|
|
The current economic conditions, concern for historic preservation, and emphasis on fully utilizing existing structures have resulted in the necessity of innovative foundation repair techniques to extend the service life and /or increase the load carrying capacity existing foundation systems. The combination of these factors has resulted in design professionals, geotechnical and structural engineers to fully utilize the existing building inventory through extensive use of soil-structure interaction. The challenge facing the design community is the absence of educational training in the design and implementation of foundation upgrading and repair systems.
The lunch and learn programs implemented by United Structural Systems of Chicago provide a much needed resource for the design community by providing educational opportunities focusing on innovative methods of foundation repair, and technology-selection guidelines utilized to determine the most practical solutions for infrastructure improvements.
Our Lunch and learn programs have been specifically designed to provide a fun and interactive educational opportunity during the lunch hour. Topics are presented in forty five minutes allowing attendees the opportunity to participate in the program, and have time for a question and answer session without disrupting the work day.
United Structural Systems offers the following lunch and learn opportunities for design professionals:
• Technology Selection of Foundation Repair Systems
• Application and Design Helical Pile Systems
• Application and Design of Resistance Peering Systems
• Application and Design of Tie Back Anchors
• Application and Design of Micropiles
• New Construction Pile Systems Technology Selection Guidelines
• Application and Design of Grouted Materials for Soil and Slab Stabilization.
For more information on our lunch and learn program click here.
http://www.unitedstructuralsystems.com/Lunch_N_Learn.asp
Groundwater management is essential not only in keeping your basement or crawl space dry, but also in avoiding damage to the foundation. Below grade structures (basements crawl space, and slab on grade foundations) are designed to resist a combination of both hydrostatic and soil pressures. The terms soil pressure (the pressures exerted upon a wall by surrounding soils) and hydrostatic pressure (pressure that is exerted by water due to its weight) for the purpose of this article are used to describe how these pressures affect the foundation of your home.
Most homeowners often do not consider foundation problems, and basement or crawl space seepage as avoidable with routine maintenance; however a great number of foundation repairs and basement waterproofing problems can be prevented by handling rainwater and surface drainage properly. Improper groundwater drainage can result in pooling water around the exterior foundation which leads to hydrostatic pressure on the foundation walls. Hydrostatic pressure can result in foundation damage, allowing foundation walls to crack, deflect inward, settle vertically, and allow water infiltration into the basement or crawl space of your home. Groundwater can enter your home in numerous ways. Common examples of water penetrations are foundation wall and slab floor cracks, tie rods, or pipe penetrations.
Groundwater management begins with an assessment of the existing site conditions. As the homeowner you have two fairly broad choices for site condition assessment. You can perform routine maintenance yourself to alleviate potential foundation damage, and control basement seepage, or seek professional advice from a contractor specializing in foundation repair and groundwater control. In the event that foundation damage is present the best course of action is a professional evaluation of both the foundation, and the site conditions contributing to the foundation damage.
At United Structural Systems our dedication to market leadership does not stop with a commitment to customer service. The dedication to serve is a core belief of our company and a key to our success. We believe that it is a not an obligation but a privilege granted to our organization by our customers to share with others less fortunate during the holidays.
United Structural Systems is proud to be a sponsor of the Santa Cause, a local charity with a mission that is hard not to embrace.
The Santa Cause was founded by Pat Donlea, a project estimator with United Structural Systems, based on the principle “pay it forward” by giving back to the community during the holiday season. To make Christmas “happen” for every child was something he saw as a basic need. As a place to start, he chose rather than to receive random candles, bottles of liquor and gift cards given to him by friends and family at his annual holiday party, to ask for people to bring an unwrapped gift or toy. Reaching out to local charities, Pat asked “Do you need donations”. Not only was their reply “yes”, but “you answered our prayers”.
Knowing how easy it was for him to do, Pat wanted to share the opportunity. With the help of a group of close friends, and resources donated by United Structural Systems the Santa Cause was created…
Over the past 7 years, Santa Cause has donated gifts to local charities during the holiday season, reaching more than 7,000 families. Said Jim Wogan Volunteer Coordinator for Catholic Charities Lake County IL; “The donations provided by Santa Cause often help our organization provide gifts to families who register late for our program. Working together with the Santa Cause team I have had the pleasure of watching what started as a small group of friends grow into a large network of people who want to give back during the holiday season. With so many in need and so few resources, it’s nice to have the extra support of everyday people just wanting to lend a hand.”
One man who has embraced the Santa Cause concept from its inception is Lou Manfredini, Chicago radio and national television personality Mr. Fix-it. A proud “Party with a Purpose” host, Lou takes time out of his radio show each Holiday Season to promote Santa Cause with Pat Donlea as his guest. Listen for Pat on WGN this holiday season, or visit the Santa Cause website for more information on how you can help.
The Santa Cause website provides everything you need to have your own “Party with a Purpose”. There are answers to frequently asked questions about the gift donations, contact information for gift pick up and information on organizations you will help.
About Santa Cause:
Santa Cause is an organization not affiliated with any other local charity or group. The Santa Cause mission is to supplement the resources of existing non-for-profit organizations by helping them meet the needs of their clientele during the holiday season. Santa Cause provides you all the tools necessary for turning your traditional family, company or organization party into a “Party with a Purpose”.
For more information visit www.santa-cause.org
In Chicago foundation settlement can happen slowly. Homeowners do not watch their house sink, but rather experience a “sinking feeling” that something, over time, is happening. Like most “sinking feelings” this one lies at the back of the mind. They know something’s wrong, but they aren’t sure how it happened. And like many home repairs, foundation repair often gets put off until their windows no longer open, or doors don’t fit correctly in their openings. Whatever the circumstances, homeowners are likely to become concerned with the implications related to foundation failure.
The implications can range from the ability to sale the home, to the safety of the structure itself. Uncertain how to proceed, often homeowners tend to ignore the problem and hope that fixes itself, or seek the advice of a contractors who are not thoroughly trained in the field of foundation repair. It is important to remember that a contractor with experience in fields related to residential foundations (concrete contractors, basement waterproofing contractors, and concrete raising contractors) does not necessarily indicate industry expertise. Foundation problems can be a stressful, potentially costly endeavor for homeowners, particularly, if not properly diagnosed and repaired by a suitably qualified contractor or foundation engineer.
Foundation repair requires specialized equipment and well-trained, experienced personnel. Foundation underpinning should be recommended only after a careful analysis by a qualified professional, well versed in multiple foundation repair designs.
Initial Site Inspection
The primary objective of the initial site visit is to ascertain the most likely cause of the damage to the reported area and determine if the damage is related to foundation settlement, heave (which is….), or a problem unrelated to the foundation. In order to properly diagnose and design the repair the investigator must gather all the relevant information related to the distressed foundation. Information acquired during the initial investigation includes, but is not limited to, structural and architectural drawings, grading plans, and plat of survey. It is not uncommon that homeowners are not in possession of the original construction plans for their home, therefore the initial site inspection requires a visual inspection of the damaged property to compile information on the locations of foundation cracks, the type of structure including foundation type and depth, signs of previous repairs to masonry or drywall, the pattern of building movement, and the general exterior surroundings including the locations of trees.
Elevation Survey
The purpose of the elevation survey is to estimate the amount of movement that has occurred to the foundation in relation to areas of the foundation that appear to be stabile. The elevation survey is not a complete property survey, and for the most part usually does not require that a permanent benchmark be established. It is of great importance to measure the deviation in the foundation. The foundation elevations can be plotted to measure the degree of movement or distress present in the foundation at the time of the investigation.
Visual signs of distress (cracks in interior drywall, foundation cracks, or exterior masonry joints) can often be deceiving, indicating foundation movement in areas unrelated to the foundation. In some cases the movement is within the wall itself due to physical changes such as humidity, over-stressing, vibration, and general wear and tear. Other significant measurements include the width of foundation and masonry cracks or ruptures, and the dimensions of the structure. An experienced site investigator can use the information obtained to determine not only the specific area of distress but also the underlying cause of the problem. After this information has been compiled and analyzed and only after this it has been analyzed, a plan of structural repair can be generated for your home. Your home is your most valued asset and you should treat is as such.
USS of Chicago is proud to annouce that their new website http://www.unitedstructuralsystems.com/uss/ is finally up and running. This new site reflects our dedication and expertise in the structural foundation industry.
USS Chicago is the recognized leader in the foundation repair industry, providing structural repair solutions for homes, commercial buildings and municipalities that encounter vertical settlement or horizontal movement of foundations.
We are a locally owned and operated specialty foundation contractor that offers innovative and guaranteed repairs in the Chicago, IL area. Headquartered in Barrington, Illinois we serve the entire Chicago metro area providing sound and sensible engineered solutions to your foundation problems.
We have worked hard to develop an outstanding reputation at United Structural Systems and we intend to keep it. Although every repair situation is unique, we have developed a customer service program that ensures consistent, quality service along with the best solutions.
|
|
