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Instructors: 
David B. Peraza, P.E., M.ASCE
Morgan Griffith, P.E., M.ASCE

Course Length: 1.5 Hours

Webinar Summary

When a hurricane strikes, civil engineers are often called upon to investigate the resulting damage to structures. Frequently, engineers performing those investigations are asked to distinguish between wind damage and water damage. This task can be dauntingly complex, demanding expertise in structural engineering, historic building codes, construction practices, wind forces, and water/wave forces.

This webinar explores important issues for the civil engineer conducting engineering damage assessments of structures following hurricanes, focusing particularly on wind versus water investigations. Case studies will be presented to highlight the principles discussed. This webinar assists civil engineers in providing efficient and high-quality services, based on sound technical principles.

This webinar presents the key topics contained in the newly released book published by ASCE, "Engineering Investigations of Hurricane Damage: Wind versus Water."

Primary Discussion Topics

• State-of-the-practice regarding available meteorological data following hurricanes
• Building damage patterns associated with wind and with storm surge/flooding
• Best practices in managing hurricane damage investigations, including field investigations
• Case studies to highlight principles discussed

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Have familiarity with generally accepted sources of meteorological data following hurricanes
• Basic understanding of relationship between regional meteorological data and site-specific conditions
• Identify key damage patterns caused by wind and by storm surge/flooding
• Basic understanding of relationship between regional meteorological data and site-specific conditions
• Basic understanding of relationship between regional meteorological data and site-specific conditions
• Basic understanding of relationship between regional meteorological data and site-specific conditions
• Have familiarity with tools/techniques associated with effective project management of hurricane damage investigations
• Have familiarity with tools/techniques associated with field investigations

Webinar Benefits

• Insure quality and consistency in executing hurricane damage investigations
• Explore a comprehensive, published source of information related to hurricane damage investigations
• Combat junk science and unfounded opinions related to hurricane damage
• Learn the authoritative sources and accepted formats of meteorological data
• Consider office-wide procedures for optimizing hurricane damage investigations
• Maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of field investigations
• Examine the principles discussed in the context of real-life case studies

Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Students' achievement of the learning outcomes will be assessed via a short post-assessment (true-false, multiple choice and fill in the blank questions).

Intended Audience

• Consulting civil/structural engineers
• Forensic structural engineers
• Property insurance claim adjusters
• Attorneys practicing construction law
• Building officials

Webinar Outline

• Introduction
• Introduction of publication, motivation for publication
• Meteorological Data
• Publically available sources of wind data and storm surge/flood data, timing issues
• Publically available sources of wind data and storm surge/flood data, timing issues
• Building Damage Patterns
• Common damage patterns due to wind and due to storm surge/flooding
• Regional indicators including damage patterns either side of debris line
• Managing Hurricane Damage Investigations
• Office issues and field issues
• Case Studies

How to Earn your CEUs/PDHs and Receive Your Certificate of Completion

To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete a short on-line post-test and receive a passing score of 70% or higher within 1 year of purchasing the course.

How do I convert CEUs to PDHs?

1.0 CEU = 10 PDHs [Example: 0.1 CEU = 1 PDH]