Structural EngineersTips and tricks for building in Queensland.
When the ground of your new allotment looks flat and smooth and the subdivision is just about finished, take a minute to look at the site works that have occurred on your allotment before you hit the dotted line with a black pen and make your ‘mark’.
I posted on a Homeone forum about slab heave a while ago. I said that slab heave movement could be reversed simply by reinstating the soil moisture regime under the house that was present at the time of construction.
I have re-considered this week whether my statement holds true for waffle slabs – and I’d like your opinion on my theory.
It’s a special day today – not just because it’s my birthday.
R U OK Day is today – the second Thursday of September. It’s a reminder to look out for your friends, family and people around you – and if your gut says something’s not quite right with someone, ask “R U OK?”.
Maybe they need a bit of extra support. Maybe they’re doing it tough. Don’t ignore those signs – instead take some time to start a conversation.
Check out the R U OK Website for tips on how to ask “R U OK?”
R U OK? We’re here to help.
Matt Cornell
Cornell Engineers
The new F22 SmartBrace plywood bracing manual by Tilling makes it easier for structural engineers and building designers to design plywood bracing walls using Australian plywood. That’s good right?
When the alternative is importing hardwood ply from overseas, then an Australian product manufactured to Australian standards has to be better.
Plywood bracing walls make as good sense in Brisbane as they do in Mackay, Queensland.
In Mackay you need high strength bracing walls to resist cyclonic winds. Plywood is an excellent choice and we use it exclusively for bracing internal walls.
In Brisbane, we love plywood bracing walls in house raise and build in under projects and new houses. Having a high capacity plywood bracing wall means less overall wall bracing and that means we can hide your wall bracing in cupboards and other short lengths of wall. It also means you can have more windows.
A building inspector recently told a young couple that were buying a house, “The piers are cracked. You need a structural engineer.”
What does that mean? Why do piers crack? What can a structural engineer do?
When a building inspector reports that piers are cracked, they could be the concrete stumps under an older style low set house, or they could be engaged brick piers that make up part of a brick perimeter wall. Either way, the problem the
inspector is referring to is informally known as “concrete cancer”, ie corrosion of steel reinforcement.
Steel reinforcement corrodes when it is too close to the external surface of a concrete pier or brick pier. The effect is similar in both cases. The products of corrosion, rust, have a greater volume than the original steel. The steel grows in volume and pushes outwards. This causes the concrete or brickwork to crack. The cracks allow more air and more moisture into the pier. The corrosion process continues and accelerates.
If you have cracked piers you probably need a structural engineer to help solve the problem.
Short stumps under a low set house can be easily replaced with galvanised steel posts in a new concrete footing. A structural engineer can specify what steel post to use and how big the footing needs to be. Check with a certifier to see if you need building approval for your project.
For brick piers, the problem is somewhat more complicated. Stopping the corrosion in a brick pier is difficult. A structural engineer will help you identify the cause of the corrosion and can write a specification for the repairs or replacement of the cracked piers.
For the young couple, they decided to go ahead with their purchase. They have scheduled some post replacement weekends to replace the cracked piers under their house and they’re enjoying their new house.
Don’t panic if your inspector tells you you have some cracked stumps. Call Cornell Engineers. We’ll help you work out why the piers are cracked and the best way to fix them.
By Matt Cornell
Cornell Engineers
