We were retained to investigate ongoing damage to a two-story office building. Distress consisted of cracks in gypsum board, cracks on the floors, and buckled metal doorframes. Although the facility was not very old, another engineering firm had already designed one repair to this area about two years before our investigation.
However, the tenant was concerned when the distress continued. We performed an investigation of the distress, including a visual inspection of the facility, an elevation survey, and testing using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Review of the GPR data revealed irregularities in the steel reinforcement placement; the steel actually appeared to be below the concrete (in the soil) in some areas. The investigation results were used by the owner as a baseline for determining the extent of future movement.
