Facade Forensics Workshop

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

8:30am - 5:00pm

 

 

We construct buildings to provide shelter from wind, rain, cold, and heat. Building facades are sometimes load-bearing, but they must always effectively and efficiently separate the weather outside a building from within. Heat transfer must be carefully managed to reduce operating costs, maintain a comfortable indoor environment and limit the potential for condensation. This workshop will introduce participants to key features of building facades failures.

Workshop highlights will include:

The speakers that are scheduled to present this workshop include:

Kimball J. Beasley, P.E., F.ASCE: Mr. Beasley is a structural engineer with extensive experience in investigation, testing, and repair design for both historic and contemporary buildings and structures. Over his 36 year career he has investigated more than 1,500 failures and performance problems involving a wide variety of building components and materials. He specializes in building facade stability or serviceability failure investigations. Mr. Beasley has authored over 40 articles and technical papers for various publications. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in structural and material engineering from the University of Illinois, Chicago and an MBA from Pace University, New York. He is registered as a P.E. in nine states and frequently serves as expert witness at trial, arbitration, and mediation.

Michael J. Drerup, P.E., M.ASCE: Mr. Drerup is a Senior Managing Engineer in Exponent’s Buildings and Structures practice. He has over 13 years of structural engineering and building technology experience with an emphasis on the long-term performance and durability of contemporary and historic structures and building enclosure systems. Mr. Drerup has planned and executed numerous building performance studies that have included both in-situ and laboratory test programs.  He has directed and participated in studies to evaluate the long-term performance and durability of concrete, wood, steel and masonry structural systems.  Mr. Drerup also specializes in the diagnosis and remediation of water intrusion issues and the durability of cladding materials exposed to severe weathering environments.  He has investigated performance concerns with a wide variety of facade types.

David B. Peraza, P.E., M.ASCE: Mr. Peraza is a Principal Engineer in Exponent’s Buildings and Structures practice. He has over 30 years of broad structural engineering experience including investigations of facades, analysis of existing structures, diagnosis of design and construction problems, condition assessments, design of remedial and stabilization measures for distressed buildings, and design for renovation projects. Mr. Peraza led the investigation and design team for the $20 million facade rehabilitation project on the Byrne-Green federal complex in Philadelphia, he investigated the facade collapse at 540 Madison Ave in New York City, and he was instrumental in the development of the facade inspection regulations in New York City. He has evaluated and designed remedial measures for numerous facades of all types. Mr. Peraza serves on the Executive Committee of ASCE’s Technical Council on Forensic Engineering, as well as on ASCE 7 and ASCE 37.

Ziad M. Salameh, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE: Dr. Salameh brings more than 22 years of professional experience related to structural designs, structural failure investigations, repair recommendations, building envelope and construction consulting. His work has involved civil, bridge, commercial, industrial, municipal, residential, environmental, and hydraulic structures. He presently serves as principal engineer/investigator responsible for building envelope consulting, structural investigations, failure analysis, and construction consulting. In addition to his consulting experience, Dr. Salameh served as an adjunct associate professor of building structural systems at the School of Architecture and Urban Planning (SARUP) - University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. He also served as an adjunct associate professor at the School of Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Dr. Salameh is also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and serves as an active committee member with ASCE’s Technical Council on Forensic Engineering (TCFE).