Structural inspection and ASCE 41 seismic evaluation in Metro Manila & Greater Metro Manila, explained in plain language.
Tell us about your buildingWho we help: Homeowners · Building owners · Condominium corporations · Property managers · Schools · Churches · Small businesses · Architects · Developers · Contractors · Fellow engineers
How your building may perform in an earthquake, from screening to full evaluation, with focused retrofit options.
Ask about thisCracks, rust, sagging, or damage: we inspect, find the cause, and tell you what to do.
Ask about thisWe assess your building and certify it if it’s structurally compliant.
Ask about thisFind out if your building can take the change before you build.
Ask about thisAn independent check of your contractor’s work or another engineer’s design.
Ask about thisConcrete and steel buildings up to high-rise, with full plans, computations, and reports.
Ask about thisAvailable in-house across Metro Manila & Greater Metro Manila.
Precise drilling to extract core samples for strength testing, or to make clean openings.
Request a quoteNon-destructive radar scanning to locate rebar and check concrete cover.
Request a quoteA quick surface test to compare concrete quality and find weaker areas.
Best paired with cores. Readings alone don’t confirm strength.
Request a quoteUltrasonic testing to help find hidden cracks, voids, and defects.
Not yet available in-house.
Earthquakes, typhoons, and decades of use all test a building. Before you strengthen, renovate, or add a floor, an assessment of what’s already there shows what is adequate, so retrofit work can focus where it’s actually needed.
We confirm the requirements that apply, inspect and test what exists, agree the performance target with you, and certify the building if it complies. If it doesn’t, we tell you what’s needed. Savings are never guaranteed, but you’ll know before you spend.
Common reasons owners call us:
Under ASCE 41-17, we start with a screening and only go deeper if the findings call for it.
Tier 1 · Screening
A checklist review of the whole building. Flags possible weak points from the building’s layout, system, and available records.
Tells youWhether a closer look is needed.
Tier 2 · Deficiency-based
Targeted checks on what was flagged. Focused analysis of the specific issues, within the method’s limits.
Tells youWhether those issues need action.
Tier 3 · Systematic
A detailed analysis of the whole structure, matched to the project’s needs.
Tells youA strong basis for retrofit decisions.
Chosen with you, based on the building’s use and risk category. A higher target means more strengthening work.
May be badly damaged in a major earthquake, but should not collapse. Our usual starting point.
Least strengtheningDamaged, but with a margin against collapse. More protection, more work.
More strengtheningLimited damage, usable soon after. Often for hospitals and essential facilities.
Most strengtheningThe tier, standard edition, and analysis method are chosen to suit each building and its agreed performance objective. About ASCE 41
Many cracks are harmless. Some aren’t.
Could meanMovement, overloading, or earthquake damage. Sometimes nothing serious.
What we doMap and measure them, then tell you which ones matter.
Could meanThe steel inside the concrete may be corroding.
What we doCheck how far it has spread and recommend repairs.
Could meanOverloading or long-term deterioration.
What we doMeasure it and check that it can still carry its load.
Could meanPart of the foundation may have settled.
What we doTrace the movement and advise on next steps.
Could meanDamage isn’t always visible from the outside.
What we doInspect, and tell you if repairs or further checks are needed.
Could meanA load the building wasn’t designed to carry.
What we doCheck before you build, and design strengthening if needed.
Looks urgent? If cracks are widening fast, something is sagging suddenly, or concrete is falling, keep people away and get help right away.
Photos and drawings help, but aren’t required.
Before any work begins.
On site, as agreed.
Findings and next steps, in plain words.
Not sure where to start? Tell us what you’ve noticed. We’ll point you to the right next step.
Start an inquiry
Co-founder
Associate Member, ASEP
University of Santo Tomas,
De La Salle University
Structural analysis, design, and detailing of concrete and steel buildings, with a focus on mid- and high-rise structures.
Co-founder
Associate Member, ASEP
University of Mindanao
Structural design and detailing of concrete and steel buildings, with a focus on assessment and retrofitting using ASCE 41.
Proud members of ASEP, the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines.
RCE: Registered Civil Engineer · MEng: Master of Engineering
It depends on where it is, how wide it is, and whether it’s growing. Many plaster cracks are cosmetic; others point to structural movement. If cracks widen quickly or concrete is falling, keep people away and get help right away.
No building is. We agree on a performance target with you. For many ordinary buildings that’s Collapse Prevention: the building may be badly damaged in a major earthquake but should not collapse. Life Safety or Immediate Occupancy give more protection, and essential facilities or higher risk categories may require them.
Not always, and we won’t promise it. An assessment can show where work isn’t needed, or confirm that substantial strengthening is.
Yes, after we check and assess it. If it meets the applicable structural requirements, we certify it. If it doesn’t, we explain what’s needed. New designs and retrofits come with full plans, computations, and reports.
Yes. We inspect construction against the approved plans and can scan for rebar or test the concrete where questions arise. We also review designs prepared by others.
No. It records what can be seen and shows whether more investigation is needed. It does not, by itself, establish structural capacity or seismic performance.
They depend on the building’s size, available records, access, and the testing and analysis needed. We agree on them after reviewing your project information.
Field work and testing cover Metro Manila and Greater Metro Manila. Arrangements are confirmed when the scope is discussed.
New-building design checks and existing-building evaluation answer related but different questions. ASCE 41 is specifically developed for the seismic evaluation and retrofit of existing buildings. It considers both strength and deformation capacity against defined performance objectives. We use ASCE 41-17 where appropriate, selecting linear or nonlinear procedures to suit the building and the evaluation requirements. The performance objective is agreed with the client, and buildings in higher risk categories, such as essential facilities, may require higher performance levels. Read the ASCE 41-17 overview
Applicable NSCP provisions, Philippine requirements, and authority approvals remain part of the project’s design basis. ASCE 41 is not an automatic exemption from them. For example, DPWH’s 2020 clarification for its “The Big One” Phase III projects required NSCP 2015 together with ASCE 41-13 Life Safety criteria. The applicable requirements must be established for each project. Read the DPWH project clarification (PDF)
Tell us what’s going on. Email us, or answer a few questions on our contact page and we’ll turn them into an email for you.
Email: info@silanganengineering.com
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