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External Elevated Elements (EEE): Are You Sure That Your Balcony Is Safe?

Speaker:
Kevin S. Moore, P.E., S.E.
Date:
February 14, 2024
Session Details

1.0 PDH / 0.1 IACET CEUs

Elevated balconies have failed in shocking fashion with catastrophic results. No occupant thinks that their balcony could fail; people take building safety for granted and have every right to expect that a built structure will remain safe during normal service. Unfortunately, many balconies, exterior stairs, and other external elevated elements (EEEs) rely on wood structural elements that tend to degrade in the presence of water, fungal growth, or termite attack. In many cases, these wood structural elements are concealed by architectural finishes and are difficult to assess without partial deconstruction. Adding to these challenges, engineered lumber can retain moisture, increasing the potential for fungal growth and associated degradation. In this SEU webinar, we will describe how EEEs can fail, and explore case studies and an associated research program to help architects, engineers, and contractors reduce the risks associated with these wood-framed EEEs.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand EEEs and the risks they present when framed with engineered lumber.
  • Identify key conditions and characteristics of risky conditions associated with EEEs.
  • Recognize characteristic damage associated with fungal growth and its effects.

Current SE University subscribers can access the recording in their SEU Resource Center account. Please use the link below to view the session page in the SEU Session Library.

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SEU is a program of SE Solutions, LLC. SE Solutions, LLC is not an educational institution, but rather provides continuing education to structural engineers.