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Join us for our Dinner Program on April 22, 2026 at Eve's Waterfront, 15 Embarcadero West, Oakland, CA 94607! *free parking that's able to accommodate pick-up trucks with racks!
*Moving to larger (warmer) room!
We're diving into the "Roof Collapse of a Large Retail Building" presented by Kent K. Sasaki, PE, SE and Veronica G. Timpane, PE of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc..
On a rainy morning just before opening, a large section of roof collapsed over the checkout area of a retail store. Fortunately, the store had not yet opened—but the investigation revealed a troubling story of hidden structural decay, overlooked warning signs, and the risks of incomplete investigation during building renovation.
Despite a reroofing project that replaced more than 100 sheets of damaged sheathing and involved third-party inspections, severe decay in a supporting glulam beam went undetected. Over time, subtle indicators—including a growing low spot in the roof—pointed to structural distress that ultimately led to collapse. This case study explores what went wrong and what building professionals can learn to prevent similar failures.
*Early bird pricing ENDS April 15th - price goes up $20 after that! Get your ticket early to avoid the increase
Key Takeaways:
- Recognizing warning signs: How visible roof damage, leaks, and sheathing decay can signal deeper structural issues.
- Limits of surface inspections: Why concealed framing conditions often require deeper investigation beyond reroofing work.
- Risk management during renovation: Best practices for owners, consultants, and contractors to identify and address hidden structural deterioration before it becomes catastrophic.
SPONSOR:
YOUR COMPANY LOGO HERE!
Registration for 8 Sponsor:
G.B. Group Construction & Painting, Inc.
Speaker Biographies:
Kent Sasaki has performed engineering investigations on hundreds of structures, including high-rise buildings, warehouses, apartment buildings, houses, bridges, retaining walls, tunnels, aqueducts, seawalls, wharfs, water tanks, power plants, historic structures, mine processing buildings, and national monuments. He investigates damage from earthquakes, fire, earth movement, landslides, flooding, vibration, blast, and construction defects. Kent is a Commissioner with the California Building Standards Commission, which reviews and approves the building codes in California
Veronica Timpane specializes in the evaluation, repair, and strengthening of wood and steel structures. She primarily focuses on the investigation and analysis of failures and possesses expertise with damage from soil movement, fire, inadequate construction, and significant weather events. Ms. Timpane has also worked on the design of strengthening schemes for resistance of both seismic and wind forces on various construction types from single-family residential to complex historic structures.
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