Tag Archives: failures

What were they thinking?

On a building constructed in 1929 with exterior loadbearing masonry walls, modifications were made to loadbearing masonry demising walls during past renovation efforts. A recent investigation has revealed these modifications present a serious structural stability problem for the building.

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Constraints with site planting

Site planting is an important part of most construction projects. When done correctly, planting can add the final touch to a project. Plants may be valued for their aesthetics, but they are living things, and have specific requirements, including nutrition, water, and sun. Failure to meet these basic requirements can be fatal.

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Two domes of a different color

Two nearly identical domes constructed in different climate zones provide an opportunity to evaluate the ways in which environment and weather affect service life and performance of construction materials. One of the domes is located in the Southeast, in a hot, humid climate, and the other is located in the northern Plains region, in a cold, arid climate. Both domes were the subject of detailed condition assessments for development of maintenance-type repairs.

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Has time run out for glazed brick?

Glazed brick has had a love/hate relationship with the real estate, design, and construction community for well over a century. In 2011, the New York Times ran an article in the real estate section stating that during the middle of the last century, “glazed brick was supposed to make [buildings] look like beacons of clean, shiny modernism in the midst of the dirty city,” but that “now some of them are falling apart.”

Over the … Continue reading Has time run out for glazed brick?

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