Blog

Puerto Rico experienced a 5.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday–the biggest quake in the region after a week of minor quakes. Luckily, no deaths or injuries were reported after the incident. The earthquake series began on December 28th, with magnitudes ranging from 4.7 to 5.1. The intense shaking of forshocks and Monday's quake left many homes and properties in the affected areas severely damaged. The 5.8 [...]

California, Oregon and Washington are western states that have had a lot of seismic activity in the last century. Following one devastating earthquake to another, the construction industry learned to develop retrofit strategies beginning in the 1970s. It wasn't until the late 1990s, however, that these concepts were commonly integrated into new construction.   Western Coast Seismic Activity The worst of these quakes happened just [...]

The Basics of Foundation Repair Throughout recent decades, engineers have learned how to make buildings safer after years of studying what happens to structures during earthquakes. Concrete is a long-lasting option, but concrete tilt-up buildings built in the last century present safety risks. Over time, concrete will break, so it is critical that it be checked regularly to minimize maintenance costs and reduce structural risks [...]

Why should the owner of the building take care of the earthquake retrofitting services? It depends on how old your building is and how it has been built. Knowledge of earthquake safety was not applied to construction until the late twentieth century. The addition of steel for reinforcement is one of the keys to making the structure more stable and able to withstand seismic activity. [...]

In order to avoid injuries and litigations in the event of an earthquake, seismic safety is important for building owners to understand. Newer buildings are designed for protection of life, not environmental construction. So every building could possibly use an upgrade; old buildings constructed before the mid-80s do not usually have as much resistance. Having regard to seismic health, here are important points to note. [...]

Concrete can last for several decades without much maintenance, which is a key reason why it is chosen as a commercial building material. Regular inspections help to identify problems early in order to avoid costly structural concrete crack repairs. Here are important points to remember about the use of seismic retrofitting for buildings with concrete tilt-up walls and how cracks can be addressed. Retrofitting to [...]

Seismic Retrofit Scope of Work (Typical) Assumptions used in the budget to develop scope of work Measures that would enhance the performance of the building during due diligence and site investigation of the structure. The suggested retrofit steps would include some or all of them, including the following, in order to reduce the risk to building occupants and to mitigate the potential damages that may [...]

Drainage swales are long, shallow depressions that act as both an effective drainage resource and a beautiful landscape feature on your lawn. As a crucial water channel through your yard, professionally installed swales are essential to keep the rainwater runoff away from your home from damaging your lawn or eroding mulched areas. Our Drainage & Erosion Solutions team will help you improve the look and [...]

When your home floods, you're understandably prepared to clean up and get things back to normal. First of all, be careful to follow the safety rules. Common post-inundation hazards include electricity and gas. Be sure these devices are turned off before entering your home. Flooding can damage the structural integrity of your home and cause household items to move around. Proceed with caution to avoid [...]