TABLE OF CONTENTS The beginning of a typical renovation project resembles a medical checkup of a first-time patient. Engineers, like doctors, can see the outside of their subjects but can't tell for certain what is happening inside. Their first guess is necessarily based on the appearance; they know from experience that buildings, like people, deteriorate with age and that it is possible to extend the life span of both with proper care. The condition of the exterior can often tell whether the subject of their study has been pampered or abused, although this information may be obscured by facelifts. It is the task of the professionals to determine whether their patient is a good-looking wreck or a dirty workhorse still full of energy.
An investigation of existing conditions is intended to determine the state of the building's health, to establish a diagnosis, and to arrive at a prognosis. As with people, such an investigation usually includes a visual checkup, a few tests, and an examination of the patient's history. However, unlike people, buildings cannot tell what ails them, and it is the task of the engineer to piece together the answer from a variety of scattered symptoms.
The most fundamental question the investigation is intended to answer is whether the structure can safely support the proposed loading. Alas, simply checking the original drawings for the loading information is not enough. Even if the original design loads are adequate for the proposed use, they probably contain no allowances for such factors...
