America is a nation built by immigrants. The United States accepts approximately 1,000,000 legal immigrants per year. The U.S. is the most welcoming of all countries and a primary destination for foreign migrants, more than the other top five industrialized nations’ immigration rates combined (Germany, United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Switzerland). …
Maffei Structural Engineering was an Award Winner for its UC Berkeley Bowles Hall Seismic Retrofit and Renewal project in the 2017 Annual Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards Program in the Category – Forensic/Renovation/Retrofit/Rehabilitation Structures over $20M. …
The First Three Rules of Construction
One thing savvy contractors have learned is that the first three rules of the construction phase of a project are document, document, and document.
Unfortunately, too many engineers do not adequately document construction activities. The problem with this is the old maxim, “If it is not in writing, it did not happen.” Though there is wisdom in this old maxim, it does not tell the engineer what to document or how to document. …
Structural Engineering Emergency Response
As structural engineers, we make a difference in peoples’ lives every day as we help to ensure society’s health, safety, and welfare. This past year, many structural engineers took this responsibility to another level in the aftermath of Hurricanes Harvey (in Texas) and Irma (in Florida). …
Part 2: Fire Safety Systems and Features
Described in Part 1 of this three-part series overviewing fire protection for structural engineers, fire safety objectives dictate the design of fire protection systems and features in a building. From life and property protection to the continuity of services and preservation of heritage sites and the environment, an understanding of the objectives of a project is necessary for the correct design of protection features within a building. Part Two of the series details fire safety systems and features used to fulfill the fire safety objectives chosen for a project. …
A Nontraditional Approach to Rebuilding the Nation’s Bridge Infrastructure
It is no secret the U.S. infrastructure needs an overhaul. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2017 Infrastructure Report Card gives the nation’s infrastructure an overall grade of D+. …
The 2018 Edition of the National Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction was recently published. The updated standard, designated ANSI/AWC NDS-2018, was approved as an ANSI American National Standard on November 30, 2017 (Figure 1). …
Heavy snow accumulations on the roof of an elementary school in central Oregon in January 2017 caused structural damage to six wood roof trusses that span approximately 75 feet. The trusses were found to have some bolted connection failures at heel plates, as well as three split and fractured web elements also associated with their bolted connections. Snow load on the roof was reportedly around 40 pounds per square foot (psf), while the trusses were initially designed for 30 psf. …
The concept of “design-assist,” and what makes it a success, is often a mystery in the construction industry. Some already have a strong opinion about this project delivery system based on prior experience; others may have no experience at all. With that understanding, this article offers insight into the characteristics and keys to a successful design-assist project from the singular perspective of a steel fabricator with design-assist experience. …
Samuel Keefer’s suspension bridge that opened in 1868 just below the Falls of Niagara was replaced by the Niagara-Clifton Steel Arch Bridge. Leffert L. Buck (STRUCTURE, December 2010) replaced Keefer’s wooden towers with iron and later replaced and widened the wooden suspended structure with iron in 1888. …