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We use the term "forensic" to define that work which consists of examination of an existing building or structure in order to determine the cause and extent of damage or deterioration. Past experience includes investigations of damage resulting from wind, fire, explosion, impact, ground movement, vibration and flooding as well as investigation of deterioration due to water, corrosion, chemicals, expansive soils and freeze-thaw cycling. Another activity which we consider to be forensic is the evaluation of an existing structural system to determine its load carrying capacity when there is no available documentation for the structure or when the available documentation has insufficient information. In many cases, we coordinate our work with outside testing agencies to assist us in determining exactly what the physical properties of the various materials are. We can, for example, determine the capacity of an existing ground supported concrete floor slab for concentrated loads from lift trucks, heavy equipment, pallets and storage racks or determine the capacity of storage mezzanines or structural floor systems for uniform or concentrated loads.
As a supplementary service, we can provide expert witness testimony in cases which relate to forensic investigations, in addition to testimony related to standards of design and construction. |
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