The entire community of Paradise was lost in the Camp Fire. (Credit: Cal Fire) California just experienced its deadliest and most destructive wildfire, ever. Nearly 14,000 homes, 530 commercial structures and 4,300 other buildings were destroyed in November when the Cal Fire ravaged the Butte County landscape, incinerating entire communities like the [...]
The recent Mars landing of NASA’s robotic lander InSight means we can now look forward to two years of data from seismic monitoring and underground temperature readings that will unlock mysteries about the origin of the red planet, and by association, the Earth. Unlike our world, where land is continually shifting through tectonics and [...]
Generally speaking, knowledge is the key to understanding threats and developing strategies to overcome them. We ask our loved ones to wear their seatbelts, because we know that their chances of surviving a crash are so much better with them on. Likewise, structural engineers and seismologists, for years, have been working together to better [...]
People often reference the Northridge earthquake of 1994 when they speak about seismic disasters. After all, it’s something many of us experienced first-hand: an event that we can relate to. The 6.7-magnitude thrust of the quake rattled Southern California a mere 10 to 20 seconds and caused $67 billion in widespread damage. Yet the [...]
Are you feeling rushed to meet seismic retrofit deadlines imposed to by Los Angeles Department of Building Services? The cut-off date for engineering studies of older wood-framed, soft-story structures has passed for more than 150 properties, with many others fast approaching. Faced with these tight deadlines, many apartment owners may feel pushed to act [...]
Because many of us grew up in homes containing lead and asbestos, we can sometimes downplay the health hazards these substances can pose to humans and the environment alike. We feel tempted to bypass the rules — demolishing undercover — hoping that no one finds out. Yes, these substances, once touted as miracle materials [...]
The Philippines is all too familiar with natural disasters: deadly tropical storms and typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. Located along the Pacific’s so-called “Ring of Fire,” where seismic activity and tropical storms hit with alarming regularity, the Philippines knows it cannot stop nature — so it is working to prepare for it through resiliency. The [...]
A key worry among apartment owners faced with any major renovation, repair or alteration of their building is the impact that construction could have on their tenants — and whether the outcome of their Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) will require added expenses. These extra costs might include paying for additional precautions to minimize impacts, [...]
When buildings crumble – when they are red-tagged due to damage from an earthquake – small businesses suffer, setting off residual waves of hardship that can devastate economies. The Los Angeles County Business Federation (BizFed) has teamed up with Chairman's Circle member Optimum Seismic Inc. on an informative workshop, "Risks of Earthquakes to Small [...]
Asbestos and lead, once touted as miracle materials for construction, now stir feelings of dread among owners of older apartment structures. The discovery of these substances in the stucco, walls, paint, ceilings and other components of a building can substantially increase the cost of any demolition or reconstruction project. Once found, state, local and [...]
