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Recent Blog Posts
Understanding Octane Rating
Should you pay more for high-octane gasoline? It depends on many factors, including the kind of car you drive!
Dezinci – What??? What Is Dezincification?
As a result of changes in the regulations and restrictions for potable water systems by the NSF Standard 61: Drinking Water System Components Health Effects, the use of lead in brass alloy fittings, faucets, and components was eliminated. It should be noted that lead was used in brass alloys to...
Centrifugal Compressors – Simultaneously Simple and Complex
Centrifugal compressors (aka- turbocompressors) though you may not be familiar with them, we need not look far to find examples in our daily lives. They can be found on planes, trains and automobiles in various sizes and shapes. They are particularly popular on aircraft where they are used to do...
Unsealed Shingle Corners
Wear and tear, it happens to everything as it ages, including roofing. During the examination of roofing, wear and tear need to be taken into account by the examiner for it can be mistaken for damage resulting from wind uplift. A common form of wear and tear observed to asphalt shingles is granular...
“Time is a four letter word” – Time Considerations in Failure Analysis
Here’s a challenge for you. What is the definition of time? I’ll give you time to look it up. I recommend using Meriam Webster’s definition. If I were to cut and paste the definition into this blog, it would exceed my word limit. It’s amazing to think that such a small word can have so many...
Equal Conveyance and Compensatory Storage
In 2018, a friend who owns a small strip mall asked me for assistance in dealing with a wetlands issue. A wetland/floodplain is located behind, and abuts, the strip mall property. The floodplain drains via an intermittent stream which runs along the side of the property and crosses beneath the road...
TPO Roofing Splits
A sixteen-year-old thermoplastic roof installed on a factory roof in Southern Alabama was reported to have been damaged during a hailstorm. The thermoplastic roofing at the facility was manufactured in rolled sheets, which were installed in parallel overlapping rows. Visual examination of the...
Why Are My Windows Foggy?
For those who live in hot or cold environments, double pane windows are a great way to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Double pane windows consist of two panes of glass that have been sealed together in a frame, with a pane of glass on the interior and exterior surface of the window...
Don’t Get Rubbed the Wrong Way
The U.S. exports about 4 million bushels of grain a year, including wheat, rice, corn, soy and other commodities. Grain is typically transferred by rail from farming areas to shipping terminals located on the coast or major waterways. The grain is temporarily stored in silos at the grain terminal...
Earth, Wind, and Fire
The job of a forensic or investigative engineer can be fascinating. Each investigation brings its own set of challenges and, at times, gathering facts and background information can be one of the more difficult aspects of a case. In gathering our own observations, evaluations, and examinations of...
Large Tractor Fire
With loss investigations, the engineer/investigator will often encounter situations which can present safety challenges and even hazards. In some cases, such as machinery breakdown or fires, many potential hazards exist. The engineer must be aware of the situation; proper safety is critical to...
Four Ways to Tension Threaded Fasteners
Threaded fasteners (e.g., bolts, nuts, and screws) are so common that imagining a world without them is hard. Yet, our society is highly dependent on them. Consider the lug nuts that keep the wheels attached to our vehicles while driving or the bolts that hold together structural steel members in...
Learn If Your Home’s Foundation Is Built On Expansive Clay Soil
Do your doors stick and not open properly during the rainy season? Do you have cracks in the drywall that sometimes go away? Have you noticed foundation cracks around your house? One of the first steps toward finding the correct method of repair is determining the soil type around the foundation. It...
Electrocution, Electric Shock, and Safety
The words electrocution and electric shock strike fear in many. However, many people use these two words interchangeably, when in fact they are not the same. An electric shock is when you somehow touch an energized circuit and, as many electricians say, you get "bit". An electric shock can rattle...