I’d like to wish you a Belated Happy New Year! If you’re anything like me, you’re still trying to break the habit of writing 2015 on checks instead of 2016; however, I think 2016 is finally starting to come easier and the year itself is picking up some momentum.

Construction spending is at its highest level since the Great Recession, and most design firms are seeing a relatively steady increase in work. Continued growth will depend on a variety of factors, most of which are outside the control of structural engineers. …

Some time ago, one of our project engineers came to my office late in the day and asked if I had a minute to talk about something. “Sure,” I said, and he came in and quietly closed the door behind him. Now, I’ve learned that when someone wants to talk to you and then closes the door, whatever is coming is probably not good. So I took a deep breath and braced myself… …

2016 will mark many key milestones for our profession, and will have many exciting opportunities to shape our future.

As we enter this important time in the history of structural engineering, let’s not forget that our greatest achievements and innovations always come when we work together in teams. Structural engineers often cite inspiration from other fields, such as physics, chemistry, or art, when they develop a novel idea or solution to an important problem. …

The concept of resiliency has been a topic of interest in a lot of emails I have received lately. There are two definitions on Dictionary.com for resilience (or resiliency).

1) The power or ability to return to the original form, position, etc., after being bent, compressed, or stretched; elasticity.

2) Ability to recover readily from illness, depression, adversity, or the like; buoyancy. …

“Luck favors the prepared mind”. This adaptation of a quote by Louis Pasteur is one of my favorites because it very succinctly describes the ingredients that make up what many of us consider our good fortune. The truth is, we are presented with opportunities for success all the time. Luck happens when we are prepared to take advantage of those opportunities. And most of those opportunities don’t just happen to us. They are really the result of hard work, combined with careful, thoughtful planning. …

Performance-Based Design (PBD) has been practiced throughout history, dating back to the Code of Hammurabi, circa 1750 BCE. Today, the three most common applications of performance based design are:

• Use of innovative engineering technologies or products;
• Enhancement of project performance based on specific needs of the owners, such as design for special risk assessments like extreme loading conditions; and
• Economy, where more affordable design and construction options can demonstrate compliance with the intent of the building code.

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Looking to learn the latest technology updates for practicing  structural engineers? Need information on improving your business practices? Interested in meeting the leaders of our profession to discuss the challenges of structural engineering?

Join us for the 2015 Structural Summit at the Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, NV, and you will be able to do just that. Every year the Summit draws the best and brightest of our industry – from the leaders who have advocated for the profession and are the experts in our field to the up and coming enthusiastic young professionals who will be taking over our profession in the future. What better place to be a part of the action to influence our profession? …

I remember when I was a kid, I remember riding in a car with my family and my grandma. As were nearing a local cemetery, she quietly said to me “You know, you need to hold your breath when we pass the cemetery. There are restless ghosts there that want to haunt you, and the only way to keep them away is to hold your breath”. That was pretty scary stuff. Needless to say, I did as I was told. I often feel the same need to hold my breath when I hear about a structural failure. What’s your response when you learn problems caused by the unfortunate errors of others? …

Rising to the Challenge of Coordination

Today’s building codes and the consensus standards they adopt – including ASCE-7, ACI-318, AISC-360, and others – are a complex web of inter-related documents. Each refers to, and in some cases, modifies or takes exceptions to materials contained in the others. Coordination of structural design standards among each other and with the building code takes proactive efforts from many groups. …

On a recent flight to an NCSEA Board Meeting, I decided to detach a bit and surfed the in-flight entertainment selections on the seat back screen in front of me. A TED Talk titled In Praise of Slowness caught my attention because my brain seemed to be craving a break from mulling over drag strut connections and Board agendas. For those of you who are not familiar, TED is a non-profit organization that promotes the sharing of ideas through brief, thought-provoking talks given by people from all different industries, cultures and backgrounds. …