing in NY?

 

[OHIOMatt]

This is deplorable. The following question was posed and answered on the site.

"I am trying to build a bridge capable of spanning approx. 25 feet able to carry a fully loaded large vehicle and possibly light to medium grade construction equipment. This bridge will be about 15-20 foot wide as well. What type of equipment will I need and what type of footing will be needed?"

The responses included foundations, beams, deck, and slab sizes.

Fee: $30.00.

 

[steellion]

This is highly dangerous and unethical. I read through some of the questions, and these guys are spouting off beam sizes to use based on very limited information, to people with no technical background that don't even know the right questions to ask. I don't want some DIY'er to use a W12x26 for a roof beam for a church just because some guy on the internet said so.

This is really something that should be reported to an engineering board, but who knows what state (or country even) since it is all online?

 

[OHIOMatt]

Steellion, it appears that one of these folks may have been a classmate of your's. Claims to have a degree from PSU with a PE obtained in 2008. (This of course assumes that Lion means Nittany Lion)

 

[steellion]

JAE, it is fundamentally different from eng-tips. Here, as soon as anyone even suspects that someone asking a question may not have an engineering background, the default response is and should be, "Hire a structural engineer." Not "pay me $30 and I'll give you a beam size and what you do with that information is your problem".

OHIOMatt, how did you find out where the responders went to school? I think the first step is to send this to NSPE and try to get this website shut down before someone gets hurt. The second step would be to go after responders for ethics violations.

 

[OHIOMatt]

I just clicked on the profile.

http://www.justanswer.com/profile.aspx?PF=59685895&FID=5806

Claims a degree from PSU in 2005. Even has a proile photo (whether it is actually him or not may be debated).

 

[paddingtongreen]

In my mind, there is a difference between the problems that routinely appear on industrial work, e.g. having to re-do a design that was based on client preferred, previously used equipment that turns out to be no longer available, completely re-designed; and the man made problems such as when some architect makes a change but claims he is only "allowing the building to become what it wants to be". The one is easier to take than the other.

Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[MiketheEngineer]

Probably violates every state law on the use of P.E.

A few years ago - there was a website that did this. They were basically "chased" our of business because they weren't licensed in many states and did NOT have proper control over the projects...

 

[TenPenny]

I think anyone who posts an answer on there is taking on a risk and unknown liability, and anyone who uses those answers is in even worse position.

I can understand people wanting free help, but any engineer who posts answers on there should be booted, and if I were carrying their PL insurance, I'd cut them off immediately.

 

[port125]

Wow.

I don't reply much on this forum because as an EI I don't have the confidence to answer questions with 100% certainty. These people must be my polar opposite.

For those of you that are shy to click a strange link (I know you're out there) Here is a summary of the type of questions.

Q:"I have a post in my basement carrying a 2 span 8" beam with 12' spans on each side. I need to move 3 1/2'"

A:"Sure move it no problem I'm sure the design engineer oversized the beam by 30% for strength and more than that for deflection. Also I am 100% positive that there is no post down above the existing column that could deflect your basement beam and make your whole house fall in on itself in the middle. I don't need a description of the framing because every 3 story residential house is built exactly the same and never has deviations from the standard framing plans"

 

[slickdeals]

Not sure who I feel more sorry for.....the guy asking the question or the one answering it.

 

[paddingtongreen]

ooops I dropped that in the wrong thread

Michael.
Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

 

[drawoh]

I am looking at an ad at the bottom of this page entitled "Ask a Beam Size Engineer". It takes you to paddingtongreen's website.

I did a whois search on justanswer.com.

Administrative Contact: 
JustAnswer LLC 
Domain Administrator 
38 Keyes Avenue Suite 150 
San Francisco, CA 94129 
US 
Phone: +1.4159299921 
Email: domains@justanswer.com 

Technical Contact: 
Corporation Service Company 
Domain Registrar 
PO Box 597 
Yarmouth, NS B5A 4B4 
CA 
Phone: +1.9027465201 
Email: admin@internationaladmin.com

JHG

 

[ztengguy]

Well, hopefully they will be shut down soon, and if anyone one knows that boob answering all the questions, punch him in the face.

 

[ishvaaag]

Well, that's a problem that I saw when I inspected opportunities in the so-called free-lance jobs (or works) ... fees most the times were ridiculously low for the standards of developed countries. I assumed (but may be wrong) that the proposals were coming from places where a handful of euros or dollars may mean something real, only allowed by money exchange vagaries. To think of applicable codes from an international setup practice must be a nightmare, I am sure it is for those who do and how much for these presumably small teams. Maybe there is some sizeable design provider out-there ... exploitation of poverty or low standards is present anywhere.

 

[Once20036]

The same profile OHIOMatt posted says he was issued a PE from the department of state.
Thats probably how he gets around violating every state law on the use of PEs
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