Being an expert at concrete remediation demands equal experience designing those same structures. During a recent routine condition review of a parking structure, column cracks were immediately identified by Morabito Consultants (MC) as being a symptom of a design flaw often found in post-tensioned (PT) beam to column joints. MC identified the potential for this type of cracking over 30 years ago and has been performing design and detailing to ensure that our PT beam-column joints do not crack in this manner. The cost to properly repair this design flaw is both intrusive and expensive. Quite often engineers and repair contractors will specify and install rigid epoxy injection as the only repair solution for these cracks, of which will inevitably fail.
MC would like to wish our staff and colleagues a Happy Engineers Week!
Earlier this month, we had the privilege to be a sponsor for the Baltimore Museum of Industry (BMI) 2023 Wood Bridge Challenge. Local high school students competed to build the most “efficient” basswood and glue bridge to span a one-foot gap. The most efficient bridge is one that carries the most load, relative to its own weight (Load/Bridge Weight). On behalf of MC, Senior Engineer, Robert Miller attended the event, and his 6-year-old son was able to test out his own bridge which held nearly 200 lbs. The future of MC looks promising!
If you know of any aspiring engineers, BMI has other engineering challenges coming up for students in grades 1-12 which you can find on their website. Help us build the future of engineering today!
It’s official, Howard County’s High School #13 has been named Guilford Park High School! The 289,000 square-foot educational facility is designed to achieve a minimum LEED Silver designation and construction is on track to wrap up in August 2023, just in time for the new school year to begin.
MC is proud to have assisted in extending the serviceable lifespan of the 130-year-old historic structure located in Baltimore, MD, the Inn at Henderson’s Wharf. A drone was utilized to help capture video and photographs to complete the detailed inspection of the exterior brick bearing walls and document the structural and waterproofing conditions. Specifically, damages to the brick wall was observed, which included wide, deep structural cracks where air and water could pass through the walls, crumbling brick, mortar, and outer wythes of brick that were not secured to the wall. This presented a risk of falling loose and unstable brick. In late August 2022, C.A. Lindman began implementing the repairs plans and details that we prepared. The repair methods included stainless steel helical reinforcement across structural cracks, low-modulus deep wall void grouting, replacement of steel reinforcement at cornices, tuckpointing utilizing chemical color matching mortar, waterproofing pilaster caps, and sealing of masonry with penetrating sealants.
As tax season approaches, MC would like to encourage everyone to take a few minutes to contact their members of Congress and urge them to pass legislation that will repeal IRC §174. Many U.S. companies, including nearly all Architectural and Engineering firms, will face significant increases in 2022 taxable income due to a little-publicized provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). Under the new rules, Research and Experimental (R&E) costs must now be capitalized and amortized over a five-year period, whereas prior to December 21, 2022, these costs were able to be deducted on a yearly basis. This change will cause an immediate increase in taxable income and a severe reduction in cash flow for impacted firms. The credit has been used for many years by companies to save significant federal and state taxes. This new capitalization rule discourages innovation and penalizes firms that leverage the R&D credit. It has been assumed that since these amortization rules were passed in 2017, Congress would repeal or delay their enaction prior to 2022. To date nothing has changed, but there is hope that the legislation being introduced in early February will repeal these provisions. Follow the link below to ACEC (American Council of Engineering Companies) who has made it very easy to send a prepared letter to your local representatives, encouraging repeal of IRC §174. Click “Register” to create an account and then log back in with your new account information to generate the email and forward it to your Congress members.
The fourth quarter Company Highlights newsletter came out last week. Did you miss it? Check out this link to view and subscribe so you don’t miss out on the next issue!
Construction is well underway at Brightview Hunt Valley! Earlier this week, the wood and metal/Hambro structures were in the process of being erected. The wood framing has been completed up to level two, and the metal stud/Hambro framing has been completed up to level three. Steel moment frames at the east elevation have also been erected.
This project will be five stories and will provide 178 apartment units for Independent and Assisted Living as well as Memory Care. MC is excited to be involved with another Brightview Senior Living community as we partner with BCT Design Group and Harkins Builders to bring the project to life.
MC would like to wish our associates, colleagues, and families a safe and Happy New Year. We are excited for the new opportunities and changes that this new year will bring.
Our offices will be closed on Monday, January 2nd and will reopen with normal business hours on Tuesday, January 3rd.
Over the past month, MC had the pleasure of partnering with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for our annual holiday giving campaign. This year our employees went above and beyond our goal and donated over $3,000 to help ensure that no family receives a bill for treatments, travel, housing, nor food. Thank you to all who have donated to our campaign and helped push us over our goal.
Happy Holidays from all of us at Morabito Consultants!
In observance of Christmas, MC will be closing early today, December 23rd, and will reopen with normal business hours on Tuesday, December 27th.
