Stucture Magazine-January 20202

STRUCTURE
NCSEA | CASE | SEI JANUARY 2020
CONCRETE
INSIDE: Vancouver House 26

Cutting Prestressed Concrete Framing 8
Anchoring Attachments 12
Adaptive Reuse of Apex Hosiery Building 17
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4 STRUCTURE magazine
Contents JANUARY 2020
Feature
22 NAPA COUNTY HISTORIC COURTHOUSE – PART 2
By Brett Sheilds, P.E., Luke Wilson, S.E., and Kevin Zucco, S.E.
The 2014 South Napa Earthquake left the Napa County Historic Courthouse heavily
damaged. Part 2 of this series describes efforts towards a solution to repair and preserve
as much of the historic building as practical while providing improved detailing.
Columns and Departments

7 Editorial The Future of Engineering 36 Northridge – 25 Years Later
By Stacy Bartoletti, S.E. Seismic Safety in California Hospitals
By Chris Tokas
8 Structural Practices Cutting
Prestressed Concrete Framing 40 InSights Cloud-Based Modeling
By Michael F. Hughes, P.E., S.E., By Michelle McCarthy and Doug Evans
and Sal A. Capobianco, P.E.

42 Business Practices Hiring
12 Structural Analysis Analysis of Experienced Structural Engineers
Anchoring Attachments Using By Michael “Batman” Cohen
Finite Element Modeling

By Richard T. Morgan, P.E., and Arif Shahdin 43 Spotlight Sarah Mildred
Long Bridge
By Christopher Burgess, P.E., S.E., P.Eng.,
17 Structural Rehabilitation
Peter Roody, P.E., and Jeffrey Folsom, P.E.
Adaptive Reuse of the Apex Hosiery
Company Building – Part 2
50 Structural Forum
By D. Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., P.Eng, SECB
Embodied Carbon
By Donald Davies, P.E., S.E.,
21 InFocus The Case for
and Kate Simonen, AIA, S.E.
Data-Supported Project
Cover Feature Interviews
26 VANCOUVER HOUSE By John A. Dal Pino, S.E. In Every Issue
By Geoff Poh, P.Eng 4 Advertiser Index
Picture yourself standing at the base of a
30 Structural Repair Novel Solution 41 Resource Guide
for Strengthening Handrail – Anchor Updates
high-rise tower looking up, with the side of
Anchorage 44 NCSEA News
the building being only as wide as you are
By Ali Abu-Yosef, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., 46 SEI Update
tall. Above, you see the tower gradually Joseph Klein, P.E., Michael Ahern, P.E., et. al 48 CASE in Point
grow out to one side, consecutively
with each floor. The playful curve of the
Publication of any article, image, or advertisement in STRUCTURE® magazine does not constitute endorsement by NCSEA, CASE, SEI, the Publisher, or the Editorial Board.
Vancouver House tower is turning the heads Authors, contributors, and advertisers retain sole responsibility for the content of their submissions.
to all those who walk near it.

JANUARY 2020 5
A Powerful Software Suite for Detailed
Analysis & Design of Reinforced Concrete Structures
EDITORIAL
The Future of Engineering
By Stacy Bartoletti, S.E., Chair CASE Executive Committee
W e are all busy taking care of our clients, delivering structural

engineering expertise, and running our businesses; we prob-
ably do not take much time to sit back and contemplate the future of
The Mission for ECL is to be a catalyst for change within the engi-
neering community, helping it reach its highest potential on behalf
of society. To achieve the Mission, the organization convenes stake-
engineering and, more specifically, the impacts of future changes on holders to explore new knowledge about the role of engineering in an
structural engineering. Fortunately for all of us, there are organizations emerging future, complements the work of other organizations, has a
and groups of highly engaged professionals considering these questions goal to be a communications hub, and leads collaborative initiatives
and developing some interesting material and ideas. I am one of the designed to transform the engineering community. Over the past
professionals who believe the engineering profession is heading into two-plus years, ECL has convened seven workshops around different
a period of rapid change that areas of exploration focused on
will ultimately have an impact strategic issues impacting the
on all of us and society at large. future of engineering. These
The American Society of Civil strategic issues have included
Engineers (ASCE) is investing public perception of engineers,
heavily in analyzing and pro- diversity and inclusion, leader-
ducing a number of future ship skills for future engineers,
scenarios through their Future education, public policy, tech-
World Vision project. The ASCE nological forces impacting
work is based on the premise engineering, engineering ethics,
that change is coming rapidly, entrepreneurship, new models
with trends in smart infra- for licensure, and the future of
structure, alternative energy, consulting engineering. Some
intelligent transportation, and of these issues have transformed
other areas. These trends are into chartered initiatives, each
captured in a series of scenarios designed for further experimen-
looking out 50 years and will tation and exploration.
ultimately be presented in five future worlds. If you have not seen The initiatives currently being undertaken by ECL USA, and cap-
this work, I encourage you to take a look and imagine how these tured by their future vision statements, include:
future visions will impact structural engineering and your business. Education – Imagine if, guided by educators and mentors who
The Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of ASCE also devel- understand emerging technologies, every student was prepared and
oped a Vision for the Future of Structural Engineering in 2013 and excited to address challenges and problems by applying science and
recently produced a progress report on actions taken to achieve math concepts, using an engineering approach.
the vision. The SEI Vision was the seed for the three national Future of Consulting Engineering – Imagine if engineering firms
structural engineering organizations, CASE, NCSEA, and SEI are thriving in the future by bringing value to their clients and society
to come together and develop a one-page Vision for the Future as change occurs, leading changes in technology, attracting top talent,
of Structural Engineering. Endorsed by all three organizations, and embracing diversity in the profession.
the Vision is being used as a guide for future activities in all of New Models for Engineering Licensure – Imagine a future where
the organizations. As the current Chair of CASE and a practic- the practice of engineering is regulated in a simple and transparent
ing structural engineer, I am particularly pleased to see the three manner that enhances public health, safety, and welfare, and tech-
national SE organizations speaking with a collective voice and nological development for all.
actively collaborating to advance our great profession. Technological Driving Forces Impacting the Engineering
Beyond these activities, I am personally involved as a member of the Community – Imagine if engineers led the thoughtful embrace and
steering committee for a more recent initiative and an organization acceptance of integrated technologies to drive business.
called the Engineering Change Lab USA (ECL). The idea to form ECL Public Policy – Imagine if engineers used their knowledge and skills to
came from a small group of people active in the American Council have a positive impact on society through engagement in public policy.
of Engineering Companies (ACEC) and gained early insight from a ECL USA has a growing list of stakeholders and is always looking
similar activity in Canada. ECL believes that the world is facing an for more people interested in engaging at any level. If you would like
unprecedented wave of change. Accelerating technological progress, to learn more about ECL USA, please check out their web-
rapidly evolving societal needs, and growing environmental impera- site at ecl-usa.org or contact the Executive Director, Mike
tives, including climate change, all present significant challenges and McMeekin, at [email protected].■
opportunities. Maintaining the status quo is not an option for the
Stacy Bartoletti is the CEO and Chair of Degenkolb Engineers in San
engineering community, and, as an uncertain future unfolds, it must
Francisco, California, and the Chair of the CASE Executive Committee.
serve as stewards of technology, the natural and built environments,
([email protected])
and the public health, safety, and welfare.
STRUCTURE magazine J A N U A R Y 2 02 0 7
structural PRACTICES
Cutting Prestressed Concrete Framing
Design and Construction Considerations
By Michael F. Hughes, P.E., S.E., and Sal A. Capobianco, P.E.
E xisting owners often consider repositioning options for

their buildings to serve an ever-evolving tenant market,
accommodate new building uses, improve pedestrian cir-
culation and accessibility, increase rentable tenant space,
and more. Often, these buildings are served by an abutting
above-grade parking structure, which can prevent horizontal
expansion unless portions of the garage are removed to accom-
modate the expansion.
Many parking garages are constructed of precast, prestressed concrete
(PC) framing members. PC has the favorable characteristics of structural
steel framing, such as allowing for “stick-built” construction and using
long, shallow spans. PC also has significantly more durability than
conventional mild-reinforced concrete, since it is cast in a controlled
environment. Unlike structural steel and mild-reinforced concrete, PC
framing is under constant internal stress from the prestressing strands.
Partially removing or modifying PC framing elements can appear to
be a complicated design and construction challenge, for which there is
little published technical guidance as compared to the other traditional
building materials that are not under constant internal prestressing.
This article examines the structural considerations of modifying
existing PC floor elements and provides a case study where these
methods were used successfully. The focus is on simply supported Figure 1. Plan view of the opening in the existing parking garage.
tee beams with fully bonded strands. It is important to note that
projects and structures are different, and additional considerations
may be applicable depending on the specific project. The flexural stresses in the loaded and unloaded cases must be checked
against code-prescribed allowable stresses for the new span length.
Stresses can be calculated using standard PC design methods. For PC
Design Considerations members with draped strands, flexural stresses from prestressing will
Internal prestressing is achieved through the bond between the pre- be asymmetric; therefore, checks are required at multiple points along
stressing strands and the concrete. The prestressing strands are located the member’s length. Adding dead load (i.e., ballast) could reduce
and stressed to create internal flexural stresses in the member that the flexural stresses from the prestressing.
counteract the flexural stresses from externally applied loads. Parking PC beams typically contain added shear reinforcement near sup-
structures commonly use double-tee beams as floor members. In ports, but not always along the entire length of the beam. When the
relatively new parking garages, strands are typically straight, whereas beam is shortened, the new supported end may have inadequate or
older designs utilized a draped strand that varies in height along the no shear reinforcement. Although the shorter span length will reduce
length of the beam. If the location and quantity of the strands are the demand shear forces, the shear stress must be checked at the new
unknown, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can be used to locate the cut end. ACI-318 requires the concrete shear capacity to be at least
strands and other embedded reinforcement necessary to evaluate the twice the demand to have a section without shear reinforcement.
existing PC member. The additional shear strength provided by the prestressing can be
When an existing PC member is shortened, the flexural stresses in the included. Shear or flexural reinforcement, such as carbon fiber, can
member will change. Flexural stresses from applied loads are lower for be added externally to strengthen the member. Since carbon fiber
the shorter span, assuming the design loads do not change. For PC, does not provide the fire resistance required for many structures,
the flexural stresses from the prestressing force are not dependent on an intumescent paint or other fireproofing material may need to be
span length and will not change if the span is reduced. In general, the applied over the carbon fiber material.
total stresses under the full design load will be lower for the shortened PC beams are designed to have similar cambers between the adjacent
span. However, in the unloaded condition (i.e., no live load), flexural members. Differential cambers create tripping hazards and obstruct
stresses from the prestressing can overstress the member. drainage. Adjacent PC beams of different lengths are designed for
minimal differential camber by adjusting the bond lengths of the New supplemental framing to support the cut end of the PC member
prestressing strands prior to concrete placement, but it is impractical will likely need to be installed before demolition. The portion of the
to modify the bond length of the strand after concrete placement. member to be removed will likely need to be shored as well. This shor-
When an existing PC member is shortened, the remaining portion of ing can also be configured to act as a debris shield for the demolition
the member will deflect upward due to the reduced external load and work. Debris shielding should be designed to support the weight of
unchanged internal prestressing force. The approximate amount of the demolished materials plus appropriate construction live loads.
anticipated differential camber should be checked against serviceability Shoring should extend down to grade if possible; however, it may
and other project-specific criteria. A maximum of a ¼-inch vertical be possible to terminate shoring if there is adequate capacity for the
differential is typically allowed by the American Disabilities Act (ADA) shoring loads at a lower level.
for pedestrian walkways. If the expected camber exceeds ¼ inch, the It may be possible to use a crane to remove the portion of the member
surface can be ground down, or additional dead load could be added. to be demolished. This option might eliminate the need for shoring
The perimeters of double-tee (DT) beams typically contain dia- and noisy demolition work near an existing building. However, there
phragm reinforcement necessary to transfer the in-plane wind and are significant rigging and logistical challenges that make this option
seismic loads to the building’s lateral-
load-resisting system (LLRS). Typically,
chord reinforcement is located at each
end, and collector reinforcement is pres-
ent where the PC element connects to the
LLRS. Diaphragm reinforcement bars
are usually spaced closely together and
located approximately 1 foot from the Maximize Value and Performance with
end of the member. It is common for
three to five bars to be provided for the
collector or chord reinforcement in mod-
SHRINK AGE-COMPENSATING
erate seismic areas. When a portion of the
PC framing is removed, this reinforce-
CONCRETE & GROUT SOLUTIONS
ment is lost and needs to be substituted.
Additional framing may be required to
transfer loads into the LLRS or reinforce
the PC framing chords if the diaphragm
load path is interrupted. Use for all types of concrete and grout applications, from slabs-on-grade to
containment tanks, multi-story post-tension structures to bridge decks.

Construction
Considerations ADVANTAGES
Partially demolishing PC is an uncommon ¡ Maximize joint spacing (up to 300 ft, L/W 3:1) ¡ Enhance compressive and flexural strengths
demolition task, and a pre-construction
¡ Prevent shrinkage cracking and curling ¡ Eliminate pour/delay strips
meeting with the construction team
should cover the special circumstances ¡ Thinner slabs and walls viable ¡ Reduce long-term relaxation of P/T tendons
of partially removing PC. In addition and shear wall stresses
¡ Reduce reinforcement requirements
to typical logistic items covered at these ¡ Minimize creep and moment
meetings, the expected behavior of the ¡ Improve durability and lower permeability
PC, cutting procedures, items to moni- ¡ Minimize waterstops
¡ Increase abrasion resistance 30-40%
tor, demolition sequence (start at the
uppermost level and work down), and
identifying stop points in the work to
check for distress must be discussed.
It is also important to discuss poten-
tial behavior for which the Contractor
should notify the Engineer.
Material stockpiling, equipment that
will be used, or any other atypical live
loads, such as vehicle barriers, skid steers,
trucks, etc., also need to be coordinated.
These loads can exceed the design load
of the existing framing, and the framing by CTS Cement Manufacturing Corp.
may need to be checked for these loads.
A preconstruction inspection should be
performed and compared against obser- Contact us for more information and project support at 888.414.9043
vations during construction to identify CTScement.com
any new distress.
JANUARY 2020 9
impractical for most applications. In other words, extreme care must cutting should start at the joint between the section to remain and the
be taken when cranes are employed for partial demolition of PC. section to be removed so that the remaining portion is not affected
When the existing member is cut, it will camber upward or move by the segmental demolition of the adjacent PC. Saw cutting should
differentially from the adjacent existing construction. Therefore, begin in the tension zone, to prevent binding the saw blade. After
the existing member must be disconnected from adjacent struc- cutting the joint between the portion to remain and the portion to be
tural elements, including beam-to-beam connections and chord and demolished, it is advantageous to remove mild-reinforced portions of
diaphragm splices, to avoid damaging the connections or adjacent the PC first, such as the flanges of the tee beam. This will reduce the
INFO SPECS
elements. These elements will need to be reattached after the work dead load and increase upward camber, further reducing the potential
FileName: 19-1670_Ad_1/2Island Structure_July_Bridge
is complete. Nonstructural elements, such as partition walls, should RepairSolutionsWOCtag Page Size: 5w" x 7.5h"the
for binding bleedsaw blade.
Job#: 19-1670
be temporarily disconnected and modified if the expected amount ofPR#: N/A Number of Pages: 1
During saw cutting, some “popping” noises may be heard as the strands
E . N e w p o upward
r t C e n t emovement
r Dr.
Artist:
exceeds Georgina
theirMorra Email: [email protected]
deformation capacity. Bleed: areYes cut. Amount: .125"
The Contractor should inform the Engineer if this occurs.
ield Beach, FL 33442 Date: December 16, 2019 4:45 PM Colors: CMYK
The PC to be demolished will likely be removed in sections. The Frequent popping sounds may indicate that the strands are debonding, Process, 4/0
size of each section will depend on the construction logistics. Saw which will require immediate review. Horizontal concrete cracking
O L O R S V I E W E D O N - S C R E E N A R E I N T E N D E D F O R V I S U A L R E F E R E N C E O N L Y A N D M A Y N O T M A T C H T H E F I N A L P R I N T E D P R O D U C T.
along the strand typically indicates strand

debonding. It is essential to look for any
unexpected cracking in the PC that is
MAPEI bridges the to remain, such as shear cracking at the

support, horizontal cracking along the
gap with concrete

strand, or tension cracking at midspan.
Work should be stopped until unexpected
cracking issue or consistent strand pop-
repair solutions ping are understood and resolved.
Case Study
In 2018, the Owner of a four-story office
building was exploring opportunities
with a potential new tenant; however,
the existing building elevator configu-
ration and capacity did not suit the
tenant’s needs. Adding another elevator
inside the building was not possible as it
would be too disruptive, so the Project

Team explored adding an exterior eleva-
tor. The Richmond Group (TRG) was
the Design-Builder for the project, and
Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. (SGH)
Carroll Avenue Bridge
Takoma Park, MD Corrosion protection was the Structural Engineer of Record.
Three sides of the building abutted a
Bear Cut Bridge street, a parking lot, and conservation
Key Biscayne, FL
land. The fourth side of the building
abutted an existing, six-level parking
garage. The project team decided to
“notch” a portion of the existing parking
garage and install a new building elevator
I-80 Verdi Bridge
in the garage to service the building. The
Concrete repair mortars Verdi, NV
elevator required a new vestibule at each

floor, and new storage rooms were added
at each floor above the first-floor machine
room, which increased the rentable area
on the second, third, and fourth floors.
To complicate matters, the floors of the
garage and the office building did not
align on the upper levels. The elevator
would service the building levels only
JEA Northside Generating Station
Jackonville, FL Products for structural strengthening and would only align with the garage on
the ground floor.
The existing parking garage consisted
Visit us at
Booth #S11127 of a steel-framed superstructure with
braced frames in the short direction and
moment frames in the long direction.
Figure 2. Steel support framing installed prior to demolition. Figure 3. Supplemental horizontal steel bracing to the Figure 4. Top 3 levels of PC DT framing demolition
Shoring towers for the portion of the PC framing to be restore diaphragm connection to LLRS. immediately after removal at Level 4. Courtesy of The
demolished can be seen in the background. Richmond Group.
PC DT beams spanned approximately 60 feet between steel gird- of the existing portion of DT that remained was at least twice the
ers to form the parking deck. The DTs were approximately 11 feet required shear demand. Therefore, additional shear reinforcement
wide and 30 inches deep. The new elevator hoistway required an was not required.
opening approximately 14 feet by 30 feet to provide new vestibule TRG installed the steel frame by cutting localized openings in the
and storage room floors that aligned with the office levels. This cut flanges for the columns to pass through and then installing the beams
required completely removing 30 feet of the DT closest to the build- under the DT stems before removing the DTs. The full portion of
ing and notching the flange of the next adjacent DT up to the stem. the DT was removed in sections at night, and the garage remained
Figure 1 (page 8) shows the plan layout of the new garage opening. The operational during the day. The DT was shored using standard shoring
remaining portion of the DTs would still be used for garage parking. frames, aluminum beams, and plywood to create a combined shoring
Structural drawings were not available, and the reinforcement and platform and debris shield at each level, and was supported on grade.
strand profile of the DTs was unknown. SGH used GPR to determine Demolition started at Level 6 (roof ) and proceeded downward. Five
the location and quantity of the strands and their profiles. There were levels of DTs were cut and removed. Figure 4 shows the demolition
seven straight profile strands in the DT stem. GPR also showed three progress at Level 4. The Contractor reported that they did not hear
collector reinforcement bars along the long edge of the DT flange any popping sounds consistent with strand slip and no new distress
that connected to a braced frame and three-chord reinforcement was observed. Once demolition began, it took the TRG approximately
bars along the short edge of the DT flange. Test pits showed that the three days to remove the portion of the DT at each level. The demoli-
existing garage was founded on shallow spread footings. tion work went smoothly and was considered a success by all parties.
The portion of DT to remain was supported on a new steel frame
(Figure 2). The new steel columns were founded on new shallow
foundations and laterally attached to the DT at each level for frame
Conclusion
stability. The bottom of the new foundations was set at the same Projects requiring modifications to existing PC framing have a
elevation as the existing garage and building foundations to avoid unique set of design and construction challenges that differ from
surcharging those foundations. The existing diaphragm connection those of traditional building materials. Consideration must be given
of the DT to the braced frame would also be removed as part of the to changes in flexural stresses, shear resistance, camber, and relative
demolition; therefore, new horizontal steel bracing was added to displacements. Demolition and construction means and methods
connect the remaining diaphragm to the LLRS (Figure 3). require close coordination and communication between the design
The strand diameters were initially estimated based on the as-designed and construction teams to ensure that all parties understand the
DT length and code-required live loads and were confirmed via a unique behavior of PC. In conclusion, existing PC members can
small opening at the end of the DT stem at the start of construction. be successfully modified in place by carefully reviewing
The analysis showed that the flexural stresses in the DT to remain and addressing all of the unique design and construction
were within ACI limits in the loaded and unloaded conditions. The challenges associated with the work.■
additional upward camber increase was estimated to be only 1⁄8 inch;
therefore, differential camber was within tolerance. Michael F. Hughes is a Senior Project Manager at Simpson Gumpertz &
Shear strength at the cut location was a significant consideration. Heger’s office located in Waltham, MA. ([email protected])
The DT did not contain any shear reinforcement at the cut location.
Sal A. Capobianco is a Senior Principal at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger’s
The concrete strength and compression from the prestressing provided
office located in Waltham, MA. ([email protected])
the required shear strength. It was determined that the shear strength
JANUARY 2020 11
structural ANALYSIS
Analysis of Anchoring Attachments Using
Finite Element Modeling
By Richard T. Morgan, P.E., and Arif Shahdin
A nchoring-to-concrete pro-
visions in the American
Concrete Institute’s Building
Code Requirements for Structural
Concrete (ACI 318) are used
to calculate anchor design
strengths that consider possi-
ble anchor failure modes. These
design strengths are checked Figure 1. Rigid fixture strain compatibility relationships.
against calculated factored loads
acting on anchors. ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete parameters for calculating anchor design strengths are derived from test-
ing and analysis that includes the use of a rigid fixture to apply tension load to anchors. Therefore, ACI 318 provisions for
anchor design can be considered relevant if the fixture being attached can be considered “rigid.”
A rigid fixture is assumed to have a cross-section that remains The linear stress/strain distribution assumed for a rigid fixture per-
plane under loading and does not undergo deformation from bend- mits a simplified approach for calculating tension loads on anchors.
ing. However, for some anchoring-to-concrete applications, a rigid It is important to keep in mind that ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete
fixture assumption may not be valid, thereby precluding the use of provisions are predicated on a rigid fixture assumption. Tension loads
ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete provisions to design the anchorage. acting on anchors must be checked against the calculated anchor
Finite Element Modeling (FEM) provides a means to assess whether design strengths for each relevant anchor failure mode.
a rigid or non-rigid fixture assumption is valid. This article explains The magnitude of anchor tension loads calculated using a rigid fixture
how finite element modeling can be used to analyze a fixture and analysis will typically be less than the magnitude of anchor tension
how the results of this analysis can be interpreted for the design of loads calculated using a non-rigid analysis. A rigid fixture analysis
a concrete anchorage. assumes the stress in the fixture resulting from the tension loads acting
on it is less than the fixture yield stress. Prying action causes a non-rigid
fixture to bend and possibly yield, resulting in the displacement of
Why Finite Element Modeling? the fixture and tension load re-distribution among the anchors. The
Structural and nonstructural components are attached to a concrete stress/strain distribution for a non-rigid fixture subjected to prying
member using cast-in-place or post-installed anchors. Tension load, action will be non-linear, and the analysis to determine tension loads
shear load, and moments acting on the component are transferred acting on the anchors becomes more complex.
into the anchors through a plate or other fixture. Determining the ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete provisions include parameters to account
tension load distribution on the anchors from the loads acting on for the resultant tension load acting on an anchorage being eccentric with
the component is necessary to design the concrete anchorage. If the respect to the centroid of the anchors in tension. The parameter Ψec,N is
fixture being attached is assumed to be rigid, the tension load distri- used to calculate nominal concrete breakout strength in tension, and the
bution on the anchors can be calculated using strain compatibility parameter Ψec,Na is used to calculate nominal bond strength. Ψec,N and
relationships (PL/AE) and basic statics (Σ forces and Σ moments). Ψec,Na include a parameter for eccentricity (eŃ) that corresponds to the
Figure 1 illustrates how strain compatibility relationships can be distance of the resultant tension load from the centroid of the anchors in
utilized in conjunction with a rigid fixture assumption to define tension. The equations to define Ψec,N and Ψec,Na, as well as the analysis to
the tension load distribution on a group of anchors. Assuming the determine eŃ, are predicated on anchor attachment with a rigid fixture.
fixture is rigid permits the stress/strain distribution to be defined Therefore, calculating eŃ using a fixture that exhibits non-rigid behavior
as linear, which allows for the use of similar triangles to define the could lead to unconservative calculation results for Ψec,N and Ψec,Na.
tension load distribution on the anchors and the compression stress When one is unsure if a rigid or non-rigid fixture assumption is valid,
in the concrete beneath the fixture. FEM can be used to ascertain the following:
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Component-Based Finite Element Modeling
Typically, structural analysis software that uses FEM models load-
carrying members such as beams and columns as a one-dimensional
element. Load must be transferred from one member to another via a
connection. Typically, connections must be designed separately, either
in a spreadsheet or as a separate FEM application. Component-Based
Finite Element Modeling (CBFEM) software permits calculation of
all relevant component loads without separate analysis.
CBFEM models steel components, such as a base plate or column, as
a plate/shell element. This material behavior can be depicted by Von
Mises yield criterion, which assumes the element behaves elastically
before yielding. The green bi-linear stress/strain curve in Figure 3 illus-
trates this material behavior. Strain hardening (plastic strain), defined
by the horizontal portion of the green curve, occurs after yielding.
Consider a steel column anchorage modeled using CBFEM. The
Figure 2. Discretization using finite element modeling. column and base plate are modeled as two-dimensional shell/plate
elements. Anchors are modeled as a tension-only “spring,” as illustrated
in Figure 4a. Under tensile or bending load, the base plate deforms due
• The stress magnitude in the fixture to the force distribution resulting from the stiffness of the shell/plate
• The strain magnitude in the fixture elements. This base plate deformation causes the “spring” to elongate
• Does the fixture undergo prying action? by an amount (d). Anchor stiffness (k) is associated with the spring
• Anchor tension loads for rigid versus non-rigid behavior elongation. The product of anchor stiffness (k) and displacement (d)
Non-rigid fixture behavior cannot be analyzed using algebra, but it is used to calculate the tension force (F) transferred to the anchor per
can be analyzed with software that performs FEM. “Discretization” the matrix algebra equation {F} = [k] {d}.
is the critical FEM parameter. Consider a plate with a uniformly CBFEM uses a Winkler-Pasternak subsoil model to represent con-
distributed load acting on it, as shown in Figure 2. The reactions at crete deformation numerically. This permits the concrete interface to
the fixed boundary can be determined using FEM. be defined as two-dimensional compression-only springs (Figure 4b).
“Discretization” means “dividing into elements.” The uniform load Concrete stiffness is determined using the concrete modulus of elas-
in Figure 2 is transferred to the fixed boundary by square elements ticity (Ec).
that are connected via “nodes.” Load transfer only occurs at nodes. Welds between the column profile and base plate are modeled as
Reactions at the fixed boundary are obtained in terms of stress and load deformation constraints, defined by special plate elements,
strain. The accuracy of the calculated reactions will increase the more that simulate load transfer through the weld (Figure 4c). The model
the plate is discretized. A structure can be discretized using different defines the weld as a connection between two plate/shell elements:
types of elements. One-dimensional elements are typically used for one element on the column profile and one element on the base plate.
load analysis (based on stiffness) in most structural analysis software. The element nodes are not directly connected. A midline surface of
FEM for anchoring applications uses two-dimensional elements the connection between two plate/shell elements is modeled with an
modeled as a plate/shell. Three-dimensional elements are used for offset, which represents the weld geometry. If fillet welds are used,
complex applications such as machine design. weld stresses are calculated in the throat.
FEM provides a realistic analysis of a material’s engineering and
mechanical properties by considering stiffness. The ability of a material
to transfer load can be accounted for via its stiffness. FEM utilizes
Rigid Versus Non-Rigid Analysis
a matrix algebra equation {F} = [k] {d}; where “k” corresponds to a CBFEM can be utilized to determine if a fixture exhibits rigid or non-
stiffness matrix, and “d” corresponds to the displacement matrix that rigid behavior; however, using CBFEM to obtain a design solution must
results from forces “F” created within the element. Displacements also be considered. Steel design codes, such as those published by the
correspond to the degrees of freedom modeled at each node. American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), only include provi-
sions for rigid base plate
analysis to determine
anchor loads. However,
AISC publications do
not preclude non-rigid
base plate analysis
to determine anchor
loads. Anchor design
strengths calculated per
ACI 318 anchoring-
to-concrete provisions
are predicated on the
attachment of a rigid
fixture, which can
Figure 3. Component-based finite element modeling. Courtesy of IDEA StatiCa. be assumed to act as
Figure 4. Component based finite element modeling of a steel column anchorage. Courtesy of IDEA StatiCa.
illustrated in Figure 5a and Figure 5c. If the anchor loads are calcu- a value of 5%. Therefore, setting a limit on the “permissible” amount
lated assuming non-rigid fixture behavior, as illustrated in Figure 5b of plastic strain beyond yielding (for example 5%) can be a CBFEM
and Figure 5d, ACI 318 anchor design strengths checked against these fixture design parameter.
loads could result in a misinterpretation of ACI 318 code provisions. Anchor parameters to be considered in CBFEM include the anchor
Consider a column subjected to pure tension load. A non-rigid base type and the anchor stiffness when subjected to tension loading. Cast-
plate will tend to deform, as shown in Figure 5b. This deformation in-place and post-installed anchors have specific material properties
induces “prying” forces in the plate, which create increased tension and performance characteristics. Cast-in-place anchors include headed
load on the anchors. bolts and headed studs. Post-installed anchors include mechanical
Now consider the column with a moment acting on it. If the plate is anchors (for example expansion or undercut anchors) and adhesive
rigid, it will rotate, but its cross-section does not deform (Figure 5c). (bonded) anchor systems. Cast-in-place anchor stiffness values can
A triangular stress distribution is assumed to occur beneath the plate, be calculated. Post-installed anchor stiffness values can be established
where it is in contact with the concrete. The moment arm (z) corresponds through testing.
to the distance between the anchors that are in tension and the centroid
of the triangular stress distribution. If the plate is non-rigid (Figure 5d),
it will rotate and deform. The moment arm (zred) corresponds to the
Making Sense of it All
distance between the anchors that are in tension and the centroid of Tension load on anchors must be checked against calculated anchor
the compression stress distribution beneath the deformed part of the design strengths. Since ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete provisions
plate, where it is in contact with the concrete. zred (Figure 5d ) is less assume the fixture being attached is rigid, the tension loads acting
than z (Figure 5c) because the non-rigid plate deformation causes the on the anchors must be relevant to rigid fixture behavior. If CBFEM
compression stress distribution to shift from a location close to the indicates non-rigid fixture behavior, the anchor tension loads derived
edge of the plate to a location closer to the perimeter of the column from this analysis should not automatically be considered relevant
profile. If forces and moments are summed to calculate tension load to designing the anchorage using ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete
on the anchors, the smaller lever arm zred will result in higher tension provisions, but they could be considered relevant. Experienced
forces on the anchors, illustrating how the magnitude of anchor ten- engineers may elect to utilize non-rigid CBFEM tension load results
sion loads calculated using a non-rigid fixture analysis will typically be for ACI 318 anchorage design based on their engineering judgment,
greater than the loads calculated using a rigid analysis. but a more conservative alternative would be to re-design the fixture
to conform to rigid behavior.
Software capable of performing CBFEM can be utilized to ascertain if
Parameters for CBFEM a fixture exhibits rigid or non-rigid behavior. Examples of “non-rigid”
Plastic strain, as depicted by the horizontal portion of the green fixture behavior can be defined as CBFEM results that indicate high
bi-linear stress/strain curve in Figure 3, is initiated at yielding. A stresses and strains in the fixture and significant fixture displacement
limiting plastic strain can be expressed as a strain percentage beyond resulting from prying action. Following are suggestions for interpreting
the strain at yielding. Steel design codes in the United States do not FEM results that indicate “non-rigid” fixture behavior.
have provisions to limit the amount of plastic strain. The Eurocode • “Force” the fixture to be “rigid” by modeling its steel modu-
recommends limiting the amount of plastic strain beyond yielding to lus of elasticity (Es) as infinite (for example let Es equal
Figure 5. Rigid and non-rigid plate behavior.
JANUARY 2020 15
100,000,000 psi). Compare the anchor tension loads calcu- CBFEM. Similarly, anchorage of pipes, equipment, and storage
lated for non-rigid behavior versus the anchor tension loads tanks are all examples of applications for which the applied loads
calculated for the “forced” rigid behavior. If the difference could cause the fixture anchoring the component to exhibit non-
between the loads calculated for each behavior can be con- rigid behavior. This methodology for evaluating an anchorage with
sidered insignificant, it would be reasonable to use the fixture CBFEM software helps ensure that the component being anchored,
geometry/properties and anchor tension loads determined the fixture, and the anchors act in harmony. Let the software do
from the non-rigid analysis to design the anchorage with ACI the hard work!
318 anchoring-to-concrete provisions.
• A plastic strain limit beyond the strain at yielding can be
set for the fixture by using engineering judgment. U.S. steel
Conclusion
codes do not address a plastic strain limit for steel design, Component-Based Finite Element Modeling is a means to assess
but the Eurocode recommends a limit of 5% beyond the whether a fixture exhibits rigid or non-rigid behavior. Assuming rigid
strain at yielding. CBFEM-calculated plastic strain values fixture behavior when the behavior is actually non-rigid could lead to
greater than a set limit could be considered unacceptable for unconservative results if using ACI 318 anchoring-to-concrete provi-
designing the anchorage with ACI 318 anchoring-to-con- sions to design the fixture anchorage. This article explained
crete provisions. Conversely, plastic strain values less than how CBFEM can be used to analyze a fixture and how the
or equal to a set limit could be considered acceptable for results can be interpreted for anchor design.■
designing the anchorage with ACI 318 anchoring-to-con-
crete provisions. CBFEM-calculated values for deformation
of the fixture and anchor displacement can also be consid- Richard T. Morgan is the Manager for Software and Literature in the
ered in conjunction with the plastic strain parameters for Technical Marketing Department of Hilti North America. He is responsible
the fixture. for PROFIS Engineering and PROFIS Rebar. ([email protected])
Arif Shahdin is a Steel Design Expert at HILTI in the Software Department

When is CBFEM a Good Idea? where he is responsible for the Baseplate Design Module for PROFIS
CBFEM can be utilized to ascertain if a fixture exhibits rigid or Engineering and also manages PROFIS Installation and HILTI’s content in
non-rigid behavior. For example, thin fixtures and/or fixtures with Smart3D and AVEVA E3D/PDMS. ([email protected])
a widely-spaced anchor configuration could be analyzed using
RECORDS
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structural REHABILITATION
Adaptive Reuse of the Apex Hosiery
Company Building
Part 2: SMI Concrete Flat Plate and Site Safety
Demolition Plan Peer Review
By D. Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., P.Eng, F.ASCE, F.SEI, A.NAFE, SECB
T his four-part series (Part 1, STRUCTURE, November 19)

discusses how the collapse of a building during a demolition
operation in Philadelphia in 2013, which resulted in several fatalities,
led to the enactment of a City Ordinance to prevent similar future
calamities. As a result of the Ordinance, the author became involved
with the structural investigation, review of the Site Safety Demolition
Plan, and Demolition Special Inspections associated with the adaptive
reuse of the Apex Hosiery Company Building located in Philadelphia.
Figure 7. The primary flexural reinforcement for the unique SMI system.
bottom of the slab at the mid-span of what is now referred to as a

SMI System middle strip, centered in the bay formed by the column grids. There
The SMI System (Smulski Method) of designing and constructing was no top reinforcing provided in the middle strip at the intersec-
reinforced concrete flat plate slabs was developed prior to the 1920s tion with the column strips, as is now required by the building codes.
by Edward Smulski, a consulting engineer from New York City. The The concentric rings of bottom reinforcement also overlapped at
system was unique in that the primary flexural reinforcement consisted the interface zones while the top reinforcement above the column
of concentric rings of smooth reinforcing bars supplemented with overlapped the bottom bars below.
diagonal and orthogonal trussed bars placed between the supporting The theory behind the design of the SMI System was based on the
columns, and radial hairpin bars located at the columns as shown same flexural theory of reinforced concrete used by other methods of
in Figure 7. The rings consisted of smooth bars which were lapped analysis at the time, in that bending moments were resisted by internal
at the ends to develop their full strength. The laps of the concentric stresses in the concrete, compressive on one side of the neutral axis of
rings were also staggered to avoid adjacent laps from occurring at the section and tension resisted by reinforcing on the other. The primary
the same radial location within each group of concentric reinforcing. difference with the SMI System is that the tensile stresses in the structure
The concentric rings of the SMI System were located in the top of are offset by the concentric rings of reinforcing bars, which resisted the
the slab directly above the columns, in the bottom of the slab at the tendency of the concrete within the ring to deform and elongate due to
mid-span of what is now referred to as a column strip, and in the the tensile bending forces. So, in other words, the rings were subjected
to hoop stresses in which axial tensile forces were induced in the rebar
via the perpendicular radial forces of the concrete tension.
The slab was separated into three independent sections as a part
of the design of the system, as shown in Figure 8. The column head
was analyzed as if it were a circular cantilever fixed at the column
and loaded uniformly around its circumference. The orthogonal and
diagonal slab clear spans between the columns were analyzed for
positive bending moments only. The hoop reinforcing for all of the
sections was calculated as indicated in Table 1 (page 18). Comments by
one of the authors of the 4th Edition of Plain and Reinforced Concrete,
Volume 1, published in 1925, indicates that the SMI System required
20 to 24% less reinforcing than comparable two-way and four-way
flat slab systems that were constructed during the same time period.
Load tests of the SMI System were conducted at Purdue University
prior to 1920 with the results published in the 1918 ACI Journal
Proceedings. Stresses within the reinforcing rings were measured using an
“extensometer” developed by Professor Claude Berry of the University
of Pennsylvania. The 41-by 36.5-foot, 2x2 bay test frame, with cantile-
vers on three sides and an upturned spandrel beam on the fourth, was
loaded using bricks stacked in such a way to prevent arching action of
Figure 8. The slab was separated into three independent sections as a part of the the masonry units. The center-to-center spacing of the columns was 16
structural design. feet. All columns included a capital. The slab thickness was 5½ inches.
J A N U A R Y 2 02 0 17
The test frame was loaded from 150 psf Table 1. Calculated hoop reinforcing for all three slab sections.
to 950 psf until failure occurred.
The principals of circumferential and
radial bending moment analysis were
also being researched at the University
of Wisconsin in the early 1900s. A
discussion of the methods of analy-
sis can be found in the Principals of
Reinforced Concrete Construction, 3rd
Edition, published in 1919. Also,
before the development of the SMI system, another similar rein- concentrically positioned bars in overlapping top and bottom layers. In
forced flat slab method of framing was patented in 1911 by Claude addition, based on the challenges associated with the renovation of the
Turner. Mr. Turner, who referred to his method of design as the Apex building, the SMI system was more susceptible to the introduction
“Mushroom” flat slab system, developed the method of construction of new mechanical and utility openings required in the framed floor
in Minneapolis, Minnesota. slab than the southern, conventionally reinforced two-way flat slab.
The available literature that deals directly with the SMI Systems
indicates that Edward Smulski patented the method of construction. Peer Review of Site Safety
However, a cursory search through the U.S. Patent Office indicates
that there were only two patents granted to Smulski, one for a cast- Demolition Plan (SSDP)
in-place counterfort system for retaining, reservoir, and dam walls and Structural analysis of the existing building was completed as a part
one for a two-way, orthogonal reinforced slab system that included of the peer review of the SSDP and to determine the feasibility of
encased steel beams. It is also not clear how prevalent the use of the the proposed adaptive reuse of the building. For the peer review, a
SMI System was during both the early 1900s and later in the century. separate analysis of the structure, in addition to what had previously
The author is only aware of one other SMI structure in Philadelphia, been completed as a part of the original SSDP, was required for three
and the number of structures that were constructed or currently remain primary reasons:
that were built using this system is unknown. 1) The engineer reviewing the SSDP had assumed that the entire
In the author’s opinion, it is not likely that this system was used to existing building was constructed with only a conventionally
a large degree or was very popular because of the assumed difficulty reinforced two-way slab and was not aware of the presence of the
associated with properly fabricating and placing perfectly round and SMI system on the north side of the building.
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Figure 9. Example of an incorrect method of flat slab FEM via pinned supports at the column that was used in the SSDP.
2) The analysis had only considered the weight of the mechanized were also the same as what will be described for the feasibility study
demolition equipment and not the anticipated piles of debris. analysis included in Part 3 of this article. However, the method of
3) The analysis/modeling of the two-way conventionally rein- analysis used by the original SSDP engineer involved a finite element
forced slab had not been performed correctly. model (FEM) of three bays of a typical framed level in both directions.
The peer-review analysis involved determining if the existing two-way Unfortunately, the model did not
concrete slab could simultaneously support the proposed mechanized 1) Include the existing column capitals or drop panels
demolition equipment and piles of debris created during the demoli- 2) Use accurate bay dimensions
tion operation. Also, the results of the analysis were used to assess 3) Assume the correct slab thickness
the proposed sequence of demolition to determine if the remaining In addition, the column support locations were modeled as a
portions of the structure would continue to be stable as adjacent bays cluster of four closely spaced pinned connections associated with
of framing and columns were removed. the location of the FEM mesh. Figure 9 illustrates an example of
The methods of analyzing the existing structure used by Pennoni for this incorrect method of modeling a flat slab via pinned supports at
the proposed approach to demolishing the upper levels of the building the column that was used in the SSDP, while Figure 10 shows the
correct method that also engages the column supports
in the story above and below the slab.
As a result of modeling an individual column as a
group of four pinned supports in the FEM, an exag-
geration of the magnitude of negative moments that
could be transferred to the columns occurs. This is
because the pinned supports, at any one column loca-
tion, result in a point of fixity that does not accurately
represent the interaction between the slab and the
flexible, story-high column stiffnesses above and below
the slab. As a result, the SSDP model underestimated
the positive moment at the column and middle strips
by approximately 24%, as illustrated by a comparison
of the outputs shown in Figures 11a and 11b. Also,
Figure 10. Correct FEM method that engages column supports in the story above and below the slab. the SSDP engineer did not include an analysis of the
punching shear effects around the column supports, as
required by the ACI 318, Building Code Requirements
for Structural Concrete and Commentary.
Conclusion
The Site Safety Demolition Plan review associated
with the adaptive reuse of the Apex Hosiery Company
Building located in Philadelphia involved an analysis
of the unique SMI system of reinforced concrete flat
plate slabs and a review of the SSDP FEA of other
areas of the building. Part 3 of the series will
provide an overview of the feasibility analysis
for the slab retrofit.■
Matthew Stuart is the Senior Structural Engineer at

Figure 11a. The SSDP FEM underestimated Figure 11b. The properly modeled FEM results
Pennoni Associates Inc. in Philadelphia, PA.
positive moments at column and middle strips by in correct positive moments at the column and
([email protected])
approximately 24%. middle strips.
J A N U A R Y 2 02 0 19
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INFOCUS
The Case for Data-Supported Project Interviews
By John A. Dal Pino, S.E.
I enjoy reading The Journal of Light The July 2018 issue of STRUCTURE This would include providing alternative
Construction (JLC) to learn about expert included an InSights piece titled Marketing structural systems (for gravity, wind, or seis-
techniques used on residential projects. In Services in an Amazon World by Michael mic) so that clients can see what they get
their June 2019 issue, I read two articles; Bernard. Bernard argued that when faced for the price of each system. Where our
Defining Efficiency Goals – A process for selling with the low-bid, pick-from-three-choices industry falls short, compared to, say, energy
performance in new homes by Indigo Ruth- dilemma, the best approach is to market using usage (see Ruth-Davis), is that we have dif-
Davis and As Best I Can by Mark Luzio. The the tried and true relationship model and ficulty accurately predicting the benefit our
Ruth-Davis article addressed how to sell to develop a strong personal bond that will work provides to the client, as measured by
high performing environmental designs for increase loyalty and trust, and make your firm damage avoided relative to the cost. Trying
homes in Vermont by providing alternative the go-to choice. I agree. to predict the actual damage and downtime
‘‘
designs with estimated construction to a building exposed to a major
costs and annual energy costs. The
I urge engineers to make a face-to-face design-basis event due to wind,
Luzio article focused on providing
with clients. Luzio describes always

doing the best he could, noting that
‘‘
quality construction and working interview a required part of their proposal if not impossible. The recent pic-
earthquake, or flood is difficult,
tures from the July 2019 Ridgecrest

so their clients get the best information California earthquakes (back-
he and his best clients know that to-back 6.4 and 7.1 magnitude
everything is not perfect (“a fool’s they can before making a decision. events) show minimal structural
errand” to quote), but that his work damage and plenty of structures
was not a low bid job either. But, in addition, I urge engineers to make a standing or undamaged that most engineers
These two articles made me think about how face-to-face interview a required part of their would have predicted to be otherwise using
to more successfully sell structural engineering proposal so their clients get the best informa- our current tools. Faced with this reality, it is
services in a marketplace that frustratingly is tion they can before making a decision. My hard to sell quality, well-conceived structural
continuing the trend toward commoditization, suggestion is not intended to inflate fees or fix systems, and high-performance alternatives,
lack of personal contact, and selection decisions the market, but to make sure clients hire the summarized succinctly by Luzio as doing As
based on initial fee (the Amazon effect). best engineer for their project. If your client Best I Can. The lowest price seems to be the
It must be written in stone somewhere that only builds one dream project in their life, right choice. Ouch!
sophisticated and unsophisticated clients they need to get it right, or as right as they can. As you can see, I am more than a little frus-
alike, be they architects, developers, or home- To be honest, project interviews have never trated by the current marketplace for structural
owners, must solicit three proposals before been my favorite part of marketing. It takes engineering services. It is impossible for any
selecting their structural engineer. Proposal a lot of time to put together a team, prepare one person to turn the clock back, but I think
text, scope, and qualifications seem unimport- the presentation, rehearse, re-configure the our clients would benefit greatly if we, as pro-
ant; just scroll down to the price and hourly presentation, re-rehearse, and then perform fessionals, advocated for qualification-based
rates and pick, since any building that meets well. But interviews are really the only good selections that include face-to-face interviews
the code must be the same as any other build- opportunity to develop a bond with the client where hard information can be exchanged,
ing that does too, right? My experience has and show how valuable you can be. Face expectations and goals discussed, and a level
demonstrated that price is almost always the to face, you can engage in the many subtle of confidence developed. We can show how
basis of selection, even though clients have aspects of your design approach and discuss good we are too! Continuing to participate in
reassured me that it is not. Even long-term, the value of regularity, uniformity, configura- the Amazon selection process will not turn out
repeat clients make selections this way. So tion, detailing, state-of-the-art practices, etc. well for anyone. Classical theory on perfectly
much for loyalty and trust. Clients have also I almost always feel complete after the competitive markets, in which work products
reassured me that they always get proposals interview. If my team is selected, I know we are not easily differentiated, tells us that. The
from three “essentially equal” engineers, so were the best; if we are not selected, at least low price always wins, and lots of the costlier,
there is no need for the decision-maker to I learned what to do better the next time, full service firms go bankrupt and engineers
speak with the structural engineering candi- other than lower my fee. In contrast, I feel lose their jobs. This might not be obvious to
dates on the telephone, or have a face-to-face empty writing proposals and waiting weeks or everyone today because the demand
interview to discuss design approach, per- months for the decision to be handed down. for engineering services is high, but
formance goals, schedule, cost, quality, and But to develop a winning interview markets are cyclical.■
communications (see Luzio). Given the mon- approach, engineers need to develop data
John A. Dal Pino is a Principal with FTF
etary risk associated with making a decision and metrics (see Ruth-Davis). With a little
Engineering located in San Francisco, California.
based on little data, when not chosen, my last effort, engineers should be able to develop
He serves as the Chair of the STRUCTURE
thought is always, “I hope they get lucky and cost and material quantities to demonstrate
Editorial Board. ([email protected])
it all works out for them.” that they can provide economical designs.
STRUCTURE magazine JANUARY 2020 21

Napa County
HISTORIC
Courthouse
PART 2
By Brett Shields, P.E., Luke Wilson, S.E.,
and Kevin Zucco, S.E.
Figure 1. Entry showing damage taken the morning of the earthquake.
O n August 24, 2014, the South Napa Earthquake left the Napa
County Historic Courthouse heavily damaged with par-
tially collapsed walls, ceilings, and extensive wall cracking (Figure 1).
Traditional Repair Methodology
Traditional repair methods, such as repointing mortar beds and grout
The City of Napa red-tagged the courthouse as un-occupiable, which injecting cracks, were used where observed damage was less extensive
began the extensive damage documentation effort outlined in the and cracking was limited to discrete locations. This was primarily
December 2019 edition of STRUCTURE. After documenting and concentrated on the first floor and the west end of the second floor
assessing damage, the design team refocused efforts towards a solution that experienced smaller deformations.
to repair and preserve as much of the historic building as practical Grout injecting was determined to be preferable for the repair of
while providing improved detailing. distinct larger cracks, but an alternative repair solution was needed
in areas of numerous cracks prevalent throughout the second floor.
Construction Documents Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix Overlay
The 140-year-old building is constructed with unreinforced brick, an Early in the repair design, the design team considered using traditional
“archaic” structural system. After considering the California Building Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) overlay on brick walls demonstrat-
Code (CBC) or American Society of Civil Engineers Standard for ing extensive cracking. Due to surface preparation requirements and
Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings (ASCE 41), ZFA material incompatibilities of FRP (epoxy resin vs clay and mortar),
Structural Engineers decided the California Historic Building Code the team turned to a new overlay product uniquely suited for brick
(CHBC) was the appropriate design code for the project because it masonry construction called Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix
would allow reuse of the historic brick walls. (FRCM) used extensively in Europe. FRCM was used to repair brick
Repair Approach
An overarching goal of the repair was to save the historic brick struc-
ture in its original state utilizing the original construction, where
possible, and providing modern construction techniques with ductile
detailing where rebuilding or strengthening the damaged condition
was required. Because of the historical materials and construction
techniques, 140 years of use and modification, and the wide range
of damage throughout, a single repair option was not appropriate.
Repair details were approached with continuity, resilient detailing,
and construction tolerances in mind. During documentation, the
high level of historic brick masonry craftsmanship became appar-
ent, particularly at the exterior of the building (Figure 2). Therefore,
repair work was kept on the inside face of the building to preserve
hand-shaped decorative brick features and trim adorning the exterior
of the structure. In areas of new wall construction, these features
were recreated with modern appendages and plaster to preserve the
historic appearance. Additionally, the historic interior wood trim and
wall wainscot were salvaged and reinstalled throughout the building. Figure 2. Historic exterior wall brick construction and dental cornice.
Figure 3. Analysis model showing original brick, CMU, and CMU with control joints. Figure 4. CMU reconstruction of damaged 2nd-floor walls.
masonry walls with significant cracking but minimal permanent final design included a stacked bond, in lieu of a traditional running
deformations, and to provide continuity through floors, walls, and bond and control joints located above and below windows, at reentrant
around corners. As a new product being brought to the United States corners, and regular vertical spacings in long rebuilt walls. The final
by manufacturers, including Simpson Strong-Tie, FRCM presented layup more closely matched the stiffness of the original brick walls
several challenges and opportunities from design through construction. such that new walls work in unison with existing walls, and lateral
These will be discussed in a future Part 3 article in STRUCTURE. loads are not concentrated in any one area. Additionally, many of
the exterior reentrant corners, whose stiffness concentrated seismic
CMU Design
load and deformations, were reconstructed out of CMU with control
Reinforced CMU construction was used in place of brick to reconstruct joints in the corners to decouple perpendicular walls.
areas where significant damage and permanent seismic deformations Combining the CMU rebuild with existing historic brick construc-
required walls to be rebuilt. These areas were primarily concentrated tion presented dimensional obstacles that were addressed in detailing.
at the east end of the second floor. Special design consideration was The brick arches at the 1st and 2nd-floor windows of rebuilt walls were
taken to avoid concentrating lateral and overturning loads from rela- recreated with precast concrete elements to adjoin rectangular CMU
tively stiff new CMU above to the remaining historic brick below. with curved historic windows. CMU was aligned at the exterior face
Analytical models were created using tested in-situ historic brick of brick to minimize furring and plasterwork on the visible historic
material properties to determine approximate stiffnesses of existing exterior and aid in providing a flush plaster joint with the existing
wall piers to be replaced. The same piers were then modeled with plaster finish. At interior walls, CMU was detailed to be centered on the
multiple CMU construction options, including partially grouted brick below to limit the dimensional offset from the brick below each
CMU, adjusted specified compression strength of masonry (f´m) using side for installation of FRCM continuity laps. Transitions of CMU to
different grout, different block and mortar properties, and alternate unreinforced brick were dowelled with alternating embedment lengths
block layouts to compare stiffnesses and strengths. to tie the walls together and avoid creating a defined weak plane in the
These adjustments did not provide the desired reduction in stiffness; brick similar to those observed at the 2003 concrete shear wall interface.
therefore, strategically located control joints were added to further The unique condition of anchoring new CMU walls to existing in-
reduce the stiffness of the areas rebuilt with CMU (Figure 3). The place ceiling framing allowed for cast-in-place anchorage to be located
Figure 5. Detail of CMU interface with historic brick arch. Figure 6. CMU and precast lintel construction above the original brick wall.
JANUARY 2020 23
accurately, avoiding the traditional rebuilding a new “straight” wall between
difficulties associated with locating two existing points (Figure 4, page 23)
cast-in-place anchorage. Connections while still supporting the floor and ceil-
employed slotted holes, post-installed ing. This condition was resolved through
anchorage, acceptable dimensional shimming of ledgers at small gaps and
ranges, shims, and acceptable offsets providing bearing angles at larger offsets.
to allow for as much existing variability While CMU has some adjustabil-
as possible, maximizing construction ity to accommodate small existing
tolerances. dimensional offsets, the number of
intricate interface conditions to exist-
ing construction was a challenge.
Construction CMU had to interface with historic
As is typical for working within an brick arches (Figure 5, page 23), exist-
existing building, multiple unfore- ing floors and ceilings, adjacent precast
seen conditions were discovered during concrete lintels (Figure 6 , page 23),
construction. This included uncover- uneven base levels, wall anchorage, and
ing additional damage to brick walls, existing penetrations while adjusting to
unknown wall voids or changes in wall match existing walls. The result was a
thickness, minor areas of dry rot, and number of details, both planned and
incomplete or changed configuration unforeseen, requiring a level of mason
of work shown in the 1977 retrofit Figure 7. Example of damage documentation drawings. care and ability beyond that of typical
documents. construction.
Damage documentation was largely
completed by observing cracking in the finished plaster to assess
overall damage before requiring expensive removal and reapplica-
Conclusions
tion of plaster. Localized areas were selected for removal to verify From the beginning of the damage documentation phase in early
that plaster cracking correlated to a crack in the brick substrate. 2016 to completion of construction, the overarching goal was to
Removing plaster during construction often revealed that numerous preserve the historic fabric of the building while providing improved
small patterned cracks observed in the plaster typically resulted from resiliency, with modern structural design and detailing techniques
fewer large cracks in the brick ultimately requiring grout injection. woven into the project.
Even in areas receiving FRCM overlay, larger, open cracks were grout Due to the archaic materials, the age of the building, and the architec-
injected to provide a cohesive substrate for the FRCM. The process tural layout of rooms, the extent of damage from a brief walkthrough
of injection uncovered a handful of unforeseen wall voids and chases could be easily underestimated. Extensive documentation utilizing
that required grout filling before crack injection. new technologies and proven methods to create a 3-D BIM model,
In addition to material similarities, CMU was used in the project for clearly and effectively documenting the as-built/damaged building,
its adjustability to accommodate small dimensional variations in the allowed all stakeholders to witness the entire building as affected
existing structure. Modern construction procedures and metrics focus on by the earthquake (Figure 7 ). While time-consuming, this detailed
installing materials straight, true, and plumb rather than matching exist- process was critical to the success of the project in supporting a step-
ing conditions. The roof and second floor experienced small permanent by-step agreement process in the scope of work and extent of repairs
displacements, which were compounded with plan dimension variations with all stakeholders.
along the length and height of each wall. This created a challenge in A combination of repair strategies was used, including repointing,
grout injection, localized rebuild of brick, FRCM overlay, and
reconstruction of walls with CMU. Reconstructed CMU walls
provided at areas of permanent deformations were designed
and detailed to perform similarly to the original construction,
allowing the first floor walls to remain with minimal alterations.
Additionally, the CMU thicknesses closely matched the original
building configuration, maintaining the architectural layout and
maximizing reuse of historic trim and wainscot.
While there were challenges and unforeseen conditions along
the way, the building has successfully reopened and provides the
County with services in a uniquely rich environment (Figure 8).
The design, construction, and lessons learned of the
Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix overlay system
will be covered in a future STRUCTURE article.■
All authors are with ZFA Structural Engineers in Santa Rosa, California.
Brett Shields is an Engineer. ([email protected])
Luke Wilson is an Associate Principal. ([email protected])
Kevin Zucco is an Executive Principal. ([email protected])
Figure 8. Grand opening on January 22, 2019.
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Vancouver
House By Geoff Poh, P.Eng
P icture yourself standing at the base of a 515-foot-tall high-rise

tower looking up to the sky with the side of the building being
only as wide as you are tall. Looking up, you see the tower gradually
grow out to one side above you, consecutively with each floor, seem-
ingly without any columns supporting the tower as the floor plate
expands in width by 16 times and doubles in area.
This was the challenge faced by the design team on the Vancouver
House project in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Now topped-
off and nearing occupancy, the playful curve of the tower is causing
a stir and turning the heads to all those who walk near it.
Spatial Limitations without Compromise

Vancouver House is a unique building that required unique solutions
from all disciplines. The design philosophy originates from the air-
space clearance requirements surrounding the Granville Street Bridge.
Needing to maintain at least a 98-foot (30-meter) safety offset from
the bridge, the design architects at Bjarke Ingels Group sculpted the
outline of the tower around these constraints without compromising
the usage of the space, taking the shape of what Bjarke Ingels describes
as a curtain being drawn aside.
Geometric Induced Structural Demands

The top of the building is rectangular, standing at nearly 100 feet
wide (30.5 meters) and 13,200 square feet (1,226 square meters)
in area. As you descend
the building, the floors
narrow and transform Topped-out Vancouver House tower north view (left) and south view (right).
at the north end of the
tower to a triangular pulls the tower floor slabs towards the bridge (eastward), collecting
shape nearly half the size the vertical gravity load of the concrete structural system and the
of the roof at only 6 feet superimposed loading. As the vertical columns gradually walk down
(1.8 meters) in width at the height of the building, they merge together. As the north tip of
the north end and 7,800 the building tapers to the width of a single column at the base of
square feet (725 square the tower, they push against the floor slab in the opposing direction
meters) in area at the (westward).
north end. Overlaying the rectangular floor onto the triangular shape below,
Post-tensioned rein- the elevator-and-stair core – the consistent vertical layout of the
forced concrete flat slabs building – is located off-center, pushed southwest from the center of
stack the tower at each the rectangular building above. With both principles of the walking
of the 60 floors above columns and the offset core, the tower is subject to sustained lateral
ground. Supporting con- and torsional forces under its own gravity loading, resulting in a
crete columns to each of permanent elastic lateral displacement up the height of the tower.
the floor slabs walk along
the curved silhouette of Gravity-Induced Lateral Design
the building following
Vancouver House model views. Core only the northeast edge. The in a High Seismicity Region
(top left); Full structure (top right); Full structure offset nature of the col- Adding to the complexity of the structural design, the high-seismicity
exploded section view (bottom). umns shifting each floor of the west coast of North America compounded the challenge for
the structural engineers at Glotman Simpson challenges, the coordination of the building façade
Consulting Engineers. The summation of both and all other services around a moving structure
gravity and seismic forces onto the system neces- in construction was a tall order for the executive
sitated a rigid vertical spine that is both flexurally architects at DIALOG.
and torsionally robust to stabilize the building. Mechanical and electrical services supporting
Vancouver House employs a reinforced concrete the daily use of the building were required to do
core utilizing innovative systems that have never similar gymnastics up its height. Centralized in one
been used in the local residential high-rise con- single location just north of the concrete core at
struction industry. the base of the tower, the services branching out
At the entrance to the elevator lobby, heavy wide- to the outer extremities of the building were like
flange beams embed 5 feet into the concrete walls the branches of a tree.
at both ends directly above as you enter and exit The cumulative stresses onto the post-tensioned
the core, connecting the two ‘C’ shapes of the core reinforced concrete slabs meant significant limita-
and closing it into a torsionally-strong box section. tions on the allowable concrete embedded services.
Rather than traditional yielding link beams, these The mechanical HVAC and electrical services were
heavy steel sections remain elastic under gravity removed from within the depth of the flat slabs –
and cyclic seismic loading. moving to coordinated ceiling drops – leaving only
Wing walls outrigger from northwest and south- a handful of special lighting features and mechanical
west corners of the offset core, staggering their lines at each floor to be meticulously coordinated
openings between the two walls on every floor. into the structure.
At the extreme ends of the wing walls and the An industry built around static structures under
furthest location from the core stand 11 post- gravity required a new approach to coordination
tensioned high-strength DYWIDAG threaded leading up to the construction of the building.
rods counteracting the primarily unidirectional All secondary components completing the archi-
loading of the tower, pulling the building back tectural aesthetic of the tower were designed with
to near verticality. additional movement tolerance and adjustability
to move with the building’s lean and twist for
years to come.
Limiting Cracks and
Ensuring Performance Construction Monitoring
Concrete cracks are a result of the inherent nature
of the material as it cures and is stressed. While
Proving Performance
shrinkage and flexural cracks quite commonly If constructed using traditional methods, at the
occur on reinforced concrete buildings, it is much point of structure top-off, the elastic movement at
more important to fully understand the perfor- the upper height of the tower would have displaced
mance and sensitivity of a tower with this level nearly 10 inches towards the east relative to the base.
of complexity and scrutiny. Glotman Simpson’s To bring the tower design back to near verticality
expertise in non-linear performance-based design and account for long-term creep, Vancouver House
in high-rise concrete structures along the west coast was deliberately constructed vertically out of plumb
of North America was invaluable in assessing the (tower cambering) at each floor following directly
requirements for the Vancouver House structure. opposite to the final displaced shape of the tower.
Models of the structure with post-yield struc- The upper floors of the tower were cambered to
tural element properties were created using offset the slopes formed by building rotation and
PERFORM3D and run against selected ground column shortening.
motions tailored to the project site (1.0x Maximum The engineers at Glotman Simpson worked dili-
Credible Earthquake – or MCE). Strain compat- gently with the construction team from ICON
ibility and stresses of critical elements were checked Floor plans and lateral loading. West Construction, both in the planning leading
under this level and then increased to 2.0x MCE. up to construction and for the duration of con-
It is essential to understand the cumulative crack widths at the core struction activities, to monitor the verticality of the tower through
walls and post-tensioned concrete flat slab diaphragms, the sum of each floor construction sequence. Movement surveys of the tower at
which will propagate the lateral displacement of the tower. The design every second floor were performed for the duration of construction
of the system followed the analysis to limit the cracks at these critical up to one year after topping off the building. Survey data collected
elements. Ultimately, the residual set of the structure was analyzed followed closely with the calculated movement of the tower during
to confirm near elastic performance under 1.0x MCE and vertical and after construction; there was no better way to confirm the
stability and safety under 2.0x MCE. Both service level gravity and calculated performance of the building well into the long lifespan
seismic load cases were also evaluated. of this world-class tower.
Success in Design Coordination and Planning An Icon for the West Coast of North America
“Every unit is custom-designed.” This aspect of the project was genu- Creativity, innovation, and meticulous design and coordination led
ine and not just a marketing tactic. Easily as complex as the structural to the success of this project. Performance-based-design with the use
JANUARY 2020 27
Wide-flange coupling beams in construction. Vertical post-tensioned high-strength Vancouver House in construction.
DYWIDAG threaded rods in construction.
of the latest technology in non-linear analysis developed the pos- Project Team
sibility for a tower like this to exist. Collaborative work to develop
Developer: Westbank Corp.
construction staging and sequence analysis turned the tower from
Design Architect: BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group)
paper to reality. The level of scrutiny placed on this project made it
Executive Architect: DIALOG
essential for efforts above and beyond any other project to develop
Structural Engineering Consultant: Glotman Simpson
a practical, constructible design. Vancouver House topped
Consulting Engineers
off in July 2018 and will always be a catalyst for creative
Landscape Architect: PFS Studio
architects and engineers.■
Mechanical Engineering Consultant: Integral Group
Electrical Engineering Consultant: Nemetz (S/A)
Geoff Poh is a Project Engineer at Glotman Simpson Consulting Engineers & Associates Ltd.
in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is the Project Manager and Building Envelope Consultant: Morrison Hershfield
one of the structural design engineers for the Vancouver House project. General Contractor: ICON West Construction
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structural REPAIR
Novel Solution for Strengthening Handrail
Anchorage
By Ali Abu-Yosef, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., Joseph Klein, P.E., Michael Ahern, P.E.,
and Randall Poston, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., NAE
D esign and detailing of handrail anchorages in concrete

structures must consider both structural performance
and susceptibility to corrosion. Without these dual con-
siderations, handrail anchorages are more likely to fail. For
decades, premature corrosion of handrail anchorage compo-
nents was prevalent in the concrete industry. Deterioration
of the anchor embedments due to galvanic corrosion, direct
exposure of aluminum to concrete, or insufficient concrete
Figure 1. Free body diagram for the anchor reaction forces produced by handrail
cover resulted in costly repairs. loading. Adapted from Raths 1974.
While improvements in structural detailing and material selection to analytical methods can be used to provide rational estimates of the
mitigate corrosion have been successfully implemented and are now reaction forces that develop within the anchorage assembly due to
common practice, the structural design and installation of handrail externally applied shear and moment forces. The free-body diagram
anchorages remains a minefield. A primary cause of continued handrail shown in Figure 1 is based on the findings reported by Raths (1974)
anchorage issues is the lack of clear delineation of design responsibili- for steel embedments in concrete at the ultimate state. The externally
ties and detailed coordination between the architect, handrail system applied handrail forces are resisted by a shear couple (CF and CB) that
manufacturers, the engineer of record, and the contractor. As a result, develops within the embedded depth of the anchorage assembly. The
inappropriate assumptions and poor communication remain a source free-body diagram can be used to calculate the breakout shear demand
of deficient handrail installations. (CF). It should be noted that Figure 1 does not include wind loading
Repair of structurally deficient rail-post anchors is both challenging for simplicity, but the demands due to wind loading can be included
and costly. Rail-post anchorage repairs often must maneuver tight similarly. In addition, a load reversal is possible but results in smaller
geometries, a concrete substrate congested with steel reinforcement, concrete breakout stresses due to the relative magnitudes of CF and
numerous forms of potential corrosion cells, and elevated access CB per the equation, (CF = VU + CB).
limitations. This article presents a novel repair solution that was used
to address structurally deficient handrail anchorages in a high-rise
building. The repair approach presented herein uses inert materials
that are not susceptible to corrosion due to environmental exposure.
Handrail Anchorage Assemblies – The Basics

The International Building Code (IBC) specifies the minimum applied
live loads on balcony railings. The effects of live and wind loads need
to be considered when designing handrail components. The selected
anchorage system should resist the effects produced by a 200-pound
concentrated live load or a 50 lb/ft linear live load applied directly
at the handrail, as well as location- and elevation-specific wind load-
ing. The applied loads are transmitted from the railing posts into the
anchorage assembly and the concrete slab.
The post anchorage should be designed to resist the effects of the
externally applied shear force and moment couple, without causing
breakout failure of the concrete slab. Calculating the force that is
developed within the anchor is not straightforward. This is particularly Figure 2. Concrete removal along a slab edge exposed grout pockets with missing
true for anchorages embedded into the concrete slab. Several published hairpin anchor reinforcement.
Handrail anchorage assemblies in concrete elements are designed
following the requirements of Chapter 17 of ACI 318-19, Building
Code Requirements for Structural Concrete. According to ACI require-
ments, the breakout shear force can be resisted by either the shear
breakout resistance of the concrete material at the slab edge or anchor
reinforcement. Unlike one-way beam shear strength requirements,
the contribution of the concrete resistance and the anchor reinforce-
ment cannot be added when calculating the breakout shear strength.
The concrete shear breakout strength is proportional to the distance
separating the anchorage embedment and the slab edge and is calcu-
lated using the formulas in Section 17.5.2 of ACI 318-19. In typical
balcony installations, the edge distance is minimized to increase usable
balcony space. As a result, the concrete breakout strength is marginal
and often insufficient to resist the applied design forces. Hence, anchor
reinforcement, commonly steel hairpins (U-shaped reinforcement
with legs extending back into the slab), are used to reinforce typical
anchorage assemblies in concrete balconies. Article 17.5.2.9 of ACI
318-19 permits the use of properly developed hairpin anchor rein-
forcement to resist the applied breakout forces. Because the concrete
breakout strength is marginal, failure to provide anchor reinforcement
around handrail posts due to improper design or installation can lead
to anchor failures. The following discussion examines a case study
of deficient handrail anchorages and the repairs performed to ensure
adequate structural performance.
A Hidden Deficiency
Rail-post anchorage deficiencies were discovered during slab-edge
repairs on an 8-year-old high-rise condominium. The slab edge repairs Figure 3. Details for typical NSM GFRP hairpin repair.
were performed to address the widespread corrosion of steel reinforce-

ment. The premature corrosion was the result of improper placement with building code requirements. Due to the limited edge distance
of reinforcing bars along the post-tensioned (PT) slab edges in the between the grout pocket and the slab edge, the post anchorages were
54-story building and mostly unrelated to the rail-posts anchorages. susceptible to breakout if design-level, or even service-level, loads
The repairs included removal and replacement of more than 1.5 linear were applied. Hence, structural repairs to strengthen the deficient
miles of slab edges directly exposed to weather. To mitigate future anchorages were necessary.
corrosion problems, the repairs utilized glass-fiber-reinforced polymer
(GFRP) bars to reinforce and anchor the newly cast slab edges.
The balcony railing system at the building consists of an aluminum
A Novel Repair Approach
frame with glass panels. The railing posts are embedded into 4-inch- Given that the existing and repaired slab edges did not have suffi-
deep grout pockets that were blocked out during placement of the cient breakout strength to resist the design loads, it was evident that
5.5-inch-thick PT slabs. The blockouts were later filled by no-shrink, mechanical strengthening using post-installed reinforcement was
high-strength mortar after the railing posts were secured in place. needed. However, the use of drilled-in, post-installed steel anchor
The original design called for No. 5 steel hairpin reinforcement to be reinforcement was not a feasible option. To adequately develop a
placed around the grout pockets with a top concrete cover of 1 inch. post-installed anchor reinforcing bar beyond the breakout failure
The diameter of the grout pockets is approximately 4 inches, with plane, minimum 12-inch-deep holes had to be drilled into the slab
the centerline of the pockets located 3 to 6 inches from the slab
edge. As a result, the distance between the outer edge of the grout
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pocket and the slab edge ranged between 1 and 4 inches. The rail
post-block-out position and depth contributed to congestion and Demos at www.struware.com
low reinforcement cover in the vicinity.
During the early stages of repair construction, the contractor Wind, Seismic, Snow, etc. Struware’s Code Search program calculates these and
exposed railing post anchorages that did not have the No. 5 hairpin other loadings for all codes based on the IBC or ASCE7 in just minutes (see online
video). Also calculates wind loads on rooftop equipment, signs, walls, chimneys,
anchor reinforcement as specified in the original design (Figure 2). trussed towers, tanks and more. ($250.00).
The issue of missing anchor reinforcement was only observed at
CMU or Tilt-up Concrete Walls Analyze solid walls for out of plane loading and
the bottom four stories of the residential tower. A review of the panel legs next to or between openings by automatically calculating loads to the wall
original construction documents suggested that the culprit for leg from vertical and horizontal loads at the opening. ($75.00 ea)
the missing anchor reinforcement was likely miscommunication Floor Vibration Program to analyze floors with steel beams and/or steel joist.
between the structural engineer, the railing system manufacturer, Compare up to 4 systems side by side ($75.00).
and the contractor. Concrete beam/slab Program to provide bending, shear and/or torsional reinforcing.
As constructed, the railing anchorages with missing anchor Quick and easy to use ($45.00).
reinforcement were structurally deficient and did not comply
JANUARY 2020 31
substrate. Due to steel congestion near the slab edge and the
presence of PT tendons and anchor components, the risk of
accidentally damaging existing reinforcement and PT tendons
during drilling was substantial. The steel congestion near the
slab edge mitigated the use of non-destructive testing methods
to reliably locate embedded PT components before drilling.
The repair team also considered using externally applied carbon-
fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets to strengthen the slab
edges around the post anchorages. However, due to the slab
edge geometry and the presence of a drip edge along the slab
soffit, the CFRP sheets could not be adequately developed.
Furthermore, the repaired slab edges were to remain exposed,
with only a thin layer of elastomeric coating. Hence, the sur-
face applied CFRP sheet fibers would have visibly affected the
aesthetics of the repair.
Given the numerous project restraints, the repair team deter-
mined that near-surface mounted (NSM) reinforcement was
an ideal solution. NSM reinforcing bars are embedded within
purposely prepared surface grooves using epoxy. Stresses are trans-
mitted from the reinforcing bar to the epoxy and then to the Figure 4. GFRP hairpin installed around a railing post grout pocket.
concrete substrate through mechanical bond. Because the NSM
grooves do not extend more than 1.0-inch-deep into the slab, the the NSM reinforcement solution has little to no impact on the repair
risk of damaging existing reinforcement or rupturing PT tendons aesthetics and effectively resists the design forces.
is mitigated. The epoxy-filled NSM grooves can be leveled with the If poorly detailed or constructed, the use of steel reinforcement in
top concrete surface, which is eventually coated with an elastomeric NSM repairs can lead to premature corrosion. To mitigate corrosion
waterproofing membrane. Also, a top surface placement is most effec- risk, the design team opted to use GFRP hairpin reinforcement for the
tive in resisting the moment resulting from applied forces. Hence, handrail anchorage repairs. GFRP bars are electrochemically inert and
are not susceptible to corrosion, regardless of the exposure conditions.
ACI 440.2R-08, Guide for the Design and Construction of Externally
AutoTight ® Bonded FRP Systems for Strengthening Concrete Structures, provides

design provisions and construction guidelines for NSM systems
with FRP bars. The size of the GFRP bar is first determined by
TIGHTER CONNECTIONS evaluating the tensile capacity of the bar. The tensile strength of
GFRP reinforcement must be reduced to account for environmental
BETTER PERFORMANCE exposure effects. Also, the tensile strength of GFRP reinforcement
with bends (for example, hairpins) is further reduced to account for
the stress concentrations that can occur within the bend region. ACI
Committee 440 provides guidelines for minimum allowable GFRP
bend radii to alleviate the stress concentrations at the bend locations.

The repair specifications in this project also restricted the allowable
amount of cross-sectional distortion of the bends to reduce the effect
of manufacturing discrepancies on stress concentrations.
Based on the calculated demands, the analysis determined that a
No. 3 GFRP hairpin was sufficient to provide anchor reinforcement

for each handrail post. The length of the hairpin legs was determined
based on the bond strength criteria provided in Section 13.3 of
ACI 440.2R. For the selected bar dimensions and load demands,
a development length of 12 inches was needed. The surface groove
dimensions were detailed based on the ACI 440 guidelines. The
minimum specified depth and width of the surface grooves (¾ inch)
were greater than 1.5 times the GFRP bar diameter. Also, the groove
surfaces had to be roughened and cleaned before installation of the
epoxy adhesive and the GFRP bar.
Because slab edge repairs were in progress immediately adjacent to
the rail posts, measures had to be developed to reliably incorporate
the NSM repairs into the newly cast slab edges. To this end, the
repair engineer provided two alternatives for the contractor. The first
ZERO LOOSENESS alternative allowed for placing a blockout over the newly cast slab
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edge to form the needed NSM groove. This option was ideal if the
slab edge repairs at a given location needed to be performed before
the NSM installation. The blockout is then removed, and the groove execution, the railing system in each of the affected balconies was
surfaces are prepped and cleaned before the GFRP hairpin installation. temporarily supported in the out-of-plane direction, and public access
If the NSM installation could be performed before the slab edge to balconies was restricted to prevent failure of the handrail system
was cast, the contractor was allowed to embed the curved portion of during repair execution.
the hairpin into the repair concrete. Because the thermal expansion
properties of concrete and GFRP are different, the design specified
an increased concrete cover over the portion of the GFRP hair-
Conclusion
pin embedded in concrete and not epoxy. Shallow concrete cover The use of fiber-reinforced-polymer bars in concrete construction has
over GFRP bars can result in cracking due to a thermally-induced increased rapidly over the last few decades. Due to their inherently
strain differential between the concrete and the GFRP material. As inert characteristics, GFRP bars provide an attractive solution for
such, while a clear cover of ⅛ inch was sufficient for portions of structures in corrosive environments. As demonstrated here, GFRP
the GFRP bars covered with epoxy, a more significant cover was reinforcing bars are a viable solution for use in repair projects. The
needed for portions embedded in concrete. Per ACI 440 guide- limitations and challenges encountered in this project were not unique
lines, the portions of the GFRP hairpin that were embedded in or isolated, and this repair option provided an effective means
concrete had a vertical cover of at least ½ inch. This was achieved of avoiding the traditional pitfalls of conventional rail post
during construction by gradually increasing the depth of the NSM anchorage repairs.■
groove as the distance to the slab edge decreased. Figure 3 (page 31)
schematically shows the repair details, and Figure 4 shows a GFRP The online version of this article contains references.
hairpin soon after installation. Please visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
The repair contractor was able to perform the repairs without remov-
ing the railing components, which further reduced the cost of the All authors are employed by Pivot Engineers, PLLC in Austin, Texas.
repairs. The groove edges were created using shallow saw cuts, and Ali Abu-Yosef is a Senior Engineer. ([email protected])
then 15-pound chipping hammers were used to remove the concrete
within the sawcut boundaries. The groove surfaces were roughened Joseph Klein is a Project Engineer. ([email protected])
per ACI 440 requirements to improve the bond between the epoxy Michael Ahern is a Principal. ([email protected])
and concrete substrate. The epoxy adhesive selected for the NSM
Randall Poston is a Senior Principal and the President of the American
repair was chosen based on reported past performance and recom-
Concrete Institute. ([email protected])
mendations of the GFRP bar manufacturer. During NSM repair
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JANUARY 2020 33
STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING
INSTITUTE
STRUCTURES CONGRESS 2020
APRIL 5-8, 2020 | St. Louis, Missouri
BUILDINGS BRIDGES BLAST FORENSIC NATURAL DISASTERS

KEY:
CAREER DEVELOPMENT/BUSINESS/PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE EDUCATION/RESEARCH
NON BUILDING/SPECIAL STRUCTURES NON STRUCTURAL
View interactive technical session detail, keynotes, and events, and plan your schedule:
www.structurescongress.org
IES sessions — presenters showcase their work in a very short presentation and then have
time to interact directly with attendees.
Monday, April 6
9:30 -10:30 a.m.  Novel Building and Bridge Design with Structural
Optimization
 Climate Change and Our Structural Systems: SE 2050
Initiative  Life-Cycle of Structures & Infrastructures Under Climate
Change
 Evolution of Stadium Designs – Structural Expression
and Aesthetics  Finite Element Modeling for Concrete Anchorages
 Structural Collapse Investigation
 Accelerated Bridge Construction 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
 How to Verify SE Software  Rain Loads – The Forgotten Natural Hazard
 Coming Soon to ASCE7-22: Coupled Analysis  When Engineer's Make Mistakes: Peer Review, Company
of Nonbuilding Structures Culture and the Peter Principle
 Classroom to the Boardroom: Transitioning  Existing Masonry: Assessment and Repair
to an Entry-Level Engineer
 Advanced Inspection and Monitoring of Bridges
 Concrete Research in Bridges (IES)  Business of BIM: Perspective on State of the Practice/
 Data-Driven Models and Physics-Based Models: Common BIM Pain Points
Friends or Foes?
 Autonomous Transportation Structures Inspection and
 Tornado Loads – Coming in ASCE 7-22! Maintenance
 Tall Buildings in Timber – Achieving Sustainable Urban
11:00 -12:30 p.m. Density
 Impact of New Snow Load Research on ASCE-7  Hostile Vehicle Mitigation and Evolution of Space It is
Applied To (IES)
 Negotiation Strategies That Benefit Your Career  Machine Learning for Structural Engineers: A Critical
 Multi-Threat Environments and Integration Examination Advances in Performance-Based Wind
of Protection Technology Engineering
 Management, Inspection and Rehabilitation of ABC Bridges  Advances in Performance-Based Wind Engineering
 VR for Structural Engineers – An Interactive Presentation
 FIU Pedestrian Bridge Collapse SPECIAL SESSIONS
 The Iconic Gateway Arch: Design, Rehabilitation and Future 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
 Diaphragms and Load Paths: Structural Systems  Millennium Tower – The Story
Working Together (IES)
REGISTER NOW | #Structures20
www.structurescongress.org
Tuesday, April 7
9:30 -10:30 a.m.  Vintage is In: Retrofitting for Today's World (IES)
 Cold-Formed Steel Connections to Other Materials  Computational Research
 Creating Custom Tools for your Firm's Analytical Software  Trends in Onshore Heavy Industrial Modularization
and the Benefits of Sharing  Seismic Renovation of the Robert A. Young Federal Building
 Overview – Structural Design for Physical Security
Manual of Practice
1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
 Nonbuilding and Special Structures Case Studies  ASCE 7-16 Learn from the Experts – Wind Design Examples
 Expanding Engagement – Working for Equity in the AEC  Claim – Share: Full Disclosure
Workplace by Leading Cultural Change
 Impact of Climate Change on Infrastructure  Practice in Shock Loads and Protection Against
Close In Explosives
 Recycle Me! Reusing and Repairing Buildings  Bridge Loading and Rating
 Computational Imaging and Machine Vision for Civil  Engineer to Entrepreneur
Engineering (IES)
 Cultivating 21st Century Traits in UG Engineering  Iconic Bridges of St. Louis City
Students  Exemplar Guidance: Advancing Structural Fire Engineering
in the U.S.
 Building Envelopes: A Critical Factor in a
Building’s Resistance to Natural Hazards.  Structural Testing Research (IES)
 Design and Analysis of Nonstructural Components
11:00 -12:30 p.m.  Vision for the Future: HPC and AI in Structural Engineering
 ASCE 7-16 Learn from the Experts – Seismic Design Examples
 Software SPECIAL SESSIONS
 Recent Advances in Disproportionate Collapse 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.
 Bridge Rehabilitation   Conceptual Design of Bridges and Buildings – The Sequel
 Career Advancement Bootcamp for the Young  Don’t Touch That Dial! Professional Liability Case Study
 Structural Engineer Structural Health Monitoring for Bridges Marathon (CASE)
 Updating ASCE 49: Wind Tunnel Testing for Buildings  Confidential Reporting of Structural Safety in the United States
and Structures
Wednesday, April 8
9:00 -10:00 a.m. 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.
 Design by the Book: When Old Codes Learn New Tricks  Precast Concrete and Disproportionate Collapse
 Engineering Ethics and Teamwork  Technical Summit on AI in Structural Engineering
Innovative Materials and Techniques
 Foundation Issues – Nonbuilding and Special Structures
 Long Span Bridges Case Studies  Composite Materials in Bridges
 Leading and Leveraging Conflict to Achieve Innovation  Famous Structures in St. Louis
 Emerging Trends in Inspection Robotics  Seismic Research in Bridges
 Make Mine a Tall: Overcoming Challenges  Diverging from Disposable Buildings
in Tall Building Design  Infrastructure Life-Cycle Analysis: Frameworks
and Applications (IES)
 Active Shooter Mitigation: Ballistic Hardening
and Other Ideas (IES)  Restoration, Repair and Structural Health Monitoring
(SHM) Research
 Materials Research
 Effect of Building Code Changes on Community Recovery  Effect of Policy Changes on Community Recovery and
and Resilience Resilience
NORTHRIDGE 25 YEARS LATER
Seismic Safety in California Hospitals

By Chris Tokas
T
Performance of all Buildings at 23 Hospital Sites with One
or More Yellow or Red Tagged Buildings
he performance of existing buildings in earthquakes
Number (%) of Buildings
provides many lessons. Most of them – building system Type of Damage Pre Act Post Act
Structural Damage
specific – have been very eloquently articulated in the pre-
Red tagged 12 (24%) 0 (0%)
ceding articles published in STRUCTURE (Northridge – 25 Yellow tagged 17 (33%) 1 (3%)
Green tagged 22 (43%) 30 (97%)

Years Later series). However, as the discussion about creating
Nonstructural Damage
resilient communities continues, other lessons learned are Major 31 (61%) 7 (23%)
Minor 20 (39%) 24 (77%)

factors to consider before drafting policies intended to reduce Total Buildings 51 31
the risks associated with Natural Hazard Events (NHE). Figure 1. Northridge Earthquake – hospital performance.
The Hospital Seismic Retrofit Program, known as SB 1953, provides Safety Act in 1972. The act required buildings to have special
an exceptional opportunity to study a large-scale program designed seismic detailing to resist earthquake forces with limited damage.
to enhance seismic safety in existing buildings. Mazmanian and Since March 7, 1973, the design, construction, and maintenance
Sabatier (1989) studied and wrote extensively about public policy of California's hospitals have been governed by individual statutes,
and stated that implementation runs typically through a number of regulations, and design standards aimed at assuring hospital func-
stages: beginning with the passage of a statute or law, followed by tionality following a major earthquake. The standards are intended
policy inputs made by implementing agencies or regulations, compli- to ensure that vulnerable patients are safe in an earthquake, and the
ance by target groups with those inputs (decisions), assessment of the facilities remain functional to care for injured persons in the com-
actual impacts (both intended and unintended), perceived impacts munity after such a disaster. These standards are implemented by
of agency decisions, and, finally, important revisions or attempted California’s Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
revisions in the basic statute. The case of California Senate Bill (SB) (OSHPD) and include stringent seismic design requirements,
1953 provides excellent lessons in policymaking. thorough plan review, approval of all designs, continuous con-
struction inspection, materials testing, and strict monitoring of
all construction projects.
Legislative History However, the 1972 HSSA only applied to new hospital buildings
The law that established the hospital seismic retrofit program did not and the alterations or remodeling of existing structures. OSHPD had
develop in a vacuum. Its origins lie deep within California’s concerns no authority to require upgrading of pre-HSSA structures to meet the
about earthquake safety, and it emerged from a long series of events. mandated standards for new construction. When the Act became law,
To truly appreciate the California Hospital Seismic Retrofit Program it was envisioned that these pre-1973 Act or nonconforming buildings
as a whole, it is essential to look back to the genesis of the program. would be replaced with new conforming buildings through attrition.
Following the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake in which several hos- However, years later, a significant number of nonconforming hospital
pitals sustained substantial damage or collapsed, government officials, buildings with questionable earthquake performance were still in use.
design professionals, and health care providers came to the realiza-
tion that functioning hospitals after a The Impact of the
major earthquake are critically impor-
tant. While emergency field hospitals, Northridge Earthquake
medical tents, and air-lifts to available The performance of these newer hospi-
facilities are often used to supplement tals in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake
when hospitals are damaged, these will proved that the HSSA was responsible
never provide a sufficient substitute. for dramatically improving the perfor-
Only modern health care facilities, mance of hospital buildings (Figure 1).
located within the damaged region and While no buildings constructed after
capable of functioning at full capac- the HSSA were red-tagged, 24% of
ity, can adequately provide the needed the pre-HSSA hospital buildings were
medical assistance. red-tagged, meaning the buildings
As a result, the Legislature passed had to be evacuated because of struc-
the landmark Hospital Seismic Figure 2. California hospital seismic safety definitions. tural damage. Another 33% of the
pre-HSSA buildings were “yellow-tagged,” meaning SB 1953 Enacted Seismic evaluations and Improvements
plans for compliance to allow
the buildings had restricted use and access. submitted to OSHPD Evacuation Extensions
The effects of the Northridge Earthquake on hospitals Alfred E. Alquist (NPC-2)
HSSA Enacted
provided the additional incentive needed to advance leg- 2013 2018 2025
islation addressing the concern about hospital buildings 2008 2015 2020 2030
built before 1973. The bill, SB 1953, was introduced
into the California Senate only five weeks after the 1973 1994 2001 2002
Northridge Earthquake. 15 years
36 years
The basic strategy incorporated into the SB 1953 21 years
19 years
program was first to evaluate each hospital building 57 years
and place it into a specific seismic performance category
Prevent collapse
(Figure 2). and loss of life
The seismic compliance portion of the law was based (SPC-2 or higher)
All buildings capable of continued
on a two-step approach: –1971 Sylmar, 1989 Loma Prieta, and 1994 Northridge EQs operation (SPC-3 or higher)
• Buildings that provided acute care services and
Figure 3. California hospital seismic compliance program major milestones.
posed a significant risk of collapse during an earth-
quake (SPC-1 Buildings) had to be removed from
service by 2008 or strengthened to SPC-2 level (LS level). RAND (2019) corporation, in a recent report, stated: “In recent years,
• By January 1, 2030, all acute care hospital buildings must be OSHPD has worked closely with hospitals to maintain compliance with
capable of not only surviving a major earthquake but also must legislative requirements of SB 1953 while pursuing opportunities to
be capable of providing on-going services after an earthquake. address common barriers to compliance. Such collaborative relationships
Very rarely are public policies implemented without unanticipated, between OSHPD and hospitals enable ongoing deliberation regarding
often adverse side effects, and SB1953 had its share of adverse side effects. the reasonableness of seismic requirements. This deliberation enhances
The high percentage of SPC 1 buildings and a healthcare industry in the likelihood of identifying policy innovations that reduce the burden,
turmoil because of financial problems, especially after the passage of and therefore increase the likelihood of compliance.”
the Affordable Care Act, sparked several legislative efforts to modify The following are some examples of when interventions by the
the original compliance deadline, which had already been extended to implementing agency (OSHPD) was very instrumental in realigning
2013 (Figure 3). The lesson here is that significant changes in design the program and facilitating compliance.
practice concerning existing buildings of varying ages on complicated
The “Safer Sooner” Concept
sites take a much longer time to implement than anyone could foresee.
Eventually, the 2008 compliance deadline was moved to 2025. Why spend good money on outdated/obsolete buildings and extend
However, the compliance date of 2030 for all California hospitals life for only a few more years? In 2007, California enacted SB 306
required to meet the “functionality” performance level has remained to permit a delay in compliance for SPC-1 buildings if the hospitals
unchanged thus far. demonstrated they lacked the financial capacity to remove SPC-1
buildings from service by 2013 and if the hospital agreed to replace
the SPC-1 building by 2020. Twenty-four hospitals were granted
Re-examine, Re-align, Repeat… SB 306 extensions.
As was learned, the implementation of public policy is not a linear
The “Worst Buildings First” Concept
process. The seismic evaluation of the existing hospital buildings
yielded a surprisingly large number of buildings that required either Not all buildings “posing threat to life” (SPC-1 buildings) pose the
retrofit or replacement, and which constituted a large proportion of all same risk. In 2005, after careful evaluation, OSHPD selected the
acute care hospital buildings in California. OSHPD had to develop, HAZUS (Hazards US) earthquake loss estimation methodology as
in conjunction with the Hospital Building Safety Board, innovative a tool to re-examine and assess the seismic risk for each SPC-1 hos-
solutions to this dilemma; “How to keep pital building (Tokas et al., 2008, 2009).
existing hospitals functioning at the same Utilizing the HAZUS AEBM methodol-
time ensuring compliance with the Law?” ogy, SPC-1 buildings were ranked based
OSHPD, keenly aware of the cost of ret- on their relative risk, thereby enabling the
rofitting, attempted to require only the policymakers to implement “Worst First.”
absolute minimum and gave as much flex-
“The Public has the Right
ibility as possible for compliance. OSHPD
to Know.”
has looked for ways to lessen the impact
of the seismic retrofit program without In 2009, the California legislature enacted
jeopardizing safety. That has been achieved SB 499, which requires hospitals to report
by continually re-examining the program their compliance progress. This motivated
and realigning it by adopting policies to hospitals.
provide flexibility in its implementation,
Compliance Time vs. Risk
or by looking forward at the national level
to adopt state of the art seismic retrofit In 2011, the California legislature enacted
standards to provide hospitals with options SB 90, which authorized OSHPD to grant
on how to meet seismic standards. The Figure 4. Compliance time vs. risk. hospitals an extension of up to seven years
JANUARY 2020 37
beyond the 2013 deadline to retrofit or replace SPC-1 hospital build-
ings. The length of the extension was determined by OSHPD on a
case-by-case basis using the following criteria: 1) structural integrity
of the building risk (Figure 4, page 37 ); 2) community access to care
if the hospital building was to close; and 3) financial capacity of the
hospital to complete the construction projection. However, the law
specifically required that such extension shall not exceed the time
necessary to reasonably complete the strengthening to at least a life
safety performance level (SPC-2).
The Need for SPC-4D
Model codes have changed, making upgrading of pre-1973 hospital
buildings to the immediate occupancy performance level cost-
prohibitive to meet the 2030 functionality requirements. Rural
and other hospitals in underserved areas have limited resources to Figure 5. Seismic performance of SPC-4D hospital buildings.
upgrade to these requirements. Furthermore, the SPC-2 buildings
may be landlocked by higher SPC buildings such that removing
the SPC-2 building from service could make the hospital inoper- safety for the city. The window of discourse (otherwise known as
able, or the hospital may not have property on which to build a an Overton window), which defines the range of thinking by the
replacement building. public on what is acceptable, sensible, or popular in terms of public
As such, OSHPD instituted a new Seismic Performance Category, safety, has shifted in public opinion and policy to make some of
SPC-4D, which allows hospitals to comply with a building code the voluntary retrofit programs mandatory as opinions and minds
edition that meets the level of performance of many SPC-4 build- have changed over time. To achieve this required years of effort,
ings (Figure 5), but which is less than complying with current planning, and communication with elected officials, stakeholders,
code (SPC-5) as had previously been required. Strengthening and the public at large.
to SPC-4D is intended to control damage to permit return-to-
function similar to post-1973 compliant buildings (SPC-3 or 4)
but not as quickly as SPC-5 (IO level) buildings. Hospitals are
The Results
using this option to strategize their master plan and explore vari- Following the Northridge earthquake, California hospitals have
ous cost-effective options. made great strides towards building and community resilience that
is both practical and cost-effective. Recognizing that it is extremely
costly to bring existing buildings up to the fully functional level of
Policy Implementation modern codes, OSHPD, in consultation with the Hospital Building
The extent that policies are implemented is affected by events that Safety Board, has established reasonable and achievable seismic
occur even before the policy is adopted. The need to mitigate against performance categories and standards for existing hospital buildings
the likely consequences of NHE takes public regulation of private and has adapted as necessary. A majority of hospital owners have
behavior to protect the public interest. embraced the seismic safety standards and are on a path towards
Assumptions that organizations outside the policymakers will auto- seismic compliance with the Hospital Seismic Safety Act. While it
matically comply with directives and regulations imposed on them may appear that some of the building seismic safety standards such
cannot be made. Alesch, Arendt, and Petak (2012) suggest several as SPC-4D and NPC-4D are lower than what model code dictates as
questions to consider before drafting a policy intended to reduce risks the standard of performance for critical facilities, the proper enforce-
associated with NHE: ment of the standard compensates for it. Plan review oversight,
What are the primary obstacles to implementing public regulatory construction observation, and continuous inspection significantly
policies? How do “Organizations” make choices of how much to improve the reliability of hospital buildings in a damaging seismic
spend on mitigating the likely consequences of rare but potentially event, which translates to re-occupancy in a very short period.
catastrophic events? What characteristics of public policies increase California is overdue for its next big earthquake. The resiliency
the likelihood of successful implementation? The relative long-term preparedness of the hospitals will soon be tested, and OSHPD will
success of public policy design and implementation depends on the confirm or revise the standards based on lessons learned.
entire context within which the process takes place. Retrofitting or upgrading a building before a damaging
As the context changes, the policy needs to change. Rigidity in event is always better than post-event recovery.■
policymaking and implementation limits the capacity of the affected
system to achieve the initially desired outcomes in the face of dynamic The online version of this article contains references.
contextual change. Please visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
Following the OSHPD model, and being cognizant of the damage
and disruption a major earthquake can cause for big cities and large
populated areas, San Francisco and Los Angeles have led the charge Chris Tokas is the Deputy Division Chief, Facilities Development Division
in the development and successful passage of mandatory ordinances (Sacramento) at the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
to improve the vulnerability of the building stock. Earlier voluntary (OSHPD).
retrofit programs were less effective in achieving the desired level of
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Cloud-Based Modeling
Why It’s Catching On and What You Need to Know
By Michelle McCarthy and Doug Evans
“The original idea of the web was that it should be a collaborative space where you can communicate
through sharing information.” –Tim Berners Lee, inventor of the world wide web
T oday, cloud-based modeling for con-

struction is an example of Lee’s original
thought. Companies employing these meth-
cloud means your team can be spread across
multiples states, countries, or continents, and
all they need is an internet connection.
processing power is done in the virtualized
network rather than locally, reducing the cost
of upgrading local machines to maintain the
ods are reaping real, recognizable benefits For smaller companies or even single-person processing power required when working on
from cloud-based modeling. The technology operations, cloud-based modeling offers scal- data-rich BIMs. Cloud hosting providers con-
required to support cloud-based modeling can ability in being able to team up with others tinually upgrade their servers to keep up with
be challenging to sift through, but understand- for collaboration on a project. The ability to the demands of current software so that users
ing and harnessing its power can pay off in share the model via the cloud makes it far do not have to. Also, backups are generally a
both time savings and productivity increases. easier to collaborate with outside companies. part of the cloud-hosting providers’ services,
In a “follow the sun” workflow, teams are taking another worry off the user’s plate.
What is Cloud-Based dispersed globally but working on the same
project and passing it from team to team at
Modeling the end of the workday; cloud-based modeling
What You Need to Know
Cloud-based modeling, in its broadest significantly reduces file management tasks as A critical concern for cloud hosting BIM
interpretation, means that the Building all data is accessed in a single location. Also, data is that there can be legal issues when
Information Model (BIM) you are design- for work performed in countries where power it comes to where the data is hosted – or
ing and contributing data to is accessed via outages occur with some frequency, cloud- where the cloud hosting provider’s servers are
the internet and hosted on a cloud computing based modeling provides a distinct advantage located. Laws differ from the U.S. to the EU
service. Technology companies have differing when hosted on a virtualized network. While when it comes to data privacy, so be sure to
philosophies when it comes to cloud-based the power may go out locally, it will likely not investigate what laws apply to your project
modeling tools. Some technologies enable have gone out at the hosted site. and your company, and what your options
you to do the processing on a local computer, Cloud-based modeling can provide a sig- are when it comes to locations of your cloud
pulling and pushing data to a central model nificant impact on a project basis as well. The hosting service.
that is hosted in the cloud. At the same time, In-Model Review process, which allows engi- Finally, cloud-based modeling requires an
other tech tools offer the ability to login to neers of record to use the fabrication model internet connection, and the user is reliant
the cloud-hosted model where all model- as an added data point for the submittal and on the quality, consistency, and availability
ing and processing is done live in the cloud, review process, can be moved to the cloud of that connection. This will impact choices
either via online software tools or virtualized – meaning that notes, revisions, and change for cloud-based modeling.
networks. Cloud computing services can be orders are immediately accessible by the fab- The availability and affordability of cloud
broken down into Infrastructure as a Service ricator and detailers and can be addressed hosting services will continue to come more
(IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS). IaaS sooner, shaving days off turnaround times. within reach. While there are some perceived
refers to services that offer servers, virtual Access to the cloud-based model extends its cons that might scare some away, the efficien-
machines, networks, and storage on a rent benefits beyond just engineers to many of the cies gained and savings made by companies
basis. SaaS, in turn, requires that users con- partners on the project; whether it is General who implement cloud computing push it into
nect to the applications through the internet Contractor or a tradesman like an erector or common practice, just as Building Information
on a subscription basis. There is not just one a plumber. Using the model as the center of Modeling and Integrated Project Delivery
way to accomplish cloud-based modeling. communication gives visual feedback to high did ten years ago. This final quote from Tim
(https://bit.ly/2m4ZHc3) priority RFIs, change orders, revisions, and Berners Lee is an excellent summary for the
members on hold. Dealing with that informa- future of cloud-based modeling, “The Web
tion through the model is significantly easier as I envisaged it, we have not seen it
The Advantages than sifting through emails. The data in the yet. The future is still so much bigger
Why are so many companies introducing this BIM has value to all involved in the project. than the past.”■
technology? First, it takes geographic location For IaaS cloud-based modeling that is
out of the equation as a limitation and broad- accomplished on a virtualized network, there Michelle McCarthy is Director of Sales
ens the available talent pool when it comes to are other benefits to consider, such as the user’s Operations at SDS/2, a Nemetschek Company.
manpower. Now, a perfect hire does not have technology infrastructure. When operating Doug Evans is the Vice President of North
to relocate to be a valuable resource on your on a virtualized network, local machines are America Sales for SDS/2.
team. Also, the accessibility to the model in the just a portal to the virtual network. High-level
40 STRUCTURE magazine JANUARY 2020

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J A N U A R Y 2 02 0 41
business PRACTICES
Hiring Experienced Structural Engineers
By Michael “Batman” Cohen
S TEM jobs (Science, Technology,

Engineering, and Math) are on the rise,
and STEM degree programs and graduates
people reflect on their future, ask
questions of themselves, and make
new goals/strategies.
phones. Communicate in short one-
to two-sentence paragraphs. Include
relevant links (projects, coworkers,
are on the rise too. So, why are Structural 2) Selling Your Organization managers, etc.). It is okay to be funny
Engineers so hard to find, particularly mid- a) Unlike other STEM fields, technol- and be yourself. Authenticity comes
level engineers with a few years of experience? ogy is not as rapidly advancing for through in an email. If you want to
Several reasons are essential to understand if SEs, so other details have to be taken test your authenticity, read your email
we are going to create strategies to find and into account when reaching out to aloud (to yourself or a colleague) –
attract that elusive talent. sell a candidate on working for you. does it sound very natural and reflect
Finding entry-level engineers is not a prob- Remember, “Everyone is working on how you usually communicate?
lem for most firms but a mid-to-senior level? exciting projects with cool clients,” – c) Qualifying/Screening Candidates
Incredibly challenging. Here’s why: so be SPECIFIC! Share details they – An important thing to remember
1) Structural Engineering (SE) projects cannot easily find on their own. for the phone screening is to have a
last longer and are more complex than b) Overcoming NDA’s can be tough, predetermined list of information you
many other STEM professions. Unlike and, if not thought out ahead of time, want to gather every time. Our best
most other non-research-based STEM reaching out to hire top talent can be a practices consist of using an acronym
jobs, the project lifecycle for an SE is difficult challenge. Try having an inter- to help remember it every time as a
much longer, which leads to higher job nal conversation with the business team makeshift “checklist,” so we do not
loyalty and retention for the employer. about getting some flexibility with end the call until we have all the data
2) There are less drastic changes in the your firm’s NDA – perhaps being able we need. Conversely, it is important to
SE space than other STEM fields, and to list and share certain details about be conversational, do not be an order-
most clients have SE firms sign NDAs the project (location, structure type, taker! If you want to see how much of
limiting the ability to talk about your length of project, and other interesting an order-taker you are (we all have it
exciting or unique projects. details) that could help sell the project in us), try the following easy exercise (I
3) In an industry that is not considered to potential candidates. encourage EVERYONE to try this – it
a hotbed for recruiting and hiring, c) Find better specifics to use to reach is very revealing, both professionally
many of the best practices, tooling, out – Universities or past companies and personally). Go through a qualifi-
and cutting-edge approaches have shared with hiring managers or team cation call with a coworker or friend.
been missed. members, personal interests of hiring Notice what your “filler word(s)” is/
There are three ways to overcome each of managers shared with candidates are. This is the word you say after a
these obstacles: (found in LinkedIn Groups, Meetup candidate answers a question and you
1) Lengthy and Complex Projects (most Groups, etc.), or any other interesting want to move to the next one. Typical
last 6 – 24 months) similarities that may not just be based examples: “Cool,” “Awesome,” “Got
a) Reach out to candidates when they on what they do and what you are it,” etc. The fewer of these filler words
have been at their current firm for hiring for someone to do. you use, the less of an order-taker you
three to six months. By this time, they 3) Best Recruiting Practices in the are! Practice makes perfect.
have been integrated into their teams/ STEM Field All companies are struggling to find top talent
organizations and started working on a) Finding Candidates – Use Natural – it is the nature of having a low unemployment
their first project(s). This is the time Language Processing (NLP) in your rate and a boom in STEM industries. Every
when candidates are getting over the search to find relevant people. This company has a “great reason for candidates to
honeymoon phase and are starting to means searching using words/phrases work there.” But the company who will have
assess if this company/role makes sense the same way a candidate would use the most hiring success and, as such, the most
for them and their careers. A great them in their profile. Example: “Bridge growth and market share increase will be the one
time to get on their radar. Design” OR “Designed Bridge” OR who adopts these best practices and moderniza-
b) The next opportune time to reach out “Designed Bridges” OR “Responsible tion of the recruiting organizations. After all,
is in the 18 to 24-month range. They for Designing” OR “Responsible for the companies that can hire enough
will have finished or be finishing their the design of” OR “Managed Bridge people and hire the best people will
first or second project, and it could be Design” OR “Designing Bridges.” The always be the most successful.■
a great time to touch base with a more capitalized word “OR” is a Boolean
exciting opportunity/project. Operator used as a conjunction to com- Mike “Batman” Cohen is the Founder of Wayne
Technologies and Paired Talent, recruiting
c) The other best times to reach out are bine keywords in a search, resulting in solutions providers that offer recruitment training
at anniversaries and birthdays – these more focused and productive results. and deliverables-based recruitment, respectively.
are two times when people are natu- b) Messaging Candidates – Subject line Mike is a nationally recognized key-note
speaker, contributing author, webinar host, and
rally thinking about change. They, less than 38 characters. This parameter industry thought leader.
like New Years Day, are a time where allows the subject to show up on cell

SPOTLIGHT
Sarah Mildred Long Bridge
Between Kittery, Maine and Portsmouth, New Hampshire
By Christopher Burgess, P.E., S.E., P.Eng., Peter Roody, P.E., and Jeffrey Folsom, P.E.
T he new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge car-

ries the US Route 1 Bypass and a heavy
rail line that serves the Portsmouth Naval
the counterweights and related lift
mechanisms.
The 2,434-foot-long segmental
Shipyard over the Piscataqua River. Coined vehicular bridge provides two
“three bridges in one,” the crossing consists 12-foot lanes with 5-foot shoul-
of vehicular approach bridges stacked over ders and tall bridge railings for
railroad approach bridges leading to a ver- cyclists. The new bridge has long
tical lift span over the navigation channel. open spans of up to 320 feet and
The moveable span lifts from the normal 11 fewer piers than the previous FIGG and Hardesty & Hanover were Award Winners for the
roadway position to allow passage of tall bridge, providing enhanced vistas Sarah Mildred Long Bridge project in the 2019 Annual Excellence
vessels underneath and lowers to railroad for residents and motorists while in Structural Engineering Awards Program in the Category – New
track level, allowing trains to pass on the minimizing impacts to the river Bridge and Transportation Structures. Photos courtesy of FIGG.
rail in the roadway median of the lift span. and the surrounding environment.
With a 56-foot vertical clearance in the “rest- The 1,437-foot-long segmental railroad The precast concrete superstructure segments
ing” position at the vehicular level, there are bridge is 19 feet wide with spans up to 160 were erected using the balanced cantilever
68% fewer bridge openings compared to the feet long. The heavy rail live loads were quite construction method. The precast segmental
previous bridge. different than the live loads used to design design allowed for segments to be erected at
multiple locations simultaneously with both
land-based cranes and a barge-mounted ringer
crane. Erecting the railroad bridge first pro-
vided access and support for the construction
of the vehicular bridge directly above.
The project team provided an enhanced
alignment for the new bridge, which
improved navigation by reducing the bridge
skew from 25 to 15 degrees and allowed larger
ships to access the Port and Portsmouth Naval
Shipyard. The span layout enabled the new
bridge to cross Market Street without a pier
in the median and serve as a gateway entrance
into historic downtown Portsmouth.
The new Sarah Mildred Long Bridge
opened to traffic on March 30, 2018,
and has a design life of over 100 years.■
Christopher Burgess is a Principal Bridge

Engineer with FIGG. Peter Roody is a Principal
Associate with Hardesty & Hanover. Jeffrey
The lift span is a multi-box steel girder system the vehicular bridge due to the Cooper E80 Folsom is the Assistant Bridge Program Manager
with a composite steel plate and concrete and Alternate Navy Load requirements. For for the Maine Department of Transportation.
deck. The 300-foot-long span is supported at efficiency, the single shaft reinforced concrete
each end by steel lifting girders that transfer railroad piers were spaced approximately one-
loads to the substructure through wire rope half that of the vehicular bridge piers to keep Project Team
attachments on each end and multiple sets the railroad and vehicular bridge superstruc-
Owners: Maine Department of
of bearings mounted to the underside of the ture elements nearly the same depth. There are
Transportation and New Hampshire
girder. The total load to lift, including all per- three shared piers where the railroad bridge is
Department of Transportation
manent loads from the girder span and lifting supported at the footing between two vertical
Designer: FIGG/Hardesty & Hanover
girders, is four million pounds. The 200-foot- columns that are integrated into the vehicular
Joint Venture
tall precast concrete lift towers fully encase bridge superstructure above.
STRUCTURE magazine JANUARY 2020 43

NCSEANCSEA News
National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
The Structural Engineering Summit Drew Record Attendance…Again
NCSEA's Summit broke records once again in 2019. This year’s event hosted more
than 800 total attendees, beating last year’s record by almost 200. The Summit has
been steadily growing over the last four years as NCSEA has been able to offer more
educational and networking opportunities to more and more attendees and exhibi-
tors. The 2019 event featured over 45 education sessions for the practicing structural
engineer, several networking and awards events (including NCSEA’s newly revamped
Awards Celebration), and a trade show with 70 exhibitors.
This year’s expert-led education sessions were met with high ratings from attendees.
Only the highest-quality abstracts were selected to offer top-notch education that
is for practicing structural engineers by structural engineers; this included the five Attendees during Stacy Bartoletti's Keynote address.
keynote addresses that were presented throughout the week.
• Wednesday started off with Stacy Bartoletti, Degenkolb Engineers, who spoke on the future of the profession and
what it may look like in coming years.
• Melissa Marshall, Present Your Science, spoke later on Wednesday, motivating attendees on the importance communication
has to the success and advancement of technical work.
• Avery Bang, the President and CEO of Bridges to Prosperity, started off day two of the Summit, speaking on the positive effects
of connecting rural populations.
• Lucy Jones, Dr. Lucy Jones Center for Science and Society, spoke on what needs to be done to protect the economy during
inevitable future earthquakes.
• The final keynote of the week was Ashraf Habibullah, Computers & Structures, Inc., who emphasized the importance of
developing interpersonal skills that will help engineers to inspire themselves and each other.
NCSEA partnered with the local member organization, the Structural Engineers
Association of California (SEAOC), to host a one-of-a-kind Welcome to California
event that highlighted California’s contributions to the profession, as well as its diverse
regions. The event featured an earthquake simulator, sponsored by the California
Earthquake Authority, that mimicked the experience of a 3.0 to 7.0 magnitude
earthquake, and a surf simulator! In addition, the event paid homage to wine country,
the Golden Gate Bridge, and, of course, Disneyland.
The 2019 Summit introduced a revamped Awards Celebration. This event annu-
ally highlights the NCSEA Special Awards, honoring NCSEA members who have
provided outstanding service and commitment to the association and to the struc-
tural engineering field, as well as the Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards,
showcasing some of the best examples of structural engineering ingenuity through- Representatives from SSG Structural Engineers, LLP posing with
out the world. The Awards Celebration began with a short networking reception their project poster. Their project Epoch Estate Wines, Tasting
that moved into an “Oscars-style” awards presentation that shined a spotlight on Room was one of the winners of the Forensic/Renovation/
the night’s winners, and then attendees shifted to an outdoor gala with dinner, live Retrofit/Rehabilitation Structures < $20 Million Category of
music, and more networking. NCSEA's Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards.
This year’s Special Awards were presented to:

• NCSEA Service Award to Ben Nelson, P.E., for the work he has put toward the betterment of NCSEA that is beyond
the norm of volunteerism.
• James M. Delahay Award to Kelly E. Cobeen, S.E., for her outstanding contributions toward the development of
building codes and standards.
• Robert Cornforth Award to Thomas A. DiBlasi, P.E., SECB for his exceptional dedication and exemplary service to an
NCSEA Member Organization and to the profession.
• Susan M. Frey NCSEA Educator Award to S.K. Ghosh, Ph.D., for his genuine interest in, and extraordinary talent for,
effective instruction to practicing structural engineers.
For more information on these awards, visit www.ncsea.com/awards/specialawards.
NCSEA also introduced some new events into this year’s Summit. The National Chapter of the Structural Engineering Engagement and
Equity (SE3) Committee hosted the first ever national symposium, with topics focusing on various aspects of engagement, retention,
diversity, and inclusion within the structural engineering profession. NCSEA also held the first ever national Timber-Strong Design
Buildsm Competition, which challenged student teams from across the country to build a two-story playhouse in just 90 minutes.
News from the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
The winning schools in the Timber-Strong Competition were:
1st – California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
2nd – University of California, Los Angeles
3rd – University of Kentucky
The winners of the first MO Public Outreach Challenge were also announced.
This Challenge was led by NCSEA’s Communication Committee to involve the
NCSEA Member Organizations in outreach via news articles, blog posts, videos, and
a variety of other media channels, while educating the public and other industries
Winning team of the Timber-Strong Design Build s m
about structural engineering.
Competition, California Polytechnic State University,
The winners of the very first MO Public Outreach Challenge were: San Luis Obispo
1st – Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC)

2nd – Structural Engineers Association of Illinois (SEAOI)
3rd – Structural Engineers Association of Oregon (SEAO)
In the past, the Summit has marked the transition of the NCSEA Board of Directors.
During the NCSEA Board Meeting at this year’s Summit, the Board of Directors
approved a change in NCSEA’s fiscal year and, with that, a new transition year for
board members. The outgoing and incoming members were announced, but positions
will not be active until January 2020. Williston "Bill" Warren IV, P.E., S.E., will
complete his term as Past President and will retire from the board, and Stephanie
Young, P.E., will step down at the end of this year.
Team UCLA during construction of their 2-story playhouse
The incoming Board of Directors for 2020–2021 is as follows: at the Timber Strong Design Build Competition.
Susan Jorgensen, P.E., SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE | President Richard Boggs, P.E., SECB, LEED AP | Director
Emily Guglielmo, S.E., P.E. | Vice President Eli B. Gottlieb, P.E. | Director
David Horos, P.E., S.E., LEED AP | Secretary Ryan A. Kersting, S.E. | Director
Ed Quesenberry, S.E. | Treasurer Jon Schmidt, P.E., SECB | Past President
Paul J. Rielly, P.E., S.E., SECB | Director
Next year’s Structural Engineering Summit will be held November 3-6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. Information on attending
and exhibiting will be available soon at www.ncsea.com.
NCSEA Webinars Register by visiting www.ncsea.com

January 9, 2020 February 4, 2020
Serviceability Design for the Practicing Engineer SpeedCore: Rainier Square – A Project Case Study
Emily Guglielmo, S.E. Brian Morgen
January 14, 2020 February 20, 2020

The Use of Geotechnical Reports by the Basics of Strut and Tie Modeling
Structural Engineer Royce Floyd, Ph.D., S.E.
Mark Gilligan, S.E.
January 30, 2020

Efficient Design of Long-Span Composite Steel
Deck-Slabs
Vitaliy Degtyarev, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.
Courses award 1.5 hours of continuing education after the completion of a quiz. Diamond Review approved in all 50 states.
JANUARY 2020 45
SEI Update
All the best from SEI/ASCE
for a happy, healthy, and
prosperous 2020!
What’s on your to-do list for the New Year? Connect with your local SEI Chapter
for technical/professional networking and learning. www.asce.org/SEILocal
You Are Invited

On behalf of the SEI St. Louis local planning committee, we are The Structures Congress program presents the latest in cutting
excited to invite you to Structures Congress, April 5-8 in St. Louis, edge engineering knowledge, including tracks with the latest on new
where you will not only experience technical content offered by the standards, building and bridge design, forensic engineering, natural
preeminent event in structural engineering but be able to enjoy it in disasters, education, and professional practice. While you are taking
a downtown location which has experienced over eight billion dol- in the conference, your family and friends can enjoy the world-class
lars in recent and current construction. This construction includes Saint Louis Zoo, City Museum, and the newly renovated Gateway
work at the conference headquarters, St. Louis Union Station, Arch Grounds, among many other attractions the city has to offer.
which has recently been transformed into the St. Louis Aquarium We hope to see you (and your family) in St. Louis for Structures
along with a 200-foot observation wheel and several other family- Congress 2020, and look forward to sharing this magnificent city
friendly amenities. Add in the new Major League Soccer stadium with you and over 1,200 other structural engineers at the premier
to be constructed across the street, the Ballpark Village development event in structural engineering.
down the block, and the recently renovated Arch grounds, and it is Structures Congress Co-Chairs Heather Neri, P.E., S.E., M.ASCE,
an exciting time to visit St. Louis. and Chad Schrand, P.E., S.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE
REGISTER NOW
STRUCTURES NEW
CONGRESS 2020 Group Discount
for 5+ full registrants from an organization
St. Louis, Missouri April 5 –8
Closing Keynote: The Premier Event in Structural Engineering

Museum of the Future:
Trends & Technologies Shaping
the Future of Structural Engineering,
with
Christopher Wodzicki, P.E.,

BuroHappold Engineering
Michael Gustafson, P.E., Autodesk
View full program

of sessions, keynotes, and
events and plan your schedule.
For the best rate, register by February 4
 www.structurescongress.org
News of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE
Leadership Changes
ASCE/SEI Committee of Electrical Transmission Structures
Wesley J. (Wes) Oliphant, P.E., has accepted an appointment as Chair improvements and updates to these important efforts. New task
of the ASCE/SEI Committee of Electrical Transmission Structures. committee activities are also in the works. So, please provide any
He succeeds Mr. Ron Carrington, P.E., who will remain on the com- suggestions and stay tuned when announcements will be made for
mittee as the immediate past Chair of the Committee. Otto Lynch signup for these opportunities. The giving of your knowledge and
has also been appointed and accepted a new opportunity to serve as expertise through participation on a CETS Task Committee is one
Vice-Chair during this new term. of the most satisfying and best ways to become more valuable to
The important purpose of the ASCE/SEI Committee of Electrical your organizations, all the while providing the industry with an
Transmission Structures is to organize and foster development of essential technical foundation from which more reliable Transmission,
continuing education programs, as well as develop important tech- Distribution, and Substation structures can be designed, constructed,
nical publications needed to continue to advance the available body and maintained. For more information contact either, Wes or Otto
of knowledge for Civil/Structural Engineers working in the electric at the email address below.
utility industry. These include Engineering Standards, Manuals of Wesley J. (Wes) Oliphant, P.E., is a Principal and
Practice, Guides, Reports, White Papers, and more. Why is this the Chief Technical Officer of Exo Group, LLC, an
work important? It has been said that the electric power grid in the infrastructure asset inspection and remediation firm
USA is “the largest, most complex machine ever designed by man.” near Houston, Texas. In 2010, Wes was the recipient
Few can argue that every critical infrastructure system essential to ASCE/SEI’s Gene Wilhoite Award for his contribu-
minimizing societal and economic disruption and allowing modern tions and body of work related to the design of electric
society to efficiently function is dependent on a reliable, cost-effective transmission line structures. He is a Life Member and Fellow of
supply of electrical power. In supporting this critical infrastructure ASCE, and a charter member and Fellow of the SEI. He is also a
work, the ASCE/SEI Committee of Electrical Transmission Structures member of the IEEE and a representative of that organization on
plays a vital role among the many Civil/Structural Engineers working Subcommittee 5 (Strengths & Loadings) of the National Electrical
in the Utility Industry while also supporting and overlapping with Safety Code (NESC). Wes can be reached at [email protected].
several other technical communities both inside and outside of ASCE/ Otto J. Lynch, P.E., is President and CEO of Power
SEI. The Committee also has an occasional role providing technical Line Systems, the developers of the Industry Standard
background information that may be needed for various inquiries overhead line design software PLS-CADD based in
relevant to the Industry and the Public. Madison, Wisconsin. Otto is a Fellow of ASCE and a
Whether new to this industry, or a long-termer, this is a great time Fellow of the SEI. He was honored to receive ASCE/
to think about volunteering your time, enthusiasm, and experience SEI’s Gene Wilhoite Innovations in Transmission
to add to the body of knowledge on which this technical community Engineering Award in 2012. He is a member of numerous ASCE,
depends. Within the next 12-18 months, several task committees IEEE, and ANSI committees involving overhead line design and
within the Committee of Electrical Transmission Structures (CETS) analysis. He is a voting member of the National Electrical Safety
will be nearing completion of their work. Opportunities will be Code (NESC) Subcommittee 5 (Strengths & Loadings) as well as
available to join new task committee activities to continue technical the Main Committee. Otto can be reached at [email protected].
SEI Online
View Best of SEI Youtube Playlist, including:
• Vision for the Future of SE by SEI President Glenn Bell and conversations at Northeastern University
• ASCE 7-16 Overview by Greg Soules made possible by SEI Futures Fund
• 2019 SEI Annual meeting and Awards video
https://bit.ly/2DLyl01
SEI News Read the latest at www.asce.org/SEINews
SEI on Twitter SEI on Facebook SEI Standards

Visit www.asce.org/SEIStandards
Follow us: @ASCE_SEI Follow us: @SEIofASCE to View ASCE 7 development cycle
Errata SEI Standards Supplements and Errata including ASCE 7. See www.asce.org/SEI-Errata.
If you would like to submit errata, contact Jon Esslinger at [email protected].
J A N U A R Y 2 02 0 47
CASE in Point
Did you know?
CASE has tools and practice guidelines to help firms deal with a wide variety of business scenarios that structural engineering firms face
daily. Whether your firm needs to establish a new Quality Assurance Program, update its risk management program, keep track of the skills
young engineers are learning at each level of experience, or need a sample contract document – CASE has the tools you need!
CASE has several tools available for firms to use for managing projects and training staff:
Tool 3-2 Staffing and Revenue Projection Tool 4-2 Project Kick-off Meeting Agenda
Tool 3-4 Project Work Plan Templates Tool 4-5 Project Communications Matrix
Tool 3-5 Staffing Schedule Suite Tool 4-6 Project Team Coordination
Tool 4-1 Status Report Template Tool 5-5 Project Management Training Guide
You can purchase these and the other Risk Management Tools at www.acec.org/bookstore.
CASE Practice Guidelines Currently Available

CASE 962 – National Practice Guidelines for the Structural CASE 962-B – National Practice Guidelines for Specialty Structural
Engineer of Record Engineers
The purpose of this document is to give firms and their employees a This document has been prepared to supplement CASE’s National
guide for establishing Consulting Structural Engineering Services and Practice Guidelines for the Structural Engineer of Record by defining the
to provide a basis for dealing with Clients, generally, and negotiat- concept of a specialty structural engineer and the interrelation between
ing Contracts in particular. Since the Structural Engineer of Record the specialty structural engineer and the Structural Engineer of Record.
(SER) is usually a member of a multi-discipline design team, this CASE encourages the concept of one Structural Engineer of Record for
document describes the relationships that customarily exist between an entire project. However, for many, if not most projects, there may
the SER and the other team members, especially the team leader. be portions of the project that will be designed by different specialty
Further, this Guideline promotes an enhanced Quality of Professional structural engineers. The primary purpose of this document is to better
Consulting Structural Engineering Services while also providing a define the relationships between the SER and the SSE and to outline
basis for negotiating fair and reasonable compensation. Additionally, the usual duties and responsibilities related to specific trades. This is
it provides a basis for Clients to better understand and determine the done for the benefit of the owners, the PDP, the SER, the SSE, and
Scope of Services that the Structural Engineer of Record should be the other members of the construction team. The goal is to help create
retained to provide. positive coordination and cooperation among the various parties.
CASE 962-A – National Practice Guidelines for the Preparation CASE 962-C – Guidelines for International Building Code-
of Structural Engineering Reports for Buildings Mandated Special Inspections
The purpose of this document is to provide the structural engineer a The CASE Guidelines Committee has developed three distinct versions
guide for not only conducting conditional surveys, code reviews, special of the Guidelines for International Building Code-Mandated Special
purpose investigations, and related reports for buildings but includes Inspections covering the following IBC Code Updates: 2012, 2015, 2018.
descriptions of the services to aid with the client risk management com- The Guidelines describe the roles and responsibilities of the parties
munication issues. This Guideline is intended to promote and enhance involved in special inspection and testing processes, how to prepare a
the quality of engineering reports. A section of this Guideline deals special inspection and testing program, the necessary qualifications of
specifically with outlines for various reports. While it is not intended the special inspectors, how to conduct the program, and who should
to establish a specific format for reports, it is believed there may be pay for the special inspections and test program. The Appendix con-
certain minimal information that might be contained in a report. The tains sample forms for specifying special inspections and tests, and
Appendix includes disclaimer language, which identifies statements sample letters to be filed with code-enforcement agencies after the
one might consider, clarifying the depth of responsibility accepted by program is completed.
the report writer.
You can purchase these and the other Risk Management Tools at www.acec.org/bookstore.
Follow ACEC Coalitions on Twitter – @ACECCoalitions.
News of the Council of American Structural Engineers
Donate to the CASE Scholarship Fund!

The ACEC Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE) is currently seeking contri-
butions to help make the structural engineering scholarship program a success. The CASE
scholarship, administered by the ACEC College of Fellows, is awarded to a student seeking
a bachelor’s degree, at minimum, in an ABET-accredited engineering program. Since 2009,
the CASE Scholarship program has given $32,000 to help engineering students pave their
way to a bright future in structural engineering.
We have all witnessed the stiff competition from other disciplines and professions eager to
obtain the best and brightest young talent from a dwindling pool of engineering graduates.
One way to enhance the ability of students to pursue their dreams to become professional
engineers is to offer incentives in educational support.
Your monetary support is vital in helping CASE and ACEC increase scholarships to those
students who are the future of our industry. All donations toward the program may be eligible for a tax deduction, and you do not have to
be an ACEC member to donate! Contact Heather Talbert at [email protected] to donate.
CASE Winter Member Meeting

February 27-28, 2020
The 2020 CASE Winter Member Meeting is scheduled for February
27-28, 2020, in New Orleans. The agenda for the meeting includes:
Thursday – February 27
1:30 pm to 5:30 pm CASE ExCom Meeting
6:15 pm to 7:30 pm CASE Project Speaker
Friday – February 28
7:30 am to 8:30 am Shared Breakfast
8:30 am to 10:00 pm CASE Roundtable – Stacy Bartoletti,
Moderator
10:00 am to 10:30 am Shared Morning Break
10:30 am to 12:00 pm Technology Panel Discussion – Kevin
Registration can be found at
Peterson, Moderator
www.acec.org/coalitions/upcoming-coalition-events.
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm Shared Lunch
1:30 pm to 5:30 pm CASE Breakout Sessions Questions? Contact Heather Talbert at [email protected].
Two Essential Courses that Build Project Management

Expertise Week by Week
Successful, profitable project delivery starts with superior management. Project management training designed specifically for engineering
firms? That’s a great start!
Designed to help new project managers gain the skills and confidence to fit your firm’s unique internal systems and workflow specifications,
this two-part training, Project Management 101 & 201, combines the scheduling ease of video learning and the immediacy and intensity
of a live classroom – with little or no disruption to billable staff time.
The first 9-module interactive class begins on January 13 and is limited to 25 registrants. 18+ PDHs are offered.
Help your rising stars develop into confident, forward-thinking PMs with a flexible, step-by-step course that adapts to their current workload
while motivating them to grow. For more information and to register, visit https://programs.acec.org/pm-2020.
JANUARY 2020 49
structural FORUM
Embodied Carbon
Challenges and Opportunities for Structural Engineers
By Donald Davies, P.E., S.E., and Kate Simonen, AIA, S.E.
A rchitecture 2030 (architecture2030.org)

reports that, between now and 2060,
growth in the world’s population will require
progress towards that vision.
Much like the Architecture
2030 Challenge does for oper-
a doubling in the amount of building floor- ational energy in buildings,
space, equivalent to building an entire New this SE 2050 Challenge asks
York City every month for 40 years. Much of structural engineers to meet
the carbon footprint of these new buildings will embodied carbon benchmarks
take the form of embodied carbon – the carbon and increasingly higher reduc-
emissions associated with building construction targets in a race towards
tion, including extracting, transporting, and the most carbon-efficient
manufacturing materials. As a result, owners, buildings as we approach the year 2050. evaluate “cradle-to-gate” emissions, those that
designers, engineers, and contractors are turn- The SE 2050 Challenge includes guidelines take place before and during manufacturing
ing their attention to building materials and on best practices and an opportunity for indi- up to when the product leaves the “gate” of
seeking information on these products so they viduals and firms to sign on in support. As of the factory.
can make more environmentally informed and September, twelve major structural engineer- We all have a stake in improving how we
smarter choices. ing firms and over fifty individual engineers move our industry toward a lower carbon
Structural engineers have an essential role to have signed in support of the challenge. footprint. Knowing project quantities, their
play in understanding and reducing embod- The EC3 tool was created with input from embodied carbon impacts, and managing to
ied carbon. By mass and carbon footprint, a diverse coalition of more than 50 forward- a budget are best practice design principles
‘‘
‘‘
and ways the structural engineer can help the
The goal of the challenge is to inspire structural engineers to client meet their project goals. Bringing both
the SE2050 Challenge into your work and
contribute towards the global vision of Zero Carbon buildings by 2050, integrating the EC3 Tool into your project’s
and to provide measurements of progress towards that vision. design, specification, and procurement efforts
build upon these principles and provide
structural materials are a dominant percentage looking and innovative building industry opportunities for demonstrating structural
of a building. Additionally, making struc- leaders including owners, architects, engi- engineering leadership.
tural materials, such as concrete, steel, or the neers, contractors, manufacturers, and To learn more about embodied carbon, these
harvesting and processing of wood, results industry organizations. A public beta of the initiatives, and the Carbon Leadership Forum,
in emissions. These emissions come from EC3 tool was launched November 19, 2019, visit www.carbonleadershipforum.org.
resource extraction, transportation, powering and initially focuses on: Learn more about the SE250 Challenge at
factories, and even the chemical reactions that • Structure: concrete, steel, timber https://bit.ly/2Lk7bS2. To register
take place during the manufacturing process. • Enclosure: aluminum, glass, insulation for access to the EC3 tool visit
Structural engineers are experts at balanc- • Finishes: carpet, ceiling tiles, gypsum www.buildingtransparency.org.■
ing performance criteria such as stiffness, wallboard
strength, depth, and quantities. Adding The EC3 tool enables the building industry Donald Davies is President of Magnusson
in the assessment of embodied carbon is a to access and view material carbon emissions Klemencic Associates (MKA), headquartered
natural fit for our profession. Two initiatives data easily. It also enables making this data in Seattle. He is a leader in promoting urban
of the Carbon Leadership Forum provide actionable for more informed decision-mak- density and low carbon construction. He
opportunities for industry leadership in ing at different parts of the design process, frequently lectures on Embodied Carbon Life
this area: the SE 2050 Challenge and the and most importantly, at the time that struc- Cycle Analysis and is a founding member of the
recently announced Embodied Carbon in tural material suppliers are brought on board Carbon Leadership Forum, an academic and
Construction Calculator tool (EC3), a tool for a project’s construction. This is when industry collaboration hosted at the University of
to help evaluate embodied carbon impacts. double bottom-line decision making can Washington.
The Carbon Leadership Forum issued the best occur and be influential, when dollars Kate Simonen is the Founding Director of the
Structural Engineers 2050 Challenge (SE 2050 are about to be committed. This free and Carbon Leadership Forum at the University
Challenge), stating, “All structural engineers open-source software will help users select of Washington. Kate directs the research
shall understand, reduce, and ultimately elim- materials based on embodied carbon. It will of the Carbon Leadership Forum and leads
inate embodied carbon in their projects by also help integrate material quantities and collaborative initiatives such as the Embodied
2050.” The goal of the challenge is to inspire embodied carbon estimates together to create Carbon Network, the Embodied Carbon in
structural engineers to contribute towards a whole building, embodied carbon “budget” Construction Calculator (the EC3 tool), and the
the global vision of Zero Carbon buildings to evaluate options during design, procure- Structural Engineers 2050 Challenge.
by 2050, and to provide measurements of ment, and construction. Users are able to

model.iesweb.com
Easy-to-use structural software. Get a free trial in 2 minutes. Promo code: SM20A

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STRUCTURE

NCSEA | CASE | SEI JANUARY 2020

INSIDE: Vancouver House 26

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YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

Creative Director Tara Smith

Jeremy L. Achter, S.E., LEED AP

2020 MEDIA KIT

Erin Conaway, P.E.

Available Online at STRUCTUREmag.org Linda M. Kaplan, P.E.

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