I just attended a webinar about movement joints in masonry. The topics included the different types of movement joints (isolation, expansion, and contraction); why the need for movement joints; and where to place movement joints. I’ve been designing, detailing, and… Read More
Category Archives: Case Studies
What Can Happen to Unbraced Wood Truss Web Members? Part III
So, to continue on from last weeks post. How did we know that the wood trusses had buckled sideways previously and were reset? Examination of the top chord in the featured photograph shows two nails saw off flush with the… Read More
What Can Happen to Unbraced Wood Truss Web Members? Part II
So, what happens when the web members of a wood truss are not braced laterally as specified by the truss manufacturer? When a wood truss is designed and constructed by a truss manufacturer, the manufacturer commonly provides drawings that show… Read More
Breaking Like a KitKat Bar
Remember the 1990’s KitKat commercial where the chocolate bar was snapped in two? If you don’t, you can watch it here on YouTube. That’s what this barn in the featured photo appears to be doing in one of the sidewalls.… Read More
What Can We Tell From These Photos? (Case Study 19)
The roof surface exhibits a deep trough near scupper through which the roof drains. The roof runoff can’t drain off the roof until it fills and overflows the trough. The trough has been present for months, as evidenced by the… Read More
What Can We Tell From This Photo? (Case Study 18)
One of my favorite sayings is, “When something doesn’t look quite right, it probably isn’t.” This maxim has served me well, both professionally and personally. Some would probably call it “instinct” or “the subconscious mind.” Whatever it is called it… Read More
The Importance of Galvanizing Lintels
The featured photograph shows a lintel that was removed from over a door opening. The brick wall is about 45 years old and faces west. The age of the brick veneer and the lintel are not known with certainty, but… Read More
The Importance of Allowing Room for Expansion and Contraction
While waiting at an exit on I-71 for a traffic light to change, I noticed a large vertical split in one of the posts for the guardrail (see feature photo). Being of the forensic persuasion, I gave a quick thought… Read More