Professional Investigative Engineers - Articles

Preventing Common Tile Roof Mistakes

no@spam.com (Lauri L. Stankewicz, M.S., E.I.) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:00:00 CDT

Tile roofs have been used for centuries, and with good reason. Tile roofs are strong, versatile, and durable. Available in a variety of styles and finishes, tile adds curb appeal to any home, be it American Colonial, Spanish Hacienda, or French Provincial. As with any roof type, weather proofing and installation are keys to long-term performance. This article will provide tips on how to avoid common errors in tile installation.

Installing Exterior Stairs? Choose a Lasting Design

no@spam.com (Ryan Barnes, E.I.) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:00:00 CDT

Exterior stairs should be designed and constructed such that the service life of the stair assembly is no less than the life expectancy of the building or structure to which they provide access, and are maintainable without non-visible damage occurring. Increasing the ability of exterior stair assemblies to withstand prolonged exposure to moisture and other deteriorative elements will inevitably extend the service life of the assembly. It is uneconomical to continuously attempt repairs, or to replace stair assemblies that have degraded to the point that they can no longer function as originally intended. A typical failure of exterior stair assemblies occurs in stair designs that incorporate the use of a steel pan with concrete fill at the treads or landings. Manifestation of the damage to this particular type of stair assembly appears as corrosion of the steel liners, freeze-thaw damages to the concrete fill, and structural weld and connection damage. The corrosion will inevitably progress, causing unaesthetic conditions, decreasing structural performance, and ultimately threaten the public’s safety. These negative attributes are further exacerbated when the stair system is designed with closed riser and stringer components.

Differential Slab-On-Grade Movement Due to Poor Drainage-Water Control

no@spam.com (Brandon Sanders, E.I.T.) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:30:00 CDT

Thousands of homes and businesses every year experience problems stemming from the movement of the floors that support their structures, walls, equipment, and exterior flatwork - differential vertical slab-on-grade movement. This is a very common insurance claim and most owners do not understand the causes. Since the soils in Arizona are commonly expansive, but remain relatively dry for the majority of the year, the slightest bit of water infiltrating the soils results in soil expansion with vertical and horizontal forces. Expansive soils can be defined as any soil or rock material that has a potential for swelling due to a change in water content. In some areas of the country, homeowners are advised to “water the foundation” to keep a constant moisture amount in the soil. In Arizona, the soils are dry, and the discussion below indicates the need to keep the soil dry.

The Pitfalls of Modern Investigative Methodology Using Negative Corpus

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:50:39 CST

Conclusions regarding the cause of a fire, explosion, subrogation issue, or even a construction defect are often made in the absence of physical evidence or proof. The term Negative Corpus is not a legal term, but refers to a loose Latin translation meaning “without the body of the crime.”Many forensic investigators utilize the process of elimination in their examination. Simply stated, they use statements such as “I eliminated all other causes, thus it has to be…….” Or, “via the process of elimination, it is my conclusion that the cause is…..” These statements were acceptable for a long time in the fire investigation industry, but they are now being challenged. There are organizations that are now pursuing the freedom of alleged arsonists who were convicted without positive proof of arson.

Injury Mitigation Produced By Protective Pole Padding On Ski Terrain

no@spam.com (Patrick B. Kelley, M.E., P.E., CFEI) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 18:06:03 CST

A 7-year-old male collided with an unpadded wooden utility pole located within the skiable terrain of a ski resort. The male sustained serious pelvic and femur fractures that later affected his growth and development. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the injury biomechanics and determine whether or not the presence of protective padding on the pole would have mitigated injuries sustained.

Colorado Supreme Court Says Lack of Seatbelt Use Can Limit Damage Awards

no@spam.com (Other Authors) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:00:00 CST

This article was written by Patricia-Anne Tom. If you wish to contact the author, please email her via the Claims Journal's article link.

The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that a jury should consider a person's failure to use a seatbelt when determining damages for pain and suffering resulting from an automobile accident.

PIE: Emphasizing Ethics in the Industry

no@spam.com (Briana Selstad) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 13:25:49 CDT

In the insurance industry, adjusters frequently rely on engineering and other specialty firms to provide an opinion of the cause based on the facts in their claims from that expert’s understanding of the issues.

Building Leaks: Not Always the Obvious

no@spam.com (PIE Staff Engineer) — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 11:14:31 CDT

You might not have any claims dealing with ice damming on your desk right now. However, winter will be here before we know it.

Novel Explores Accident Reconstruction Claims Magazine

no@spam.com (Craig F. Sellers) — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:30:16 CDT

Read a review of "Darwin's Blade"
Novel Explores Accident Reconstruction Claims Magazine
Review By Craig Sellers
If you are an adjuster interested in receiving a free paperback copy of Darwin's Blade, please email Craig Sellers.

Simple Way to Obtain Macro Photography

no@spam.com (David Zehring , IAAI-CFI) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 10:42:18 CDT

Article about forensic photography. This article from Seen on Scene Newsletter.