WDP provides multi-hazard (Natural as well as Manmade) risk assessment services to identify structural integrity and building envelope stability hazards for buildings, bridges, and tunnels. We also provide mitigation and implementation recommendations. Mitigation measures can range from immediate temporary shoring to complete building repair design, contract documents and specifications.
WDP personnel have served as emergency responders. Through our boots-on-ground experience, we understand how structures perform, the need for time-sensitive responses and the importance of thinking on our feet while assessing damaged and/or collapsed structures.
WDP’s multi-hazard risk assessment consulting services include:
- Damage assessment, cause and origin investigation and repair recommendations for:
- High wind events including tropical storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes
- Earthquakes
- Floods
- Snowstorms
- Fires
- Damage related to adjacent construction
- Pre-event vulnerability assessment and mitigation recommendations
- Natural disaster events for which WDP has provided expertise include:
- Central Virginia earthquake, August 2011
- Halloween 2011 Nor’easter, October 2011
- Hurricane (Superstorm) Sandy, October 2012
WDP assisted insurance underwriters with damage assessment, cause-and-origin investigations and repair recommendations for buildings located in New York and Connecticut that sustained or allegedly sustained damage during the Halloween 2011 nor’easter storm and Superstorm Sandy.
Following the Central Virginia earthquake of 2011, WDP assisted The University of Virginia, several Northern Virginia public school districts, local municipalities, and the Architect of the Capitol for post-earthquake damage assessments on approximately 60 buildings. WDP personnel reported to multiple sites within hours and performed visual assessments to clear re-occupancy of the buildings. WDP provided repair recommendations for buildings in need of remediation.
Constructability Reviews
Poor coordination of design drawings and specifications along with missing information can lead to change orders, delays in construction, and disputes. WDP’s architectural, structural and geotechnical professionals typically participate in contractibility reviews and where warranted, can include sub-consultants to review mechanical, electrical, plumbing and security systems.
Our Contractibility Reviews primarily focus on construction detailing, proposed assemblies, general cross-referencing of details and conditions, compatibility of specified materials/systems, as well as overall coordination between disciplines. Comments regarding partition types, fire-rated assemblies and trade sequencing are also enumerated.
When performed in conjunction with WDP’s Building Envelope Consulting “peer review” services, a rounded assessment of the project will result in a better integrated construction document package, which can reduce costs over the course of the project.
