GETTING READY TO INSPECT

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Before conducting any inspections, get a tetanus shot. After all, you’ll be poking around basements and attics that may have protruding nails and splinters that could break your skin and cause

EXTERIOR

Mortar chimney cap

Flashing Ridge

Valley flashing

Plumbing vent

Gable end

Louver

Corner board Splashboard

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infections. Dress the part. Wear sneakers or crepe-soled shoes if you’ll be on ladders or roofs; if you’re crawling around basements and the like, wear heavy-soled boots, and old clothes. Carry a pad of graph paper and a pencil, a flashlight, a pocketknife, a spirit level, and binoculars.

Conduct your inspection alone. You’re after facts, not the opinions of an owner or real estate agent who’s eager to sell. Nor are you now court­ing the opinions of your partner, who may be eager to buy. If your agent or partner must be present, ask him or her to bring along something to read so you can concentrate on your inspection.

Begin outside, scrutinizing the house methodi­cally, top to bottom. As you see flaws and suspect areas, record them on a sketch of the building. Then go inside and repeat the process, as sug­gested in this chapter. Finally, as you inspect, look for patterns in what you observe: If there’s water damage at the top of an interior wall or near a window, look outside for worn roofing, missing flashing, and the like. Water will be the cause of many, if not most, problems.

The Roof

Because water is usually a house’s main enemy, spend time examining the roof—the first line of defense against rain, snow, and ice. Few home­owners would allow a prospective buyer on a sloped roof, whether fearing roof damage or your falling off. Yet even if you’re sure-footed and could obtain permission, it’s probably wiser to stay off. Use your binoculars to take a closer look, unless of course you’ll be inspecting a flat roof.

ROOF CHECKPOINTS

Sight along the ridge to see if it’s straight. If the ridge sags in the middle, suspect too many layers of roofing or undersize rafters. If the roof sags between rafters, the roof sheathing may be too thin and should be replaced during the next reroofing.

Next, look for flashing at the bases of chimney and plumbing vents. These projections can dam water and allow it to leak through the roof. If flashing is absent, rusty, or otherwise deteriorated, there’s a good chance of water damage.

The valleys between roof sections should be flashed because they carry a lot of water. Thus, where roof planes converge, you’ll see either metal flashing down the valley (an open valley) or interwoven shingles (a closed valley).

Drip-edge is specialized flashing that should protrude from beneath the lowest courses of roofing. It allows water to drip clear of the roof. Older homes lacking drip-edges often suffer water damage because water soaks backward
under sheathing onto the tops of walls (see "Eaves Flashing,” on p. 9).

Wherever roofs adjoin walls or dormer walls, look for roof-to-wall and step flashings, as shown in "Flashing a Shed Roof,” on p. 75. At brick chimneys, consider whether saddle and step flashings are properly counterflashed, as shown in "Chimney Flashing,” on p. 74.

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION

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This new edition of the handbook has been updated throughout to reflect continuing changes and improvements in design trends and specifications. The chapter on bridge engineering has been revised to provide more comprehensive treatment of this important topic. The chapter on culverts and drainage provides updated hydraulic design information as well as the latest approved methods for the structural design of concrete, steel, and plastic pipes. The chapter on retaining walls has been expanded with new information on mechanically stabilized earth walls, including a section on bridge abutment walls. Significant new information has been added to the chapter on value engineering to reflect the current roles of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Engineers (AASHTO); additional examples of applications have been included, too.

Regrettably, this edition of the handbook marks the passing of Kenneth Boedecker, a friend and colleague active in highway engineering applications for many years. His contributions, particularly in the development of improved specifications for drainage pipe and other products, are gratefully acknowledged.

Finally, the reader is cautioned that independent professional judgment must be exercised when information set forth in this handbook is applied. Anyone making use of this information assumes all liability arising from such use. Readers are encouraged to use the latest edition of the referenced specifications, because they provide more complete information and are subject to frequent change.

Roger L. Brockenbrough, P. E.

THE SMALL HOUSE BOOK

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I live in a house smaller than some people’s closets. My decision to inhabit just 90 square feet arose from some concerns I had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment and because I just do not want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space. My house meets all of my do­mestic needs without demanding much in return. The simple, slower lifestyle it affords is a luxury for which I am continually grateful.

If smaller, well-designed houses aren’t the wave of the future, they certainly are a significant ripple on that wave. On these pages, I explain why. I also share my personal experiences with living in diminutive homes, meeting codes, and designing small spaces that work.

This book is a revised edition of the one I published several years ago under the same title. To this edition, I’ve added a section on how to build your own tiny house and a portfolio of my own designs. I hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely,

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Jay, at home.

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" There is only one success – to be able to spend your own life in your own way. ” – Christopher Morley

PART ONE:

CONFESSIONS OF A CLAUSTROPHILE

Acknowledgements

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The job of chairman is not always easy, but in the case of WATMOVE it has been a privilege and a pleasure to work with a wonderful team of experts drawn from engineering, environmental and geological backgrounds across 18 European coun­tries. Their hard work can be seen in the pages that follow. Every member of the WATMOVE project has contributed in some way or another. Most have authored and/or edited parts of the text and you will find the names of the chapter co-ordinator and the contributing authors at the head of each chapter. Many have provided raw in­formation. Some have contributed nationally developed research findings. All have entered into developing a mutual understanding and appreciation of each other’s viewpoints. By this method this book is more than a summary of individual contribu­tions, it is truly a state-of-the-art-and-practice on subsurface road drainage. Mention should also be made of the many scientists and engineers who contributed indirectly by providing information and, in the case of a few, even contributed text.

The team, listed at page xiii, wish to thank their employers for actively supporting their contributions and the European Science Foundation’s COST office in Brus­sels for all their support and funding. In particular we would like to single out the COST office’s scientific and administrative secretaries, Jan Spousta, Marcu Zisenis, Thierry Groger, Isabel Silva and Carmencita Malimban for their understanding and responsive assistance in so many matters, great and small. This publication has been supported by COST.

It’s their overall aim that the relevant and useful aspects of modern (and not-so – modern) research be implemented into practice. So this book is directed towards practitioners – engineers, environmentalists and hydrogeologists who have to pro­vide for pavement and earthworks drainage – and those who will soon become practitioners – students taking advanced courses in pavement engineering, hydroge­ology and geo-environmental engineering. Inevitably some will find some sections

more pertinent and accessible than others___ but we hope that readers will find

this a valuable resource from which to learn and to which they will often turn for reference. If you still want more then you may find some other resources at our web-site – www. watmove. org

So, finally, a really big “thank you” to everyone in the WATMOVE team and also to you, the reader. If the contents of this book prove useful to you, the the efforts of the team will certainly have been worthwhile!

Подпись:Nottingham, UK October 2008

TRAINING YOUR EYeI

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The house shown on the facing page says much to a trained eye. Though nicely crafted, it’s show­ing its age. Despite the gleaming paint on the parts that can be easily reached, this house’s upper floors haven’t been painted in 20 years or 30 years, suggesting that the parts you can’t see probably weren’t maintained either. The fretwork above the porch is splintering, and the green shingle demi-roof over the living room window has worn through to the wood shingles under­neath. Chances are this small roof isn’t flashed where it abuts the siding, so water may have gotten behind and soaked the framing.

Still, it’s a charmer, and it’s got great bones. Skilled carpenters were needed to frame such a complex roof, so there’s probably good workman­ship throughout the house, which is old enough

that its 2x4s are probably full-size 2x4s. The walls are plumb; the roof ridge doesn’t sag; and despite its weathered appearance, the siding is largely intact.

However, if you’re house shopping, you’d want to get a bid for replacing the roof. Because the old shingles are tired, reroofing would likely be expensive, given the complexity of the roof struc­ture and the likelihood of rot up there. Also, from the street, there’s no sign of gutters, so it would be crucial to inspect the joists, the mudsills, and the foundation itself.

Given the age of this house, the foundation probably isn’t reinforced with steel; and that, coupled with poor drainage, could mean big – ticket repairs—possibly a new foundation.

All in all, though, this old house would be an exciting prospect and is certainly worth a closer look.

gathering information

If you feel strongly about a house, start by asking the real estate agent or owner for a recent termite report and a disclosure statement, and read them closely. Most states require such disclosures from owners; if you are working with an agent, such statements are probably mandatory. Disclosure statements describe (1) things not originally built with a permit or not built according to code,

(2) code violations recently observed by an inspector, and (3) other conditions that the homeowner knows need fixing. Armed with this information, you can begin looking for unreported problems, which always exist.

Подпись:Подпись:Подпись:Подпись:Подпись:image37Подпись:Подпись: JoistПодпись:Подпись: Clapboards Sheathing Подпись: Window casingПодпись: GutterПодпись: DownspoutПодпись: Splash blockimage38

Building Terms

Girder Sole plate Bracing Mudsill Foundation

These drawings contain most

of the building terms used in this chapter.

For additional terms, consult the Index, the Glossary, and pertinent chapters.

PRO TIP

If you see tar or roof cement slathered around chimney bases, plumbing stacks, roof valleys, and other roof joints, assume leaks may have occurred there, either because flashing failed or was never installed. Tar can be a functional, though ugly, short­term fix, but be sure to replace old flashing when installing a new roof.

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Because of competitive bidding, buying a house can be nerve-wracking. But you can reduce some of the pressure by making your own preliminary inspection. This will enable you to delay paying for a professional inspector till you’re sure it’s a house you should seriously con­sider. You’ll be able to red-flag special concerns for the inspector. And, as a bonus, after conduct­ing your own inspection, you’ll better understand the inspector’s report.

That said, it’s smart to hire an accredited house inspector to give you an impartial third – party opinion. Typically, house inspections take 2 hours or 3 hours and yield a detailed 20-page or 30-page field report. A house inspector can also recommend additional inspections, if warranted, by structural engineers, HVAC (heating, ventila­tion, and air-conditioning) specialists and the like.

Acknowledgements

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This work of Pierre-Louis Viollet on the history of hydraulics in the ancient civilizations, more generally in the civilizations of the classical era and the Middle Ages, is important for several reasons.

First of all, the author is the first scholar who has attempted, with success, a com­plete synthesis of techniques in hydraulics, from the birth of agriculture in Syria – Palestine up to the beginning of the modern period. He gives due consideration to the role of the Mediterranean world and the Near and Far East, as well as the Indian and Chinese worlds, as precursors to this development of techniques. There has been no comparable effort of this scale to present, and to explain in a concrete manner, the diver­sity and evolution of hydraulic knowledge and techniques over such a vast geographical space and over the long expanse of several millennia, taking into account the historical context.

The second reason, one that is fundamental to the importance of this marvelous book, is that the author is neither a historian nor an archaeologist. He is, rather, an engi­neer whose background gives him a unique ability to understand the operation of and interest in hydraulic works, installations that had been previously known only through vague descriptions, imprecise representations, or physical remains in an extreme state of deterioration. The author’s contribution would be fundamental for this reason alone. Despite the originality and quality of previous works on archaeological hydraulics, their impact has often been compromised by a weak knowledge of the physical principles that are indispensable to an understanding of the workings, importance, and innovation of hydraulic projects. The present work is rich in such technical analyses of ancient inno­vations, providing thoughtful explanations and commentary on both the nature of these discoveries and their technical pertinence. Therefore this is much more than an ordered compilation of facts – which would be of great interest in its own right – it is a true syn­thesis that is focused on the importance of ancient discoveries, giving them texture and richness through the author’s scientific and technical perspective.

This book is important for yet another reason. It always presents hydraulic devel­opments and innovation in their historical and intellectual context. Even though his pri­mary objective is the historical development of hydraulics, Pierre-Louis Viollet has endowed his book with an overview of world history in general. His work is aligned with traditional notions of historical periods, but he gives these periods fresh signifi­cance in highlighting the number and importance of technical innovations associated with them. In this respect, the decisive changes are those that occur after the conquests of Alexander, in particular at Alexandria but also in the rest of the Hellenistic world. The originality of Chapter 5 is not only in its presentation of a broad panorama of these inno­vations and inventions; but it is also in its demonstration that these developments not only represent a natural continuation of the classical age’s tradition of technical thought, but also reflect the application of analytical methods elaborated by philosophers from the empirical developments of Oriental civilizations. This demonstration deflates the importance of works that see these inventions as simple inspirations of thought, uncon­nected to any context of reality, and that expect to find “cultural obstacles” to the exploitation of these inventions. The lack of any practical application or development of “Heron’s steam ball” invention, which demonstrates the principle of a steam engine, has undoubtedly led to erroneous conclusions in this regard. The consequences of tech­niques invented by the Alexandrians resulted in numerous and very important applica­tions during the Roman period. From all perspectives imperial Rome is a civilization of water, as seen in its technology for the transport and distribution of water, as well as in its thermal installations.

This example is but one of many showing the richness of a book that succeeds in not only presenting an inventory of the state of knowledge in hydraulic techniques, but also in enrichening this knowledge in many respects, some of which are of considerable sig­nificance. Study of this book is indispensable for specialists in the history of technolo­gy, economy, and thought.

Georges Tate

Professor of Ancient History at the University of Versailles – Saint-Quentin Former Deputy Scientific Director of the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of CNRS Former Director of IFAPO at Damascus

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I would like to thank the archaeologists, specialists in the ancient civilizations, and engi­neers interested in the history of hydraulics who so generously shared their unpublished work with me. In particular, I would like to thank Gilbert Argoud, Frank Braemer, Corinne Debaine-Francfort, Bernard Geyer, and Philippe Leveau. I would especially like to thank Gtinther Garbrecht, with whom I have had a continuing correspondence, and who provided me with abundant documentation of his own work in Egypt, Palestine and Anadolu. I would also like especially to thank Jean-Claude Margueron who opened his personal library on Mesopotamia to me, and with whom I had lively discussions. Felipe Martinez and Cristobal Mateos graciously shared several works and articles on ancient hydraulic works in Spain, for which I thank them. I would also like to thank the staff of the Center of Contemporary and Historic Documentation of l’Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees, who helped me in my searches of the ancient archives. This work is a synthesis, and therefore I must recognize all those who, by their field work and study of ancient texts, have put together the body of knowledge without which this book would not have been possible. Finally, I would like to thank Forrest and Joyce Holly for their teamwork in bringing this English translation to fruition.

Pierre-Louis Viollet

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF SMA

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SMA owes its fast and wide-spreading growth to some unquestionable merits such as the following:

• Long working lifetime (service life)

• High resistance to deformation due to the high-coarse aggregate content and strong skeleton of interlocked aggregate particles

• Increased fatigue life as a result of the higher content of binder

• Increased in-service traffic wear resistance because of the presence of hard coarse aggregate grains,

• Good macrotexture of the layer surface and decreased water spray gener­ated by traffic on wet surfaces

• Good noise-reduction properties

However, despite its strong points, the following drawbacks also exist:

• Low initial skid resistance unless a fine aggregate gritting or a crushed sand finish is applied

• High cost of the mix compared with a conventional asphalt concrete (initial costs can be increased by 10-20% due to higher contents of binder, filler, and stabilizer, but the extended service life of the pavement can result in reduced life cycle costs)

• Risk of different types of fat spots appearing on the surface as a result of errors or variability during SMA design, production, or construction

To end this part of the discussion, let us recall the words of Dr. Zichner of his patent:

All in all, the method taught by the invention and the procedures made possible thereby

provide a wear surfacing characterized by high resistance to abrasion, long-lasting

roughness, and reliable adhesion to the road surface. (Zichner, 1971).

PREFACE TO THE THIRD EDITION

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Improvements in highway design methods and practices are reflected in this Third Edition of the handbook. The chapter on environmental issues has been updated throughout in view of ever-evolving regulations in that area. The chapter on highway design includes information from the latest AASHTO “Green Book.” The trend to replace bridges with spans up to about 60 ft (18 m) with stiffened special long-span corrugated steel and precast concrete drainage structures is documented in the chapter on culverts. The chapter on safety systems shows the trend to use median barriers over wider median widths than in the past. Metric units have been added throughout the text and in tables and figures wherever feasible.

The reader is cautioned that independent professional judgment must be exercised when information set forth in this handbook is applied. Anyone making use of this information assumes all liability arising from such use. Readers are encouraged to use the latest edition of referenced specifications and guides, because they provide more complete information and are subject to frequent change.

Roger L. Brockenbrough, P. E.

Table of Contents

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• • •

viii

 

CHAPTER 3:

Tools

Tool Safety Tools to Own Tools to Rent

 

34

 

CHAPTER 1:

Inspecting a House

 

34

image19

 

The Roof 7

House Exterior 9

Interiors 11

Mechanical Systems 15

Estimating Project

Difficulty and Costs 17

 

CHAPTER 4:

Building Materials

 

CHAPTER 2:

Planning

 

Creating a Home That Suits You 19

Documenting What’s There 21

Design Constraints 24

From Preliminary Designs

to Working Drawings 25

An Overview of Renovation 28

Case Histories 29

 

image16image17image18image20

image36 Inspecting

a House

With a little practice, you can train your eye to see both a house’s potential and its pitfalls.

Подпись: For Nesters: Keeping Emotions in Check When shopping for a house, it's hard to keep emotions in check. Unless you're buying a property solely as an investment, you're probably looking for a nest. If you're like most of us, you'll imagine yourself living there, surrounded by friends and family. Those warm feelings are all understandable human stuff but probably not the best frame of mind for making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life. By all means, listen to your feelings; just don't lead with them. Look at a lot of houses. Read this chapter to get an overview of house systems and learn building lingo. Then scrutinize every house you enter—whether it's for sale or not. Be cold eyed: Look beyond the lace curtains and the fresh paint. Look for problems and try to figure out what's causing them. Then when you begin shopping "for real" and find that certain place that wins your heart, you won't lose your head. Also, if you like a house, check out the neighborhood, and talk to neighbors to see what they are like. Ask about traffic, schools, shopping, city services, and crime. This will help you imagine what living there will be like.

Every house f you know

where to look, you can see how skillfully the house was built or remodeled, how well it has weathered the elements, and how carefully the owners took care of it.

This chapter explains how to read a house’s history from sometimes subtle symptoms and then systematically figure out what caused them. So when inspecting houses, you need to observe closely and search for patterns, whether you’re a homeowner, a house shopper, or a renovation contractor.

► Inspecting your own home, you may be surprised to discover how many areas need attention, whether for safety, repair, updating, appearance, or preventive maintenance. Thus this inspection may guide your renovation.

► If you’re house shopping, your inspection may reveal conditions bad enough to dissuade you from buying. Or, if you decide to buy, those problems may give you leverage when negotiating price. Remember, most aspects of purchase agreements are negotiable.

► If you’re a remodeling contractor, this chapter will likely prove helpful in assessing systems you may be less familiar with, and subsequent chapters will specify techniques and materials that can make your renovation projects more time and cost effective.

Finally, think of this chapter as gateway to solu­tions throughout the book. Consequently, many of the house problems in this chapter are followed by page numbers or chapter numbers that direct you to further explanations or possible solutions. Note: Within this chapter and others, if you don’t find specific cross-references to topics you’d like to learn more about, consult the book’s index.

Water Engineering in Ancient Civilizations. 5,000 Years of History

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Pierre-Louis Viollet published the first edition of his book as I was finishing my academ­ic career at the University of Iowa. I decided then that a challenging first project in my new life would be to spend a few months translating his work into English. A few months curiously inflated to nearly three years as other projects caught my attention, and meanwhile Pierre-Louis published the second edition of his book. I am pleased to have been able to complete this most enjoyable and educational task, and thank Pierre-Louis for having given me the opportunity to make his wonderful work available to a wider audience.

To the extent possible, I have attempted to preserve Pierre-Louis’ organization of material at the paragraph level. Although the names of ancient people and places do not always have unique representations in French or English, I have tried to adopt consistent English names from among those that appear in the literature. In translating several ancient texts for which it was not possible to cite published English translations, I pre­served the ancient modes of expression captured in Pierre-Louis’ translations in adapt­ing them to the English edition. Responsibility for any inconsistencies or mistransla­tions is mine and mine alone.

I was fortunate to be able to do much of this work in the Iowa City Public Library, and also in the University of Iowa’s main library – both are marvelous facilities of which the City and University can be extremely proud. I completed the draft translation while in residence at the University of Nice Sofia-Antipolis, France, as a guest instructor in the Erasmus Mundus EuroAquae Hydroinformatics Masters program. I would especially like to thank Philippe Gourbesville and his colleagues and staff, especially Annie Vahramain, for their support and collegiality during this period. During this time Pierre- Louis and Dominique Viollet graciously hosted me for a final working session in Paris.

Finally, this project would have been impossible without the encouragement and moral and editorial support of my wife Joyce, who suffered through several proofread­ings, was never shy about pointing out the need for rewriting, and patiently tolerated my endless hours at the keyboard.

Forrest M. Holly Jr.