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A Brief History of ATC…

The Council

The Applied Technology Council (ATC) was created by practicing professionals with the intent of serving the evolving needs of engineering practice. Begun in 1971 after the San Fernando earthquake demonstrated the need for improved hazard mitigation strategies and seismic design standards, the founders came up with the novel idea to pay engineers and researchers to develop these technologies instead of relying on volunteer labor. ATC became a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation in 1973. …

Apr, 2015 By Victoria Arbitrio, P.E., SECB In Articles, Guest Column Comments 0

Monongahela River Bridge

After the success of Wendell Bollman’s truss at Harpers Ferry and elsewhere, Benjamin Latrobe encouraged Albert Fink to design a longer span iron bridge that he could use on his major river crossings between Harpers Ferry and the Ohio River. Fink (STRUCTURE, May 2006), after obtaining his engineering degree in Germany, immigrated to the United States in late spring 1849. He went to work on the B&O Railroad working with Wendel Bollman (STRUCTURE, February 2006) and Latrobe. …

Apr, 2015 By Frank Griggs, Jr., Dist. M. ASCE, D. Eng., P.E., P.L.S. In Articles, Historic Structures Comments 0

Why They Stay… Why They Leave…

A Look at Preserving the Future of Structural Engineering

“If you like solving puzzles, this is a profession you can enjoy doing it and be paid for it. You build things that last a century. Much more rewarding than practice of Medicine and Law. And you can do this way past retirement and keep enjoying it.”

“Stay out of this career. Too many long hours, high stress and nobody cares… My wife hates me, and my kids don’t know me. Nobody should have to work this much in life. If it paid a lot of money, that’s one thing… but it doesn’t. If you’re considering structural engineering… you’re a bright individual… use your brain to do something else.”

…

Apr, 2015 By Robert Pekelnicky, S.E. and Kyle J. Twitchell, M.S., E.I.T. In Articles, Professional Issues Comments 2

680 Folsom

Ancient Meets Modern Ingenuity in an Unprecedented Seismic Solution

Tipping Structural Engineers was an Outstanding Award Winner for the 680 Folsom Street project in the 2014 NCSEA Annual Excellence in Structural Engineering awards program (Category – Forensic/Renovation/Retrofit/Rehabilitation Structures). …

Apr, 2015 By Bill Janhunen, S.E., LEED AP and Gina Phelan In Articles, Spotlight Comments 0

The Role of Engineers in Transforming the Global Economy

The American political stalemate today between individual freedom and social equity is occurring in the context of increasing inequality in the domestic economy. However, the American economy is directly linked to and affected by the global economy ever since America emerged as the leader of the free world after two World Wars. The global economy, today serves well the 300 million Americans, along with perhaps another 700 million people; it does not serve well the remaining 6 billion people on the planet. …

Apr, 2015 By Ashvin A. Shah, P.E., F. ASCE In Articles, Structural Forum Comments 0

Partnerships: New and Ongoing

Your professional organizations always work hard for you, but often the groups work together for even greater impact by expressing a unified voice, strengthening an existing program’s effectiveness, or providing unique opportunities not otherwise available. New programs are announced with excitement and celebration, but then often go on to serve the profession silently, without follow-up reports on successes. I would like to discuss several unique partnerships so that you are aware, or can become re-acquainted, with these successful efforts. …

Mar, 2015 By Jennifer Goupil, P.E. In Articles, Editorial

Narrative and Engineering

The second chapter of psychologist Jerome Bruner’s 1986 book, Actual Minds, Possible Worlds, begins as follows:

There are two modes of cognitive functioning … each providing distinctive ways of ordering experience, of constructing reality. The two (though complementary) are irreducible to one another. Efforts to reduce one mode to the other or to ignore one at the expense of the other inevitably fail to capture the rich diversity of thought. (p. 11) …

Mar, 2015 By Jon A. Schmidt, P.E., SECB In Articles, InFocus

Earthquake Damage to Cylindrical Steel Tanks

On August 24, 2014, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake occurred northwest of American Canyon, California. The earthquake was located between two faults: the West Napa Fault and the Carneros-Franklin Fault near the north shore of the San Pablo Bay. Structural damage was most severe in the downtown Napa region, where a number of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings were located. Damage to residential building construction was also observed surrounding the downtown region, and became less severe farther away from town. …

Mar, 2015 By Erica C. Fischer, P.E., Judy Liu, Ph.D. and Amit H. Varma, Ph.D. In Articles, Lessons Learned

Understanding Seismic Design through a Musical Analogy

Seismologists, earthquake engineers and seismic code experts understand the science of earth that moves and the structures built on it, but many of the concepts involved may be too abstract for architects, builders and the public. This article offers an analogy to help explain seismic design and presents three different construction techniques used in Chile, Japan and the United States that counter an earthquake’s effects. …

Mar, 2015 By Ramon Gilsanz, S.E. and Petr Vancura In Articles, Structural Design

Reflections on the 2014 South Napa Earthquake

In the wee hours of August 24, 2014 (3:20 am to be precise), most of the Bay Area was awakened by a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that lasted a lot longer than those sudden, one or two second jolts that happen from time to time and that residents have become accustomed to, if one can actually get used to such things. Most people probably thought, “Is this the big one?” …

Mar, 2015 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Articles, Structural Failures

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The Council

A Look at Preserving the Future of Structural Engineering

Ancient Meets Modern Ingenuity in an Unprecedented Seismic Solution