Building Safety in Mission Viejo – Part 1
by Dale Tyler

Have you ever wondered how structures are built to be safe? It does not happen by chance. There are building codes that have to be followed, and it is the joint responsibility of the building's owner, the contractor and the City's Building department to make sure all of the codes are followed.

Most of us are not really able to evaluate the correctness of a building under construction. However, there are some residents of our city who have construction engineering experience and who are also concerned about public safety.

In February 2012, one such person saw what he believed were significant problems with the reconstruction of a commercial building in our city. He informed the Mission Viejo Building department of his concerns and was essentially ignored, despite the potential safety implications, which revolve primarily on the load-bearing capacity of the expansive soils common in Mission Viejo. There were other discrepancies in the framing and other components of the building, but the foundation was literally the key.

The City of Mission Viejo is located in an area of high seismic activity in the vicinity of the Newport- Inglewood fault that poses greatest hazard to life and property. It is believed by scientists that the fault is capable of generating a maximum credible 7.5 magnitude earthquake. Because of the degree of City urbanization and proximity to a major fault, the risk of structural damage and loss of life due to ground shaking is considerable.

If the foundation of a building is inadequate, it will fail to support the structure in an earthquake or perhaps in a high wind event. In most areas of Mission Viejo, the maximum allowable loading of the dirt under a building is 1,500 pounds per square foot. The calculation used to determine the actual loading is fairly straightforward. Yet, when asked for these calculations, our Building department was unable to adequately describe the calculations that were used.

A review of the plans for the subject building was arranged for June 15. A licensed Professional Engineer and I looked over the entire file as presented to us. There appeared to be a number of general irregularities and mistakes in foundation calculations. The city was informed about these concerns and was asked to review certain calculations to verify their accuracy.

When I asked about the details of the city's review I was told, “This matter is closed.” Something is not right when the people we entrust with the safety of the community are not forthcoming with their calculations. There may be some issues of conflict of interests as it applies to independent reviewers of issues such as this.

There is a meeting scheduled on August 1, 2012, where there will be a discussion of these issues, and it will be determined if the building is safe or unsafe. I will update the readers of the Newsblog after the meeting occurs.