INSIGHTS

When we as engineers are asked to design a structure, it is required that you follow the building code for your area. But, this requirement to adhere to the local building code is a minimum. Should we, as engineers, always try to go “above and beyond” for our clients? I think so and that’s how […]

Your home is typically your largest financial investment. Yet most homeowners would not know who designed the structure of their home. They might know the architect and/or their builder’s name. In most cases, the homeowner assumes that the architect or builder has hired a competent structural engineer to design the structure of their home. So, […]

When you think of a building foundation, many people imagine a chunk of concrete buried down in the ground to support a column or wall and most of the time this is accurate. A foundation can consist of a shallow footing similar to the one imagined above or it could consist of a series of […]

The Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission’s new skatepark is a 25 acre site located at 1549 Oceanic Street and overlooks the Ashley River marshes. Tobias & West, LLC designed the concrete structure for the skate park, retaining walls and the 2,000 square foot elevated park office building structure. This site is challenging because it […]

Have you ever wondered how contractors are able to bend larger reinforcing bars (or “rebar”) on-site? Usually the rebar will be bent by a steel fabricator in accordance with the structural drawings and delivered to the construction job site. But sometimes the contractor needs to bend the rebar on-site for specific conditions and if it […]