Warehouse Building Collapse

A large warehouse collapsed during a snowstorm in Tacoma. Based on observations of damage to warehouse support posts, allegations were made that construction defects caused and/or contributed to the failure. HEA was retained to determine the primary and contributory causes of the failure. It was determined that the failure was the direct result of snow loads that exceeded the capacity of the structural framing. The anomalies observed in the warehouse support posts after the collapse were a result of the collapse, rather than its cause.