Structural Condition Assessment

Structural Condition Assessment:

Buildings, like people, need periodic check-ups as part of their preventive care to ensure their fitness, and they need examinations when exhibiting signs of illness. Buildings and all other structures do deteriorate with time as the result of repeated loadings, exposure to environments, aging of materials, wear-and-tear from normal use, inadequate maintenance, and other factors. The deterioration may progress to the point where one or more individual debilitating events may have consequences, compromising the structure’s strength, stability or serviceability.

The Structural Condition Assessment is Driven by:

  • The need for maintenance,
  • The need for repair and rehabilitation of buildings,
  • Damage as a result of natural hazard,
  • Accommodating an expansion or modification or change of occupancy or use,
  • Change in ownership,
  • The necessity of retrofitting for ever-changing code compliance,
  • The choice of adaptive reuse of facilities.

We Provide Three Different Types of Assessments:

  • Preliminary Assessment.
  • Detailed Assessment.
  • Limited Scope Assessment.

Preliminary Assessment:

We will ask our Client to provide any available documents and drawings of the building to:

  • Understand the building layout and its primary structural systems.
  • Identify the originally specified design loads to assess the existing loading.
  • Identify if there have been any additions or alterations to the building.

We will conduct an onsite review of the building to:

  • Verify the adequacy of the primary structural systems using visual observations.
  • Survey the condition of the building to identify:
    • Structural construction defects.
    • Signs of structural damage, distress or deformation,
    • Signs of significant deterioration.
    • Weakness in structural members or connections,
    • Settlement or foundation problems,
    • Unusual structural features.
  • Assess the use of the building to identify apparent deviations from intended use, misuse or abuse.
  • Look for additions or alteration to the building use that may cause an adverse effect on the structure.

We will conduct preliminary structural analysis to:

  • Verify the adequacy of critical elements and/or structural systems,
  • Determine if the conditions identified in the field observations are cause for concern,
  • Identify a need for Immediate Action or further investigation.

We will issue written assessment report sealed by a Professional Engineer to our Client in timely manner. The report will include:

    • Purpose of the assessment,
    • Description of the building and its structure,
    • Summary of areas reviewed, methodology, and observations,
    • Analysis, conclusions, and recommendations including the need for any immediate measures.
    • Determine if additional assessment by performing a detailed assessment is required.

Detailed Assessment:

This type of assessment will be conducted if the preliminary assessment requires that a detailed assessment is essential to further address specific issues, or if directed by the Client. The process for detailed assessments is similar to a preliminary assessment, except it requires greater detail to determine if the building requires rehabilitation and to recommend alternatives for rehabilitations. The assessment technique may range from a visual review through non-destructive examinations, to destructive sampling and testing.

The results of the detailed assessment will be summarized in a report with recommendations as to the appropriate course of action. This could include acceptance of the building as is, rehabilitating the building to correct the deficiencies identified, changing the use of the building, or phasing the building out of service.

Limited Scope Assessment:

Limited scope assessments are intended to address specific structural elements of a building, so the scope of the assessment may be limited to those structural elements of direct concern. A limited scope assessment may include some or all the components of a preliminary assessment or a detailed assessment.

This may apply if the building was affected by a potential structurally compromising event, such as a fire, vehicle impact, or flooding, or if the request for the assessment is made due to a known structural concern, such as a failed or altered member, cracking, or settlement.