Many factors impact the choice of steel construction in the U.S. How can a structural engineer stay nimble and creative in utilizing steel construction? Here are a few tips regarding the market, considering roof penetration framing as an example. …
In 2016, many organizations launched resiliency initiatives making “resilience” the new buzzword. In the building and infrastructure industry, resilience is defined in many ways. In 2014, the ASCE/SEI Sustainability Committee defined resilience as the ability to suffer less damage and recover more quickly from adverse events. These adverse events are not only external shocks in the form of natural or man-made disasters (hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, etc.), but also economic, social, political, and cultural adverse events that could damage the framework of a community. Today, this also includes the effects of climate change and the resulting rapid increase in the frequency of external shocks. …
When design professionals review proposed contracts with their risk management consultants, they are invariably told that they should look closely at provisions that could create uninsurable risk and negotiate better language. One issue that often arises is the language of the indemnification clause. The reason for this is simple – indemnification clauses can shift significant risks to the design professional, and these risks may not be insurable. …
Building Information Modeling (BIM) has moved the structural engineering industry to a time where changes and improvements have become constant. Structural engineers are continually adapting and improving, and the development plateau is nowhere in sight. The first big step was to adopt a three-dimensional (3D) software, such as Revit or Tekla. Switching software was a huge jump, and some structural engineers are still figuring out how to operate within that new tool. …
Walter P Moore was an Outstanding Award Winner for its Air Traffic Control Tower and Integrated Facilities Building project in the 2016 NCSEA Annual Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards Program in the Category – New Buildings over $100M. …
In recent years, the term “resilience” has become a buzzword used by interest groups to demonstrate how products fit into efforts to adapt the built environment to expected changes in weather patterns, increases in storm frequency, and other natural disasters. Historically, engineers have used the term to define the structural performance of buildings under extreme conditions, but today it is used by a much broader group of stakeholders that are interested in proper preparation, response, and recovery. …
As the SEI Futures Fund starts its fourth year, we are very excited about our progress to realize the Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering initiatives. Through leadership and innovation, the Futures Fund can revolutionize the future of structural engineering. It has been instrumental in helping start many of these initiatives, efforts that are possible only through your generous gifts of support. …
Extending New York City Subway lines requires deep excavations in a congested urban environment while protecting adjacent facilities. The 100-foot-deep Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) No. 7 Line Station excavation, through soil and rock between West 34th and 35th Streets, was no exception. …
In Ground Improvement for Building Support by Damian R. Siebert, P.E. and Steven R. Kraemer, P.E. (STRUCTURE, July 2015), we learn more about issues surrounding the ground improvement (GI) for a building support system (stone columns, aggregate piers placed under reinforced concrete footing). It is an intermediate foundation system, i.e. the system between shallow spread footings and deep pile foundation systems. Although the system has been around in Europe since the 1930s and in the U.S. about a decade later, it remains mostly in the hands of the specialty contractor’s foundation engineers. …
In his December 2015 editorial, the president of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE, David Odeh, suggested that the increasing complexity of design necessitated that structural engineers interact more with people in other disciplines. While great innovation can come from a better interaction between structural and geotechnical engineers, there is also a potential for tremendous savings for clients. …