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• The Role of the Investigative Engineer in Flood Damage Assessment
• Assessing Wind Versus Surge Damage—Reflecting on What We Learned from Hurricane Katrina
• I-ENG-A Convention 2014
• Looking for Expertise? Case Closed!
• America’s Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles of 2013

THE ROLE OF THE ENGINEER IN FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT

By Stephen R. Ternullo, P.E., I-ENG-A of Southeast Michigan

Damage assessment by an engineer following a flood event may be broken down into categories. First, there will be questions regarding the origin of the damage and second, engineers may need to evaluate the extent of damage and provide a scope of repair.

The source of the water must be determined; was it flood waters flowing from a creek, river or other water way, or was it ground water, sewer back up, sump pump failure, or a combination of sources. The source of the water will likely affect insurance coverage and should be clearly defined by the evaluating engineer.

Flood and water damage assessments may include evaluations of structural damage due to hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures. Structures may be lifted as a result of being buoyant in a flooded condition. Evaluation of foundations may need to be performed. Depending upon the forces of the floodwater, the weight of the building components and the connections to the foundation system, the structure may float from its foundation.

While the cause of the damage may seem obvious, conditions following a flood such as cracking in walls or ceilings, may not be related to the flood event. It is important to determine whether or not the damage existed prior to the flood event. Often damage that was present prior to a catastrophic event was unnoticed by the insured, who now believes the damage was the result of the event. The investigating engineer should be able to determine if the suspect damage was the result of a specific event.

Other services that may be required once the extent of the damage has been determined, include a scope of repairs to assist the claims adjuster in determining the value of the loss. Additionally, identification of construction or design deficiencies may be important factors to consider as they may have caused or contributed to the flood damage. All contributing parties must be identified as subrogation will be allocated to all parties who may have contributed to the loss. Moisture intrusion, microbial issues and air quality may also become issues or come into play.

ASSESSING WIND VERSUS SURGE DAMAGE

REFLECTING ON WHAT WAS LEARNED FROM HURRICANE KATRINA

A tremendous amount of information about the assessment of damage to structures in the determination of wind versus surge became available following Hurricane Katrina and the damages experienced there. Aerial photographs published by NOAA became of particular value as did topographical maps and aerial photographs taken prior to the hurricane. Utilizing these resources provided a means for engineers to supplement on-site observations.

Forensic meteorologists were also of particular value in providing opinions of the timing of events with regards to the wind versus surge components of hurricane damages. In many instances without this data, it would be impossible to determine the cause of damages. Professional engineers had a very daunting task to determine the forces that caused the destruction.

Structural engineers must understand the forces from surge water versus those of wind, including dynamic and hydrostatic conditions. The velocity of wind gusts and surge forces are taken into consideration. Complete demolition of superstructures was consistent with powerful forces of storm surge, while structures located at higher elevations may be more prone to damage from greater wind forces.

The ethical pressures being faced by engineers in the determination of flood versus storm serge were also daunting insomuch that many property owners had no flood insurance. The determination of wind versus flood damages could bring financial ruin to individuals or families. Following the ASCE Code of Ethics provides some key factors to deal with these pressures such as honesty, integrity and objectivity.

The tremendous volume of buildings that needed to be inspected was also a problem. The Investigative Engineers Association put together guidelines for member professional engineering firms to provide catastrophe response in a organized fashion that would allow for a greater volume of investigations to happen in a more timely fashion. Time was an important factor to consider as there were over 250,000 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina and rebuilding efforts were not likely to start until insurance issues were resolved.

The Investigative Engineers Association organized a Catastrophe Response Committee consisting of professional engineers who were dealing with the situation in Louisiana and the gulf coast following the storm, to ascertain issues experienced and a way to deal with major catastrophic events such as this that may cause widespread damage in the future. The project included dealing with ways to organize a team of professional engineers and the distribution of assignments by area coordinates to eliminate as much windshield time as possible. Additionally the association put together the www.ienga.com website which enables its users, whom are all members of the I-ENG-A organization, to search for engineers by discipline, by state licensure and by availability. Technical training for CAT response including report formats, report timelines, safety, briefing, debriefing, structure of the CAT response team, the roles of Team Leaders, Investigative Engineers and Registered Professional Engineers, etc., were discussed as well as insurance requirements.

While the role of the I-ENG-A headquarters includes CAT response training and assistance with job processing, tracking, and data collection, the local member firm is to serve as the host or as the event management office. The models discussed teams of 3-4 engineers who would complete 6-8 assignments /day depending upon the complexity and travel time involved.

In conclusion, having engineers who are trained in these efforts with a plan in place before a catastrophe occurs can save a lot of time and money for all parties involved when a catastrophe does strike. If you would like to discuss catastrophe response with firms who may serve as your host, please feel free to contact association headquarters or visit www.ienga.net or www.ienga.com to locate the firm or firms near your areas of concern.

Sources: Forensic Engineering: Proceedings of the 4th Congress, October 6-9, 2006, Paul A. Bosela, Norbert J. Delatte

I-ENG-A CONVENTION 2014—NOVEMBER 9-12, 2014 - FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

The next Investigative Engineers Association Convention will be held November 9-12, 2014 at The Riverside Hotel in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Topics include:

• Floor Collapses – Water and Mold Causing Structural Failures by Aubrey Shrock, PE;
• The Role of Professional Engineering in Fire Investigation by Edgar K. Riddick III, PE;
• Buildings with Failing Roof Structures & Ceiling Collapses with Esteban Pauli, PE;
• Product Failure Presentations with Babar Khan, PE and Peter Vallas Jr., CFEI;
• 2014 NFPA 921 and 1033 Update with Edgar K. Riddick III, PE, I-ENG-A Advisor;
• New Technology Presentation — Drone Applications & Legal Issues, John Curtis, Prioria Robotics, Inc.;
• Ethics and Forensic Engineering with Ken Discenza, PE and Babar Khan, PE;
• Microbial / Mold Testing with Leo Gordon, MVP Environmental Solutions, Inc. and Amrita Paul, EMSL Analytical, Inc.;
• Accident Reconstruction — Hydroplaning with Elvin Aycock, PE, ACTAR, I-ENG-A Advisor.

Professional development hours for professional engineers will be awarded in the amount of 14.75—16.50 hours.

Call your local member firm if you have any questions or would like additional information about this event, or call us directly at Association Headquarters Toll Free 844-217-6975.

LOOKING FOR EXPERTISE? CASE CLOSED!

In the world of investigation it is important to consider ‘The perfect world scenario’. In a perfect world, the loss would not have happened, so ‘what went wrong?’. This is a question we must ask ourselves from time to time in order to determine all causes or potential contributors to the loss scenario. Then again, in a perfect world where no losses exist, what would we all do (that’s a joke, lighten up!)? Here are a few interesting cases the I-ENG-A member firms have helped to resolve recently:

DID FERTILIZER START THE FIRE?
The Fire Marshall suspects that fertilizer started the fire at the residence. Could this be the case? It was 100 degrees outside that day. Give us a call for fire cause and origin investigation.

IS IT OVERLOADING OR WATER DAMAGE?
Your claimant says water damage from ice dams caused the web of the joist to bow outward. But there are no signs of decay or water damage. Could it be a case of overloading? Give us a call.

WAS THE FLOOR REFINISHED PROPERLY?
In general, how many times can a ¾ solid wood floor be sanded and refinished? In general, how much flooring should be removed in a single sanding? Did refinishing the floor contribute or cause the damage? Give us a call.

HAIL DAMAGE TO SOLAR PANELS?
Your client has solar panels and suspects they have been damaged by a recent hail storm. Need to determine the origin and scope of damages to solar panels due to claimed hail damage? Give us a call.

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION?
A fire investigation reveals linseed oil was being stored in the attic space of your client. Is it possible this is a case of spontaneous combustion? Give us a call.

DID YOU USE ALGEBRA TODAY? WE DID!
Determining the correct size for an electrical wire is something engineers need to do from time to time. What gauge wire should have been run in order to ensure that it meets the current electrical code and not cause a fire? Is it the correct wire type, i.e., aluminum or copper? Give us a call.

COMMODE WATER SUPPLY LINE CAUSES MAJOR DAMAGE
The water supply line to your insured’s commode caused major damage. Could this be a manufacturer defect? Was it installed properly? Give us a call.

WHY WOULD A SPRINKLER HEAD DISCHARGE WITHOUT SMOKE OR FIRE? WHAT CAUSED IT TO FAIL?

An IT room on the 8th floor of a high rise experienced water damage originating from a fire sprinkler head. There was no physical evidence of a fire or heat buildup in the room. The high temperature alarm did not trigger and the high trigger temperature was 155 deg F. So, what caused the sprinkler head to discharge / fail? Let the I-ENG-A experts investigate!

AMERICA’S 10 MOST STOLEN VEHICLES

A 50-50 SPLIT BETWEEN DOMESTIC AND IMPORT

On 8/18/2014, the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) released its annual Hot Wheels report which identifies the 10 most stolen vehicles in the United States. The report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2013. For 2013, the most stolen vehicles* in the nation were (total thefts in parentheses):

1. Honda Accord (53,995)

2. Honda Civic (45,001)

3. Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) (27,809) 4. Ford Pickup (Full Size) (26,494)

5. Toyota Camry (14,420)

6. Dodge Pickup (Full Size) (11,347)

7. Dodge Caravan (10,911)

8. Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee (9,272)

9. Toyota Corolla (9,010)

10. Nissan Altima (8,892)

Stolen recovered vehicles are often investigated by member firms of the Investigative Engineers Association. Oftentimes they are recovered burned or the ignition switch may have been tampered with. Determining the origin and cause of the fire and / or if the ignition was tampered with can help ascertain what may have happened.