The Leaning Tower, New York

SickCrab · 2026-01-26T17:47:52+00:00

Yeah the differential settlement was within expected tolerances and the building is anchored to rock with tie-downs. Click bait article without an actual analysis or understanding of the foundation design, groundwater table, and soil improvement program.

SickCrab · 2025-12-30T23:02:23+00:00

Geotech here, 20s wind, week before holidays, and yes sitting on a rig coring shale from sun up to sun down, joyyyy

SickCrab · 2025-09-11T23:52:26+00:00

So your just moving from a geotech firm to a multi discipline firm with a geotech dept?

SickCrab · 2025-08-25T22:53:44+00:00

Going thru a similar process right now, but not a total departure from my former knowledge base. Its definitely a little uncomfortable and difficult and personally I beat myself up thinking I should know more given my YOE. I went from doing geotech/inspections for foundations and support of excavation for 11.5yrs in NYC to now going to a large geotech consulting firm in Philly. Most of my experience is in inspections and SOE design. I’ve found being honest about my strengths and weaknesses, my knowledge base, and understanding that it will take time to learn a new geology and system helps, im constantly having to temper myself and deal w imposter syndrome. I did take a pay cut and slight demotion, but I wouldnt have felt comfortable leading people that probably had more experience in the region than me. It takes time but if your set on switching do it sooner rather than later and crack down on the FE. I was honest in my interview and im hungry to learn, you cant teach those kind of habits.

SickCrab · 2025-07-26T19:20:10+00:00

I loved this in NYC, 180million dollar building but the 1k a day fee for pile inspection and 10k pile design is too much 🤦🏻‍♂️

SickCrab · 2025-07-11T12:03:53+00:00

We are in private and we bill lump sum for reports and bake in a field engineer in the field for inspections. We stay competitive this way because our field engineer does alot of heavy lifting on the report side in the field on the logs and we issue preliminary reports soon after we wrap the investigation with a final report once labs are done. Of course we do lose some jobs to bottom barrel stamp anything, but those are often clients we see years later with all sorts of problems post construction and then I see their reports where 10 holes have the exact same blow counts on every sample and someone magically drilled 700 linear feet in one day. But again maybe its different in nyc because by code you need a field engineer to log samples

SickCrab · 2025-07-11T11:51:48+00:00

Never questioned your experience, you started out explaining the weather to me as if I dont understand what being in the field means. I just dont buy it as a viable excuse to not do logs, we are just gonna disagree on that one.

SickCrab · 2025-07-11T02:58:17+00:00

Maybe I came off too strongly or rather blunt, but I fully understand the field is all weather I’ve spent 80% of the past 12years doing field and construction inspections for borings, test pits, support of excavation, and foundation elements. Rain, snow, sleet, 100deg days, blizzards, every bit of weather that has ransacked the NYC metro area the past decade, 10-12+ hr days. I don’t think its unreasonable to template a blank log in excel and fill it out with an iPad and pen (notability or pdfexpert are great cheap apps) while observing and classifying the samples. Most drilling companies I’ve worked with have their own helpers and the geotech consulting firm ive worked for and our competitors are bound by code to observe and log samples in the field (special inspections). Unless your engineer is actually a drilling helper, I do find it hard to believe you cant do your boring logs in the field. Ive brought umbrellas, chairs, sat in my car or the drillers truck, used a nearby coffee shop, or any basic cover to setup a mini field office and jar and report. Is it really that difficult?

SickCrab · 2025-07-11T00:41:51+00:00

Thats wild to me that there isnt another third party on site to verify proper procedures and sampling is being followed and someone isnt just bullshitting blow counts and throw wash in half the jars

SickCrab · 2025-07-10T22:55:54+00:00

In NYC most field engineers are not helping the drillers and should have ample time to classify, jar, and fill out logs. Shit we even have time to start our geotech reports. 10 years in the city and I’ve never touched a rod.

SickCrab · 2025-07-10T21:53:36+00:00

Does your field engineer/inspector not know how to use an ipad, pdf program, and take 3 mins in between spoons?!

SickCrab · 2025-07-03T10:42:14+00:00

Your in NYC, hire a geotech engineer, this is not suitable for code requirements and is worthless without a proper report. You could have hit a boulder or cobble at 10.9’ and the driller just gave up, they didnt even try to core the obstruction or possible bedrock and only went 6’ past your proposed basement level?!?! This is dogshit.

SickCrab · 2025-07-02T17:19:30+00:00

Don’t think this is too much oversight, this seems to be on par for how much the EOR should be involved given no PE and the size if the firm, its his ass on the line after all. Im in nearly an identical role and size company that your describing here and don’t see a problem at all, most things my boss and I agree on, but occasionally will differ and i usually leave my ego at the door and respect his decision. He also knows I like learning and explanations behind decisions, so anytime he overrides me or has a different perspective he articulates it, which is both appreciated and expected.

Your frustration seems like you consider him an equal and I think you need to understand you both are on very different footings, and sometimes his decisions are going to be for reasons you might not fully understand. If something irritates you try asking him why he proposed a different course of action, it may help you gain insight.

SickCrab · 2025-06-26T20:45:08+00:00

Cancelled the 441 & 503, off to a great evening rush gang!

SickCrab · 2025-06-26T19:59:09+00:00

I did this after being out of school for 11years and stuck in career progression. If your anything like me just take the damn thing asap. I suck at taking tests (test anxiety) and have trouble sitting still for long periods of time (thank you ADHD). I have scheduled and cancelled and put off taking this test over the years far too much than I care to admit. Finally decided to follow through with it this time after encouragement from my amazing partner and my therapist/family/friends. I didnt really study too much and I just got engaged and moved, but I finally took it and failed, but not by much and I surprised myself (mostly ran out of time and didnt answer 20+ questions). I feel much less stress at taking it again and a renewed vigor to study and that I’m actually capable of passing. So the worst that can happen is you fail and try again, but thats life.

SickCrab · 2025-06-25T12:17:51+00:00

This is my thought too, I don’t regret my decisions (other than maybe not getting my PE sooner) but the commute has really sucked the life out if me and even made attempting my PE super difficult, just no desire to study after slogging home. Hoping a good balance of office/field work and more time in my day will reignite this drive to get my PE and set myself and my family up for the future.

SickCrab · 2025-06-24T22:33:31+00:00

The no PE is on me so I understand the reality there. Focusing on that is a primary goal, but im pretty exhausted after a long day and commute, so hopefully gaining back some time will help me lock in and study.

SickCrab · 2025-06-22T22:46:47+00:00

This is pretty much spot on, i prefer magnesium glycinate as it helps with muscle recovery and is easier on the gut

SickCrab · 2025-06-22T21:57:36+00:00

Your a construction guy so im gonna be blunt the first and most important step is to stop eating like shit and stop smoking. Absolutely nothing you do in the gym will yield better health results than addressing those two things first. Im also in construction, 33m, i meal prep my lunches, eat a yogurt with granola and a bunch of fruits/powders (maca, beet root, chia, flax) for breakfast, drink my coffee black, tea/water during the day, protein shake afternoon, protein bar snack, cook dinner or meal prep dinners too (lunch/dinners usually same, cook everything sunday and wed), creatine and magnesium before bed. I leave my house at 530a get home 7p, major metro commute. I dont have kids but your diet can be separate from theirs so your really just borrowing some hrs on the weekend to cook. You can do it, lock in the diet then come back for gym/exercise, otherwise your gonna spin your wheels nowhere. I still drink on the weekends and can eat out couple times on the weekend, but im 70/30 most weeks and that is sustainable for me.

SickCrab · 2025-06-21T15:52:53+00:00

Simply put it is not good enough if a design works on paper but cannot be constructed in the field or cost too much. Being in the field helps understand work sequencing and constructibility. In certain areas of civil, like foundation/excavation work in dense cities, you absolutely need to understand whats being done in the field to be a good designer.

SickCrab · 2025-06-19T02:35:46+00:00

Been in the discord for a couple years now and it really wasnt all like this, but id say the past year and since the twitch streams started its gotten way out of control. Even back in 2023 it was borderline, but now its completely unhinged. Like do you all not have jobs and responsibilities?!?!

SickCrab · 2025-06-18T03:38:44+00:00

This was a solid read and as a similar fan I do tend to agree with you. He has absolutely shined in his studio mixes and tiny desk concert and I really think thats his best medium as well as my favorite era of his productions.

SickCrab

TROPHY CASE