Insights
What We’re Learning.
Thoughts, lessons and observations drawn from investigations, design work, site inspections, heritage structures, adaptive reuse projects and engineering practice.
The most valuable lessons often come from buildings that behave differently than expected.
Never miss a new insight.
Receive email notifications when new articles, project lessons and technical insights are published.
Search Results
5 Insights
Forensic Structural Engineer Melbourne: The Balcony Investigation that Changed Everything
What started as a routine balcony waterproofing project quickly turned into something far more complex. After demolition works exposed unexpected cracking and excessive deflection, our investigation uncovered a series of hidden issues that had likely been present for decades. Through slab scanning, concrete core testing, structural analysis and forensic investigation, we discovered that multiple small defects had combined to create a much larger structural concern. This project highlights how forensic engineering often reveals a very different story beneath the surface.
Read Insight
Why Did the West Gate Bridge Collapse
The 1970 collapse of Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge was one of Australia’s worst engineering disasters and had a profound impact on bridge design and construction practices worldwide. This article examines the bridge’s steel box girder design, construction methodology and the sequence of events leading to failure. It explores how fabrication tolerances, construction-induced buckling, imposed corrective loads and the removal of critical structural bolts combined to overstress a bridge span, ultimately causing a catastrophic collapse and valuable lessons for the engineering profession.
Read Insight
Why Do Retaining Walls Fail
Retaining walls are among the most failure-prone structures due to the many forces acting on them. This article explores the most common reasons retaining walls fail, including rotation, sliding, global stability failure, and local member failure. Using L-wall and soldier pile wall examples, it explains how poor drainage, excessive surcharge loads, inadequate soil investigation, insufficient footing or pile embedment, and detailing errors can undermine performance, and outlines the engineering principles used to prevent these failures.
Read Insight
Why Did the FIU Bridge Collapse
The 2018 collapse of the FIU Pedestrian Bridge was one of the most significant structural failures in recent history, resulting in multiple fatalities and prompting a major engineering investigation. This article examines the bridge’s design, construction methodology and the events leading to the collapse. Through a detailed review of the structural configuration, construction joints, post-tensioning system and load path, it explores the likely failure mechanisms at the critical node connection and the engineering lessons that can help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Read Insight
Can Steel Beams Be Melted by Jet Fuel
Jet fuel cannot melt structural steel, but that fact alone does not explain how buildings behave during severe fires. This article examines the science behind steel strength, melting temperatures and fire performance, comparing the burn temperature of jet fuel with the thermal properties of structural steel. It explains how elevated temperatures reduce steel strength, how thermal expansion and differential heating can deform members, and why significant structural failures can occur well before steel reaches its melting point.
Read InsightLooking For Advice?
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for?
Tell us about your building, project or challenge and we’ll help point you in the right direction.