The project provided emergency repairs to the Washington Monument after an August 2011 earthquake damaged the landmark structure. Inspections revealed a heightened risk of rainwater penetration into interior spaces—most notably at the observation deck level of the structure's uppermost section, known as the pyramidion.
This initial assessment was completed by National Park Service engineers and members of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates' Difficult Access Team, a group of architects and engineers specially trained and certified in rope-access techniques. These engineers rappelled down the outside of the monument to survey for damage.