What is in your structural inspection bag?

[sforesman]

Fairly new structural engineer here. I'm looking to fill a grab bag with all of the necessary tools needed for a structural inspection of an existing structure. Currently my list is:

100 foot tape
25 foot tape
calipers
hammer & nails
string
4 foot level
hardhat
shovel
good flashlight
headlamp
protractor
clipboard
knife

 

[jike]

6 foot folding rule, awl.

 

[structuresguy]

Wow, you guys carry a lot of crap...er stuff around with you. Do you bring an intern with you to carry it all around the job site?

As a structural engineer, other than a tape measure and a crack card (clear credit card with crack widths marked), I have never needed any specific tools for all the routine structural inspections I have done over the last 15 years. I am not referring to material testing or bolt tightness inspections (where I might need feeler gages if using load indicating washers). I am talking about going on site to inspect the contractor's work to see that it is in general conformance with my design. I also do a fair bit of Threshold Inspection work here in Florida. But even that doesn't need more than a tape measure, as the testing agency will be doing all the complicated testing (concrete sampling, weld inspections, etc).

A notepad and a camera are the two most important tools I carry with me for all inspections. And try to have some indication of scale in all of your photos, particularly of small items like cracks or voids in concrete. A pen or business card is great for showing scale of small items.

 

[csd72]

It seems a lot to me too, if it requires this much work then I would arrange for a builder to meet me on site with the required equipment. Usually it doesnt though, a tape measure and a camera is generally enough.

 

[jike]

I think we are getting alot of differing equipment because of the different roles and type of work we perform.

Beyond a sharp pencil, notepad, camera, tapes, 6 foot rule, caliper, lumber chalk, string, plumb bob, small screwdriver, chipping hammer and safety gear, I cannot think of much else that I would need. Anything beyond that I would hire a contractor and/or testing consultant.

 

[swearingen]

To extend jike's post, I brought along a harness and line for bridge inspections. It certainly depends on what you're doing.

An aside on gear bags - in July 2001 I flew out to California to do a bridge inspection. On the way back, my bag had my harness, an 18" long screw driver (high-tech wood pile tester), a large MagLite flash light (the 4 D-cell size), and a sliver of rail that I picked up from the bridge (to use as a paperweight), among other things. I carried this bag on the plane and the only thing I was questioned about was the piece of rail. I told them it was a conversation piece for my office and they waved me through security. Naturally, when I went back in November of 2001, I checked that bag - times have really changed...



If you "heard" it on the internet, it's guilty until proven innocent. - DCS

 

[mark416]

A Manual Concrete Rebound Test Hammer can be used if you are concerned with non-destructive testing of hardened concrete for it's compressive strength. However, there are some pros and cons to it.

 

[miecz]

Last thing you do before leaving the office is empty the blasted bag.

 

[HgTX]

Empty the bag...yeah. Even before 9/11 I got in trouble at security because someone had handed me a rebar sample on a previous trip and it was still in my bag on the next trip. (Not to mention that I'd been dragging around a couple of extra pounds of steel for no good reason.)

Hg

Eng-Tips policies: faq731-376

 

[JRESE]

Two things in my bag that might not be in yours:

A small piece of mirror to reflect sunlight down a drilled pier hole. Works way better than a flashlight.

Plunge cut type of sheetrock saw.

 

[csd72]

Oh and one of those startrek communication devices to get beamed out of danger when you tell them that they have to redo the whole floor.

 

[Umassengr]

Another use for a mirror...
From my days as a coatings (bridge painting) inspector...an extendable mirror to see thoses inacessable areas.
Also don't forget your hardhat and other safety gear.

 

[Ussuri]

csd, or a fazer maybe?

 

[JrStructuralEng]

Camera, Hardhat, Flashlight, Hammer w/pick, Level, and Tape Measure, Notepad, 2 Pens & 1 Pencil.

That is all I ever take on 99.9% of inspections

 

[PSlem]

crack monitor and quick set epoxy

 

[JrStructuralEng]

you epoxy things on y our inspection? what type of crack monitor do you use.

 

[COEngineeer]

business cards

Cell phone with camera, so I can send a pic to my boss so he will understand what I am talking about.



Never, but never question engineer's judgement