The 2015 Permanent Wood Found-ation (PWF) Design Specification addresses structural design requirements of wood foundations for light-frame construction. The standard for designing wood foundations is most commonly used in residential structures in the upper Midwest. The 2015 PWF standard is adopted by reference in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and the 2015 International Residential Code (IRC). …
Morabito Consultants, Inc. was an Outstanding Award Winner for Dolphin Towers Condominium – Remediation project in the 2015 NCSEA Annual Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards program (Category – Forensics/Renovation/Retrofit/Rehabilitation Structures under $20M).
On June 24, 2010, the residents of the Dolphin Towers, a 12-story residential condominium constructed over a 3-story parking garage in Sarasota, FL, heard a large BANG. …
After forty-five years of managing and mentoring dozens of young structural engineers, I have seen firsthand the various struggles they face in building successful careers in our high-liability profession. To assist a larger group of young engineers, I would like to offer advice on five important topics. …
While certain jurisdictions of the U.S. have had structural engineering (SE) licensure separate from the more generic professional engineering (PE) licensure for over a century, an industry-wide promotion of SE licensure has gained momentum in the past several years. The authors, as strong proponents of SE licensure, wish to reinforce the critical nature of this movement to our future. …
After 20 years of loyal and dedicated service, Jeanne Vogelzang has announced her retirement. She will step down as Executive Director of the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) effective June 30th. Fortunately, Jeanne will continue serving NCSEA until the 2016 NCSEA Summit in September. She will work from Orange Beach, Alabama, where she and her husband, Marc Barter, will reside. …
Increased availability of cross-laminated timber (CLT) in North America, combined with successful use in projects worldwide, has generated interest in its properties and performance within the U.S. design community. With the inclusion of CLT in the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and 2015 National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction, curiosity is evolving, with some developers, architects and structural engineers using CLT in projects. …
From Mix to Plant to Placement
Over the past decade, the use of high-strength concrete has gone from the exception to the norm. Uses of concrete strengths exceeding 10,000 psi are easily achievable on any building. The use of cold or hot weather concrete, high-performance concrete, self-consolidating concrete, architectural concrete, etc. is increasingly common, even for small projects. …
Steel rebar in concrete structures is usually protected by a passive film formed due to the alkaline environment of fresh concrete. However, this protective film can be destroyed by the ingress of chloride or carbonation of the concrete cover layer. Once damaged, corrosion initiates in the presence of oxygen and moisture. …
The National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) recently issued a position statement on special inspections clarifying their importance to protecting the public. One assertion made in this statement is that special inspections are “…essential for the satisfactory performance of any project.” …
The Niagara River gorge had long separated the United States from Canada. It varied in depth up to 239 feet and in width generally between 800 and 1000 feet between the Falls and Lewiston. In 1845, Charles B. Stuart, then working on the location of the Great Western Railway in Canada, was looking for a way to connect his line with the Rochester and Niagara Falls branch of the New York Central. …