Lateral instability is a relatively common cause of structural failures, because it is often forgotten or misunderstood. Lateral instability is a result of inadequate lateral stability. Simply defined, lateral stability is the property of an object to develop forces or to have forces… Read More
Author Archives: Jerry Prugar
What is a Michigan Basement?
You might not know it by name, but you have probably seen a Michigan basement. A Michigan basement is a term used in and around Michigan for a crawlspace that was later excavated to the depth of a basement.… Read More
They Don’t Make’em Like They Used To
Who hasn’t heard or often said in frustration, “They don’t make’em like they used to.” Well, that is literally true with Southern Pine lumber. In July 2011, the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB), an agency that sets standards for the… Read More
Happy Groundhog’s Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the day that many wait with baited breath for the decree from a rodent known as Punxsutawney Phil regarding the arrival of spring. It is a sometimes accurate and entertaining method of weather forecasting, a pattern similar to the… Read More
Beware of Damaging Window Reflection
A Prius Owner in Southern California claims that the plastic components of her car are being melted by the reflected beam of light from her neighbor’s windows. See the article at the website for the CBS Los Angeles affiliate. Does… Read More
High Winds Whip Through Northeast Ohio Late Afternoon on January 17, 2012
A front passed through Northeast Ohio between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM, Tuesday, January 17, 2012. Winds were generally out of the west, varying from west-northwest to west- southwest. A cursory check of peak wind speeds across the area at… Read More
Lake County Big Winner in Snowfall Sweepstakes on MLK Weekend 2012
Lake County had the highest accumulations of snow for the first significant snow storm of 2012 on MLK Weekend according to tabulations on the WEWS-TV website. Snow measured 24 inches in Madison and 16 inches in Perry. Ashtabula received honorable… Read More
Spalling of Brick
Spalling is generally a delamination and/or flaking at the surface of a material. Spalling of clay brick is shown in Figure SB-1. Spalling commonly begins when thin layers of the clay brick material have separated from the remainder of the… Read More