The Terminal 1 renovation at Oakland International Airport involved a unique structural solution that helped the airport achieve its goals of continued operations, sustainability, and modernization. The original terminal building dates back to the early 1960s, and consisted of four primary structures, all of reinforced concrete and supported on piles. …
During the early morning hours of August 24, 2014, many of Downtown Napa’s historic buildings sustained moderate to heavy damage due to the powerful 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck just over 5 miles away to the southwest. Among those was the iconic Goodman Library located in the heart of the city. All the building’s stone walls sustained damage in the form of cracks, but it was the partial collapse of its prominent tower that was remarkable (Figure 1). …
The recently completed SR 99 Tunnel was constructed as part of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program. The existing Alaskan Way Viaduct (AWV) is an aging double-deck highway structure in Seattle, Washington, that was built in the 1950s. …
Have you ever heard the phrase, “don’t judge a book by its cover”? The same quote can apply to the Town Center Parkway Rail Support Structure in Reston, Virginia. At first look, the hidden structure appears to be a reinforced barrier along a track. However, just like an iceberg, the true intricacies lie beneath. …
The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards. The awards were announced on the evening of October 26 at NCSEA’s 26th Annual Structural Engineering Summit in Chicago, Illinois. The awards have been given annually since 1998 and each year highlight work from the best and brightest in our profession. …
This is the second and final article in a two-part series highlighting the fabrication and erection of the building with a specific focus on the exposed structural steel. For general information about the project, please refer to the Part 1 article, which can be found in the August 2015 issue of STRUCTURE.
The new 105,000-square-foot Energy R & D building is complete. A grand opening ceremony was held in August 2017. This $45 million research facility houses physics and chemistry programs focused on energy technologies of the future. The building is a critical component in the development of Binghamton University’s science programs. …
The 113-foot Pierceville Bridge was built in 1881 to carry SR-1029 over Tunkhannock Creek in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. The Pierceville Bridge is a rare lenticular truss bridge, so-called because the top and bottom chords of the trusses create a distinctive “lens” shape. …
Large-scale construction requires making many decisions far in advance of the on-site construction work. Engineers and architects guide clients through a myriad of decisions while creating the drawings and specifications during the design phase of the project. Ultimately, successful projects are about making good decisions before moving the first shovel of dirt and then putting detailed plans and drawings into the hands of skilled people to do the work. …
A truly striking structure, the Ritz-Carlton Residences Waikiki Beach Phase 1 project in Honolulu, Hawaii, was certainly deserving of the Post-Tensioning Institute’s (PTI) 2017 Project of the Year Award, presented to the project’s engineer, Baldridge & Associates Structural Engineering, Inc. (BASE). The architects, engineers, and contractors on this project faced several significant challenges but successfully overcame them through the creative use of post-tensioning, resulting in a stunning structure that reflects the Ritz-Carlton’s luxurious brand. …
The Boston Public Library’s Central Library is located on the historic Copley Square of Boston, Massachusetts, which also includes other historic structures such as Trinity Church by H.H. Richardson, the Fairmont Hotel by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, and the John Hancock Tower by Henry Cobb. …