Iowa Structural 10 PDH Discount Package 3

This online engineering PDH course provides an overview of the methods necessary for elevating residential structures for flood protection.

One of the most common of all retrofitting techniques is to raise an entire existing superstructure above the design Flood elevation (DFE). When properly elevated, the living area is placed above all but the most severe floods.

Elevating the house offers long term advantages over wet and dry floodproofing. Since cleanup after the flood is often much easier and limited to areas outside of the living area, elevating the house is often simpler and more cost effective than wet and dry floodproofing. The information in this course could also be useful in projects where elevating the house is necessary, regardless of the reason for elevating.

This 4 PDH online course is intended for engineers, architects, contractors and planners who are with the planning and implementation of elevating residential structures for flood protection.

This engineering online PDH course provides guidance on designing and constructing breakaway walls below elevated buildings located in coastal high hazard areas in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Obstructions below an elevated building can significantly increase the potential for flood damage by increasing the surface area subject to wave impact and ve­locity flow. As such, NFIP regulations require that the area below the lowest floor of elevated buildings either be free of obstructions or have any enclosed areas be constructed of non-supporting break­away walls, open lattice-work, or insect screening. The walls, lattice, or screening are intended to collapse under wave loads without causing collapse, displacement, or other structural damage to the elevated building or the supporting founda­tion system.

This online engineering PDH course aims at identifying the key variables necessary in estimating the impact of regular washing of steel bridges on the paint and service life, recommending methods for recording data in order to most effectively estimate the benefits of bridge washing, and developing a framework to assess the impact of bridge washing on paint life.

Thirty years ago, when the environmental rules changed, the WSDOT stopped annual cleaning of steel truss bridges. Some cleaning was done after this time only to assist inspection crews or to determine what the cost would be to hand clean a steel truss bridge. WSDOT is investigating the feasibility of an annual steel truss bridge washing program. A pilot study was implemented in 2011 that will help to determine the benefits and environmental impacts of such a program.

This work builds on the pilot study to identify current bridge washing practices around the country and to select the measurements necessary to determine whether more regular washing has positive cost benefits. The research summarized in this course is a first step towards understanding and quantifying the benefits of a more regular bridge washing program on paint life and corrosion.