Structural Condition Assessment

[AKal86]

I am tasked with performing a preliminary visual condition assessment of an existing structure. After I perform the inspection of the structural components, I need to write a report and rate the condition of each structural component as Good, Satisfactory, Fair, Poor, Critical, or Failed.

However, I am unable to find any official references in ASCE, ASTM, or IBC that actually describes the standards for each condition. For example, I am arbitrarily defining a Critical Condition as "most major (critical) components are severely deteriorated. Component or system is barely able to perform. Facility should close until repaired." These are my own words to describe the standards that I believe define a critical condition, and thus I have no official reference to back-up my description.

Can someone please help me to find an ASCE/ASTM/IBC or other reference to a design standard or building code that describes the standards for each condition? I tried ASCE 11-99 (Guideline for Structural Condition Assessment of Existing Buildings) but it does not have what I'm looking for.

Thank you for any help you can offer!!

 

[DaveAtkins]

I don't think there is anything wrong with creating your own definitions--just define them at the beginning of your report.

DaveAtkins

 

[Teguci]

Have a look at New York City's local law 11 for façade inspection. The assessment conditions are action oriented - unsafe means what it says, safe with maintenance requires the Owner to schedule a program before the next inspection or as soon as you tell him to and safe means no action required. If you have to use your language, get rid of good, satisfactory and failed and reassign fair, poor, and critical with safe, safe with maintenance and unsafe.

 

[AKal86]

Thank you so much for the replies. I found NYC Local 11 to be useful and I plan to adopt that rating system for the facade.

For anyone else reading this thread looking for the same answers as I was:

I ended up referencing the FHWA Bridge Inspector's Reference Manual (Pub. No. FHWA NHI 12-049, December 2012). Specifically Section 4.2 (Condition and Appraisal) which gives general component condition rating guidelines obtained from the 1995 edition of the FHWA Coding Guide. Section 4.2 (Condition and Appraisal) has code ratings from 0 to 9. 0 pertains to failed condition and 9 pertains to excellent condition. They also describe what would qualify for a given rating. For example, a 5 pertains to a FAIR condition in which all primary structural elements are sound but may have minor section loss, cracking, spalling, or scour.

Even though this rating system is technically for bridges, I believe I can apply to most, if not all structures even if they aren't bridges.

 

[MrHershey]

I disagree with Teguci. I'd be fairly leery using terms like 'safe' and 'unsafe' unless you absolutely have to (like on a standard form). Would certainly hate for you to call a structure safe and then it fails due to something outside of your control or that you weren't even tasked to look at. You would have had no clue, yet declared it safe.

No matter what you do, would probably be a good idea to run it by your insurance and/or attorney first. Especially if you're creating something new. Make sure your tone is right from the beginning.

 

[JAE]

Take a look at ASCE 11, "GUIDELINE FOR STRUCTURAL CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING BUILDINGS"

http://www.asce.org/templates/publications-book-detail.aspx?id=8068

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