STRUCTURE MAGAZINE-Oct20-digital PDF

STRUCTURE
NCSEA | CASE | SEI OCTOBER 2020
BRIDGES
INSIDE: Cable-Stayed Bridges 38

Beehive Bridge 26
Miami Bridge Collapse 30
Reinvigorating Historic ROW DTLA 34
SPECIAL SECTION:
2020 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
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4 STRUCTURE magazine
Contents O CTO BER 2020
Columns and Departments

Cover Feature 7 Editorial Hey Graduates – Give Small Firms a Chance!
38 CABLE-STAYED BRIDGES By Kevin H. Chamberlain, P.E.
By Roumen V. Mladjov, S.E., P.E. 8 Structural Practices Mitigating Flood Damage to Bridges
By Kevin Johns and Tom Murphy, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.
Most cable-stayed bridges are visually beautiful,
and some are among the most impressive of 10 Structural Failures Coating Preparations Reduce
engineering achievements. The efficient range of the Strength of Bridges
cable-stayed bridges is moving towards even longer By Robert A. Leishear, Ph.D., P.E.
spans. There is no other bridge structural system 14 Structural Inspections Inspectability Design
exhibiting such rapid development. By Jennifer Laning, P.E.
16 Structural Performance 3-D Snow Drifts

By Michael O’Rourke, Ph.D., P.E., and Talia Williams
26 BEEHIVE BRIDGE
By Dan Whittemore, P.E. 20 Historic Structures Ashtabula Bridge Failure
By Frank Griggs, Jr., D.Eng, P.E.
The Beehive Bridge underwent a road diet to favor pedestrian foot
traffic. The spine of the pedestrian enclosure is made up of 138 24 Structural Components Designing Cross-Laminated
individual galvanized structural steel tubes. Between the steel-post Timber Wall Elements
By Lori Koch, P.E., and Michelle Kam-Biron, P.E., S.E., SECB
spine is a lattice network of aluminum members arranged into
geometric shapes. 42 Building Blocks Specification Check – Molded Polystyrene
By Sean O’Keefe
30 DEADLY MIAMI PEDESTRIAN 44 InSights Bridging the Current Gaps in

BRIDGE COLLAPSE Bridge Maintenance
By Ran Cao, Ph.D., Sherif El-Tawil, Ph.D., P.E., and Anil Kumar Agrawal, Ph.D., P.E. By Kai Goebel
According to the preliminary report from NTSB on the collapse of the

46 Business Practices Networking Tips for Introverts
truss bridge, workers were re-tensioning tendons at the time. In this By Janki DePalma
article, a high-fidelity computational model was used to develop a
48 Structural Forum Non-Traditional Career Paths
forensic understanding of the collapse process.
for Structural Engineers
By Brian Quinn, P.E.
34 REINVIGORATING A HISTORIC GIANT
By Samuel Mengelkoch, S.E. In Every Issue
ROW DTLA reinvigorates the vast and historic Alameda Square 4 Advertiser Index
warehouse and industrial building complex. The project updated 50 NCSEA News
the area into a vibrant district of offices, retail, and restaurants, and 52 SEI Update
provides a network of public spaces. 54 CASE in Point
56 Special Section 2020 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING Resource Guide
October 2020 Bonus Content Additional Content Available Only at – STRUCTUREmag.org
Structural Analysis Numerical Analysis Case Study By Vitaly B. Feygin, P.E., and Christian P. Gunn
Publication of any article, image, or advertisement in STRUCTURE® magazine does not constitute endorsement by NCSEA, CASE, SEI, the Publisher, or the Editorial Board. Authors, contributors, and advertisers retain sole responsibility for the content of their submissions.
OCTOBER 2020 5
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EDITORIAL
Hey Graduates – Give Small Firms a Chance!
By Kevin H. Chamberlain, P.E.
A s I sit at my desk at work, the view out my window is not a typi-

cal office setting. Our street is a mix of residential and business
use, near the center of town. I would not trade my view for anything.
• You are more likely to have a chance to design in all the struc-
tural materials, not just steel and concrete, because you are
probably working on smaller projects. This is particularly true
I am glad I do not work in a large city in a high rise, or in a bland for wood structures.
suburban office park along a highway. • You are less likely to be “stuck” on the same project for years.
I am also very glad that I work in a small firm. No offense to colleagues who get to work on stadiums or megas-
What constitutes a small firm? ACEC categorizes firms with 50 tructures, but I do not think I could devote myself to one project
employees or less as small firms, and about 75% of all ACEC member for longer than the extended warranty on my pickup. Small
firms are “small.” firms have smaller projects that tend to cycle through more
When I think of a small firm, I think of the six wonderful people quickly. Variety makes your job more interesting.
at my office who are like a second family. I started at our firm as a • You will learn about dealing with demanding clients, which will
“
summer intern over 25 years ago…and never left. As did all of our benefit you as your career grows towards an ownership position.
current engineers. That is rare these days. Knowledge will come by hearing how
Most of my friends who are structural engi- principals deal with them, and in having
neers have worked in no fewer than three to respond yourself after some training.
firms by the time they are 40, and that is • You will become comfortable dealing
probably a low estimate. There seems to be with contractors, messy construction
To build our ranks, I often attend career fairs sites, and coarse language, and use
at a handful of universities I am familiar with a perception among those experiences to make you a better
to recruit graduating students. Over the years, engineer. Contractors are not shy
I have found that it is tough to stand out as a students, and probably about letting an engineer know when
small firm without a lot of marketing resources. a detail is not buildable. If you are in
I bring business cards and try to make personal some of their professors, a firm where you are isolated from the
connections by sharing my passion for what that you need to take construction trades, you will not benefit
I do. I have tried everything, from bringing from those learning experiences.
along inspection tools we use, to a mockup of a job out of college at a • You are less likely to be overworked. An
a mortise and tenon timber joint, to a video owner who works alongside his employ-
loop of my partner giving a talk on the WTC large firm in a city. ees in a shared office is less likely to turn
collapse, to a huge dish of Halloween candy off the lights and leave you toiling away
(the good stuff). I have gone solo, brought until midnight because he promised the
junior engineers, even had our office manager attend. Year after year, client an unrealistic deadline. You are also more likely to be
I leave career fairs feeling optimistic about some bright young engineer paid for every hour you work and less likely to be expected to
I want to land, only to feel disappointment in the coming weeks when put in long unpaid hours.
the candidate takes a job somewhere else. Not always, but often. • You are more likely to keep your job when the economy tight-
There seems to be a perception among students, and probably some ens, and work is slow. When the 1990 recession hit, our firm
of their professors, that you need to take a job out of college at a large took on special inspection work to keep busy. When the 2008
firm in a city. Face it; there is a certain wow factor that students feel recession hit, we took advantage of the downtime to put our
when they walk up to a career fair table of a big-name national or people to work building a staff kitchen in the basement. With
international firm with a glitzy backdrop and cool swag. Throw in a our modest payroll, we can tighten our belts and retain our
signature project like a major bridge or stadium, and they are captivated. best people and ride a crisis through. The firms who survive a
And yet, a small firm is an outstanding place to start a career in downturn with all of their employees…survive.
structural engineering. Hands down, in my opinion. Here are a few Small businesses are the backbone of America. And engineering firms
things for graduates to consider about starting a career in a small firm: are no exception. The majority of structural engineering firms are small
• You are more likely to be exposed to a wide variety of work firms and graduating engineering students would benefit from at least
tasks. One day you are brainstorming how to give a build- giving a small firm a chance by talking to engineers like me
ing a structure, and the next, you are crunching numbers and scheduling an interview. We do not bite, and you may
or building the BIM. You are attending meetings with the be pleasantly surprised at the opportunities awaiting you.■
design team, reviewing the shop drawings, and on the job site
Kevin H. Chamberlain is the CEO and Principal of DeStefano &
inspecting the work being built. You are not compartmental-
Chamberlain, Inc. in Fairfield, CT, and the Chair of the CASE Guidelines
ized into only performing certain tasks. That is not how small
Committee. ([email protected])
firms typically operate.
STRUCTURE magazine OCTOBER 2020 7

structural PRACTICES
Mitigating Flood Damage to Bridges
By Kevin Johns and Tom Murphy, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.
S ince 2004, there have been 10 hurricanes in the Atlantic

Ocean that have each caused over $20 billion in damage.
Since the late 1800s, sea levels have risen by 10 inches (250mm)
ηmax
F
Storm Water Level
and are expected to continue to rise, according to the National ds Mean Water Level
Aeronautics and Scape Administration (NASA). Because of this,

Departments of Transportation, transit authorities, and private Bed
owners have decided it is necessary to add robustness and reli- Horizontal Forces
Pile Group
ability to new and existing infrastructure, some of which are Pile Cap
over 100 years old. Transportation infrastructure, in particular, Wave effect substructure.
is essential, as these weather events sometimes make it necessary to evacuate many people from large areas of the country, and
the highway system is the primary evacuation route for most metropolitan areas. Additionally, emergency responders need to
be able to move freely, maintaining access to as many areas as possible during and immediately after a storm event.
Bridges are one of the most vulnerable and critical components of However, this was an unusual situation in that the line was not in
the surface transportation network. A bridge that is out of service in use and was being restored. The bridge was floated out on barges,
“
normal conditions can result in long delays and significant detours. the pier top elevations were increased by three feet, and new bearings
What is an inconvenience in normal times can were installed. The rehabilitated superstructure
become catastrophic in an emergency. was floated back in place and put into service.
Major storm events impart loads on structures
in several ways, resulting in varying degrees of
Transportation The bridge has not experienced flood-related
damage since.
damage. Wave action can push and lift the infrastructure, in While raising the bridge above the flood level
bridge, creating both global lateral and vertical is the best method to protect the superstruc-
forces. There are additional local impact loads particular, is essential, ture, the substructure and foundation will still
where waves directly strike the bridge. Both
flooding and wave action impart a vertical as these weather events be subjected to flooding loads, and damage
can still occur. Wave action and increased
upwards force from buoyancy. The buoyant sometimes make it streamflow forces from trapped debris can
force can be enough to lift the bridge off its cause increased loads on piers. Higher water
bearings and move it away from its supports. necessary to evacuate flow velocities increase the likelihood of scour
Floods with moving water can push debris around foundations. Because these issues occur
against the side of the structure or deposit many people from large below the waterline, they are not easily or
debris on top, which adds to the gravity loads.
Barges and ships break free from their moor-
areas of the country... quickly identified. If no monitoring system is
present, divers are used to confirm that bridges
ings in storm events and can impact bridge are safe to continue carrying traffic. However,
superstructures and substructures. there is a limited number of qualified under-
Most existing bridges were not designed for these additional loads water inspectors – and immediately after an extreme event, there may
and may not be able to resist them. The best chance of the structure’s not be enough of them to service an area. Bridges that are designed
survival in the event of an extreme storm is to prevent the structure to resist the loads from flood events and increased scour levels are less
from being subject to these loads, ideally by ensuring the bottom of the likely to be damaged. They will be less of a concern, reducing the risk
superstructure will be above the highest water or wave level. This is easier of not having an inspection immediately after an event.
to accomplish on a new bridge as the approaching roadway profile can Movable bridges are used over navigable waterways when the
be set to accommodate the necessary bridge elevation. However, it can vertical clearance below the bridge is inadequate for the size of the
be difficult on an existing bridge where the travel profile may be set. vessels that traverse the channel. This bridge type is particularly
In 2000, Modjeski and Masters raised the Norfolk Southern Shellpot vulnerable to flood damage because their profile usually sets them
Swing span three feet to keep it out of the flood zone because the close to the water, and they have sensitive machinery used to oper-
machinery used to operate the bridge was frequently flooded from ate the bridge. These bridges are opened and closed for marine
high water events. Normally, a railroad would not be able to take a traffic with machinery that can be on the pier top or inside rooms
line out of commission for the time it would take to raise a span. designed into the piers. These spaces are not watertight once the
water elevation is too high. If the machinery is flooded, the bridge may not be practical due to the requirement of the anchorage system
will likely not be able to operate until, at minimum, it is repaired placed into the concrete and limited space at the bearings.
and, at worst, completely replaced. In addition to the uplift forces, streamflow and wave effects cause
The Florida Avenue Vertical Lift Bridge in New Orleans was opened increased horizontal loading. These loads can be high enough to
to traffic in May of 2005. In push the bridge laterally off
August of 2005, the costli- λ its supports. Lateral restraints
est hurricane on record for Z at the bearings can be used to
the United States, Hurricane Span Cross-Sec�on resist these forces. These can
Rail
Katrina, caused $125 billion be added as a retrofit, but it
Overhang W
in damage and over 1,200 is easier if they are added as
Wave
deaths. New Orleans was in W* part of the initial design.
Propaga�on
the direct path of the hurricane Deck r Direc�on Another option for dealing
and suffered extreme damage. dg d b with lateral loads is to reduce
The Florida Avenue Bridge
ηmax their magnitude by using
Hmax Zc Storm Water Level
survived the storm, but the X
castellated beams. The large
electrical operating system was holes designed into the webs
Storm Surge + Local Wind Setup Water Level
severely damaged. Without a of castellated beams create a
ds
functioning operating system, load path that mimics that of
the bridge could not be raised. a truss. These large holes sig-
Bed
This meant the waterway was nificantly reduce the area of
blocked from allowing emer- Wave effect superstructure.
the beam, allowing the wave
gency supplies to be brought in to pass through rather than
by water. The US Army Corp of Engineers was prepared to demolish impact on the surface.
the three-month-old bridge to clear the navigable channel if it could Scour is the result of the increased stream flow velocity around
not be made operational. Modjeski and Masters’ engineers were flown bridge piers. Scour results when the flow velocity is high enough to
in by helicopter to assess the damage and attempt to make the bridge move supporting soil out from under bridge foundations. Scour can
function. After two days of onsite trouble-shooting, the bridge was occur even under base conditions; however, it is much more likely to
operating. It was able to be lifted, allowing marine traffic to resume occur in a flood event when flow velocity has significantly increased.
and keeping the new bridge from being destroyed. In new designs, scour depths are predicted based on soil properties
At the time the Florida Avenue Bridge was designed, there was little and streamflow velocity, which can be selected to reflect an extreme
guidance for engineers to anticipate the types of loads caused by such event. The foundation elements are then designed, assuming the
an event. In 2008, the American Association of State Highway and scour has occurred. For existing structures that were not designed for
Transportation Officials (AASHTO) released the Guide Specifications for scouring, armoring the soils around the piers with riprap can control
Bridges Vulnerable to Coastal Storms. The specifications contain guidance the impacts. This has been proven to significantly mitigate the risk
for owners and designers on the design of bridges in coastal areas. Methods of scour, even in an extreme flood event.
for calculating wave forces on both substructures and superstructures Apart from storm events, flooding can also be caused by a tsunami.
based on numerical simulations of wave passage under a bridge, including There are many similarities between the tsunami-generated loadings of
local impact forces, are provided in the guidelines. Physical wave tank structures and coastal storm loading. However, the nature of the wave-
tests and numerical simulations were used to develop the Physics-Based forms can be very different, which changes the interaction between
Method (PBM), which is used to calculate the forces and verify the results. the structure and wave and results in significant enough differences
Bridge failures due to storm surge and wave loading in Gulf Coast states in structural loading that additional guidelines are needed. Similar to
provided field data that was used to verify results. other types of flood load mitigation, raising the superstructure above
Loadings, as outlined in the Guide Specifications, are only one side the top of the expected wave elevation is often the best option for a
of the design equation. The engineer must still address the resistance designer to consider, if at all practical. Efforts are currently underway
of the structure to the load. Various mitigation methods are used to develop design guidance based on numerical and experimental stud-
when it is not possible to raise the bridge above flood levels. Some ies of tsunami waves and their interaction with bridges for designers
methods can be installed as a retrofit to existing bridges, and others and owners considering this unique threat.
must be incorporated as part of the original design. In conclusion, the existing transportation infrastructure – particularly
One failure mode observed in previous coastal storms is the unseating bridges – is susceptible to damage from flooding and high-water events.
of the superstructure due to the combined effects of buoyancy and Measures are being taken to retrofit existing structures and design
vertical wave loading. Air trapped in the areas between the beams can new structures to make them more likely to survive these impacts.
also add to the buoyancy effect. To significantly reduce the buoyancy, Research is ongoing to help better understand these events. Practicing
relatively small and frequently spaced holes that do not affect the design engineers should become familiar with published
structural integrity can be placed in the deck, allowing trapped air guidance, as part of their due diligence, to provide more
to escape. This can be done as a retrofit to existing bridges or as part robust and reliable designs.■
of a new design. Alternatively, ensuring air can move longitudinally
by not using solid diaphragms can also reduce the forces working to Kevin Johns is the Movable Bridge Business Unit Director at Modjeski and
unseat the structure. Additionally, effectively tying the superstructure Masters. ([email protected])
to the substructure through structural means can prevent unseating. Thomas Murphy is a Vice President and the Chief Technical Officer at
However, the vertical loading – including the effects of impact from Modjeski and Masters. ([email protected])
waves – can be very large and require robust tie-down systems, which
OCTOBER 2020 9
structural FAILURES
Coating Preparations Reduce the
Strength of Bridges
By Robert A. Leishear, Ph.D., P.E., PMP
W hat we had here was a failure to communicate –

corrosion engineers found an excellent method to
make high-performance coatings stick to steel much better
than previous methods. However, nobody talked to the struc-
tural engineers to notice that bridge safety was reduced.
Overlooked as a design problem for decades, grit blasting is the

standard process to improve coating adherence to steel surfaces. This
process significantly degrades the strength of steel bridges, endanger-
ing safe design. In particular, engineers design a bridge, construction
and welding are performed, and then construction is inspected and
accepted. After acceptance of structural construction, painting staff Figure 1. Grit blasting effects on 4140 steel before thermal sprays
grit blast steel surfaces and the fatigue limits from cyclic loading that (Adapted from K. Padilla, et al.).
were used in the design are inadvertently altered.
These new fatigue limits provide a lower estimate of the minimum In fact, significant industry improvements since the 1960s reduced the
failure stresses required to cause cracks experienced by a bridge due number of failures, where biennial inspections and improved inspector
to repeated traffic loads from passing trucks. That is, grit blasting training find many cracks in time to make repairs before significant
impacts high-speed shards of grit into steel to create a jagged steel bridge damages occur. Even so, cracks still occur that potentially
surface that significantly reduces the fatigue failure limit (Figure 1) endanger bridge safety. The goal of this article is to enlighten a recently
and consequently endangers previous and future designs. discovered cause of cracks, i.e., grit blasting fatigue.
Fatigue Failures of Bridges Testing

Consider fatigue failures of steel bridges, where fatigue cracking has Fatigue curves are necessary to gain a basic understanding of fatigue
long been known as a failure problem for bridges. Although corrosion failures. Extensive research and numerous fatigue tests were performed
is a contributor to some bridge failures, fatigue is the primary cause. (J. W. Fisher, et al.) and were published in 1974. Their research –
Fatigue cracks occur when a structure is subjected to repeating loads extended by research from others through 1986 – is the basis for the
that flex, or stretch, the structure (Figures 2 and 3). Undetected cracks fatigue curves in use today.
have resulted in the collapse of bridges, and numerous other cracks Various design details were tested that are used in bridge design to
have been identified and repaired before major bridge damage occurs. explain fatigue failures. There are eight design categories, or design
details, that include butt welds, stiffener attachments, plate girders,
and cover plates (Figure 4, page 12).
Design Rules
There were numerous important findings during bridge fatigue
failure research.
• All fatigue cracks are initiated at defects or flaws in the steel.
• The size of the defect does not affect whether or not a crack will
occur. Only the presence of a flaw is essential to crack formation.
• The amplitude, or magnitude, of the changing stress dictates
whether a crack occurs or not. The dead load, or constant load
due to the weight of the bridge, is not critical to fatigue failures.
• Nearly all fatigue failures occur at the toes of butt welds and fillet
welds, where the sudden change in geometry induces high stresses
Figure 2. A fatigue crack is shown on an X-braced bridge, but nearly all cracks and occasional microscopic, sharp-pointed valleys caused by weld-
start at weld toes (U.S. DOT, Bridge Design Handbook, Design for Fatigue). ing serve as defects to initiate cracks. This observation is valid for
in-service cracks on bridges as well as • Codes for bridge materials also
cracks during fatigue testing. ensure that surface finishes are con-
• Residual stresses due to heat controlled at the time of purchase to
tractions following welding initiate inhibit fatigue cracks after instal-
fatigue cracks. lation, but grit blasting changes
• Grinding butt welds to a flat sur- those surfaces after installation.
face profile on steel plates increases
the fatigue limit of those welds
since the weld toe is eliminated.
Coatings and Grit Blasting
• Slag inclusions or porosity in welds Consider the processes for high-perfor-
also cause cracking. mance coatings. Many decades ago, paint
Figure 3. Fatigue crack at the end of a cover plate fillet weld toe
• The slopes for all fatigue curves was commonly used for coatings, but
(U.S. DOT, Bridge Design Handbook, Design for Fatigue).
shown in Figure 4 are the same coatings have been remarkably improved
for any design detail, but the type of design detail dictates the in their performance with a wide selection of different coatings.
stresses needed to induce cracks. The National Association of Corrosion Engineers and the Society
• The fatigue limit, or lower limit to cyclic failure, is dependent for Protective Coatings (NACE/SSPC) issue several specifications
only on the type of design detail. for surface preparations, which include solvent cleaning, hand tool
• Each curve is parallel for different types of steel, and only the cleaning, water jetting, power tool cleaning, and several grades of
design detail dictates the curve to be used in the design. sandblasting (Figure 5, page 12).
• The fatigue limit is also referred to as the constant amplitude When high-performance coatings were first used, shot blasting with
fatigue threshold (CAFT). In theory, fatigue failure cannot rounded particles was a common form of sandblasting. However,
occur if stresses in bridge structures are below the fatigue limit. shot blasting forms rounded surfaces, which provide poor adher-
• Although outside the scope of this article, ASME experimental ence for coatings. Consequently, grit blasting with jagged particles
tests of welded piping indicate that fatigue limits do not exist is commonly used to prepare surfaces to a commercial finish before
for welded structures. That is, fatigue limits due to applied coating to ensure excellent coating adherence. A near white metal
loads continue to decrease over time, rather than remain con- finish is used in saltwater environments. The finished, grit-blasted
stant, as shown in Figure 4. surface consists of microscopic, sharp-pointed peaks, and depres-
• Codes for bridge materials ensure that fracture toughness is sions. These sharp depressions or valleys act as stress raisers where
adequate to prevent brittle fractures during cold weather. cracks can initiate.
continued on next page
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• As noted, the size of the flaw has a
negligible effect on the initiation of
fatigue cracks.
• Microscopic defects at weld toes are
typical weld defects that cause cracks.
• Historically, differences in surface
finish reduce fatigue properties, e.g.,
polished bars are more resistant to
fatigue than milled bars of steel.
• Accordingly, the number of defects on
surfaces is the primary contributor to
fatigue cracking.
• Grit blasting creates many more stress
impacts at weld toes to reduce fatigue
limits and reduce the cycles to failure.
That is, more microscopic, sharp-
pointed valleys that are created at weld
toes increase the probability of cracks.
Figure 4. AASHTO Fatigue Curves (U.S. DOT, Design and Evaluation of Steel Bridges for Fatigue and Fracture). • Embedded grit particles in the valleys
were observed to be the crack initiation
sites during 4140 steel fatigue tests. These
particles compounded the stresses at the
sharp points of the valleys, and additional
embedded particles are expected during the
blasting of softer bridge steels.
In short, grit blasting fatigue reduces
the stresses needed to form fatigue cracks,
whether on a flange or at a weld. In Figure 4,
all of the sloped lines will move downward,
and all of the fatigue limits, or CAFTs, will
move downward as well. The extent to which
these fatigue curves are revised requires fur-
ther experimental fatigue testing.
Solutions
Figure 5. NACE/SSPC surface finishes, grades of blast cleaning (Adapted from ISO 850-1). Bridge designs – past, present, and future – are
in jeopardy unless fatigue strength reductions
due to grit blasting are evaluated for bridge
Grit Blasting Fatigue Tests safety. Yes, more research is needed and recommended, but the verdict
Test results for 4140 steel are conclusive, and fatigue limits and cycles is evident. Grit blasting reduces fatigue strengths of bridges, and this
to failure are significantly reduced by grit blasting steel. In Figure 1, problem must be addressed to ensure bridge safety. The full effects on
the number of cycles to failure is reduced by an order of magnitude, bridge safety are not yet known, and earlier accident investigations are
and the fatigue limit is reduced by 16%. The AASHTO fatigue curves also called into question since blasted surface finishes were not evalu-
shown in Figure 4 could change significantly if grit blasting was con- ated during previous investigations. Grit blasting fatigue (The Leishear
sidered. Consequently, predicted fatigue failure stress calculations for Fatigue Stress Theory) is a new tool to troubleshoot bridge failures.
repetitive truck loads on bridges could be in error, and bridge safety The problem of grit blasting and fatigue affects multiple industries.
that is determined during design is affected. That is, bridges are not The fatigue designs of grit-blasted structures are potentially unsafe for
as safe as intended. pressure vessels, industrial and municipal piping, cross country oil
Even so, few tests have been performed to understand how fatigue and gas pipelines, nuclear power plant piping systems, and any other
properties are affected by grit blasting. There are a few studies on structure or equipment that is designed for fatigue and grit blasted for
titanium dental implants and a single study on 4140 steel; these tests coating adherence. Much work remains to be done.■
are all that have been performed.
The online version of this article contains references.
Grit Blasting Effects Please visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
Are these 4140 steel test results applicable to bridge design? For the
Robert A. Leishear, a Consulting Engineer for Leishear Engineering, LLC,
few failures that occur in locations away from welded toes, the answer
is an ASME Fellow, a NACE Senior Internal Corrosion Technologist, and
to this question is simply yes. But the fatigue effects on bridge steels
a Journeyman Sheet Metal Mechanic. Dr. Leishear has written many peer-
will be more pronounced since bridge steels are softer than 4140 steel.
reviewed publications, including the topics of fatigue failures and failure
For fatigue cracks at weld toes, the answer to this question requires analysis. ([email protected])
more discussion.
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structural INSPECTIONS
Inspectability Design
Bridge Life Cycle Cost Savings
By Jennifer C. Laning, P.E.
S tandard practice during bridge design and construction is to

consider the biddability of the construction documents, the
constructability of the design, and the operability of the asset. Quite
inspection access can
be considered at the
initial design level or
often, designers do not consider the inspectability of the bridge over during rehabilitation
its life cycle. Inspection, required by law on a 24-month cycle at a later in the bridge’s
maximum, presents the bridge owner with costs: labor, equipment life. On signature
expenses, travel impacts, and safety. These costs, especially for complex or large structures,
bridges, signature structures, and high-level river crossings, can be this can be accom-
Wide sidewalks can provide accessibility.
reduced if inspectability is included in the design. plished by providing
The link between bridge design and inspectability is explored in a catwalks, railings around piers, fall restraint systems, tie-offs on deep
paper submitted to the SMT Conference 2010 in New York City, girders, and locations where rappelling or traveler systems can be
entitled Designing Bridges for Inspectability, by Alampalli and Yannotti, attached to the bridge. A frequently undervalued need is a pull-off
and in an ASCE Technical Note by Mahamid, et al., entitled Structural or staging area at or under the bridge for safe coordination of inspec-
Design and Inspectability of Highway Bridges. In the Technical Note, tion operations. For highway structures over roadways, railroads, or
the authors conducted a workshop on structural design and inspec- waterways, the inspection access considerations are less complicated.
tion of highway bridges at the University of Illinois at Chicago in Still, even small accommodations can make work safer for inspectors
November of 2017, with participants from state agencies, design over the life of the bridge. Conversations with experienced bridge
and inspection companies, and academics. Both of these sources, as inspectors have suggested access improvements such as ensuring
well as other sources such as the FHWA-IF-11-016 Framework for an accessible abutment seat height, providing a flat area at the top
Improving Resilience of Bridge Design, placed a focus on improving of slopes to stand or place ladders, locating the girder splices over
current inspection challenges and offered proposed modifications for outer lanes to reduce the need for double lane closures, or making
future design practices, intending to facilitate inspection practice. the access hatches to steel tub girders or box floorbeam/cross girders
During design, inspectability can be incorporated by improving the more accessible. Inspection equipment access could also be limited
ability to inspect the bridge visually. Considering bridge type selec- by the width of outboard sidewalks or the placement of high fences
tion and/or bridge details and providing or improving safe access and luminaire poles, which may obstruct snoopers, or poor ground
for inspectors in the design phase is essential. The benefits include conditions underneath the bridge that could be used by manlifts or
improved system preservation because the condition of the bridge bucket trucks. There are many factors to consider when looking for
can be more accurately monitored, improved safety for inspectors ways to optimize inspection access, including reducing or eliminat-
and the public during the performance of the inspection, and overall ing the need to perform lane closures as much as possible, removing
cost savings from increased inspection efficiency. or reducing obstacles to production, improving safety, and allowing
When considering bridge type selection or design of bridge details, inspectors to reach as much of the structure as possible.
the main objective is to increase the visibility to the inspector by Ultimately, the goal is to improve safety and efficiency, which has the
avoiding uninspectable elements. This impacts the owner’s ability to potential to realize cost savings over the life of the bridge. While these
monitor and maintain the overall condition of the bridge; because, modifications certainly would improve efforts toward best practices
as noted in FHWA-IF-11-016, “elements that are difficult to inspect in design, it is possible that cost increases in design or construction
are typically problematic to maintain.” Flaws, cracks, and section loss would impact their implementation. However, the cost savings over
can occur in inaccessible areas behind end diaphragms or between the the life of the bridge can potentially outweigh the costs in design
ends of box or tub girders. Truss members, tie girders, tub girders, or or construction. For example, consider the low cost of planning to
floorbeam cross girders often have areas that are constrained by the place tie-offs or to analyze the access to various portions of the bridge
member itself. A prestressed concrete box beam bridge is constructed during the design phase versus not having these in place in the future.
with internal webs that are not visible. These same areas are susceptible An example is a signature cable-stayed bridge that cost more than
to the accumulation of moisture, debris, roadway deicing materials, $100 million to build in the 1990s, which was constructed without
and other threats that contribute to the deterioration of the steel or tie-offs on the top of the pylons to facilitate rope access inspection. In
concrete and loss of structural integrity. The inability to have visual another case, a functionally obsolete lift truss bridge with extremely
access to bridge components means that inspectors cannot monitor narrow lanes that required overnight inspections was retrofitted with
the condition of these vulnerable areas over time. In turn, the deterio- a maintenance traveler. Design solutions can also include reducing or
ration will not be reported and maintenance will not be performed, eliminating the use of certain bridge types or details, like prestressed
presenting a challenge to system preservation and resulting in costly adjacent box beam bridges or diaphragm configurations at abutments
rehabilitation versus planned routine maintenance. that prevent visual inspection of the beam ends or abutment backwall.
Facilitating safe access to the bridge for both inspectors and the Other solutions include evaluating whether certain areas of a bridge
public who would be impacted by inspection operations can be can be accessed by existing equipment configurations (i.e., the largest
accomplished in several ways. One advantage is that improvements to underbridge inspection vehicle has a 75-foot reach) while in design, and
if not, building in methods of access, such as walkways or connections
for travelers or rigging. One suggestion in the ASCE Technical Note
was an exciting and innovative discussion point regarding the potential
use of BrIM as a way to utilize a digital representation to explore the
inspectability of a bridge. If the cost of time spent during the design
phase to address inspectability is a barrier, perhaps this innovative
solution of using BrIM’s agility can help in making inspectability part
of best practices in bridge design. Many agency manuals require that
designers consider inspectability during the design process, so a strong
case can be made for including an actual review of the plans specifically
for inspection considerations. Having a bridge inspection specialist who
reviews the plans can provide useful suggestions early in the process. Traveler rail retrofitted to accommodate a scaffold system for inspections.
Potential solutions may include flat areas adjacent to the abutments
the trucking industry, not to mention the cost to the environment
or locating the hatches for tub girders in the bottom face of the tub
from the use of fossil fuels and emissions. By providing alternative
and making them large enough for extension ladders. And, including
methods for access to the bridge, perhaps from beneath or by utiliz-
a discussion on inspection access improvements in a rehabilitation may
ing rigging, travelers, or walkways, the opportunity exists to be safer
provide some value if the improvements can be included at that time.
and more efficient. Any time that the bridge inspection industry can
The downside for not addressing inspectability is the potential
avoid impacting traffic with equipment and subsequent lane closures,
increase in the costs of inspections due to equipment and lane closures
both safety and economic benefits are realized.
needed to perform the inspections every 24-month interval for the
As a bridge inspection subject matter expert, the author encourages
life of the bridge. Remember, there are also impacts on traffic and
more thoughtful consideration of inspectability by bridge designers.
safety during inspections. Inspection-friendly alternatives considered
Our industry should encourage bridge designers to consider the
early, if possible, can be significant improvements. Safety for inspec-
long-term cost savings of improving inspectability and the
tors and the traveling public is the overarching benefit that can be
corresponding improvement in safety for inspectors and the
realized by designing for improved inspectability, particularly when
traveling public.■
many solutions can reduce or remove the equipment and lane closure
demands. Equipment such as underbridge inspection vehicles and traf- Jennifer C. Laning is Associate Vice President and Bridge Inspection
fic control setups cost money. Impacts to traffic on already congested Practice Leader at Pennoni. ([email protected])
roadways result in economic costs, through delays to commuters and
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structural PERFORMANCE
3-D Snow Drifts
By Michael O’Rourke, Ph.D., P.E., and Talia Williams
B efore the 2016 version of the American Society of Civil Engineer's

ASCE 7 Load Standard, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and
Other Structures, all snowdrifts were two dimensional. The height and
width (horizontal extension) of the leeward roof step drifts were taken
to be constant all along the roof step. The same holds for windward
roof step drifts, parapet wall drifts, and over-the-ridge gable roof drifts.
As such, the wind direction of interest was nominally perpendicular
to the geometric irregularity, i.e., perpendicular in plan to the roof
step, the parapet wall, or the gable roof ridgeline.
There are some roof geometries where two, 2-D drifts overlap or
occupy the same roof area. One such roof geometry is the Northwestern
corner of a roof with parapet walls along both the North and West
edges. Wind out of the South would result in a two-dimensional drift
along the North wall, while wind out of the East would result in a
two-dimensional drift along the west wall. Presumably, each of the 2-D
drifts would control design for most of the bays along the North and
West sides, respectively. The 2-D drift footprints overlap at the corner.
Prior to ASCE 7-16, the design snowdrift for the NW corner bay was
open to question. Some structural engineers may well have designed
the bay for each of the 2-D drifts separately. Other structural engineers Figure 1. Plan view of a 3-D snowdrift at Northwest corner. The dashed line
designates the 3-D drift area.
may have designed the corner bay for the sum of the two 2-D drifts.
ASCE 7-16 clarifies the situation by specifying that the snow depth at issue is whether such new guidance, which by necessity would increase
any point in the overlap area is taken as the larger of the two 2-D drift the length and complexity of the code provisions, is needed.
depths at that point, as shown in Figure 1. That is, a 3-D drift is not As noted above, there is a single wind direction of interest for the
a new drift; instead, it is the drift at locations where well established 2-D drifts (e.g., nominally perpendicular to the ridgeline for gable roof
2-D drifts overlap. drifts). However, there are two wind directions of interest for 3-D drifts
Note that this approach is consistent with the ASCE 7 approach for (e.g., wind out of South and wind out of the East for the Northwest
roof step drifts. In that case, both the leeward and windward drifts are parapet wall corner case discussed above). This raises the question of
determined, and the larger (not the sum) is used for design. the likelihood of multiple wind directions in wintertime. For a site
Other roof geometries can lead to 3-D snowdrifts, i.e., the overlap- with a single, predominant wind direction (e.g., the winter wind is
ping of two 2-D drifts. A simple gable roof, with a N-S ridgeline and almost always out of the North), the potential for significant 3-D drift
a pediment or parapet at the North end wall, is one such example. For formation would seem limited. On the other hand, 3-D drift formation
wind out of the South, there would be a regular 2-D parapet wall drift, would seem more likely if winter winds from multiple directions were
while for wind out of the West, there would be a regular 2-D gable expected. Boston’s 2014-15 winter season was an example of the latter.
roof drift on the East side of the gable. These two, 2-D drifts would
overlap along a portion of the parapet wall East of the ridgeline, as
sketched in Figure 2. Extension of the current 3-D drift provision for
Boston 2015
parapet wall corners and re-entrant corners to other roof geometries Boston and other parts of New England experienced significant losses
is currently under consideration by the ASCE 7-22 committee. One due to a series of four primary snowstorms in January and February
of 2015. Based on an insurance arbitration hearing at which
Table 1. Snowfall and wind during winter storms in Boston; January thru February, 2015.
the senior author attended as an expert witness, the incurred
Snowfall Equivalent Hours with losses due to eave ice dams alone were more than $100 mil-
Storm Snowfall Depth Snowfall ≥ 10 MPH Wind lion. Table 1 presents a summary of snowfall and wind for
Number Duration (in.) Weight (psf ) Wind Direction each of the four Boston 2015 primary storms.
10 AM 1/26/15 The information in Table 1 is based on National Oceanic and
1 26 6.1 78 300° to 60°
to 4 AM 1/28/15 Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Local Climatological
4 AM 2/2/15 to Data Sheets for Logan Airport in Boston. It was assumed that
2 17 4.6 57 190° to 70° snow remained driftable for 3 days after the end of the storm
10 PM 2/2/15
1 PM 2/7/15 to snowfall (i.e., snow from Storm #1 was driftable until 4 AM
3 25.3 7.3 90 210° to 30° 1/31/15)(O’Rourke et al., 2005). Furthermore, the wind speed
1 AM 2/10/15
threshold for snow drifting (i.e., wind-induced snow transport)
4 PM 2/14/15 to
4 16.8 3.33 63 120° to 10° was taken to be 10 miles per hour (mph)(O’Rourke et al.,
1 PM 2/16/15
2005). Hence, for the 114 hours in Storm #1 from the start
Total 85.1 21.3 288
of snowfall (10 AM 1/26/15) to assumed cessation of drifting
(4 AM 1/31/15), drifting was occurring about 68% of the time,
assuming the snow source was not depleted.
The resulting structural damage, in general, and damage to
school buildings in particular, triggered deployment of a Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Science
Branch assessment team on February 25, 2015. In early March,
the FEMA team inspected four partial school collapses – two
south of Boston and two in southern New Hampshire. During
the FEMA visit, ground snow depth and load samples were taken.
The ground snow depths south of Boston ranged from 2.5 to 2.8
feet, and its ground snow loads ranged from 39 to 44 pounds per
square foot (psf). The corresponding southern New Hampshire
values were 1.4 to 1.7 feet and 22 to 26.5 psf.
Concerning snow drifting, O’Rourke and Cocca (2018) devel-
oped parameters to quantify the influence of wind. Specifically,
they recommended that the size (cross-sectional area) of the drift
surcharge be a function of the ground snow load and the upwind
fetch (as is currently), as well as a winter wind parameter. Two
wind parameters were considered. The first, W2, is simply the
percentage of time during the winter (October through April)
during which the wind speed is 10 mph or higher. Note that
there is no particular direction associated with W2; all wind
directions can contribute. A direction-specific winter wind
Figure 2. Plan view of 3-D snowdrift for parapet wall at North end wall of gable with
parameter, W4, was also considered. The parameter was defined N-S ridgeline. The dashed line designates the 3-D drift area.
as the largest of the eight values for the percentage of time the
wind speed was above 10 mph along each of the eight cardinal direc- The Boston 2015 wind roses in Figure 3 demonstrated that a shift in
tions (N, NW, W…NE). By its nature: wind direction throughout a single snowstorm or over the course of a
W2 = W4N + W4NW + … +W4NE single winter is possible. The single storm version is common enough
Table 2 presents the W2 and W4 wind parameters for each of the four that it has been given a name: a Nor’easter. The classic Nor’easter
primary Boston 2015 storms. For example, during Storm #1, and the corresponds to a low-pressure system proceeding up the Atlantic
three days of potential snow drifting that followed, the wind speed coast. In New England, due to the counter-clockwise rotation about
was above 10 mph for 68% of the time, while the wind speed in the a low, there is wind out of the East when the low is south of New
north nominal wind direction was above 10 mph for 15% of the time. York City, followed by wind out of the North when the low is East
Figure 3, page 18, shows the wind rose for each of the four primary of Boston. Note that the Boston 2015 wind roses (wind out of the
Boston 2015 storms. Note that the winds were predominately out North and West) were not due to a Nor’easter (wind out of the North
of the Northwest and North, respectively, during Storms #1 and and East). The Boston 2015 Storm #2 was consistent with a Canadian
#3. Storm #4 had strong winds out of two directions (NW and W), low traveling along a Southeastern path, somewhat North of Boston.
while Storm #2 had three strong wind directions (N, NW, and W). The classic Nor’easter and at least one of the Boston 2015 storms
As noted above, wind out of the North and/or West was common in the established that 90° wind shifts are relatively common in New England.
Boston 2015 storms. Such a wind pattern, for certain roof geometries, However, this does not establish that such wind shifts are common
results in the formation of 3-D snowdrifts. As described in more detail in other parts of the United States.
in the Snow Study Summary Report: Observations of Snow Load Effects
on Four School Buildings in New England (FEMA, 2016), which can be
downloaded https://bit.ly/2wYPiUA, two of the four roof collapses were
Winter Wind Shift in the U.S.
due to 3-D snowdrifts at relatively complex roof geometries. At Mitchell As shown above, a wind rose is a convenient way of characterizing
Elementary in Bridgewater, MA, the damaging 3-D drift was due to an wind direction. Figure 4, page 18, presents a multiyear rose for Boston,
overlap of a 2-D gable roof drift due to wind out of the North and a MA. Unlike the individual storm wind roses in Figure 3, the multiyear
2-D windward roof step drift due to wind out of the West. Similarly, at wind rose in Figure 4 is for 65 winters (October through April). Also,
Plymouth River Elementary in Hingham, MA, the damaging 3-D drift the wind rose in Figure 4 was not restricted to time during and after
was due to an overlap of a 2-D leeward roof step drift due to a North snowstorms. The multiyear winter wind rose for Boston shows the NW
wind and a 2-D windward roof step drift due to a West wind. The two wind was the most common winter direction with W4 = 0.19, and the
partial collapses observed in Southern New Hampshire were both regular West wind with W4 = 0.16 was the next most common.
2-D drifts at simpler, less complex roof geometries. To use multiyear wind roses for locations across the United States,
and to quantify the directional variability of the above-the-drifting-
Table 2. Wind parameters W2 and W4 for the four primary Boston 2015 snowstorms. threshold-wind, the multiyear wind roses needed to be rotated
and normalized. Specifically, each of the multiyear wind roses
Storm W2 W4N W4NW W4W W4SW W4S W4SE W4E W4NE was rotated so that the predominant snow drifting wind direction
1 0.68 0.15 0.43 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.10 (direction of the largest of the 8 multiyear W4 values) was vertical.
2 0.55 0.11 0.11 0.11 0.04 0.07 0.0 0.04 0.07 For Boston, with NW as the predominant direction, the rose was
3 0.69 0.59 0.02 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.08
rotated 45° clock-wise (NW direction now “vertical”). All 272 of
the multiyear wind roses were then normalized by dividing each
4 0.60 0.07 0.30 0.23 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 of the eight W4 values by the largest for that location. As a result,
OCTOBER 2020 17
roof areas where the two 2-D drifts overlap, using the larger of 100%
of one of the 2-D drift and 60% of the other 2-D drifts is justified.
Conclusion and Recommendation

The 2015 Boston case demonstrates that strong winds (capable of
causing snow drifting) can change direction during a single storm and
over the course of a single winter. The 2015 Boston Winter resulted
in 3-D drifts (strong winds from directions 90° apart), which caused
partial structural collapses and, in one case, complete closure at one
school until the summer.
Analysis of winter wind across the whole United States indicates
that 3-D drifts are not a “Boston-only” phenomenon. Specifically, the
analysis shows that a 3-D drift, composed of or based upon 100% of
one of the 2-D drifts and about 60% of the others, seems justified.
It is the author’s opinion that, if the current ASCE 7-16 approach for
parapet wall corners is expanded to cover other 3-D drift susceptible
roof areas, the 100%/100% approach should be used as opposed to
the 100%/60% approach mentioned above. This opinion is based
on the following reasoning:
• The 100%/100% approach is consistent with the current ASCE
7-16 approach for corners (parapet wall and re-entrant) and the
long-standing approach for leeward and windward roof step drifts.
• The 100%/100% approach is easier to use and understand.
Figure 3. Winter wind roses for Boston 2015 storms.
The 100%/100% approach requires the structural engineer to
each of the 272 multiyear wind roses had an amplitude of 1.0 along determine two 2-D drifts and to consider one combination.
the vertical, and smaller amounts for all other directions. The 100%/60% approach requires determination of four 2-D
Table 3 presents the mean, median, minimum, maximum, and stan- drifts (a 100% and a 60% for both directions) and consider-
dard deviation of the W4 ratios for all possible wind shifts. That is, 90° ation of two combinations (“100%/60%” and “60%/100%).
CW means 90° clockwise from the predominant direction. Notice that • One expects that the number of bays susceptible to 3-D drift
the maximum ratio is close to 100% for all wind directions. That is, formation is small in comparison to the number susceptible to
there were at least one of the 272 locations where W4 for the next most 2-D drift formation. In such situations, “simple and conserva-
common wind direction was nominally the same as for the predominant tive” makes more sense than “complex but precise.”
or most common direction. Similarly, the minimum ratio was close Examples of the evaluation of 3-D snow drift using provisions cur-
to 0% for all directions. That is, for at least one of the 272 locations, rently in ASCE 7-16 or expected in ASCE 7-22 (i.e., the 100%/100%
there was nominally no snowdrift for some direction other than the approach discussed above) are presented in a FEMA guidance docu-
predominant direction. ment Three-Dimensional Roof Snowdrifts Design Guide (FEMA, 2019),
Given the rectilinear nature of most roof geometries, it would seem available at https://bit.ly/2VCqMmt.■
that a 90° or 270° wind shift from the predominant direction are the
two directions of most interest with 3-D drift formation. Assuming The online version of this article contains references.
a normal distribution, the mean plus 1.5 standard deviations would Please visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
account for about 93% of the locations. The W4 value for either 90°
or 270° CW from the predominate would be (using 0.23 as an aver- Michael O’Rourke is a Professor of Civil Engineering at Rensselaer
age standard deviation for 90° CW and 270° CW) Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. ([email protected])
(W4)270° = (W4)90° = 0.279 + 1.5(0.23) = 0.62
Talia Williams is an undergraduate civil engineering student of the 2020
It turns out that the drift height is, as a first approximation, propor-
graduating class at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
tional to the winter wind parameter. As such, one could argue that at
Table 3. W4 values for 272 rotated and normalized wind roses.
Direction Mean Median Minimum Maximum St. Deviation

Vertical 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.0
45° CW 0.440 0.417 0.003 0.993 0.251
90° CW 0.279 0.214 0.001 0.956 0.224
135° CW 0.312 0.271 0.001 0.982 0.242
180° CW 0.413 0.392 0.066 0.999 0.264
225° CW 0.275 0.211 0.002 0.995 0.223
270° CW 0.279 0.218 0.001 0.992 0.237
Figure 4. 65-year winter wind rose
315° CW 0.458 0.420 0.008 0.998 0.256 for Boston, MA.
historic STRUCTURES
Ashtabula Bridge Failure
By Frank Griggs, Jr., Dist. M.ASCE, D.Eng., P.E., P.L.S.
T he Ashtabula Bridge disaster was one of the

most publicized American bridge failures
of the 19th century. In 1865, the Lake Shore &
Southern Michigan Railroad was faced with the
task of replacing a wooden bridge over Ashtabula
Creek in northeastern Ohio. The president of the
railroad was Amasa Stone, who had purchased the
patent rights for the Howe Bridge from William
Howe, his brother-in-law, in 1841. Howe’s bridge The Ashtabula Bridge.
was initially built with wooden top and bottom chords and diagonals; the verticals were wrought-iron rods in tension. Stone
had built many successful Howe wooden trusses before the Ashtabula Bridge but built this one entirely of iron with cast iron
for junction blocks and wrought iron for tension and compression members. The wrought iron top chord and diagonals were
all fabricated from I sections and the bottom chord of wrought iron bars. The span, as built, was 157 feet and cost $75,000.
All was well until the night of December 29, 1876. On this night, the eleven-year-old bridge failed, in what was called a blind-
ing snowstorm, carrying the Pacific Express to the creek 69 feet below, resulting in the loss of 80 lives.
Stone had rejected the advice of two of his engineers, Charles Collins or the railroad corporation? Was the bridge when made, the best of
and Joseph Tomlinson, about the design of the bridge. Collins, who its kind, or the cheapest of its kind? Was the contract for building
supervised the construction of the bridge, was reported to have said, “let to the lowest bidder,” or given to the most honest, thorough
“This is no bridge of mine; that is the President’s bridge.” After tes- workmen? These and a hundred similar queries arise in every
tifying to a Coroner’s Jury, “I never mentioned to anyone that the thoughtful mind and an anxious community desire information
bridge was not mine and that I did not want anything to do with it and assurance of safety. The majority of people can not, of course,
since it was placed under the charge of a bridge man; I thought it understand the detailed construction of bridges, but they do desire
out of place for me to say anything about it. I never knew of another confidence in engineers, builders, contractors, manufacturers, who
bridge being built of wrought iron on this plan. I think the bridge have to do with the making of them, and in the railroad companies,
was rather an experiment.” After he testified, he committed suicide. into whose hands they are constantly putting their own lives and
Tomlinson, under the supervision of Stone, made the drawings of the lives of those dearest to them.”
the bridge but told Stone the braces were not strong enough. Stone The article's third question (bolded) was most damaging for the civil
then fired Tomlinson. engineering profession. An iron bridge had been built for railroad traf-
The press of the country, already somewhat critical of the railroads, fic by Whipple in 1853, with a span of 147 feet that was still carrying
had a field day pointing fingers, asking embarrassing questions, and traffic. The B & O had replaced its wooden bridges with iron as well,
wondering over and over again how something like this could happen. usually on the Bollman or Fink plan starting in the 1850s. Jacob H.
The Illustrated London News ran an article in its February 3rd issue, Linville built a 320-foot span bridge at Steubenville, Ohio, in 1864,
along with a full-page engraving of the train burning amidst the a year before the construction of the Ashtabula Bridge.
wreckage of the bridge. Harper’s Weekly, on January 20, 1877, ran As was usually the case when fatalities resulted from a bridge failure,
an article and a full-page illustration of the disaster, asking questions the only means of investigating the underlying causes was to call a
that most people wanted an answer to, when it wrote: coroner’s inquest that went on for 68 days. The Jury had seven con-
“Was it improperly constructed? Was the iron of inferior quality? clusions, of which 3, 4, and 5 are the most important for this article,
After eleven years of service, had it suddenly lost its strength? “Third. That the fall of the bridge was the result of defects and
Or had a gradual weakness grown upon it unperceived? Might that errors made in designing, constructing, and erecting it; that a
weakness have been discovered by frequent and proper examina- great defect, and one which appears in many parts of the structure,
tion? Or was the breakage the sudden effect of the intense cold? If was the dependence of every member for its efficient action upon
so, why had it not happened before in yet more severe weather? Is the probability that all or nearly all the others would retain their
there no method of making iron bridges of assured safety and who is position and do the duty for which they were designed, instead of
responsible (so far as responsibility goes) for such an accident –the giving to each member a positive connection with the rest, which
engineer who designed the bridge, or the contractor, or the builders, nothing but a direct rupture could sever...
Fourth. That the railway company used and continued to use
this bridge for about eleven years, during all which time a careful
inspection by a competent bridge engineer could not have failed to
discover all these defects. For the neglect of such careful inspection,
the railway company alone is responsible.
Fifth. That the responsibility of this fearful disaster and its con-
sequent loss of life rests upon the railway company, which, by its
chief executive officer, planned and erected this bridge.”
In addition, a special committee of the Ohio state legislature was
created. They appointed three prominent engineers, who concluded,
after a very comprehensive study, on January 30, 1877, that the factors
of safety in the members varied widely, with the tension members very
strong and the compression members very weak. They then wrote,
“The probability is that the braces failed first, and thereby involved
the failure of the top chord also. But inasmuch as both members
were weak, and both were involved in the break, it is of little impor-
tance which member took precedence in the failure. The factors The failure of the Ashtabula Bridge.
of safety throughout the compression members were so low that
failure must have followed sooner or later. their strength would have been still further increased – twofold.
If the several groups of beams composing the braces and top chord The result would have been that the factors of safety given in the
had each been combined into a single member, by riveting on their tables would have been increased five times for the braces and ten
flanges a system of diagonal plates – say three and a half by half- times for the chord. They would have been so excessively strong
inch – running alternately from right to left and from left to right that much of the material might have been omitted...
across the entire group, the bridge would have been abundantly Another defect was the absence of any provision for retaining the
safe. This arrangement would have made each group strongest in braces in their places on the angle-blocks. Such provision had
the lateral direction and weakest in the direction of the webs of been originally made by means of raised lugs on the faces of the
the beams, but in this direction, the beams offer about five times blocks at the corner of the flanges of the braces. But, in chang-
the resistance that they do laterally. The top chord members could ing the positions of the braces, these lugs were removed, and no
then only deflect in single panel lengths, and, on that account, substitute, therefore, was provided. This allowed the braces to
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OCTOBER 2020 21
the best minds in the country. Squire Whipple,
Albert Fink, Shaler Smith, Jacob H. Linville, and
Thomas C. Clarke had built bridges at that time,
it is true, but such names could almost be counted
upon the fingers; and even these would, perhaps,
now admit that they then “[built it] better than
they knew.” If then, the state of knowledge at the
time has not been under-estimated, the Ashtabula
bridge was the result of an honest effort to improve
the bridge practice of the country, undertaken
by a man whose experience in wooden bridges
warranted him in making the attempt. As to his
willful neglect of proffered advice, it would be
well to suspend judgment until all the facts are
brought to light by the proper tribunals. His worst
enemies will, at least, according to Mr. Stone, the
possession of common sense...
Macdonald’s drawing of top chord joints. First. The inspection must have been faulty. If anyone
of the well-known bridge engineers of today had
slip from their places, and make the already imperfect bearings been asked to examine that structure, he would have pronounced
still more defective... it unsafe, for the principal reason that all the compression members
The full legislative committee concluded, were liable to fail by flexure…
1st – There were from eighty to one hundred lives lost by the Second. A careful study of the behavior of the compression mem-
failure of the bridge. bers of this bridge must impress us with the necessity of more
2d – The bridge went down under an ordinary load by reason of perfect experimental knowledge of the strength of iron in the
defects in its original construction. form of struts...
3d –The defects in the original construction of the bridge could have Third. The failure of some of the castings conveys a useful lesson
been discovered at any time after its erection by careful and analyti- in designing details involving the use of cast-iron. Care should
cal inspection, such as the importance of the structure demanded, always be taken not to pass abruptly from a large to small mass;
and thus the sacrifice of life and property prevented.” else, the strains from cooling will surely vitiate the strength of
Many engineers weighed in on the failure. Charles Macdonald wrote the connection...
a long paper for ASCE on the failure. He wrote as an introduction, Fourth. In conclusion, it may with safety be said that the Ashtabula
“At the moment when the pilot of the forward engine reached the bridge was an exceptional structure, both in its design and execu-
western abutment, the top chord of the south truss, which was tion, and that the reputation of American engineers and bridge
almost directly under the train, gave way at a point about 23 feet constructors of today cannot in the least be affected by its failure
from the west end, causing the immediate fall of the entire structure; when all the facts are known…”
the engineer of the first engine, feeling a sudden movement, pulled Many other engineers, such as Squire Whipple, A. P. Boller, Theodore
open his throttle valve and succeeded in landing his engine on [the] Cooper, Edward Philbrick, Gouverneur Warren, C. Shaler Smith,
solid ground west of the abutment, but the remaining engine and Charles Hilton, and Robert Briggs, weighed in on the failure. Whipple
the express cars went down with the bridge, while the passenger wrote, “But it was a much greater fault, and probably the one mainly
cars were dragged one after another over the eastern abutment into leading to the fatal result, to divide the material of the braces and
a chasm 65 feet in depth, piling one upon the other in a shapeless upper chord into 5 or 6 slender bars, affording but little mutual sup-
mass of splintered fragments which immediately caught fire and port laterally, instead of consolidating a smaller amount of material
were consumed.” in single efficient members of large diameter and lateral stiffness.”
After describing each element of the bridge and determining its Boller wrote, “We all know it to have been a conglomeration of
strength, he concluded, errors, and principally astounding in its longevity. Why it lasted a
“The most important lessons to be learned from the event: In week after the staging was knocked out can only be answered by refer-
the interval since the accident, we have had a sufficiency of snap ence to the doctrine of “special providences.” That it lasted a dozen
judgments to satisfy the most censorious. Judging from the tenor years is a superb tribute to the value of iron in bridge construction,
of much that has appeared in the secular press, either as evidence showing the torture that material will stand before the penalty is
taken under the solemnity of an oath or by way of editorial com- paid, that nature exacts of ignorance. Without moralizing over the
ment, this bridge must have been conceived in sin and born in design, ignorantly conceived and faultily carried out, and one that
iniquity. any bridge expert would have condemned after less than five minutes
The President of the Company attempts to execute a difficult inspection, the lesson of the disaster is of the highest importance to
piece of construction, with but little special knowledge of the the whole community.”
principles involved in his task. He ignores the advice of a chosen The cause of the failure was a case of bad design, bad construc-
professional assistant and neglects to profit by the warnings which tion, and inadequate inspection. The design was never repeated.■
are said to have been uttered by the structure itself in the travail
of its birth, and now, at the end of all these years, a dire catastro- Dr. Frank Griggs, Jr. specializes in the restoration of historic bridges, having
phe brings the misshapen thing back to the source from whence restored many 19 th Century cast and wrought iron bridges. He is now an
it sprung. In the West, a few scattering efforts had been made, Independent Consulting Engineer. ([email protected])
and the subject was beginning to attract the attention of some of
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structural COMPONENTS
Designing Cross-Laminated Timber
Wall Elements
By Lori Koch, P.E., and Michelle Kam-Biron, P.E., S.E., SECB
A lthough commonly used throughout the building industry, the term “mass timber “will be included in the International
Building Code (IBC) for the first time in the 2021 Edition. Mass timber will be defined as structural elements of Type
IV construction primarily of solid, built-up, panelized, or engineered wood products that meet minimum cross-section
dimensions of Type IV construction. Cross-laminated Timber, or CLT, is one of the major wood products used in mass timber
construction that has started to gain traction in the North American building sector as a viable major building material due
to its structural properties, sustainability, and inherent fire-resistance.
CLT is a prefabricated engineered wood product consisting of not design values for specific grades of CLT, geometric properties, and
less than three layers of solid-sawn lumber or structural composite adhesive requirements that manufacturers must meet. Structural
lumber, where the adjacent layers are cross-oriented perpendicularly reference design values for CLT should be obtained from the CLT
and bonded with structural adhesive to form a solid wood element. manufacturer’s literature or code evaluation reports.
Finished panels are typically 2 to 10 feet wide, with lengths up to 60 Although CLT may be used for roof, floor, or wall applications, there
feet and thickness up to 20 inches. CLT is commonly used for long are limited design examples available. A conceptual CLT wall design
spans in walls, floors, and roofs. With its inclusion in the National example for axial loads and combined out-of-plane and axial loads
Design Specification® (NDS®) for Wood Construction and the IBC, is shown below. (Note that the loads are not factored per ASCE 7;
the material is becoming more commonly used. However, design the example is shown for proof of concept rather than a complete
examples on the use of this new material remain limited. This article design example.)
provides information on CLT as a material, its production, and uses,
and provides a design example for a CLT wall application.
Example – Combined Bending and Axial Loads
For this exercise, a CLT wall subjected to axial compression and
Historical Background and Use out-of-plane wind load (perpendicular to the face of the wall) is
CLT was first introduced in Europe in the 1990s and has grown in investigated. The design loads and parameters are:
popularity in the years since, with over 500 CLT buildings in England Live load = 15,000 plf
alone. Even before being adopted in U.S. codes and standards, CLT Dead load (including estimated self-weight) = 7,500 plf
was used in buildings such as Long Hall in Whitefish, Montana Wind load = 25 psf
(the first CLT commercial building), Franklin Elementary School in Wall height = L = 10 ft = 120 in
Franklin, West Virginia (the first CLT school building), and several The wall will be designed on a unit width basis, so all loads will be
more. The WoodWorks website reports that there are currently over calculated based on a 1-foot- wide section. The loads per unit width:
350 CLT projects that are either in construction/built or in design,
Axial loads
and over 700 projects using other mass timber products throughout
the U.S. The Table provides a sampling of projects: Live load = Plive = 15,000 lbs
In the 2015 and 2018 IBC, CLT is limited in use to low and midrise Dead load = Pdead = 7,500 lbs
buildings, mainly of Type III, IV, and V Construction, and may not Total load = Ptotal = Plive + Pdead = 22,500 lbs
be used in tall buildings.
Table of U.S. CLT building examples.
Codes and Standards Building Location No. Stories Completion Date
CLT was first standardized in the U.S. in the The Long Hall Whitefish, MT 1 2011
2015 NDS and adopted in the 2015 IBC. The Franklin Elementary School Franklin, WV 2 2015
production standard in the 2015 and 2018
IBC for CLT is ANSI/APA PRG 320-11 Carbon 12 Portland, OR 8 2018
and ANSI/APA PRG 320-17, respectively. Candlewood Suites Huntsville, AL 4 2015
However, if designers are considering using John W. Olver Design
CLT for “tall buildings,” ANSI/APA PRG Amherst, MA 4 2017
Building at UMass Amherst
320-18 should be used due to a change in
the adhesive requirements. PRG 320 provides Albina Yard Portland, OR 4 2016
Bending loads Ptotal + Mmax = 0.86 < 1.0
Wind load = wwind = 25 plf
Pć
( )
FbS´eff,0* 1− Ptotal
PcE
The initial design will consist of a 3-ply CLT panel made from The interaction equation summation is less than 1.0, so the design
13⁄8-inch × 31⁄2-inch lumber boards (CLT thickness of 41⁄8 inches), is sufficient for the combined bending and axial loads specified.
grade E1. While the NDS requires designers to use properties from While CLT has been included in the NDS, there currently is
their CLT manufacturer, for this example, general properties from no standard design method for in-plane shear of CLT walls. The
PRG 320 will be used. For CLT grade E1, tabulated properties from existing CLT structures in the U.S. have been designed using
PRG 320 Tables A1 and A2 are: the alternate methods and materials provisions allowed in the
Fc,0 = 1,800 psi (Reference compression stress) IBC. These designs would have been conducted using the CLT
(FbS)eff,f,0 = 4,525 ft-lb/ft of width (Reference bending moment) manufacturer’s specifications, and values are typically derived from
(EI)eff,f,0 = 115 * 106 lb-in2/ft of width (Reference bending stiffness) testing. Currently, not all manufacturers have design values or
(GA)eff,f,0 = 0.46 * 106 lb/ft of width (Reference shear stiffness) procedures available. CLT shear wall shear capacities are not in the
To calculate the effective wall compression capacity, the area parallel 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS), but
to grain is used (NDS 10.3.1). For a 3-ply CLT panel, this includes procedures for the design of CLT shear walls and determination
2 plies, each of which are 13⁄8 inches thick for the member depth. of CLT shear wall shear capacities are being balloted for inclusion
Since the design is on a unit width, the effective member width is in the upcoming 2021 SDPWS. In the interim, some designers,
12 inches. For this example, unless otherwise noted, all adjustment in cooperation with the CLT manufacturer, may choose to go
factors are assumed to equal 1.0 (CM = Ct = 1.0). through the exercise of determining appropriate shear values for
Aparallel = 2 (1.375 in)12 in = 33 in2/ft of width CLT walls. In contrast, others may use a different vertical lateral
Pc = Fc,0 (Aparallel) = 59,400 lb/ft of width Effective (unadjusted) wall resisting system that is included in ASCE 7.
compression capacity
To calculate the adjusted allowable compression capacity, the apparent
bending stiffness, (EI)app, must first be calculated using the provisions
Fire Design
of NDS 10.4.1. Assuming a pinned-pinned column buckling load, For any products that are utilized in buildings, fire is a significant
NDS Table 10.4.1.1 allows us to determine a Shear Deformation consideration, and wood is inherently fire resistant because of its
Adjustment Factor, Ks = 11.8. innate ability to slow down the progression of the fire. There are seven
(EI )eff,0 115×106 methods in the IBC for establishing fire resistance; one such method,
(EI)app = = = 95*106 lb-in2/ft per Section 722, is calculating fire resistance per Chapter 16 of the
K (EI ) 1+ 11.8*115×10 6
of width
1+ s eff,0
NDS. This method determines the depth of char required to provide
(GA)eff,0 L2 (0.46×106 )*1202
up to 2 hours of fire resistance. For more information, see the Code
(EI)app is adjusted per NDS Appendix D and Appendix H to deter- Updates article in the June 2020 online issue of STRUCTURE.
mine (EI)app-min. NDS Commentary C10.4.1 provides additional
information on this adjustment. Next, the allowable column capacity
is calculated.
Future of CLT
(EI)app-min = 0.518 (EI)app = 49.0 × 106 lb-in2/ft of width Although designers around the world have been constructing taller
PcE = π2 (EI)app-min / L2 = 34.0 × 103 lb/ft of width (NDS C3.7.1.5) wood buildings using mass timber (up to 24 stories in height) every
CD = 1.0 (NDS Table 2.3.2) year, the current U.S. building codes limit mass timber to 6 stories.
Pc* = Pc(CD)(CM)(Ct) = 59.4 × 103 lb/ft of width (NDS C3.7.1.5) However, the tide is changing under the new building codes. In
αc = PcE / Pc* = 0.57 December 2015, in response to requests from building officials,
c = 0.90 the International Code Council (ICC) Board established the ICC
Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings (TWB). The com-
√( )
1+αc 1+αc − αc CP = 0.52
2
CP = − mittee was tasked with exploring the science and investigating the
2c 2c c
feasibility of tall wood buildings, and to take action on developing
Pc´ = Pc* (CP) = 30.6 × 103 lb/ft of width code changes to the IBC for tall wood buildings. As a result of the
The capacity of 30,600 lbs per foot of wall exceeds the demand of thorough research and hard work of this committee, starting with
22,500 lbs per foot of wall. Next, the bending capacity will be checked. the 2021 IBC, designers will be allowed to design taller mass timber
For wind loads, the load duration factor (CD) is assumed to equal 1.6. structures up to 18 stories, depending on, among other things, the
The applied moment due to wind is calculated as: occupancy, fire protection, egress, and lateral resisting system. Other
areas of the world are using mass timber to reach heights
Mmax =
wwind* 12( )
L 2
= 312.5 ft-lb/ft of width
of 24 stories. For more in-depth information on the code
8 changes, see https://awc.org/tallmasstimber.■
The beam stability factor is determined based on the provisions in
NDS 3.3.3.1. In this example, d = 41⁄8 inches is less than b = 12 inches, Lori Koch is the Manager of Educational Outreach with the American
so CL = 1.0. The adjusted capacity is then calculated as: Wood Council and is a board member for SEAVa and on the NCSEA
(FbS)eff´ = ((FbS)eff,f,0)(CD)(CM)(CL)(Ct) = 7,240 ft-lb/ft of width Continuing Education Committee.
The capacity exceeds the maximum applied moment, so the design
Michelle Kam-Biron is Vice President of Education for the American Wood
is sufficient for bending. Since the member is subject to combined
Council and is Past President of SEAOSC, and volunteers on ASCE/SEI,
loads, a bending and axial interaction check is required per NDS
NCSEA, and SEAOSC committees.
3.9.2. For this example, Equation C3.9.2-3 is used.
OCTOBER 2020 25
BEEHIVE BRIDGE
Reconnecting Communities through Creative Infrastructure
By Dan Whittemore, P.E.
Figure 1. Beehive Bridge elevation.
The recently constructed Beehive Bridge in New Britain,

Connecticut, and winner of the American Council of
Engineering Companies (ACEC) Engineering Excellence National
Merging Form and Function
In visualizing a fix to this long-standing condition, New Britain
Merit Award, is a testament to the power of structures to connect Mayor Erin Stewart initially planned to incorporate public art into
people and connect to people. The Beehive Bridge reconnects long- one of the Route 72 overpasses to create a public space that would
divided neighborhoods, encourages pedestrian use, and represents its draw people to cross the highway and shelter them from the highway
community through its singular design (Figure 1). bustle and noise. To help realize this vision, the City hired a design
team led by engineering firm Fuss and O’Neill of Manchester, CT,
along with design team members Svigals + Partners, Pirie Associates,
A Community Divided and Richter & Cegan, Inc. The actualized design takes inspiration
When State Route 72 was installed through the center of New Britain from the City’s seal, which includes bees, a beehive, and the motto
in the late 1970s, rapid access to the adjacent interstate system was in Latin of “industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey” that pays
the driving force behind the construction. At that time, the fact that homage to the City’s industrial past.
the sunken roadway ran straight through the middle of the city was The unique focal point of the project is the pedestrian enclosure,
a secondary concern. Though several bridges were installed to recon- which consists of more than 2,100 amber-honey-colored, ½-inch-thick
nect the now separate neighborhoods, connectivity to the downtown polycarbonate panels arranged in the shape of a giant honeycomb. Its
areas was irrevocably damaged. People found it more convenient to unique appearance shines as a landmark for the City and changes the
avoid the bridges and stay on their side of the highway. The result landscape throughout the day. During daylight hours, the enclosure
was a city divided by a highway installed to serve it. paints the bridge in ever-changing shades as the sun moves through
the sky (Figure 2). At night, programmable LED lighting creates a
21st-century beacon inviting travelers to the City (Figure 3).
Transformation
The existing bridge carries Main Street over Route 72. The bridge
is 270 feet long, split evenly over two 135-foot spans. It is a typical
overpass from its time, consisting of 10 haunched steel plate girders
supporting a composite concrete deck. Before the redesign, the bridge
carried 5 lanes of traffic and had two 10-foot-wide concrete sidewalks
on either side, for a total out-to-out width of 86 feet 6 inches.
In its finished state, the bridge has undergone a road diet to favor
pedestrian foot traffic over vehicular traffic. While the out-to-out
width remained unchanged, each sidewalk was expanded from 10
feet wide to as much as 21 feet wide. The sidewalks were edged with
a 5-foot-wide brick paver strip embedded in the concrete adjacent to
granite curbs. Traffic lanes were reduced to three lanes plus two new
bicycle lanes. As part of the artwork, the larger of the two sidewalks
has a giant aluminum beehive sculpture on a raised dais. At each
Figure 2. Pedestrian view from the sidewalk at day. of the four corners of the bridge, 11-foot-tall aluminum bees greet
Figure 3. Bee sculpture watching over the structure at dusk. Figure 4. Approach to the bridge showing widened sidewalks.
travelers to their hive from their vantage point on raised plinths tied would each have their required edge supports while still keeping bolt
to the concrete abutments (Figure 4). holes within tolerances, both at the polycarbonate panels and the
The spine of the pedestrian enclosure is made up of 138 individual connection points along the spine.
6-inch x 2-inch x 1⁄4-inch-thick galvanized structural steel tubes evenly The bridge is skewed 18 degrees out of perpendicular to the roadway
spaced at 4 feet on-center. The posts form the rough outline of the below it and is built along a vertical highway curve, which adds to the
pedestrian enclosure shape, with each post varying in length between geometric complexity of the enclosure. This was a design challenge
3 feet 4 inches to 7 feet 8 inches tall. The posts are all bent inward because, though the two parapets match the vertical curve at the same
towards the sidewalks, starting at the same inflection point, creating given point along the highway baseline due to the skew of the bridge,
symmetry at eye level. As the post lengths vary, the end of the frame the two pedestrian enclosures on either parapet start and stop at different
terminates at different points overhead, creating a dynamic curving points along the curve. The net result for fabrication was that no two
and swooping envelope that undulates gradually overhead as one panels of the bridge were precisely alike. In essence, each panel piece
walks from one end of the bridge to the other (Figure 5, page 28). (all 137 panels between the 138 posts) had to be custom manufactured
Between the steel-post spine is a lattice network of aluminum horizontally and vertically to properly fit its exact spot on the bridge deck.
members arranged into geometric shapes continued on next page
(mostly triangles, with a few quadri-
laterals) to support each edge of every
half-inch polycarbonate panel (Figure 6,
page 28). The legs of this lattice consist of
a structural angle with a third aluminum
fin welded onto it, making a lopsided “T.”
TOGETHER WE BUILD SOLUTIONS

The fins were individually measured and
custom-welded to control the angle of the
fin to the aluminum angle base. This was
necessary because each of the three sides of

every polycarbonate support frame, made
up by three separate aluminum “Ts,” need
to be co-planer to flush-mount cleanly
behind each piece of polycarbonate. Most
of the aluminum frame members sup-
port two separate polycarbonate panels,
one panel resting along one leg of the
main structural angle, and another adja-
cent piece of polycarbonate along the
aluminum fin. Each leg of the support
needs to be bent at a slightly different
angle to work as a system, with match- CODAworx 2020 CODAawards
ing sides of the members under the same
piece of polycarbonate being always co- Transportation Category Winner Photo: Dylan Evanston
planar, while also following the geometry Barbara Walker Crossing • Portland • OR
established by the posts of the installa-
Seattle Eugene Irvine St. Louis
tion (Figure 5). Significant parametric
Tacoma Sacramento San Diego Chicago
computer modeling, prototyping, field Lacey San Francisco Boise Louisville
coordination, and shop work was needed Spokane Los Angeles Salt Lake City Washington, DC KPFF is an Equal Opportunity Employer
to accomplish this geometric jigsaw. It Portland Long Beach Des Moines New York www.kpff.com
was imperative to ensure that the panels
OCTOBER 2020 27
Creation
Structurally, the pedestrian enclosure had to be designed for the American
Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Bridge
Design Guide’s prescribed loadings, including wind, ice, snow, standard
pedestrian loadings, and thermal expansion. Geometry from the architect’s
computer model was adjusted to account for the latest measurements of
the bridge’s existing shape. The model was fed directly into the structural
engineer’s finite element analysis software to confirm the frame’s abil-
ity to withstand the required loading. The polycarbonate panels were
checked against a wind- and vandalism-type impact loading. Thermal
movements were designed to be dissipated over the numerous oversized
bolted connections throughout the structure’s lattice.
The pedestrian enclosure was built on top of reconstructed concrete
Figure 5. Closeup of beehive lattice at dusk. parapets that were fastened to the existing deck with drilled and epoxied
steel dowels. The parapets were built lower than standard to bring the
bottom half of the pedestrian enclosure’s shape to eye level and built
wider to support the full width of the base plates of the enclosure’s posts.
They also conceal several embedded conduits that feed the LED lighting
scattered throughout the structure. Paraffin joints, traditional parapet
contraction joints coated with paraffin wax, were deliberately spaced to
match up with scoring lines in the sidewalk to help blend them into
the overall aesthetic.
The City’s desire for real brick pavers embedded into the concrete deck
to match the streetscape on the approaches was unusual for a bridge. The
design team accomplished installation by deepening the notch for the bricks
Figure 6. Schematic of panel connections. Each flat piece of polycarbonate to include a drainage mat at the bottom. This mat is rated for pedestrian
panel (transparent) needs a single co-planar aluminum frame (multicolor) to and tire loads, and is pitched to deposit water out of the paver notch and
support it. The frames connect at the edges. toward one of several scupper downspouts on the structure.
A Community Reunited
The one-of-a-kind design guide The seals on one end of the bridge proudly
state, “Do the Impossible.” The public,
you’ve been waiting for.

press, and civic leaders have recognized
this project as the significant innovation
that it is. The ribbon-cutting ceremony
was a huge event, bringing together the
Over 990 pages and 140 worked-out project team, City officials, project stake-
examples providing the proper holders, community groups, families, the
application of the 2019 Building Code press, and residents. The Connecticut Main
Requirements for Structural Concrete Street Center advocated and contributed
(ACI 318-19) provisions for cast- early financing for transit-oriented devel-
in-place concrete buildings with opment in the area. Under construction
nonprestressed reinforcement. is Columbus Commons, a $58M mixed-
use transit-oriented development with 160
Features: new apartment units, which is a short walk
» A simplified roadmap that can from the Beehive Bridge. City leaders have
be used to navigate through the pointed at an uptick in commercial and
updated ACI 318 requirements residential activity in both of the previously
» Step-by-step design procedures divided neighborhoods, and they antici-
and design aids that make designing pate future returns on their investment. The
and detailing reinforced concrete Beehive Bridge is truly a commu-
buildings simpler and faster nity showpiece that fosters both
its people and its infrastructure.■
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Deadly Miami
Pedestrian
Bridge
Collapse
Why and How the Structure Failed
By Ran Cao, Ph.D., A.M.ASCE, Sherif El-Tawil, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, F.SEI,
and Anil Kumar Agrawal, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, F.ACI
Figure 1. Main span of the bridge: a) before collapse; b) after collapse. Courtesy of NTSB.
O n March 15, 2018, a pedestrian concrete truss bridge in Miami,

FL, collapsed during construction. The span that collapsed had
been designed as a concrete truss bridge with prestressed members.
bridge deck at the north end showed that reinforcement bars were
correctly placed. The NTSB’s final report judged the design of the
concrete joint at the north end (between members 11, 12, and the
Figure 1 shows the bridge site before and after the collapse of the deck) to be flawed and attributed the failure to it. The NTSB inves-
main span. The collapse caused multiple fatalities and raised seri- tigation also noted that peer-review of the bridge design was rushed,
ous concerns regarding the design and construction of the bridge, underfunded, and, therefore, more likely inaccurate and incapable
including the emerging concept of Accelerated Bridge Construction of detecting critical design errors.
(ABC). ABC usually involves innovative planning, design, and Although the NTSB investigation identified the north end joint as
construction methods to reduce the onsite construction time that the cause for failure, the report was not clear on the specific sequence
occurs when building new bridges or replacing existing bridges. In of processes that led to failure. In this article, a high fidelity com-
this project, the main span of the bridge was constructed offsite, putational model was used to develop a forensic understanding of
then transported and placed onto its piers overnight. The bridge the collapse process. A simulation model of the bridge was created
collapsed five days later with the roadway underneath it open to based on the as-built drawings and run on the LS-DYNA platform.
traffic. According to the preliminary report from NTSB, workers The different construction stages were simulated using the model,
were re-tensioning tendons in diagonal member 11 (Figure 1) at and parametric studies were carried out to investigate how various
the time when the bridge collapsed. influential parameters could have influenced the collapse resistance
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the of the bridge.
collapse and released photographs that showed that the bridge exhib-
ited significant signs of distress before the collapse. Most prominent
were cracks in the joint area between diagonal member 11, vertical
Computational Modeling
member 12, and the deck. Forensic material testing showed no sig- The computational model was constructed using the finite element
nificant issues in material strength or quality. An investigation of the method, wherein the structure and its components were discretized
into a multitude of small elements, each with specific proper-
ties associated with its parent material. For example, steel bar
elements could yield and fracture, while concrete elements
could crush, crack, and exhibit confinement and tension
stiffening effects. Tension stiffening is the beneficial effect of
reinforcement on the mechanical behavior of surrounding
concrete. Prestressing was explicitly accounted for through
the introduction of prestressing tendon finite elements. The
model was designed to represent member separation and
falling of debris to represent the failure process faithfully.
Figure 2 shows a schematic of the computational model of
the main span of the bridge.
Numerical Simulation Results

Before the bridge collapsed, the main span went through four
construction stages: prestressing, transportation, relocation,
and re-tensioning. The behavior of the structure under each
Figure 2. Simulation setup of the bridge: a) overall computer model of the bridge; b) close-up of the stages was simulated using the computational model.
of reinforcement at the joint; c) steel rebars detailing; d) prestressing tendons detailing. The main findings from the simulations are as follows.
Figure 3. Cracks in the joint area of Member 11 after relocation: a) actual bridge, courtesy Figure 4. Sliding action triggered by re-tensioning member 11.
of NTSB; b) simulation.
remedying the cracking symptoms as intended, re-tensioning member

Prestressing Stage
11 aggravated the situation and precipitated the progressive collapse
The simulation results showed that, after releasing the prestressing process. Figures 5 and 6, page 32, show the collapse process, the final
force in the truss members and deck, localized concrete cracking configuration of the actual bridge, and as-computed from the simu-
occurred around the north end joint in accord with the documented lation model. The simulation results captured the collapse mode of
damage. At the time, the observed cracks were deemed benign, and the bridge reasonably well.
additional construction stages were allowed to proceed. These cracks
were initial indicators of a serious design problem.
Parametric Studies
Transportation Stage
The simulations clearly showed that the cold-joint design and decision
After assembly on the ground, the main span was transported on to re-tension were critical factors in the bridge collapse. Parametric
two self-propelled modular transporters (SPMTs) and placed onto studies were conducted using the simulation model to draw broader
the piers. The simulation model indicated that the north end joint lessons from the accident to prevent future failures.
of the bridge suffered additional minor damage in the concrete adja-
Coefficient of Friction
cent to the prestressing tendon anchor plates for member 11, which
were embedded in the deck. This zone was highly stressed due to the The coefficient of friction used in the simulation model was selected
confluence of prestressing tendon forces and other bridge member as 1.0 based on the as-designed condition of the joint. Since cold
forces. The damage was internal and likely did not manifest as external joint slip depended on this parameter, the coefficient of friction was
cracks on the surface of the joint. The computed deflection at the increased to 1.4 to see if additional roughening of the cold joint
northern end was small, less than 0.12 inches. surface could have prevented failure. A coefficient of friction of 1.4
corresponds to an extremely rough surface and represents an extreme
Relocation and Re-tensioning
value. The simulation showed that, even with this high number, a slip
Extensive cracking appeared around the joint at the north end of the of the joint still occurred and resulted in bridge failure. These results
bridge after the main span was placed on the piers. Figure 3 shows indicate that relying on friction for the stability of the entire structure
the concrete cracking observed in the real bridge and computed from is risky. Shear keys or some other explicit shear resisting mechanism
the simulation model. There is a reasonable correlation between should have been employed and would have been more reliable and
the observation and the simulation, providing confidence in the helpful in meeting the horizontal shear demand in the joint.
simulation model’s fidelity. The east side of the joint experienced
Re-tensioning
severe cracking damage in the heel of member 11 (Figure 3a) due to
excessive sliding along the cold joint between members 11 and 12 Different re-tensioning forces were applied to the tendons in member
and the deck. Other cracks extended into the deck, creating a pattern 11 to reach a stress level that ranged from 55% to 100% of the yield
consistent with punch-out failure distress associated with the exces- strength of the tendons to study the effect of re-tensioning. The
sive force demand imposed by diagonal member 11 onto the deck. simulation showed that increasing the prestress levels in member 11
The simulation model suggests that the bridge was on the verge of led to more damage in the joint area, specifically more heel damage
two different types of failure modes: sliding along the cold joint and and widespread damage in the body of the joint itself. The simulation
punch-out failure in the deck region. clearly showed that increasing the re-tensioning level caused the rate
After observing the cracked condition of the bridge at the north of joint slip to increase significantly. At 95% of the yield strength, the
end joint, bridge engineers decided to re-tension diagonal member joint quickly slid off the deck. Failure was prevented when the joint
11 in an attempt to close the cracks in the joint region. During this was modeled as monolithic (i.e., there was no cold joint).
operation, the bridge collapsed. The simulation model suggests that Even if member 11 had not been re-tensioned, the bridge would
collapse occurred due to sliding on the cold joint between members likely have failed as creep exacerbated sliding at the cold joint or
11, 12, and the deck (Figure 4). In essence, the north end joint was punch-out failure. However, since the process would have been slow
pushed out, causing the bridge to fall off its support. Instead of and entailed widening cracks that serve as a significant warning sign
OCTOBER 2020 31
of structural distress, action could have been
taken to address the situation. Overall, the
simulation results suggest that re-tensioning
member 11 should not have been consid-
ered as an appropriate solution to reduce
the cracking symptoms observed in the cold
joint area since it aggravated the sliding of
the joint and damaged the integrity of the
structure in a catastrophic manner.
Conclusions and Lessons

Learned
The simulation results showed that cracking Figure 5. Failure mode of the bridge from a) accident video frame, courtesy of Instagram/@o2webdev; and
damage was initiated as soon as prestressing b) computer simulation.
was applied to the concrete members. After
placing the bridge on its supports, severe punch-out cracking pat- reasons unnecessarily introduced complications related to
terns developed around the northern joint. The computed damage prestressing and cold joints in the bridge, both of which likely
locations coincided reasonably well with the documented pre-failure played critical roles in the collapse of the bridge.
crack locations around the cold-joint. The simulation results also 2) Relying on friction at a critical joint (between members 11,
suggested that the damaged cold joint at the north end experienced 12, and the deck) is risky in a non-redundant system like that
sliding behavior under the re-tensioning forces applied to diagonal used in the bridge. Friction is unreliable by nature and can
member 11, which precipitated the collapse of the bridge. Based lead to sudden failure when the demand exceeds capacity.
on the detailed analysis and simulations, the authors believe that Shear keys or some other explicit shear resisting mechanism
several lessons can be drawn from this accident: placed in the cold joints would have been more reliable and
1) A concrete truss with prestressed members supported the helpful in meeting the horizontal shear demand in the joint.
collapsed bridge deck. The use of a concrete truss for aesthetic 3) Re-tensioning diagonal truss members should not have been
considered as an appropriate solution to remedy the cracks in
the cold joint area since it promoted more sliding across the
cold-joint, making the bridge more vulnerable to collapse.
Cracks in the cold joint area should be viewed as a meaning-
ful warning sign of impending collapse, and immediate action
should be taken to ensure the stability of the structure after
detailed calculations or modeling.
4) The collapse of the bridge does not necessarily imply that acceler-
ated bridge construction is risky. Certainly, it shows the need for
adequate analysis simulating construction aspects, such as the
presence of cold joints or utility conduits, to ensure the safety of
the bridge during and after the construction. Peer review should
necessarily be concerned with assessing the impact of such details.
5) The bridge was kept open while it was under construction
(member 11 was being re-tensioned), probably to showcase
the accelerated construction aspect of the project. This acci-
dent reemphasizes the lesson that public safety should never
be compromised simply to showcase the application of a new
construction technology, even though the technology itself may
have been shown to be safe in prior applications. Any construc-
tion area is, by nature, hazardous to the public.■
The online version of this article contains references.

Please visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
Ran Cao, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, NY.
([email protected])
Sherif El-Tawil, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. ([email protected])
Anil Kumar Agrawal, Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering, The City College of the City University of New York, NY.
Figure 6. Close up of failure of member 11 during the collapse: a) simulation;
([email protected])
b) accident photo. Courtesy of NTSB.
Reinvigorating
a Historic
Giant
ROW DTLA
Building 2
By Samuel Mengelkoch, S.E.
E
nvisioned by developer Atlas Capital Group and design architect north-west facing views of Downtown Los Angeles, a rare and
Rios Clementi Hale Studios, ROW DTLA reinvigorates the vast stunning view of the heart of the city.
and historic Alameda Square warehouse and industrial building An ownership change in the middle of the project’s design phase was
complex. The project updated the area into a vibrant district of offices, one of the project’s more formidable challenges. The initial owner
retail, and restaurants, and provides a network of public spaces for had directed the Structural Focus team to mimic the retrofit design
live music, entertainment, and festivals in Downtown Los Angeles. of a similar building on the campus, a strategy with prominent new
Renovated in 2017 under the provisions of the California Historical moment frames on the exterior, significantly altering the rhythm
Building Code (CHBC), ROW DTLA Building 2 is among the first and proportions of the façade. The new owner had a much different
buildings that could be shown to meet the City of Los Angeles’ vision for the project, part of which was to maintain the “New York
earthquake hazard reduction requirements for non-ductile concrete City” feel of narrow streets and formidable building façades – a style
buildings per Ordinance No. 183893. The project sets a precedent incompatible with highly visible retrofit elements. A series of shear
of how a historic, non-ductile concrete building can be retrofitted wall cores down the center of the long, narrow building was the ideal
without losing its historical nature and visual appeal. solution for the new owner’s design vision. The architecture of the
Building 2 was designed in 1918 by renowned English architect rehabilitation fits well with the new design – the building behavior was
John Parkinson and originally built for the Los Angeles Union simplified, and the performance was significantly improved (Figure 1).
Terminal Company. The 400,000 square-foot reinforced concrete With no dedicated lateral force-resisting system, the building pre-
building is a significant component of the ROW DTLA develop- sented challenges and opportunities requiring the structural team to
ment, one of the newest and largest additions to the burgeoning Arts think quickly, adapt to existing conditions, and make the best use of
District redevelopment in Downtown LA. Building 2 is approxi- the building’s characteristics. Utilizing ASCE 41, Seismic Evaluation
mately 100 feet by 600 feet in plan and consists of six stories with and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, as specified by the Los Angeles
a basement and several ordinance, an ETABS
rooftop penthouses as model with existing
well as a rooftop water structural elements
tower – originally was built for under-
for fire suppression, standing the behavior
now maintained as of the historic build-
a familiar beacon in ing and strategically
the Arts District. New Figure 1. Typical floor plan, showing four new reinforced concrete shear wall cores (blue). Columns locating the new
work added a rooftop highlighted in red received FRP wrapping; typically the outer thirds of the building experienced greater shear wall additions.
deck with sweeping, interstory drift due to torsion. With four full-height,
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specially reinforced concrete of 60 inches. Several thou-
shear wall cores, the collec- sand epoxy dowels were
tion of forces was critical. The required to integrate the
team employed the robust and existing footings with the
generously reinforced existing new mat system.
beams and slabs, designed to Each shear wall core has a
support a historic warehouse single mat foundation sup-
live load of 250 pounds per porting it, with the mat
square foot, for double duty resisting vertical loads, shear
in collecting forces in compres- loads, and overturning of the
sion, tension, and shear and core. The structural team
delivering the load to the new worked with the geotech-
shear walls (Figure 2). nical engineer to arrive at a
Because shear wall cores were rational, allowable bearing
employed inside the building, value below the mat in the
the contractor was able to uti- most extreme seismic load
lize the existing structure for cases, permitting settlement
construction staging as they greater than typical design
went up the building, largely allows. This reflected the
eliminating the need for desired performance level
Figure 2. Detail at the thru-bolt connection between the new shear wall and existing girder.
extensive scaffolding. Existing Also showing vertical wall bars passing through cores in the slab. of Collapse Prevention per
beams were attached to new the CHBC.
shear walls with thru-bolts, providing easy access and a visible To maintain the early 20th-century charm of the building, engineers
link to the existing structure (Figure 3). Suspecting they would carefully surveyed and analyzed the rooftop water tower and façade
exhibit good behavior, the team performed nonlinear finite ele- fire escapes to prove that they could safely remain (Figure 5). With a
ment analysis on the existing round, spirally-reinforced concrete few suggested upgrades from the team, the water tower sits proudly
columns, and compared their inherent ductility to anticipated on top of the finished building; ultimately, however, the five 100-
building drifts. The goal was to achieve a maximum 2% inter-story year old fire escapes could not be saved. Untenable strengthening
drift without inducing a column shear failure. The drift behavior requirements from the City of Los Angeles would have dramatically
of each column was analyzed by inputting linear and nonlinear changed their visual character and proved cost-prohibitive.
properties and axial loads into the MATLAB program CUMBIA, The building’s size, age, and countless functionalities presented sur-
used for force-displacement response of reinforced concrete mem- prises until the very last days of the project’s construction. Electrical
bers under moment. Only columns that could not sustain the transformers from the early 20th century lined a dark room in the
imposed drift at the damage control limit were strengthened with basement; in-floor industrial ovens capped with concrete years ago
Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP). This strategy allowed the team to remained undisturbed, still full of ash and charred concrete; sheet
eliminate the need for FRP wrapping on hundreds of sufficiently metal spiral chutes used to deliver packages from upper stories
reinforced concrete columns throughout the building. down to the loading dock level were found; hidden slab overload
The four new shear wall cores required substantial mat foundations damage that previous tenants had attempted to repair was found;
which had to be integrated with the existing spread footings. Each and, even windows that had once been above grade were now
original column was supported
by a multi-tiered, “wedding-
cake” style spread footing. In
the original construction, there
was evidently no set footing
elevation. Rather, crews likely
excavated only until competent
soil was reached, and that is
where each footing went. Since
the depth to competent soil
varied across the large building
footprint, footing elevations
varied randomly within an
approximately five-foot range.
The bottom of the mat sloped
to accommodate the varying
elevations, always matching the
bottom elevation (Figure 4).
Since the top of the mat was Figure 3. Reinforcement installation at new Figure 4. Crews install foundation reinforcement at the bottom of the new
level, the mat thickness varied shear wall core. Note doweling to the existing mat foundation. Notice “wedding-cake” style original concrete foundations
as well, while maintaining a corner column and force-transfer bolts into the at varying elevations.
required minimum thickness existing girder at the top of the wall.
below the street level with
plywood holding back the
soil behind them. Design
changes and hidden con-
ditions required many
unanticipated drawing
submittals, bulletins, and
addendums.
The $25 million retro-
fit and adaptive reuse of
ROW DTLA Building 2
presented unusual and
complex challenges for
the design team. However,
positive collaboration, flex-
ibility, and adaptability
Figure 6. Aerial view.
proved key to the project’s
successful completion while setting a precedent for the application of the Los Angeles
Ordinance No. 183893. ROW DTLA is a considerable part of the revitalization
of the Arts District in Los Angeles (Figure 6). Standing as an eclectic and elegant
example of adaptive reuse without displacement, ROW demonstrates how
maintaining a physical connection to our past is not at odds with a promis-
ing economic and cultural future.■
Samuel Mengelkoch is an Associate and Project Manager at Structural Focus in Gardena,

California. He is currently President of the Southern California Chapter of the Earthquake
Engineering Research Institute (EERI) and participates in the Public Policy & Advocacy and
Figure 5. Rooftop water tower elevation from original 1916 Professional Development committees with EERI. ([email protected])
Parkinson drawings. Notice support frame is of reinforced concrete.
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OCTOBER 2020 37
Cable-
Stayed
Bridges
DevelOpment, Achievements,
and POssibilities
By Roumen V. Mladjov, S.E., P.E.
Figure 1. Russky Island Bridge.
C able-stayed structures are the youngest, fastest-developing, and

most promising bridge systems.
Cable-stayed bridges are a subcategory of suspended structures. A cable-
Origins and Precedents
The idea for the cable-stayed system was perhaps inspired by the
stayed bridge is similar to a suspension bridge in having towers and a drawbridges of medieval castles and the rope-braced masts of tall ships.
deck-girder supported by cables; however, its diagonal cables transfer the The very first documented image of a cable-stayed bridge appears in
vertical loads from the deck directly to the towers. Thus, the main deck- the Machinae Novae, a book by Fausto Veranzio published in 1615.
girder of a cable-stayed bridge works like a continuous beam on cable Predecessors for modern cable-stayed bridges appeared in the 19th century
supports (more flexible than pier supports) with additional compression in the form of different hybrid combinations of suspension systems with
force throughout the deck. A cable-stayed bridge is also a prestressed additional diagonal straight cables, as in the case of the Albert Bridge,
system as its cable-stays are additionally tensioned to counterbalance a UK (1873). The best known of these hybrid structures is the Brooklyn
significant part of the vertical loads on the main deck-girder. Bridge, New York, 1883, with a 486-meter main span (1,594 feet), for
The Strömsund Bridge in Sweden, completed in 1956 with a 182-meter which John Roebling used diagonal cables for stiffening the structure.
(597-foot) main span, is considered the first modern cable-stayed bridge. In the 1960s and 1970s, the system was developed further to replace
For the following 65 years, cable-stayed bridges have seen a dramatic many of the bridges destroyed in Germany during World War II. In
increase in both the number of new structures and in long-span achieve- this period, the system was also used for roof structures requiring long,
ments. By 1995, there were only 3 cable-stayed bridges with spans over column-free spaces in buildings. Initially, cable-stayed structures were
500 meters (1,640 feet); 25 years later, there are already 67 cable-stayed used for bridge spans of 60 to 250 meters (196 to 820 feet) but today
bridges with spans over 500 meters (including three over 1,000 meters they span much longer distances and are the only system that challenges
or 3,280 feet). Another 29 with spans over 500 meters, with some over suspension bridges in super-long spans. Their spans grew to 302 meters
800 meters (2,624 feet), are currently under construction. (990 feet) in 1959 with the Severin Bridge (Germany), to 404 meters
The efficient range of cable-stayed bridges is moving towards even (1,325 feet) in 1974 with the Saint Nazaire Bridge (France), and 856
longer spans. There is no other bridge structural system exhibiting such meters (2,808 feet) in 1995 with Michel Virlogeux’s Normandy Bridge
rapid development. Most cable-stayed bridges are visually beautiful, (France). Today, the Russky Island Bridge (Russia) has the longest span
and some are among the most impressive of engineering achievements. of this system, 1,104 meters (3,622 feet) achieved in 2012 (Figure 1).
Figure 2. Span options: main with two sides spans, asymmetric and multi-span.
In the United States, we can mention the second
Sunshine Skyway Bridge with a span 366-meter (1,200
feet) in 1987 (Florida), the Dames Point Bridge with a
396-meter span (1,300-foot) in Florida, and the Arthur
Ravenel Bridge with a 471-meter span (1,545-foot) in
2005 (South Carolina).
System Specifics
The main elements of a cable-stayed bridge are towers
or pylons, deck girder(s), cable-stays, anchorages, and
foundations. Tower and pylon are interchangeable terms;
lighter, slender towers are often called pylons. The classic
cable-stayed bridges are symmetric with one central span,
two side spans, and two towers; such are most cable-stayed
bridges with spans above 600 meters. The back-up cables
may extend over several side spans. Figure 3. Tower configuration options.
Asymmetric cable-stayed bridges have one main span and
one side span, with a single tower. Multiple-span cable-stayed bridges For the design of early cable-stayed bridges, engineers used a relatively
have two or more (usually equal) main spans. Several examples are small number of cables. After acquiring more experience and with
shown in Figure 2. the introduction of structural design software, engineers were able to
Some sub-divisions are used for cable-stayed bridges: extradosed, use a larger number of cable stays, reducing the demand on the deck
under-spanned (under-deck), cradle, inverted Fink truss, and tenseg- girder and leading to greater efficiency and longer spans.
rity. The cables at the towers can be arranged in parallel (harp), fan, The basics of cable-stayed bridge design are as follows: the vertical
star, or mixed configuration. Various structural solutions are used for loads on the deck are supported by diagonal cable stays that transfer
the towers: single pylons, double-leg portals (vertical, slightly angled, these loads to the towers. At the tower, the horizontal components
free-standing, or interconnected as a portal frame, with “A,” “H,” “Y,” of the cables from the main span are in balance with those from the
or inverted “Y” shaped arches). side/adjacent spans. The towers support and transfer the vertical load
The towers can be continuous above and below the deck supporting to the foundations. Similarly, the cumulative compression horizontal
both the deck and the cables, or the upper part can support only the components of the loads from the main span are in balance with the
cables while the deck-girder is supported directly by piers. Examples compression load components of the side spans. Therefore, the entire
are shown in Figure 3. bridge system is in balance with predominant compression forces in
The primary construction materials used in cable-stayed bridges are: the towers and the deck system, and with tension forces in the cable
• For decks: reinforced or prestressed concrete, composite stays. The system is self-balanced, provided that all elements are
concrete-steel, or orthotropic steel decks; designed correctly to sustain the maximum demand from the highest
• For deck-girders: beams of prestressed concrete or steel, box possible combination of loads.
girders of prestressed concrete or steel, similar to those in The challenge for the design engineer is to select an appropriate
modern suspension bridges; combination of the multiple possible variations of towers, cable-
• For towers: steel, reinforced or prestressed concrete, compos- stay arrangements, and deck systems. Like all suspended structures,
ite steel-concrete; cable-stayed bridges are sensitive to deformations and it is necessary
• For cables: high-strength steel wires, usually 270 grade (270 to check the deformed condition of the system for all load combina-
ksi, or 1,860 MPa), built from 7-wire, ⅜-inch (9.5 millime- tions, including those during the different phases of construction.
ters) strands per ASTM A886, other higher-grade steel wires, Today’s structural design software greatly assists engineers in the
carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), or composites. calculation of cable-stayed bridges. After choosing the main param-
Prestressed concrete has been used in the past, but should be eters of the system, it is essential to establish the start-up dimensions
avoided as it has been proven unsafe on some failures such as and sections of the deck-girder, cables, and towers. A simple design
the Morandi Bridge; approach will help in setting up these dimensions.
• For piers and foundations: reinforced concrete with or For a start, the designer can use a substitution simply-supported
without piles depending on the soil. beam for determining the approximate bending moments for the
For long-span bridges, foundations on soft soils, or for bridges in main span deck-girder. The upward cable-stays pretension can offset
high seismic areas, it is preferable to use predominantly steel structures most of the moments from permanent loads on the deck. This is
to reduce the self-weight and the related earthquake forces. achieved with additional tensioning of the cables after erecting the
main elements to counteract permanent loads, resulting in minimal
vertical bending in the deck-girder. The cables should be additionally
Conceptual Design tensioned to counteract 50% of the combined temporary downward
The most important part of bridge design is the overall concept for the loads (live loads, wind, snow, ice, and earthquake). This way, the work-
structure and its elements: the selection of the appropriate structural ing bending moments of the deck-girder will vary during operation
system for the bridge considering its specific function, site location, approximately between 50% of the positive moments (from the worst
and required spans. A well-selected concept determines the efficiency temporary load combination) to 50% of the negative moments from
and economy of the bridge, saves materials, cost, and construction temporary loads. This “first step” determines the design moments for
time. Good design concepts minimize problems and future difficulties the main span deck-girder. The compression in the deck-girder due to
both in the design office and on the construction site. the horizontal components of cable stays forces is the cumulative sum
OCTOBER 2020 39
Figure 4. Compression forces in deck-girder: at single cable (a); and total compression force for “fan” (b) and “harp” (c) cable configurations.
of these components, approximately 55 to 65% of the total vertical bridge systems, with the only competitor being suspension systems,
loads on the main span depending on the span, the number of cables, while allowing for more straightforward construction methods. An
and the height of cable connections at the tower. additional advantage of cable-stayed bridges is their larger efficient
The cumulative compression force (ΣPc ) in the deck-girder is equal span range from 100-meter spans (328 feet) to over 1,000-meter
to the sum of all compression forces Pci at cable connections (Figure 4) spans (3,280 feet).
at the deck: the tension cable force Pcable = Pv /sin α, The multitude of possibilities of the system provide engineers and
Pci = Pvi × Li where architects with many design options. The “mid-long range” structures
Ht allow more creativity, originality, and possibilities for innovative work.
Pci is the compression force in the deck-girder from the horizon- A cable-stayed bridge does not need to be extravagant. The most
tal component of the cable force, straightforward bridge with a “sincere” structure is often the best and
Pvi is the vertical DL + LL force applied at the cable connection is usually elegant and attractive.
at the deck-girder plus the vertical component of the addition- Cable-stayed bridges have a combination of elegance, slenderness,
ally-applied tension force, and a feeling of robustness. The national infrastructure’s demand for
Li is the horizontal distance from this connection to the tower, more bridges requires the priority of efficiency and economy.
and The art of engineering requires creativity and fantasy, but engineers
Ht is the height of this cable connection at the tower above the should avoid repetitive and illogical shapes. Creativity is essential, but
deck. “excessive originality” should only be found in justified exceptions
A simplified initial calculation for the cumulative compression force (e.g., Christian Menn and Michel Virlogeux).
is provided by:
ΣP × L
ΣPc = v max for “fan” configurations Pros and Cons
8Ht
The main system advantages are:
ΣP × L
ΣPc = v gr for “harp” configurations • Fast and relatively easy construction, requiring
2Ht
less time to build
where: • Less expensive
ΣPc is the cumulative compression force in the deck-girder, • Multiple design options
maximum at towers, • Large efficient span range
ΣPv is the sum of all downward vertical forces on the main • Strong and resilient structures
span deck, • Attractive appearance
Lmax is the main span length, The main system disadvantages are:
Ht is the height of the cable connections at the tower above deck, • Still inferior to suspension bridges for super-long spans
as shown in Figure 4 for fan or harp cable configuration, and • Requires checking deformations at all conditions
Lgr is the total length of the cable group for harp configuration. • Requires experience in both design and construction
The sum of the horizontal forces of all cables at the tower
(from the main span) is equal to the cumulative compres-
sion force in the main span deck-girder, balanced by an
equal force on the opposite side.
These calculations will allow the designer to establish the
initial design dimensions for the cables, deck-girder, and
tower to be used in the computer model for further adjust-
ments and refinements of the system. The deck-girder has
to be designed for the compression and bending from the
cable-stay system and the typical bridge deck design for
vertical dead and live loads. The initial approach described
above will help to achieve the desired final goal faster.
Efficiency and Economy

Cable-stayed bridges are efficient in cost, materials, and
construction time. They have better efficiency than other Figure 5. Hybrid cable-stayed and suspension bridge system for super long spans.
Further Development Conclusions
Like all other bridge systems, cable-stayed bridges are continuously Based on current technical progress and fast development, cable-
improved based on the development of high-strength materials and stayed bridges may reach spans 2,400 to 2,600 meters (7,600 to
new construction technologies. More valuable for engineers are the 8,500 feet) in a short while; such design will require towers about
modifications of established structural systems and newer sub-systems. 500 to 570 meters tall (1640 feet to 1,870 feet), something achiev-
In addition to the increased number of cable-stayed bridges with able, considering already completed skyscraper structures. This will
longer spans (above 600 meters or approximately 2,000 feet), there is extend the efficiency range for cable-stayed bridges to very long
increasing use of the system for pedestrian bridges. The lower loads and spans above 2,000 meters (6,561 feet). A hybrid cable-stayed-and-
shorter spans allow engineers to explore new approaches, transform- suspension system would make possible even longer spans of up to
ing the building of these bridges into a testing lab for innovation. As 3,000 to 3,400 meters (9,842 to over 11,000 feet), incorporating
such, we may consider the extradosed, under-spanned, and inverted a “pure” suspension bridge of “only” 2,200 to 2,400 meters (7,218
Fink truss sub-bridge systems, all oriented to improved efficiency. to 7,874 feet).
One area of further development is the pursuit of combinations/ Based on the efficiency and advantages of cable-stayed structures,
hybrids of cable-stayed and suspension bridge systems for achieving American engineers and transportation agencies should consider
super-long spans. The idea is to reduce the suspension span length by more cable-stayed bridges when planning new projects. Greater use
moving the suspension support points inward along the span. This of cable-stayed bridges may upgrade the infrastructure with these
not only reduces the suspension span length but the required tower efficient, faster built, and elegant structures. Making cable-stayed
height as well while allowing a longer clear span. This is obtained with bridges more popular may also help our bridge engineering
“cable-stay cantilevered alternatives” at the bridge towers, adding “on- profession regain its position of leadership in the design
deck” cable-stayed pylons (Figure 5). With 500-meter (1,640-foot) and construction of long-span bridges.■
cantilevers and cable-stayed “on-deck” pylons used on each side of a
total clear span of 3,000 meters (9,842 feet), the suspension part is
Roumen V. Mladjov’s field of expertise comprises structural and bridge
reduced to 2,000 meters (6,561 feet). Such reduction would allow
engineering and construction management; his main interests are structural
using main suspension cables of the size and type of those already performance, seismic resistance, efficiency, and economy.
used in bridges, like the Akashi-Kaikyo at 1991 meters (6,532 feet), ([email protected])
for a much longer main span.
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OCTOBER 2020 41
building BLOCKS
Specification Check – Molded Polystyrene
Truths and Insights on Under-Slab Insulations with Structural Implications
By Sean O’Keefe
L ightweight and versatile, molded polystyrene foam is a common

commercial building material that remains misunderstood.
Frequently misidentified as Styrofoam, molded polystyrene prod-
Quantified, the modulus of subgrade reaction assists engineers
in selecting the appropriate molded polystyrene foam to support
the pressure of the loaded slab. “In this case, the engineering
ucts range from lightweight structural materials and insulations for proved that Foam-Control PLUS+ molded polystyrene insulation
commercial construction to packaging for electronics, medicines, would support the same loads as a subgrade composed using XPS
and fragile payloads to Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (Extruded Polystrene).”
applications like garage doors, jet skis, RVs, and much more. As Bergstrom points out, some of the reason for the confusion
“Molded polystyrene foam is a very versatile material that efficiently surrounding rigid cellular polystyrene materials is that rigid cellular
solves a lot of common construction challenges,” says Dale Mullikin, polystyrene can be used as both an insulation and a structural fill
a National Account Director for Atlas Molded Products. called geofoam. Though the materials are identical, within ASTM
Structurally, molded polystyrene is well suited to difficult circum- International standards there are two separate designations: ASTM
stances where a lightweight structural fill is needed. At Snowbird C578 for insulation and ASTM D6817 for geofoam.
Ski & Summer Resort in Utah, molded polystyrene was used to Rigid cellular polystyrene was first used in commercial con-
help stabilize a 45-year-old mountainside cable tram when a new struction more than 50 years ago as insulation. It was first tested
23,000-square-foot guest center was built on top of Hidden Peak at by the ASTM and published in their standards under ASTM
14,000 feet. Designers did not want any additional loading in the C578, Standard Specification for Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene
form of soil settlement to be added to the tram’s foundation wall as Thermal Insulation. Rigid cellular polystyrene products include
a result of the new building. both extruded polystyrene and molded polystyrene materials whose
As insulation, molded polystyrene rigid foam is well-suited to many practical purposes in commercial construction have grown well
different construction applications where a high-performance building beyond the original thermal insulation objectives to now promi-
envelope is desired. At Badger State Fruit Processing, a family-owned nently include structural support.
business serving Wisconsin’s Cranberry industry, molded polystyrene “All rigid cellular polystyrene fell under C578 until 2002 when
was chosen. Badger State’s insulation needs were not just in the walls ASTM D6817 was introduced specifically to account for structural
and roof, but included foundation perimeter and under-slab applica- applications using geofoam,” says Bergstrom. “Many architects still
tions as well, making it a six-sided challenge. The underslab insulation think of these products exclusively as insulations and, problematically,
had a compressive strength able to support the weight of their massive the original structural capacities listed in the insulation standard for
freezers without risk of structural collapse. XPS materials are inadequate without adjustment factors. Structural
Though structural loading is never an issue, occasionally proving loading should always be specified using the structural capacities in
molded polystyrene’s structural capacity can be. When Mullikin ASTM D6817.”
recently approached a company building a large food processing ASTM D6817, Standard Specification for Rigid Cellular
facility about using molded polystyrene rigid foam insulation beneath Polystyrene Geofoam, determines the structural capacity of rigid
the cold storage slabs, he got a little more than he expected back from cellular polystyrene by compressing the material until it is deformed
the owner’s engineer. by only one percent. Conversely, the insulation specification,
The engineer's reply by email read, in part: “I was forwarded some ASTM C578, compresses the same material until it is deformed
of your technical brochures. I wanted to verify if you had technical by ten percent.
information regarding the insulation foundation modulus (equivalent “C578 is meant to compare two types of materials against one another,”
modulus of subgrade reaction) for your product. We are expecting summarizes Bergstrom. “D6817, however, defines the loading capacity
very high point loads on the slab for this project, so I would like to the material can support indefinitely when used structurally.”
have that information available for verification and future reference.” “Twenty-plus years of working with clients on insulations and
“This was a first for me,” says Mullikin. “The term modulus of sub- structural solutions, and they never run out of questions,” says
grade reaction was not something I was familiar with.” Fortunately, Mullikin. “For the project at Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort in
Mullikin had a reliable resource in Todd Bergstrom, Ph.D., of Utah, by filling the void between the new foundation and the tram
AFM Corporation. Bergstrom has a Doctorate in material science wall with Foam-Control Geofoam, designers developed a structural
and engineering from Northwestern University and spent the last barrier that will never erode. And, in the case of Badger State Fruit
22 years researching, developing, and testing molded polystyrene Processing, Foam-Control PLUS+ and PLUS+ 400 were
materials against variables of every sort. From proving R-values to selected based on a combination of performance, environ-
conducting water absorption testing, and quantifying structural mental impact, cost, and strength.”■
performance, Bergstrom has spent his career on the front lines of
molded polystyrene material science. Sean O'Keefe writes design and construction industry stories based on 20
“Modulus of subgrade reaction refers to the relative stiffness of years of experience. ([email protected])
the layers of support beneath a concrete slab,” says Bergstrom.
42 STRUCTURE magazine OCTOBER 2020

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INSIGHTS
Bridging Current Gaps in Bridge Maintenance
By Kai Goebel
I nfrastructure operators are responsible for

ensuring the safety and operability of large
structures such as bridges, towers, tunnels,
including structural strain,
thermal response, bending
moments, shear/impact loads,
and railways. The maintenance process typi- and corrosion.
cally requires costly schedule-based routines The system relies on low-
that rely on periodic manual inspections, cost, high-resolution, compact
which may not always be necessary. wavelength-shift detection
A more cost-effective approach involves technology, and intelligent algo-
predictive maintenance policies. Predictive rithms. Teams from Victorian
maintenance is a way to remotely monitor agencies, VicTrack and
the condition and performance of high- VicRoads, have provided their
value structures during operations. In this structural engineering expertise
way, operators can understand the struc- to enable effective real-time PARC developed a novel technology to read out signals from
tures’ current state of health and anticipate monitoring, performance wavelength-encoded optical sensors, like FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating)
the likelihood of future problems. Predictive management, better reliability, sensors, with unprecedented resolution using a compact, low-cost
maintenance systems logically prioritize any and improved safety. While unit that is highly customizable.
needed repairs to prevent failures before they Fibridge is initially targeting
occur, thus saving considerable time, money, roadway and rail bridges, over time, it will of a VicRoads bridge in Banksia Street,
and resources. be extendable to other structures with similar Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia. The signals
Recent advances in communications networks maintenance and monitoring pain points. were bundled in groups of eight and routed to
and advanced sensors have made predictive An initial proof-of-concept demonstration a central computing system for data acquisi-
maintenance feasible through the Industrial using FO sensors to monitor a VicRoads tion and storage. For power, the system tapped
Internet of Things (IIoT). New networked highway bridge in Melbourne, done in into a pre-existing 240V line for the nearby
sensors and machine learning systems can be collaboration with AMG Systems and the vehicle messaging system sign. A router was
designed and trained to recognize structural University of Melbourne, has shown promise included to allow remote user access to the
faults and make accurate predictions about thus far. Now the technology is being scaled system. The costs and value proposition
how long until components will fail. up towards an extended pilot trial on multiple of Fibridge over conventionally scheduled
A new IIoT System Analytics technology rail, road, and transit bridges in Victoria. inspections were estimated for a preliminary
platform called MOXI enables engineers, Anticipated benefits of this solution include business case assessment.
operators, and maintenance professionals to addressing risk and supporting asset manage- The critical pieces of technology affecting
monitor and proactively manage unexpected ment, as well as the potential for cost-savings sensor costs are the FO sensors, bonding
maintenance problems remotely. The IIoT by automating remote bridge inspection with- agents, optical readouts, and supporting edge
suite combines embedded sensing, complex out the need for access to the structure. devices for online processing and remote
system models, and artificial intelligence FO sensors can simultaneously measure communications. Together, these sensing
technologies to predict adverse system con- multiple parameters with high sensitivity in costs are estimated to be $2,000 for 400
ditions with high accuracy, negligible false multiplexed configurations over very long sense points per bridge. This approach is at
alarm rates, and near-zero missed detections. FO cables. These parameters include strain, least 5X more economical than commercially
temperature, pressure, current, voltage, and available alternatives such as wireless or wired
chemical composition. And, the sensors have electric strain gauges.
Predicting Potential Failures held up well in harsh environments. The most significant expense for Fibridge,
The Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) Alerts for events of interest for bridge or any other bridge monitoring sensor
is engaged on a project in Australia called health can be systematized, and trends in system, involves the one-time installation
Fibridge, which is sponsored by the Victorian asset deterioration can enable better planning and setup cost. This step involves some
Government’s Public Sector Innovation Fund of maintenance and renewals. Finally, the sensor array/structural installation design
and a partnership of Victorian Government life of a bridge that is underutilized can be tuning and the cost of equipment such as
agencies, led by VicTrack. safely extended due to unused capacity, and boom lifts, trained technicians, and traffic
The Fibridge project is based on the MOXI maintenance scheduling can be optimized. management. The setup cost is projected to
smart monitoring system, which has the be roughly over $30,000 per bridge, based
potential to enable predictive maintenance for Promising on local labor costs in Victoria, Australia.
bridges and other structures. The system uses Installation costs are quite variable and
fiber-optic (FO) sensors attached to a span Return-on-Investment heavily depend on the asset size, access
to accurately measure and estimate param- Over five days in October 2018, 112 FO sen- restrictions, and narrow timeframes due to
eters online indicative of the bridge state, sors were installed throughout the structure live operating environments, all of which
were the case on the FiBridge trial bridges. events such as bridges struck
However, there is scope to optimize the cost by vehicles, and longer-term
with the design development of the sensors planning value from having
for quick and easy installation, and better reliable online monitor-
training of installation teams. ing into asset usage and
Installation costs would also drop if the performance.
sensor system were fitted to new bridges Safety is also an area that
during construction. This would also provide directly benefits from real-
initial data from the early days of structural time monitoring of bridges.
settling and initial use that could be used for Recent examples of bridge
baselining. collapses are reminders that
The preliminary assessment assumes a signs of rapid structural
conservative two-times extension of bridge degradation due to over-
inspection intervals. This extension will load, inclement weather,
reduce costs and downtime from schedule- or hidden structural defects
driven inspections, avoid liability costs undetectable during visual Installation of the PARC MOXI smart monitoring system on one of the
associated with aging bridge structures, and inspections can potentially VicRoads’ bridges in Victoria, Australia. Based on fiber-optic (FO)
defer investments from being able to safely provide valuable informa- sensors, MOXI accurately estimates parameters indicative of the bridge
extend the life of bridges. All taken, Fibridge tion in bridge management. health state.
is estimated to provide a greater than 50 times This bridge pilot project in
return-on-investment over the nominal life- Australia is just one example of the practical than following a rigid timetable for
time of a bridge. benefits of predictive maintenance to enable regularly scheduled monitoring and
These savings do not factor in other poten- self-aware, self-adaptive systems for large repair efforts.■
tial benefits such as savings on follow-up structures and critical assets. Infrastructure
engineering investigation costs, feedback for managers can now apply predictive Kai Goebel is a Principal Scientist in the System
design and operations teams for improved condition-based technology solutions to pro- Sciences Lab at PARC, a Xerox Company.
bridge design, immediate-response ability, actively focus their time and resources on the ([email protected])
wider area congestion management due to most pressing maintenance problems, rather
RECORDS
“An NCEES Record makes it
fast, easy, and convenient to
apply for additional P.E.
licenses in other states.”
Alexander Zuendt, P.E.
Zuendt Engineering
Record holder since 2011
National Council of Examiners

for Engineering and Surveying® Build your NCEES Record today.
P.O. Box 1686, Clemson, S.C. 29633 ncees.org/records
864.654.6824
OCTOBER 2020 45
business PRACTICES
Networking Tips for Introverts
By Janki DePalma, LEED AP, CPSM
As an extrovert, I have a secret to share –

I am jealous of introverts! That is
because I am surrounded by them daily,
common ground. When you
are first meeting people, it is
great to find some commonali-
and I know their superpowers: an ability ties – the threads that bind you.
to listen well and to engage in thoughtful This takes you from a complete
conversations. stranger to less of a stranger. The
But like every superhero, introverts, too, “so am I” commonalities help
have their kryptonite – networking events. connect you quicker.
Networking is an essential part of career devel- Should I talk about my
opment. Essentially, people like to work with work? Making a connection
people they know, like, and trust. involves charisma, a connec-
So, as an extrovert who is thrilled about tion with people through both
the benefits of networking, I would like to your warmth and your intelligence. Veer too anymore, so a small note saying how much you
share some insight into how you, as an intro- much into a technical mode, you never really enjoyed meeting that person will be unexpected.
vert, can wield your superpowers to conquer break the surface to a genuine connection.
the intimidating yet important realm of An easy way to connect is to ask questions
networking. about someone’s personal interest. Remember,
Alternative Networking
Here’s the thing. Most introverts are uncom- people like to talk about themselves, and In our post-COVID-19 world, the ways we
fortable because they think they need to you can use your introverted “great listening network may change. No one knows if we will
network like an extrovert. Just. Don’t. skills.” This hands-down is where the introvert still have large conferences or lunch events.
When we think of the “ideal networker,” shines! Ask a few questions and let the other However, the need and ability to network do
we often see this gregarious person passing person go. not change. Some conferences are offering
business cards and holding court with throngs What kind of questions do I ask? I have alternative online networking. An easy and
of people. When you try to be this person, it two go-to’s. One is, “Do you have any exciting active platform is LinkedIn.
fails. You are not this person, and that is ok. travel planned?” The other question I often What do I do on LinkedIn? Without going
In fact, I would argue that it is a good thing! ask architects is, “Are you working on any into too much detail, the biggest thing I would
My full-time job is building relationships and personal pet projects?” Given the current situ- say for LinkedIn is to be a conscientious con-
teaching engineers how to create and develop ation, I have asked, “Were there any surprise tributor. Even if a person is barely on LinkedIn,
their professional network. If you have ever benefits you discovered during quarantine?” every time she posts, she is opening herself to
wished you had a secret memo on how to Almost everyone has something that makes her network. The single best thing you can do is
maneuver a networking event, here it is! These them light up. Asking these questions can help validate those thoughts by making a legitimate
tips, combined with your natural powers of you move from the small talk into something comment, not just the autogenerated ones.
listening and developing deeper relationships, more meaningful. Relationships grow stronger based on prox-
can make networking so much easier. How do I get out of here? Even when the imity and frequency. LinkedIn allows you to
How do I approach people? Walking up to conversation is amazing, sometimes you want have both of those, even if you are miles away.
a group of strangers with a charming opening to exit gracefully but do not know how. Here
line is a lot of pressure. I usually approach a is my exit strategy: “Well, Name, I am so
group of three or more people. I stay away happy that I was able to meet you! Do you
Conclusion
from couples or any solo person hovering mind if I have your business card? I would Many people place a significant amount
over his phone. Odds are 3+ people are not love to talk with you again.” Simple and of pressure on themselves to be charming,
having a private conversation. My go-to “line” straightforward, this formula allows you a outgoing, and witty at networking events.
is direct. “Hey, you guys seem friendly, mind graceful exit. In reality, as an introvert, your ability to
if I join you?” Now what? One of the biggest mistakes I see listen and delve into more in-depth conver-
Usually, in a group of 3 or more, there will is when people spend time at an event and then sations gives you the ability to connect in a
be one person you can make eye contact with. fail to follow up. Do not be that person. I am meaningful way. When in doubt,
Focus your opening line to this person. Also, a big procrastinator who hates data entry, so I remember it is better to be inter-
when you tell someone they seem friendly, it found that I need to act quickly, or else I will ested than interesting!■
forces them to live up to your expectation. have a stack of untouched business cards. First
Janki DePalma is an Associate and Business
Now what do I say? We all hate small talk! step – LinkedIn. Connect on the most used
Development Manager at DCI Engineers.
Let’s all agree to stop talking about the weather business social media platform. Next, if you
Janki serves as President-Elect of the Society for
or traffic. I start with some context questions. had an interesting conversation, send a quick
Marketing Professional Services Austin chapter,
Something like, “So, how do you guys know email letting her know how much you enjoyed
and is an active member of AIA, ULI Next, and
the host?” or “which conference sessions did talking with her. If you want to take it to another
CREW. ([email protected])
you like?” This helps you establish some level, send a small note card. No one gets mail

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Go to go.asce.org/titles and use PROMO CODE STRUCM20
Civil Engineering MOP

138
ASCE Manuals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 138
Prepared by the Fire Protection Committee of the
Structural Fire Engineering

Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE
Structural
Structural Fire Engineering
Fire
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Fire Protection Committee

Edited by Kevin J. LaMalva, P.E.
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American Society of Civil Engineers • 1801 Alexander Bell Drive • Reston, VA 20191 • Ph: 1-800-548-2723 or 1-703-295-6300 • www.asce.org
structural FORUM
Non-Traditional Career Paths for Structural Engineers
By Brian Quinn, P.E.
“I really like being a structural engineer,

but I do not like many of the tasks
“
associated with the design and construction
of projects.” This is a comment I have heard
many times from structural engineers who
express feeling like a “square peg in a round
hole” as a design engineer.
The good news is that there
We do not want to lose good people from
our profession who have an enthusiasm for are many “non-traditional”
structural engineering, but who do not enjoy
the more conventional career paths as a struc-
tural engineer. Many people who experience
career paths available...
this frustration end up switching to another
industry unrelated to structural engineering,
and we lose talented people. The good news is
that there are many “non-traditional” career
paths available for someone facing this chal-
lenge that allow them to utilize their structural
engineering background and contribute to the
profession in unique ways.
Hopefully, sharing my own story provides
some additional background. After finish-
ing my MSCE from Purdue in 1991, I was engineers with great companies and unique So, what are some of the things you can do
fortunate to find a job with an excellent small opportunities so they could find a fulfilling if you are struggling to find fulfillment as a
consulting structural firm in West Michigan. career path and stay in the structural engi- design engineer?
The three owners of the firm were great men- neering industry. I would recommend seeking out other struc-
tors. I was able to work on a wide variety of Fast forward to today, and we have seen tural engineers who are in “non-traditional”
projects, learn an incredible amount about many ways that structural engineers can make roles and ask them how they came to do what
structural engineering, get involved in client a positive contribution to our profession in they are doing. Some approaches include:
meetings, and was given a lot of responsibil- non-traditional roles. The “technical” level of • Talking to people who come into your
ity. This company was an excellent place to these positions can vary significantly, as well office to provide lunch-and-learns
learn as a structural engineer. Yet, something as the function of the role. An example of a • Talking to exhibitors at structural
was missing for me in terms of fulfillment. few possibilities would include: engineering conferences
After struggling with what to do, I was able • Helping structural engineers utilize • Using resources like LinkedIn to search
to find a unique position with the structural seismic dampers or special seismic for structural engineers doing unique
engineering software company RAM in 1995 connections things
(now a part of Bentley®). My role was primar- • Helping trade associations expand • Asking family and friends what they see
ily sales but included technical support and their message and outreach in multiple as your strongest traits and skills
training. I loved using technology related to different roles Structural engineering is a wonderful pro-
structural engineering, so this was an excellent • Helping software companies in sales, fession, offering a variety of career paths
position for me, with a great company. It also training, technical support, that can provide a fulfilling career. While
allowed me to meet a wide range of structural or development the majority of people will enjoy more
engineers across the country. Also, I was able • Helping companies who make a unique “traditional” roles, there are multiple other
to get more involved in the structural engi- engineered product (roller coasters, possibilities for those looking for a
neering profession, including being President ropes courses, stadium bleachers, rack unique way to still be a part of the
for the Structural Engineers Association of systems, conveyors, to name a few) structural engineering industry.■
MI (SEAMi). • Helping investigate the cause/origin of
After twelve great years with RAM, I felt problems (forensic engineering)
Brian Quinn is the Founder and President of SE
pulled to help structural engineers in another • Helping building owners or general
Solutions, LLC, based in Holland, MI. (brian.
unique way. I started SE Solutions in late contractors in the construction, over-
[email protected])
2006 to help match excellent structural sight, and maintenance of facilities

NCSEA
NCSEA News
National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
NCSEA Foundation Focused on Advancing Profession
The NCSEA Foundation was established early this year to further support the non-profit activities of NCSEA
and its Member Organizations to advance the structural engineering profession through technical development,
education, and outreach. The Purpose of the Foundation is to fund qualifying initiatives and activities such as:
• Outreach and Education
• Research and Technical Development
• Publication of Education and Technical Materials
• Scholarships
The qualifying initiatives that the Foundation funds also are intended to promote engagement within NCSEA’s
Member Organizations. The Foundation also supports existing NCSEA initiatives like Young Member Summit
Attendance and the SEA Grant Program. The Foundation itself is supported by specialty ticketed events throughout the year as well as
individual and corporate donations.
Contributions to the NCSEA Foundation support NCSEA's efforts to assist practicing structural engineers to be highly qualified profes-
sionals and successful leaders. The NCSEA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the
extent allowed by law. Consider making a donation to help advance the profession.
NCSEA's SEA Grant Program Supports Growth and Advancement

The NCSEA Grant Program was developed in 2015 to award SEAs funding for projects that grow and promote their SEA as well as the
structural engineering field in accordance with the NCSEA Mission and Vision Statements. The 2019 Grant recipients are listed below.
Learn more about the 2020 Grant Program and submit your project for consideration at www.ncsea.com.
• Structural Engineers Association of Central California to • Structural Engineers Association of Massachusetts to launch
enhance their new Structural Engineering, Engagement, and an SE3 Committee Interactive Seminar Series
Equity (SE3) Committee • Structural Engineers Association of New York for a screening
• Structural Engineers Association of San Diego to support the of the documentary Leaning Out with panel
EERI San Diego-Tijuana Regional Earthquake Scenario Study • Structural Engineers Association of Ohio for a Young
and a Special Wind Region Study Members’ Track at SEAoO’s Annual Conference
• Structural Engineers Association of Illinois to host a Young • Oklahoma Structural Engineers Association to assist OSEA’s
Professionals Workshop efforts in the Engineering Fair E-week 2020 Bridge Competition
• Structural Engineers Association of Kansas/Missouri to launch • Structural Engineers Association of Texas to support a local
an SE3 Committee Panel Discussion and Networking Event, and SE3 Speed Mentoring event
to assist with STEM classes for local elementary school students • Structural Engineers Association of Washington to assist with
a Joint Special Regions Wind Study
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Webinar Series

In accordance with the Call to Action released earlier this year, NCSEA is working to identify and eradicate behaviors that perpetuate racism
and inequality within our profession. In conjunction with its Foundation and SE3 Committee, NCSEA partnered with a strategic diversity
and inclusion practitioner to develop a series of webinars that introduced attendees to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and discuss ways to
begin developing multicultural organizations via inclusive policies, programs, and practices.
The first session, Cultural Humility & the “You” in Unity aired on September 29, 2020 and introduced participants to cultural humility
and its role in creating intentionally inclusive environments. Through interactive activities, participants were able to identify their own dimen-
sions of diversity and consider their role in the “platinum rule.” The second session [October 13, 2020], Bias Awareness and Socialization,
introduced participants to biases, how they develop through socialization, and the role of internalized oppression in authoring identities.
Through the exploration of the Cycle of Liberation, participants will learn the steps needed to address systemic inequity.
Session 3, How Do We Progress Towards Racial Equity in the Structural Engineering Community?, is part of the NCSEA Summit and
will take place on Thursday, November 5, 2020. This session, led by the NCSEA SE3 Committee, will highlight common experiences that
are reflected in the SE3 survey data as related to race and racial inequities. The Committee will connect everyday experiences in the structural
engineering workplace through conversation with experts on racial diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the AEC industry. Active
audience participation will be encouraged and supported through the use of anonymous polls throughout the session. Attendees will leave
with ideas on clear, achievable actions to take as individuals and as firm leaders to help advance racial equity in our industry.
The first two sessions are free to attend and are available as recordings on www.ncsea.com. If you are interested in attending the third
session, we recommend the first two sessions be viewed first to maximize the series' value. Visit the DEI Resources tab on www.ncsea.com
for more information.
News from the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
2020 Summit Trade Show Open Now...For Everyone

As part of this year's Virtual Summit, NCSEA has not only opened the Trade Show a month
before the Summit, but it is available for everyone, not just those registered for the Summit.
The Virtual Trade Show offers opportunities to visit, learn, and engage with the companies and
resources needed by you, practicing structural engineers. Visitors will find leading companies
with innovative software, products, services, and resources essential to structural engineering.
The virtual trade show features raffles and games, along with opportunities to engage personally
with exhibitor representatives!
The Virtual Trade Show is open NOW through November 3 for everyone. Visit www.ncsea.com
to connect with exhibitors, and to be entered in weekly raffles!
But what else does registration to the Summit include?
• 26 Hours of Education Available (Most Hours Offered Ever!)
• 17 Hours Live-Streamed and On-Demand Education
• 9 Hours of Bonus Content
• Captivating Keynote Addresses by Expert Speakers
• What’s Happening with the Future of the AEC Industry?
Jim Malley (Moderator); Glenn Bell, P.E., S.E., Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (Retired);
Vibhuti (Vickie) Harris, HKS, Inc.; Greg Gidez, Hensel Phelps
• Leading the Human Way: How to Stop Acting Your Age and Lead a Multi-Generational Workforce
Matt Havens
• Unique Networking Opportunities
• Virtual Lounges will be open for topic driven peer-to-peer networking, trivia games, and more!
The 2020 Summit will provide the same great education as in prior years – created by structural engineers for practicing structural engineers
– delivered to you straight to your desk! Learn more and register by visiting www.ncsea.com.
The Site Tour Reimagined | Minnesota Young Members Host Virtual Site Tour
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the Minnesota Structural Engineers Association's Young Member
Group (MNSEA YMG) to get creative when planning events. In June, over 25 MNSEA members par-
ticipated in a virtual site tour of the University of Minnesota Pillsbury Hall rehabilitation project.
Pillsbury Hall was built in 1889, making it the second oldest building on the University of Minnesota
Twin Cities campus. Historically, this building has been used for science research and lecture teaching.
The building is currently in the process of bring converted from a science teaching space into the new
home of the English Department in a comprehensive rehabilitation project. Upon completion, the
62,000 square foot building will be completely revitalized and ready for its new tenants, providing a
much more functional space.
Members tuned into a Zoom meeting as former MNSEA YMG Chair and BKBM engineer, Ricky
Kirchner, led a site tour with JE Dunn job superintendent, Matt Soens, pointing out the more challenging
aspects of the structural design. Structural challenges include reinforcement of the existing timber structure, addition of stair and elevator
shafts, removal of existing columns, and underpinning of an entire building wing to allow for a basement addition.
NCSEA Webinars Register by visiting www.ncsea.com

October 8, 2020 October 27, 2020
Anchor Bolt Design in Masonry Guide to the Structural Evaluation of Existing
Richard Bennett, Ph.D., P.E. Timber Structures, TFEC 3-2019
This webinar will cover general anchor bolt design in masonry, provide practical Thomas E. Nehil, P.E., and Ron Anthony
design tips, show examples of anchor bolt design, methods for determining the This presentation will discuss key information provided in TFEC 3, laying out
projected tension and shear area, and the two major changes to the anchor an acceptable practice for evaluation of existing structures and explaining why
bolt design provisions in the 2016 edition of TMS 402. it is necessarily different than design of new timber structures.
Courses award 1.5 hours of Diamond Review-approved continuing education after the completion of a quiz.
OCTOBER 2020 51
SEI Update
Learning / Networking
SEI Virtual Events
www.asce.org/structural-engineering/virtual-events
• Wednesday, October 7, 12:30 pm ET – #SEILIVE Chat with SEI President
Joe DiPompeo, P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE
• Career Path Series: Insights with Glenn Bell and SE Industry Leaders
Join discussions for every level of structural engineer: from where to begin to possibilities beyond
principal. Live sessions are free for ASCE/SEI Members, but space is limited.
Register today! #SEICareerPaths
SEI/ASCE Members have free access to July-September sessions and resources online.
Session 4: Evolving – To Principal and Beyond – Tuesday, October 20, 1pm US ET
Joe DiPompeo, P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE; and Anne Ellis, P.E., F.ASCE
NEW in the
ASCE Bookstore
and Library
Guidelines for Electrical Transmission
Line Structural Loading
Edited by Frank Agnew, P.E.
Available at www.asce.org
Learning from Failure?

By John Cleary, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE, Associate Professor,
University of South Alabama, Member of SEI Board of Governors
When I was an undergraduate student, several of the faculty would tell scheduling, or constructability, but what did we really learn? Think
me, “you learn more from failure than success.” I don’t know if I fully about the failures that you heard about as a student. I am sure everyone
understood what it meant at the time, but the rest of my time as a student, is overly cautious when designing tension rods on walkways, right?
as a faculty member, and working in professional practice has shown me The importance of learning from failures to ensure we do not repeat
the importance of this statement. I now tell it to my students all the time. mistakes cannot be overstated!
When you think about it, the statement is truer than you might want This is where CROSS-US comes into play. CROSS-US is a con-
to admit. Think about in school, when you did well on an exam, did fidential reporting system for structural safety issues in the United
you really learn anything? Sure, you obviously understood the material States. CROSS has been active in the United Kingdom for several
and prepared well for that exam, but did you determine if it was the best years and is now available for projects in the U.S. Whether you are
way to prepare? Did you learn if it was the best way to prepare for future a faculty member teaching structural design or mechanics, a student
exams? Do you even know if it was an efficient way to prepare, or did working on a research project, or a practicing engineer, CROSS-US
you use time that could have been allocated to other tasks? is an excellent resource for identifying issues that have occurred so
The same principles apply to projects and design. Think about the we can design to avoid them in the future.
hundreds of projects that are designed, built, and do not have issues I strongly encourage you to take a look and consider incorporating
throughout their lifetime. Did we learn much from those projects? the cases into classes and/or practice. Also, if you have interesting
We can always have lessons learned, maybe about efficiency, project cases, consider submitting them for review! www.cross-us.org
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].
News of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE
Advancing the Profession

SEI Board of Governors
Thank you to SEI members for voting in the recent online election for new SEI Board members Stephanie Slocum, representing SEI Business
Professionals and Activities, and Greg Soules, representing SEI Codes and Standards Activities.
The following indicates SEI Board officers elected by the Board at their April 8, 2020 meeting.
2020-2021 SEI Board of Governors are as follows:
Joseph G. DiPompeo, P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE, SEI President
Victor E. Van Santen, P.E., S.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE President-Elect
Randall P. Bernhardt, P.E., S.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE SEI Treasurer
Glenn R. Bell, P.E., S.E., SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE, SEI Past-President
Laura E. Champion, P.E., F.ASCE, SEI Secretary
John Cleary, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE
Aimee Corn, P.E., M.ASCE
Satyendra K. Ghosh, Ph.D., F.SEI, F.ASCE
Jerome F. Hajjar, Ph.D., P.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE
Stephanie Slocum, J. G. (Greg) Soules,
Takahiko Kimura, P.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE
P.E., M.ASCE P.E., S.E., P.Eng,
Robert E. Nickerson, P.E., F.SEI, M.ASCE
SECB, F.SEI, F.ASCE
Donald R. Scott, P.E., S.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE
Thank you to the SEI Board and Officers for serving. And for those who finished terms September 30, thank you for your service and
leadership on the SEI Board:
David W. Cocke, S.E., F.SEI, F.ASCE, SEI Past President
Ronald O. Hamburger, P.E., F.SEI
2021 SEI Futures Fund Grant

For 2021, the SEI Futures Fund Board has committed more than $280,000 in funding for these strategic SEI programs. Some items have
been deferred from 2020 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic:
• Student Scholarships to Structures Congress
• Scholarships for Young Professionals to Participate at Structures Congress
• Support to Develop Structural Fire Engineering Curriculum
• SEI Standards lecture for SEI Chapters
• Student Scholarship to Electrical Transmission and Substation Structures Conference 2021
• Seed Funding for SE2050 Database
• Seed Funding for Claims Database Workshops
• Strategy Workshop to Address Future Conditions of Environmental Loads and Impacts in SEI Standards
• SEI Global Activities Online COVID-19 Symposium
Thank you to Donors for their support to make these efforts possible. Learn more and give at www.asce.org/SEIFuturesFund.
Apply/Nominate by November 1 for:

• O.H. Ammann Research Fellowship
• SEI Fellow
• SEI/ASCE Awards
Learn more at www.asce.org/SEI.
SEI Online
Check out the NEW SEI YouTube Channel including NEW SEI Futures Fund lecture on Structural Fire Protection https://bit.ly/3m6ihuN
SEI News Read the latest at www.asce.org/SEINews

SEI Standards Visit www.asce.org/SEIStandards to view ASCE 7 development cycle
O C T O B E R 2 02 0 53
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 engineers are learning at each level of experience, or need a sample contract document – CASE has the tools you need!
CASE has recently updated its Contract Library and has re-issued updated Contracts that have been reviewed by outside legal counsels.
Below is a handy guide for firms to know which contract is appropriate to use in certain situations.
CASE Contracts – Usage Guide

is intended for use when performing a peer
Structural Engineer is Retained review for an Owner or another entity and
CASE Agreement #1 – An Agreement for includes responsibilities and limitations.
the Provision of Limited Professional Services. CASE Agreement #8 – An Agreement Between
This agreement is intended for use for small Client and Structural Engineer for Forensic
projects or investigations of limited scope and Engineering (Expert) Services. This agree-
time duration. ment is intended for use when the engineer is
CASE Agreement #2 – An Agreement engaged as a forensic expert, primarily when (Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) or Building
Between Client and Structural Engineer of the Structural Engineer is engaged as an expert Information Model (BIM)) Files. This agree-
Record for Professional Services. This agree- in the resolution of construction disputes. It ment is intended for use when transferring
ment is intended for use when the client, can be adapted to other circumstances where CAD or BIM files to others.
e.g., owner, contractor developer, etc., wishes the Structural Engineer is a qualified expert. CASE Commentary #A – Agreement for
to retain the Structural Engineer of Record Use with and Commentary on AIA Document
directly. This agreement may also be used with Structural Engineer is C401 “Standard Form of Agreement Between
a client who is an architect when the architect- Architect and Consultant,” 2017 Edition. This
owner agreement is not an AIA agreement. Retaining Additional Entity document is intended for use as a letter-form
CASE Agreement #3 – An Agreement CASE Agreement #9 – An Agreement Between of an agreement that adopts the AIA C401
between Owner and Structural Engineer as Structural Engineer of Record and Design by reference. This Agreement is intended for
Prime Design Professional. This agreement is Professional for Services. This agreement is use when the owner-architect agreement is an
intended for use when the Structural Engineer intended for use when the Structural Engineer AIA B-series. A scope of services is included.
serves as the Prime Design Professional. of Record, when serving in the role of Prime The purpose of the commentary is to point
CASE Agreement #4 – An Agreement Design Professional or as a Consultant, retains out provisions that merit special attention.
between Client and Structural Engineer for the services of a sub-consultant or architect. CASE Commentary #B – Commentary
Special Inspection Services. This agreement is CASE Agreement #10 – An Agreement on AIA Document A295 – 2008 “General
intended for use when the Structural Engineer Between Structural Engineer of Record and Conditions of the Contract for Integrated Project
is hired directly by the Owner to provide Geotechnical Engineer of Record. This agree- Delivery,” 2008 Edition. This document pro-
Special Inspection services. ment is intended for use when the Structural vides commentary on AIA Document A295
CASE Agreement #5 – An Agreement Engineer of Record retains geotechnical engi- Integrated Project Delivery.
Between Client and Specialty Structural neering services. It can also be altered for use CASE Commentary #C – Commentary on
Engineer for Professional Services. This agree- as an agreement between an Owner and the AIA Document A201 “General Conditions of
ment is intended for use when the structural Geotechnical Engineer of Record. the Contract for Construction,” 2017 Edition.
engineer is hired directly by a contractor or CASE Agreement #11 – An Agreement This document provides Commentary on AIA
sub-contractor for work to be included in Between Structural Engineer of Record and document A201-2017 sections, which merit
a project where you are not the Structural Testing Laboratory. This document is intended special attention.
Engineer of Record. for use when the structural engineer retains
CASE Agreement #6 – An Agreement testing services.
Between Client and Structural Engineer for a
Additional Contracting Tools:
Structural Condition Assessment. This agree- Tool 6-2: Scope of Work for Engaging
ment is intended for use when providing a
Other Situations Sub-consultants
structural condition assessment. CASE Agreement #12 – An Agreement Tool 6-3: Project Scoping Tool
CASE Agreement #7 – An Agreement for Between Structural Engineer of Record (SER) Tool 8-1: Contract Review
Structural Peer Review Services. This agreement And Contractor for Transfer of Digital Data Tool 8-2: Contract Clauses and Commentary
You can purchase these and the other Risk Management Tools at www.acec.org/bookstore.
Follow ACEC Coalitions on Twitter – @ACECCoalitions.

News of the Coalition of American Structural Engineers
CASE Goes Virtual – Part Two!
With in-person meetings at a stand-still, CASE members still found a way to engage with each other and with other ACEC Coalition
members. As part of the first ACEC Coalition Virtual Education Series, held August 6-7, CASE committees all met virtually the afternoon
of August 7. Below is a recap of all committee work and what new/updated publications are coming to an inbox near you!
CASE Contracts Committee Session: CASE Guidelines Committee Session:

Presentation on EJCDC contract activities by Alan Steinle, Chairman Committee members reviewed and discussed the following new/
of EJCDC Contracts committee and member of the CASE Contracts updated Practice Guideline topics:
committee. Committee Discussion: New Practice Guideline being developed for release:
• Review and update CASE Commentaries on AIA Document • National Practice Guidelines for Seismic Design
A295 – 2008 and AIA Document A201-2017 Current Practice Guidelines being updated by the committee:
• Discussion of adding a Force Majeure clause to all CASE con- • 962-D: A Guideline Addressing Coordination and Completeness
tracts within Terms and Conditions. of Structural Construction Documents
• Discussion of adding suite of Design-Build contracts to CASE Future Practice Guideline Topics being developed:
contracts suite • Beyond the Code
• Delegated Design
Committee members discussed surveying membership about which
CASE Programs Committee Session: types of structural systems they opt to delegate design responsibility for.
Committee members discussed participation in the following events:
• 2020 ACEC Fall Conference Risk Management Tool Committee Session:
−Participating in the virtual conference; will have at least one
Committee members reviewed and discussed the following new/
session and a roundtable
updated and future tool topics:
• 2020 NCSEA Structural Engineering Summit – Business of
Structural Engineering Seminar New Risk Management Tools being developed for release:
−The program has been moved from in-person to virtual and
Tool 2-6: Structural Engineering Job Descriptions
has been moved to (3) weekdays in September
Tool 3-6: Succession Planning Tool
• 2021 SEI Structures Congress
Tool 5-7: Software Verification
− Submitted Eric/Karen session
• 2021 NASCC Steel Conference Current Risk Management Tools being updated by the
−Submission of CASE sponsored topic committee:
• 2021 ACEC Annual Convention
Tool 3-1: Risk Management Program Planning Structure
−Reuse of 2020 submitted session on SEI CROSS system
Tool 7-2: Fee Development
• 2022 NASCC Steel Conference
Tool 8-2: Contract Clauses and Commentary
−Submission of a topic in January 2021
Tool 9-1: Coordination and Completeness of Drawings
• Discussed future topics and reviewed past topics; will survey
membership on topics for sessions/roundtables Future Tool Topics being developed:
• Committee discussed putting on Virtual Roundtable for
• Post Disaster Emergency Business Continuity Plan
membership
• Culture of Recruitment and Retention
−Will investigate either Quarterly or every other month basis
• Change Order Tracking
• Earned Value Analysis
ACEC is Going Virtual

October 28-30
During these unprecedented times, ACEC is committed to providing you with all the
education, networking, and industry content you have come to expect from the Fall
Conference – now from the comfort of your home office.
Our reimagined event will take place over 3 days and feature high profile speakers, educa-
tional sessions on industry hot topics, CEO roundtables, networking lounges, and a virtual
Exhibit Hall. Make your schedule work for you – join sessions live or watch on your own
time up to 90 days after the event to make the most of your Fall Conference experience.
ACEC is thrilled to deliver a dynamic event and space to connect with industry partners
across the country. We cannot wait to see you there virtually!
Register now at www.acec.org/conferences/fall-convention-2020/register-now.
OCTOBER 2020 55
2020
STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING
Resource Guide
Special Section Profiling STRUCTURE’s Advertising Partners
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Resource Guide Profile
RISA
R ISA believes structural engineering software should be
powerful, accurate, and user-friendly. The RISA Building
System designs steel, concrete, timber, masonry, aluminum, and
Because of the building’s importance on campus, the architect
set out to create an iconic structure. As a result, the structural
engineer was faced with the challenge of designing a structure
cold-formed steel all in a single, seamlessly integrated model. The that included large open spaces, multiple cantilevers, and vari-
following recent case studies illustrate the versatility of our software. ous load conditions based on the changing programmatic space
requirements of the building.
Frozen Fortress at GLOW Nashville
One of the most challenging aspects of the design was the central
Building Client: Exhibau atrium bridge. The design went through numerous design itera-
Structural Engineer: Epiq Structural Solutions tions and the decision was made to include one central column
GLOW Nashville to support the structure. Due to the stairs mixed use, patterned
is the ultimate holi- loading conditions needed to be evaluated for vibration concerns.
day display located at RISA-3D was instrumental in the design process and was used
First Tennessee Park to quickly evaluate the deflection and free vibration of the bridge
in Nashville, TN. The in order to determine how the structure would react under vari-
experience for attend- ous pattern loading conditions as well as failure scenarios of the
ees includes one of the individual stringers and the supporting column.
tallest Christmas trees
Waffle Building
in the country (at over
100 feet), more than 4 Building Client: Frederick and Laurie Samitaur Smiths
million holiday lights, Structural Engineer: NAST Enterprises Corporation
Frozen Fortress at GLOW Nashville a 170-foot-long tube The Waffle Building, located in Culver City, CA, is an undulating
park built over the stadium seats and a life-size Santa’s workshop. four-story building that grew out of a collaborative vision between
ADVERTORIAL
The focal point of the display is the 3-story viewing platform, architect Eric Owen Moss and chef Jordan Kahn, whose restau-
known as the Frozen Fortress, which sits at the center of the ice- rant, Vespertine, currently occupies the building. The structure,
skating rink. The 30-foot-tall, temporary structure includes a which only occupies a space that is 33 feet by 33 feet, twists along
spiral staircase in the middle as well as two 70 feet long by 6 feet its height and is enveloped in horizontal and vertical steel fins
wide pedestrian bridges that span over the ice-skating rink allow- which make up the “waffle” grid and support the glass enclosure.
ing visitors access to the structure’s viewing platforms. The main The building is the 2019 Innovative Design in Engineering and
structure includes a modular, hot rolled steel system (HSS tubes Architecture with Structural Steel (IDEAS2) Award winner for
and wide flanges) that is designed to be easily erected and then projects less than $15 million.
taken apart, shipped, stored and ready for the next use. The internal supporting structural
RISA-3D was utilized to model and analyze the entire structure system closely follows the exterior
with specific attention paid to the pedestrian bridge and “waffle” shape with four, 18-inch-diameter
floor system. The analysis of the pedestrian bridges were unique due steel pipe columns situated at the
to the fact that the loaded condition would cause the bridge to slide corners with steel beams and steel
since it was not anchored to the ground. As a result, additional lateral joists supporting each level. The
loads were introduced into the model to account for the sliding. complex geometry of this relatively
small structure made collaboration
NC A&T Student Center
between the architect and structural
Building Client: North Carolina A&T State University engineer essential. RISA-3D was
Structural Engineer: Stewart used to evaluate the performance
The new $90 million Student of the exterior ¼-inch steel plates
Center on the campus of North specifically due to its submeshing
Carolina A&T State University is and loading features that allowed
the university’s largest on-campus for accurate evaluation of stresses
structure and a replacement for in the plates.
the former Memorial Student Additional design challenges Waffle Building
Union. The 150,000 square feet, included understanding and man-
LEED Silver facility serves as the aging the various deflection “modes” of the structure during
“heart of campus” and allows stu- construction due to how different the structure performed early
dents to come together to study, in construction (before the exterior steel “fin” plates were installed)
NC A&T Student Center eat, and socialize. as opposed to when the framing was complete.
949-951-5815 | [email protected] | risa.com
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING Resource Guide 2020 SS-57

SOFTWARE
Adhesives Technology Corporation CADRE Analytic Losch Software Ltd
Phone: 754-399-1057 Phone: 425-392-4309 Phone: 323-592-3299
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Web: atcepoxy.com/software Web: www.cadreanalytic.com Web: www.LoschSoft.com
Product: Pro Anchor Design Software Product: CADRE Pro 6 Product: LECPres
Description: New Pro Anchor Design software from Description: Finite element structural analysis. Loading Description: Analyze prestressed and/or mild
Adhesives Technology Corp. has an advanced single conditions include discrete, pressure, hydrostatic, seismic, reinforced simple span or cantilevered concrete beams
panel interface updated for all of our IBC compliant and dynamic response. Features for presenting displaying, and slabs. Handling analysis is also included. A 30-
products, including two new anchoring adhesives to plotting, and tabulating extreme loads and stresses across day trial version is available.
be introduced in 2020. No need to access the cloud or the structure and across multiple load cases simultaneously.
pay for premium features. It’s free! Basic code checking for steel, wood, and aluminum. Free Product: LECWall
fully-functioning evaluation version available. Description: The industry standard for precast
Aegis Metal Framing concrete sandwich wall design handles multi-story
ClearCalcs columns as well. LECWall can analyze prestressed
Phone: 314-851-2200
and/or mild reinforced wall panels with zero to 100
Email: [email protected] Phone: 603-443-1038
percent composite action. Flat, hollow-core, and
Web: www.aegismetalframing.com Email: [email protected]
stemmed configurations are supported. Complete
Product: Steel Engine Web: www.clearcalcs.com
handling analysis is also included.
Description: Software that lets you model your floor, Product: Cloud Software Suite
wall, and roof components for an in-depth look at the Description: Make design calculations the easiest part
Ultra-Span truss requirements, giving you an accurate of your job. Effortlessly design and analyze everything LUSAS
3-D model of your project with calculated loads. from the roof down to the foundations in your choice Phone: 800-975-8727
Our precise drawings, combined with faster factory of wood, steel, cold-formed steel, and concrete. Track Email: [email protected]
fabrication, saves you time in the field. loads through your whole structure, and use any recent Web: www.lusas.com
building code with lightning quick FEA based results. Product: LUSAS
Description: For more than 35 years, LUSAS has
American Wood Council helped its clients to analyze, design, and assess all
Phone: 202-463-4756 ENERCALC, Inc. types of infrastructure projects. Our innovative,
Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-424-2252 ENERCALC
flexible, and trusted software solution can be applied
Web: www.awc.org Email: [email protected] to diverse applications across a range of industries.
Product: Wood Design Calculators Web: https://enercalc.com Model structure and ground together to consider
Description: The American Wood Council has Product: Structural Engineering Library/ true interaction.
developed five free, web-, mobile- and tablet-based ENERCALC SE Cloud/RetainPro
applications to streamline the process of ensuring new Description: ENERCALC’s 38th year of Structural
and existing buildings comply with the latest building Engineering Library brings new modules – including National Council of Examiners for
codes. Apps are available for browsers, as well as iOS, Steel Base Plate and the addition of the RetainPro Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Android, and Windows devices. retaining wall modules. Build 20 includes substantial Phone: 800-250-3196
interface and performance improvements. Save time Email: [email protected]
and money via budget-friendly monthly and annual Web: www.ncees.org
ASDIP Structural Software subscriptions which include updates and support. Product: Engineering Licensure
Phone: 407-284-9202 Description: NCEES is a nonprofit organization
Email: [email protected] GIZA Steel dedicated to advancing professional licensure for
Web: www.asdipsoft.com Phone: 314-656-4615 engineers and surveyors.
Product: ASDIP Suite Email: [email protected]
Description: An advanced software for quick and Web: www.gizasteel.com
efficient design of concrete and steel members, Product: GIZA POSTEN Engineering Systems
foundations, and retaining walls. See immediate Description: A structural steel connection design Phone: 510-275-4750
graphical results and clean, concise reports with software tool for the shear, moment, vertical brace and Email: [email protected]
exposed formulas and code references. Focus your horizontal bracing groups. We provide full calculation Web: www.postensoft.com
attention on engineering and let ASDIP handle the reports with code references for over 400 different Product: POSTEN
math complexity. connection configurations. Free 15-day trial at website. Description: The most efficient and comprehensive
post-tensioned concrete software in the world that,
Bentley Systems IES, Inc. unlike other software, not only automatically Designs
the Tendons, Drapes, as well as Columns, but also
Phone: 800-BENTLEY Phone: 800-707-0816
produces highly efficient, cost saving, sustainable
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
designs with automatic documentation of material
Web: www.bentley.com Web: www.iesweb.com
savings for LEED. The others simply analyze –
Product: STAAD.Pro Product: VisualAnalysis with Design
POSTEN designs.
Description: Perform comprehensive analysis and Description: Once upon a time, there was an engineer
design for any size or type of structure faster than overwhelmed with software headaches. As deadlines
ever before using STAAD.Pro. Simplify your BIM loomed, he fought against frustration. First the tools Qnect LLC
workflow by using a physical model in STAAD.Pro were oppressive and clumsy. Then the licensing got ugly. Phone: 413-387-4375
that is automatically converted into the analytical Fortunately, our hero switched to IES and design tasks Email: [email protected]
model for your structural analysis. Share synchronized started feeling more like slaying dragons. Web: www.qnect.com
models for multi-discipline team collaboration. Product: Qnect
Product: VisualFoundation 10.0 Description: An intelligent, cloud-based connection
Product: RAM Structural System Description: When engineers need to design foundations, service giving fabricators, detailers, and engineers fast
Description: Provides a complete solution for more and more are using IES VisualFoundation. This and flexible connections with significant cost and
analysis, design, drafting, and documentation for tool simplifies your use of nonlinear FEA to arrive at solid schedule savings. Connect steel buildings in minutes,
steel and concrete buildings, foundations, and even answers. Create easy models with loading, and then review with minimal training. Prevent schedule drift, utilize
individual structural components, all in compliance the clear results. Stay in control of design checks and one-station fabrication, and reduce connection
with your local building codes. complete your projects faster. material, time to fabricate, and erect.
continued on page 60
SS-58 STRUCTUREmagazine
ENERCALC – A 38 YEAR LEGACY
From Microcomputer Infancy to Global Cloud Computing
Our Story
In 1982, a young structural engineer named Michael Brooks was
working in his father’s SE firm. The IBM PC was getting lots of
press and Michael’s $5,000 loan provided for delivery of that
beautiful new machine. Lotus 1-2-3 was installed...one of the
first programs to make the PC successful.
Brooks started creating worksheets to automate typical engi-
neering tasks. By 1983, a small ad appeared for the Structural
Engineering Library with a company motto “Innovative Software
for the Design Professional.”
ENERCALC’s use of spreadsheets was very innovative – surprising
even the Lotus 1-2-3 team. Over time, the software evolved from
Lotus 1-2-3 using C routines in “FastFrame,” a spreadsheet for
full 2-D FEM analysis. Next, a hybrid spreadsheet product gave and specific design details that hand calculations are no longer
the user a simple spreadsheet interface that used fast compiled feasible. We have added earth retention structure software and
solvers. In the late ‘90s, spreadsheet limitations required a full ENERCALC 3D, a mature 3D FEM product with broad analy-
Windows rewrite. sis power with a fresh new ribbon-based UI. These 3 products
Brooks was convinced that server-based computing was the serve this 90% role completely – bundled with budget-friendly
future. He wrote a Citrix-like server-client system, purchased 24 subscription pricing.
ADVERTORIAL
servers, and launched ENERCALC in the cloud in 2000. It was
vision of a future yet to come...the Internet was still too primitive. Did Your Work Situation Change This Year?
In an “My office is where I am” world, ENERCALC is everywhere.
Today, Enercalc Software is Everywhere
With a simple, one-price subscription, you can:
16 years later, ENERCALC would again deliver structural engi- • Install the software on any computer, in any location:
neering applications via ENERCALC SE Cloud. ENERCALC automatically manages allowed seat usage.
With a proven cloud platform backed by Amazon Web • Launch ENERCALC SE Cloud and access the same
Services (AWS), you can use the Structural Engineering Library, software globally through a browser. It is the same power-
ENERCALC 3D, and our earth retention structure software ful Windows software – not a trivial subset of our desktop
from anywhere on the globe, using any html5 device on any OS: software deployed on the web.
iPad, tablet, laptop, or desktop. Check out enercalc.com/cloud. • Safely and easily share project files between installed and
cloud users.
90% of Structural Engineering Work is Low-Rise • Access high-performance apps via your browser at the clos-
est of 7 localized Amazon data centers: California, Virginia,
To gain perspective for the uses of ENERCALC’s structural
Ohio, Tokyo, Mumbai, Sydney and Frankfort.
engineering software, consider your last flight. Before landing, a
downtown cluster of skyscrapers, stadiums, and malls appeared.
Is Revit Part of Your Workflow?
Surrounding them for many square miles are low-rise parking
garages, manufacturing facilities, warehouses, retail, hotels, medi- SEL will soon debut a Revit add-in that links our software directly
cal complexes, commercial buildings, and other structures that are into the Revit environment. Click a Revit element and send it
90% of structural engineering work. For 38 years, ENERCALC to ENERCALC for design, then send it back for a Revit model
has been committed to supplying structural engineering calcula- update. This allows you to generate SEL modules from Revit
tion software for this 90%, while retaining simple entry forms geometry rapidly, then update the Revit model in real-time based
with fast recalculation – just like our original spreadsheets. Today, on SEL’s calculations.
building codes are complex, with so many load combinations
A Small Team Working Hard for Structural Engineers
38 years after the birth of those Lotus spreadsheets, ENERCALC
ENERCALC remains a small, close-knit team with the same “Innovative
Software” focus and some substantial offerings to come in 2021.
800-424-2252 | [email protected] | www.enercalc.com

SOFTWARE
RISA S-FRAME Software Standards Design Group, Inc
Web: risa.com Web: s-frame.com Web: www.standarddesign.com
Product: RISAConnection Product: S-FRAME Analysis Product: Wind Loads On Structures 2019
Description: The cutting edge of next-generation Description: An industry standard for over 36 Description: Wind load computations in ASCE
connection design software; features full 3-D years, analyzes and designs structures regardless 7-05, Section 6 and ASCE 7-10, or 16, Chapters
visualization and expandable reports for every limit of geometric complexity, material type, loading 26-31; “build” structures within the system, enter
state. The latest release includes integration with Hilti conditions, nonlinear effects, or seismic loads. wind speed or choose basic wind speeds from
Profis for anchorage design as well as custom anchor Integrated concrete, steel, timber, and foundation the ATC Hazards by Location website, input
bolt layouts that allow engineers the flexibility to design ensures maximum productivity. S-FRAME’s topographic features, different exposures for
design a variety of anchorage conditions. continued R&D investment gives users the latest different wind directions. Computes wind loads
advantages and dedicated technical expertise. by analytical method.
Product: RISA-3D
Description: Version 19 is the next step in the
evolution of the completely redesigned RISA-3D. Strand7 Pty Ltd
With new features, including the design of cold- SkyCiv Phone: 252-504-2282
formed steel walls, AISC and ACI code updates, Phone: 800-838-0899 Email: [email protected]
seismic improvements, and the introduction of Email: [email protected] Web: www.strand7.com
orthotropic plates, engineers can effortlessly complete Web: skyciv.com Product: Strand7
complex projects utilizing any material. Product: SkyCiv Software Suite Description: General-purpose FEA system
Description: Thanks to SkyCiv Software Suite comprising integrated pre- and post-processing and
being cloud-based, software maintenance and solvers. Used for linear and nonlinear analysis of
downloads are gone. Updates are pushed to the structures and components (static, dynamic, and heat
suite automatically, sometimes in as little as two transfer) by engineering companies of all sizes and
Listings are provided as a courtesy, weeks. Simply log into a browser from any device disciplines. Strand7 has gained worldwide acceptance
STRUCTURE is not responsible for errors. and go. Content and feature updates are available as a powerful tool for structural analysis, particularly
immediately after development. nonlinear analysis.
continued on page 62
IRONORBIT GPU-Accelerated Cloud Workspaces – Bridging
Technology with Innovation and Success
I ronOrbit is a privately owned and fully integrated Information

and Communications Technology (ICT) Powerhouse. We are a
Specialized Cloud Services Leader focused on planning, deploying
• AEC specific solutions to boost efficiency and reduce TCO
• Tailored GPU-Accelerated workspaces for every user profile
• Perfecting the UX in adopting and utilizing DaaS solutions
and fueling Digital Transformations for the AEC industry. IronOrbit Matt McGrigg, Global Director of Cloud Business Development
innovates, develops, and produces comprehensive ICT solutions, spe- at NVIDIA, says, “IronOrbit INFINITY Workspaces are ideal
cializing in GPU-Accelerated INFINITY Workspaces, for some of the for professional graphics workstations used by engineers, architects,
biggest IT-related challenges facing AEC firms. and designers across industries, from AEC to
ADVERTORIAL
A Cloud Service Provider for NVIDIA, M&E to manufacturing. With Quadro per-
IronOrbit is strategically positioned as a catalyst formance from the cloud, on any connected
for the digitization of end-user workspaces and device, professionals working from home can
web-scale applications. Adding the NVIDIA stay productive.”
QUADRO® to IronOrbit data centers leverages IronOrbit’s AEC clients implement future-
high-performance and GPU-Acceleration to proof technology, enabling them to shape
power our INFINITY Workspaces, which are optimized for today’s their industry and future. Our portfolio includes extended offer-
modern, demanding, and resource-intensive applications. The result ings that cover Managed Services (Infrastructure and Advanced
is superior efficiency, creativity, productivity, and end-user experience Applications) and Thought Leadership Services (Consultation and
than a physical workstation. IronOrbit’s future focus is on mid to Professional Services).
large enterprise market segments, with a wide base of small enterprises IronOrbit, a division of SACA Technologies, Inc., founded in
acquired over the years. To target these segments, IronOrbit developed 1997 as an MSP provider, is located in beautiful Anaheim Hills,
fully customized, dynamic, modular, scalable, and secure Turn-Key CA. IronOrbit evolved into a cloud solutions provider offering
solutions that fit specific user profiles within the AEC industry. comprehensive cloud technology solutions for almost two decades.
Key Initiatives include: IronOrbit delivers optimized, customized, and fully integrated ITC
• Migrate workstations to digitized, cloud-based workspaces solutions that drive growth for all verticals and industries.
888-753-5060 | [email protected] | www.ironorbit.com/aec
DEWALT
DEWALT is proud to be a leader in the construction industry by offering
anchoring solutions to design, build, and maintain jobsites across the country.
S ince 1924, construction professionals have relied on

DEWALT® for quality, innovative tools. Leading the way in
the era of modern construction sites, we are continually developing
To ensure the design process is as productive as possible, we
have a full-service team of field engineers dedicated to making
sure your business is getting the most out of DDA. Our field
new technology, products, and software to help improve efficien- engineers work with your structural team to specify anchoring
cies at every stage of the job. We continue to design and optimize and fastening products, as well as offering assistance during the
professional worksite solutions for the toughest jobsite conditions. bidding, submittal, and construction phases of your project.
DEWALT isn’t just GUARANTEED TOUGH. DEWALT is the Our team of engineers is available whether you have a question
total jobsite solution. about product substitutions or digital solutions. DEWALT DDA:
From design to build to maintain, we offer the expertise, power http://anchors.dewalt.com/anchors/tech-support-software
tools, anchors, and technology to ensure your teams are operating After the site has been designed, the building begins. DEWALT
at peak efficiency. DEWALT Design Assist Software provides offers an extensive line of mechanical and chemical anchors that
an innovative way to design are covered by 30+ ICC-ESR
your site. Our extensive line approvals. This qualifies our
of power tools and anchors anchor systems as third-party
help you build your site from tested and ICC Building
the ground up. Maintaining code compliant. DEWALT
ADVERTORIAL
your site becomes easier with Anchors & Fasteners are
DEWALT field engineers and reliable and enhance con-
service managers within reach. struction productivity. We
Designing your site is an also offer a full range of instal-
integral step in the building lation power tools engineered
process. DEWALT is leading to drill through the hardest
innovation within the anchor concrete.
industry with the DEWALT By combining specific
Design Assist software. This anchors, power tools, and
software program is a powerful anchor design and comparison accessories, we have designed a new way to install anchors with
tool. With new innovative features, applications, and products, the DUSTX+™ Anchor Installation System productively. This
the interactive and flexible user-interface allows you to model, code-compliant system eliminates 100% of traditional hole
optimize, and compare multiple anchoring solutions. DDA cleaning steps when installing mechanical anchors, such as Screw-
helps you design your site with 4 key features: Bolt-™, and anchoring adhesives such as Pure 110+® or AC200+™.
1) Design: Code compliant anchor designs according Combine the DEWALT DWV012 dust extractor with 99.97%
to ACI 318-14 and CSA A23.3-14. filter efficiency, DEWALT Hollow Drill Bits, and any DEWALT
2) Compare: Quickly compare up to 3 similar or rotary hammer to remove dust from holes while drilling. This
different anchors. allows our users to achieve OSHA Table 1 compliance while being
3) Document: Comprehensive design calculations as productive as possible with anchor installation.
with multiple reporting options. Regardless of the job, DEWALT is more than just tools. We are
4) Anchor: Includes a full catalog of DEWALT anchors, your partner on-site. We work with your teams to identify gaps
standard Cast-In-Place, and more. in your process and offer time-saving solutions to complete proj-
These key features allow you to model customizable baseplate ects on-time and within budget. Feedback and customer care are
designs, equipment anchorages, anchorage-to-deck members, critical components of our innovation process. We listen to the
composite metal deck slab anchoring, post-installed rebar design people who rely on us, taking their feedback and using it to create
(AC308), and more. products that drive productivity and profitability.
800-524-3244 | [email protected] | http://anchors.dewalt.com/anchors

SOFTWARE
StructurePoint Trimble Visicon Inc.
Web: www.structurepoint.org Web: www.tekla.com/us Web: visicon.com
Product: Concrete Design Software Suite Product: Tekla Tedds Product: Visicon 3D Model Checker
Description: Concrete design software programs Description: Automates repetitive and error prone Description: Provides a common platform to review
updated to ACI 318-14 for concrete buildings, concrete structural and civil calculations, allowing engineers and check Revit, ETABS, and IFC models. It gives
structures, and concrete tanks. Reinforced concrete to perform 2-D frame analysis, access a large range greater insight into project models, helps document
structural software includes programs for the design of of automated structural and civil calculations to U.S. design progress, identifies model changes, and
columns, bridge piers beams, girders, one and two-way codes, and speed up daily structural calculations. automates quality control checks. Engineering teams
slabs, shearwalls, tilt-up walls, mats, foundations, tanks, using Visicon to improve overall project coordination
and slabs-on-grade. (Formerly the PCA Engineering Product: Tekla Structural Designer and produce higher quality projects.
Software Group) Description: The power to analyze and design
multi-material buildings efficiently and cost
effectively. Fully automated and packed with unique
features for optimized concrete and steel design.
Trimble Inc. Helps engineering businesses win more projects and WoodWorks Software
Phone: 800-874-6253 maximize profits. Quick comparison of alternative Phone: 800-844-1275
Email: [email protected] design schemes through cost-effective change Email: [email protected]
Web: https://monitoring.trimble.com management and seamless BIM collaboration. Web: www.woodworks-software.com
Product: Trimble 4D Control Product: WoodWorks® Software
Description: Enables project stakeholders to monitor Product: Tekla Structures Description: Offers three programs: Sizer for beam,
critical infrastructure including dams, bridges, mines, Description: Create and transfer constructible models joist, columns, wall stud, and CLT design. Shearwalls
and buildings surrounding construction sites and throughout the design life, from concept to completion. for wood and gypsum board sheathed walls.
tunnels in real-time. Providing unparalleled movement With Tekla Structures, accurate and information-rich Connections for wood-to-wood, wood-to-concrete,
analysis and extensive support for a wide variety of models reduce RFIs, leverage models for drawing and wood-to-steel connections. Use WoodWorks to
monitoring sensors, multiple sites can be managed production, material take offs, and collaboration with quickly design components for light-frame and mass
from a single, customizable platform. architects, consultants, fabricators, and contractors. timber structures.
NCEES DISCOVER MORE.
T he National Council of Examiners for Engineering and
Surveying (NCEES) is a nonprofit organization made up of
engineering and surveying licensing boards from all U.S. states and
territories. Since its founding in 1920, NCEES has been commit-
ted to advancing licensure for engineers and surveyors in order to
ADVERTORIAL
safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of the U.S. public.
NCEES develops, administers, and scores the exams used for
engineering and surveying licensure in the United States. It also
facilitates professional mobility and promotes uniformity of the U.S.
licensure processes through services for its member licensing boards
and licensees. These services include the following:
 Surveying Exams
 Engineering Exams
 Exam Prep Materials
 Records Program
 Credentials Evaluations
 CPC Tracking
 Surveying Education Award
 Engineering Education Award 864-654-6824 | [email protected] | ncees.org/discover
 Speaker’s Link
WOOD
American Wood Council ENERCALC, Inc. ENERCALC
S-FRAME Software
Web: www.awc.org Web: https://enercalc.com Web: s-frame.com
Product: Standards, Resources and Design Tools Product: Structural Engineering Library/ Product: S-TIMBER
Description: The American Wood Council develops ENERCALC SE Cloud Description: The solution to mass timber, light-
ANSI-approved standards and other design tools related
to the use of wood and wood products. Our popular
Anchors
Description: Whether working with wood
beams, trusses, columns, ledgers, or shear walls,
5 frame, and hybrid structural design. Leverages over 38
years of structural engineering expertise into a timber
DCA 6 – Prescriptive Residential Wood Deck Construction ENERCALC’s Structural Engineering Library will save design solution that automates and manages all aspects
Guide is a free document on how to properly build a hours of design time every week. Built-in databases of the timber design process: modeling, structural
deck and is available in English or Spanish. for sawn lumber and engineered wood products analysis, and timber design. S-FRAME Software
(VersaLam, Glu-Lam, etc.) put section properties and solutions are backed by best-in-class customer support.
Product: National Design Specification for Wood allowable stresses at your fingertips. Budget-friendly
Construction® (NDS) all-inclusive subscriptions make it easy.
Description: The 2018 NDS is referenced in the Trimble
2018 International Building Code. Significant Phone: 678-737-7379
additions to the 2018 NDS include new Roof Email: [email protected]
Sheathing Ring Shank nails and fastener head pull- IES, Inc. Web: www.tekla.com/us
through design provisions to address increased wind Phone: 800-707-0816 Product: Tekla Structures
loads in ASCE 7-16 Minimum Design Loads and Email: [email protected] Description: Can be used for wood framing: True
Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures. Web: www.iesweb.com BIM model of wood framing; parametric components
Product: VisualAnalysis + VAConnect allow for easy creation and design change; easily
Description: Your wood structures start with a model. add or move doors and windows; library of industry
VisualAnalysis helps you create models easily to obtain standard wood connections included; clash checking
CADRE Analytic accurate analysis and design results. With VAConnect functionality to eliminate change orders; easily
Phone: 425-392-4309 you also get wood connection design to take you a step customizable to suit any job requirements.
Email: [email protected] further toward success. Download free trials of these
Web: www.cadreanalytic.com tools from the website. Product: Tekla Tedds
Product: CADRE Pro 6 Description: Using Tekla Tedds you can design
Description: Finite element structural analysis. a range of wood elements, and produce detailed
Loading conditions include discrete, pressure, and transparent documentation for beams (single
hydrostatic, seismic, and dynamic response. Features RedBuilt span, multi-span, and cantilever), wood columns,
for presenting, displaying, plotting, and tabulating Phone: 866-859-6757 sawn lumber, engineered wood, glulam and flitch
extreme loads and stresses across the structure and Email: [email protected] options, shear walls (multiple openings: segmented or
across multiple load cases simultaneously. Basic code Web: www.redbuilt.com perforated), and connections (bolted, screwed, nailed,
checking for steel, wood, and aluminum. Free fully- Product: Red-I™ joists, RedLam™ LVL wood/wood, and wood/steel).
functioning evaluation version available. and Red-OW trusses
Description: Structural solutions developed to
optimize the design of your project and have become WoodWorks Software
an integral part of floor, roof, and ceiling framing. Phone: 800-844-1275
CAST CONNEX Visit the Resources section of the website for the Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-806-3521 complete list of Specifier’s Guides. Web: www.woodworks-software.com
Email: [email protected] Product: WoodWorks® Design Office Suite
Web: www.castconnex.com Product: RedSpec Description: Conforms to IBC 2015, ASCE 7-10,
Product: Timber End Connectors™ Description: A convenient, user-friendly design NDS 2015, SDPWS 2015. SHEARWALLS: designs
Description: The leading supplier of cast steel program that lets you quickly and efficiently create perforated and segmented shearwalls; generates loads;
components for use in the design and construction of floor and roof design specifications using Red-I™ joists, rigid and flexible diaphragm distribution methods.
structures. Timber End Connectors bring off-the-shelf RedBuilt™ open-web trusses, RedLam™ LVL, glulam SIZER: designs beams, columns, studs, joists up to 6
simplicity and reliability to architecturally exposed beams and dimensional lumber. RedSpec™ is provided stories; automatic load patterning. CONNECTIONS:
steel connections at the ends of heavy timber or free of charge to registered users. For support, contact Wood-to-wood, wood-to-steel, or wood-to-concrete.
glulam structural elements, while custom designed us by e-mail at [email protected].
components enable unparalleled opportunity for
creativity in design. 2020
RISA STRUCTURAL
ClearCalcs
Phone: 603-443-1038
Phone: 949-951-5815
Email: [email protected] ENGINEERING
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.clearcalcs.com
Web: risa.com
Product: RISAFloor
Resource Guide
Product: Cloud Software Suite Description: Designs and optimizes building systems Live on
Description: Make design calculations the easiest part constructed of steel (composite and noncomposite),
of your job. Effortlessly design and analyze everything concrete, wood, and CFS, as well as combinations of STRUCTUREmag.org
from the roof down to the foundations in your choice materials. Automatic live load reduction, additive or
of wood, steel, cold-formed steel, and concrete. Track exclusive floor area loads, vibration calculations, and for a full year!
loads through your whole structure, and use any recent more make RISAFloor the first choice for the design
building code with lightning quick FEA based results. of all types of building systems.

MASONRY
Concrete Masonry Association H&B Powered by MiTek PROSOCO
of CA & NV Phone: 800-645-0616 Phone: 800-255-4255
Phone: 916-722-1700 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected] Web: h-b.com Web: www.prosoco.com
Web: www.cmacn.org Product: ENVIRO-BARRIER Air Barrier Product: PROSOCO Stitch-Ties and Grip-Ties
Product: CMD18 Design Tool for Masonry Description: A single-component, fluid-applied, air, Description: PROSOCO offers a variety of masonry
Description: Structural design of reinforced concrete water, and vapor barrier for above-grade wall assemblies. anchors and ties for all kinds of wall stabilization
and clay hollow unit masonry elements for design of It cures to form a resilient, monolithic, fully adhered, projects, on new construction and on retrofits. New
masonry elements in accordance with provisions of elastomeric membrane that resists air leakage and water construction anchors establish a secure facade on new
Ch. 21 of 2010 through 2019 CBC or 2009 through penetration, plus acts as a vapor barrier. masonry buildings, and our restoration anchors restore
2018 IBC and 2008 through 2016 Building Code existing buildings by stabilizing the facade.
Requirements for Masonry Structures (TMS 402).
Larsen Products Corp.

ENERCALC, Inc. ENERCALC Phone: 800-633-6668
Phone: 800-424-2252 Email: [email protected] Wej-It High-Performance Anchors
Email: [email protected] Web: www.larsenproducts.com Phone: 203-523-5833
Web: https://enercalc.com Product: Weld-Crete® Email: [email protected]
Product: Structural Engineering Library/ Description: Weld-Crete chemical concrete bonding Web: www.wejit.com
ENERCALC SE Cloud/RetainPro agent incorporates polyvinyl acetate homopolymer Product: POWER-Skru Large Diameter
Description: Whether designing masonry slender in a patented formulation. For exterior and Concrete Screw
walls, masonry beams and lintels, or masonry interior use, Weld-Crete will bond new concrete, Description: A high-strength screw anchor with
cantilevered retaining wall stems, ENERCALC’s Portland cement plaster, and cementitious mixes to self-tapping threads that offers a unique undercutting
Structural Engineering Library saves time. Masonry structurally sound concrete floors, walls, columns, design for anchoring into concrete and masonry. No
design modules feature flexible geometry definition, beams, steps, and ramps. secondary setting is needed. The POWER-Skru Large
thorough load combinations, and clear concise Diameter Concrete Screw provides high-strength
output. Instant recalculation allows “what-if ” Listings are provided as a courtesy, performance with low installation torque. A heavy-duty
solutions. Build 20 subscriptions now include mechanically-galvanized finish is available to enhance
STRUCTURE is not responsible for errors.
RetainPro retaining wall modules. corrosion resistance.
H&B POWERED BY MITEK
H &B Powered by MiTek serves both the commercial and
residential markets as the leading developer and distribu-
tor of reinforcement, anchoring, and moisture protection systems
The same study shows that offset angles minimize that reduction
to between 15 percent and 16.5 percent.
Among H&B Powered by MiTek’s thermal offerings is our Thermal
for masonry. Wingnut – the only functional wingnut anchor in the industry. As the
An essential part of wingnut tightens, it presses the insulation tight against the backup wall,
ADVERTORIAL
our anchoring line is maximizing its R-Value. Single-barrel means a single penetration, as
our group of thermal opposed to anchors that typically require two fasteners. This means the
products. Our Thermal number of thermal bridges is reduced by half. Using a wall configura-
Brick Support System tion with 4 inches of XPS insulation, at 16- x 16-inch spacings, typical
(TBS) offers many masonry anchors can lead to an R-Value reduction of upward of 20
benefits. A ground- percent or greater. This anchor limits that effective R-Value reduction
breaking brick veneer to 7.4 percent, or operating at 92.6 percent efficiency.
support system reduces H&B Powered by MiTek offers a line of Thermal 2-SEAL™ anchors,
thermal bridging in which use a proprietary UL-94 coating to create a thermal break at
shelf angles. The TBS the insulation, and a stainless-steel barrel that transfers 1⁄7 the thermal
system also allows for the installation of continuous insulation behind energy of a standard zinc barrel. The dual-diameter barrel with EPDM
the support angle. Each job is designed and engineered in-house to washers makes our 2-SEAL line the only anchors on the market to
meet your specific project needs. In addition, RDH Engineering seal both the insulation and the air barrier. In fact, we make the only
posted a study showing attached shelf angles will create an effective anchors that seal the air barrier. The steel-reinforced wing maintains
reduction of the R-Value by between 46 percent and 63 percent. integrity during NFPA 285 testing.
800-645-0616 | [email protected] | www.h-b.com
SEISMIC
Adhesives Technology Corporation Dlubal Software, Inc. Gripple
Web: atcepoxy.com Web: www.dlubal.com Web: www.gripple.com
Product: ULTRABOND® HS-1CC High Strength Product: RFEM Product: Seismic Cable Braces for Non-Structural
Anchoring Epoxy Description: Integrated automatic wind and snow Building Components
Description: The world’s strongest anchoring epoxy, load generators according to ASCE 7-16 for general Description: Specifically-designed and engineered to
IBC compliant ULTRABOND HS-1CC is available building-type structures. Calculate a Response Spectra brace and secure suspended nonstructural equipment and
in bulk and cartridge containers. Qualifies for seismic Anchors
Analysis for all structure types according to ASCE 7-16 5 components requiring seismic design. Requiring no tools
categories A through F, is included on DOT approved or user-defined from accelerogram input data. Structure to install, they are up to 10 times faster than other bracing
materials lists in 31 of the 40 states that maintain such design and optimization available with the latest design methods and are suitable for new or retrofit installations.
lists (remaining states pending), and is “Made in USA.” standards such as AISC, ACI, ADM, NDS. Color-coded by strength for identification ease.
Applied Science International, LLC DuraFuse Frames Hexagon

Web: www.extremeloading.com Web: www.durafuseframes.com Web: https://hexagonppm.com
Product: Extreme Loading for Structures 8.0 Product: DF360 Product: GT STRUDL
Description: Advanced non-linear structural analysis Description: DuraFuse Frames products are unique Description: Engineers build complex geometries using
software tool designed specifically for structural seismic resilient systems preventing beam and column familiar and powerful CAD tools. Automated generation
engineers. ELS allows structural engineers to study the damage while also providing repairability. DuraFuse of wind and seismic loads per ASCE 7 with a graphical
3-D behavior of structures through both the continuum Frames offers the ideal moment-frame and dual-frame assignment of wind loads to account for shielding effects
and discrete stages of loading. Includes static and solutions for all building types in all Seismic Design on open structures. New in 2019 is the ability to convert
dynamic loads such as those generated by a blast, Categories, and provides the most versatile SMF/IMF seismic response spectra to time history loads.
seismic events, impact, progressive collapse, and wind. system on the market in addition to resiliency.
IES, Inc.
Phone: 800-707-0816
Cast Connex Dynamic Isolation Systems Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-806-3521 Phone: 775-359-3333 Web: www.iesweb.com
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Product: VisualAnalysis
Web: www.castconnex.com Web: www.dis-inc.com Description: Thousands of engineers use VisualAnalysis
Product: High Strength Connectors™, Cast Bolted Product: Lead Rubber Bearing (LRB) to design structures for both lateral and gravity loading,
Brackets, and Scorpion™ Yielding Connectors Description: Base isolation with LRBs reduces including ASCE 7 wind and dynamic analysis for
Description: High Strength Connectors and Cast accelerations from an earthquake by isolating the seismic. Customer-proven for over 25 years. the latest
Bolted Brackets simplify and improve connections structure from ground motions. Isolated buildings version updates material specifications and will help you
in seismic-resistant concentrically braced frames and their contents will be undamaged and functional beat deadlines. Try it today at no cost.
and moment resisting frames, respectively. Scorpion after an earthquake.
Yielding Connectors are modular, replaceable, Lindapter
standardized hysteretic fuses that provide enhanced Phone: 866-566-2658
ductility and improved performance in the retrofit ENERCALC, Inc. Email: [email protected]
ENERCALC
of seismically deficient structures or for use in the Phone: 800-424-2252 Web: www.LindapterUSA.com
Seismic Force Resisting System of new structures. Email: [email protected] Product: Hollo-Bolt
Web: https://enercalc.com Description: The original expansion bolt for
Product: Structural Engineering Library/ structural steel; ICC approved for Seismic Design
Cintec Reinforcement Systems Ltd ENERCALC SE Cloud Categories A through F. The Hollo-Bolt is quickly
Phone: 613-225-3381 Description: SEL automatically incorporates seismic installed from one side of the steel by simply inserting
Email: [email protected] loads in load combinations, including the vertical the fastener into a pre-drilled hole and tightening with
Web: www.cintec.com component, redundancy, and system overstrength a torque wrench, saving time and money.
Product: Cintec Anchoring and Reinforcement systems factors, as applicable. SEL supports ASCE 7’s Base
Description: Design features allow for adaptations Shear, Demands on Non-Structural Components, Meca Enterprises, Inc
that meet the specific strengthening and repair and Wall Anchorage. SEL Build 20 subscriptions Phone: 918-258-2913
requirements individual to each project. Extensive now include RetainPro’s retaining wall modules Email: [email protected]
research and development has focused on the – including the substantially upgraded Segmental Web: www.mecaenterprises.com
contribution Cintec anchors provide in the fields Retaining Wall module. Product: MecaWind Software
of seismic upgrading and seismic repair while still Description: A cost-effective program used by
remaining sensitive to the original architecture. Engineers and Designers to perform wind calculations
Geopier Foundation Company per ASCE 7-16, ASCE 7-10, and ASCE 7-05. Simple
Phone: 704-439-1790 to use and offers a professional looking output with all
CoreBrace Email: [email protected] necessary wind calculations. The software will save you
Phone: 801-280-0701 Web: geopier.com time and is a great tool to have in your business.
Email: [email protected] Product: Geopier Rammed Aggregate Pier®
Web: www.corebrace.com and Rigid Inclusion Systems National Council of Examiners for
Product: CoreBrace Buckling Restrained Braces Description: Geopier® provides an efficient and Engineering and Surveying (NCEES)
Description: A sustainable and cost-effective solution cost-effective Intermediate Foundation® solution for Phone: 800-250-3196
to improve seismic performance of structures. This the support of settlement structures. Our systems Email: [email protected]
highly ductile system has been used in thousands of have become effective replacements for massive over- Web: www.ncees.org
projects worldwide for earthquake risk mitigation. excavation and replacement or deep foundations, Product: Engineering Licensure
CoreBrace’s expert staff works closely with engineers including driven piles, drilled shafts, or augered cast-in- Description: NCEES is a nonprofit organization
and the entire design and construction team to meet place piles. Thousands of structures around the world dedicated to advancing professional licensure for
their requirements. are currently supported by Geopier technologies. engineers and surveyors.

SEISMIC
RISA Simpson Strong-Tie® Trimble
Web: risa.com Web: www.strongtie.com Web: www.tekla.com
Product: RISA-3D Product: High Wind-Resistant Construction Product: Tekla Structural Designer
Description: Feeling overwhelmed with the latest Application Guide Description: Design a lateral force resisting systems
seismic design procedures? RISA-3D has you covered Description: This Guide discusses the critical with Tekla Structural Designer’s code based 3-D BIM
with seismic detailing features including full AISC- elements of high wind-resistant construction and analysis and design tool. Built-in loading wizards
341/358 code checks. Whether using RISA-3D’s helps you locate the connectors and fasteners you automatically calculate all wind and seismic forces,
automated seismic load generator, or using the need for designing in high-wind areas. It also includes generate design cases, and optimize the design of steel
built-in dynamic response spectra and time history information on the effects of wind, corrosion, and and concrete members to the latest AISC, ACI, and
analysis/design capabilities, you will get designs and uplift to help ensure safe, strong structures. ASCE 7 design codes.
reports that will meet all your needs.
Struware, LLC
S-Frame Software Phone: 904-302-6724
Phone: 604-273-7737 Email: [email protected] Zenith Engineers
Email: [email protected] Web: www.struware.com Phone: 408-439-3283
Web: s-frame.com Product: Struware Code Search Email: [email protected]
Product: S-FRAME Analysis Description: Provides you with all pertinent wind, Web: zenithengineers.com
Description: An industry standard for over 36 years, seismic, snow, live and dead loads for your building in Product: Seismic Retrofitting Service
analyzes and designs structures regardless of geometric just minutes. The program simplifies ASCE 7 and IBC Description: Zenith Engineers has designed and
complexity, material type, loading conditions, (and codes based on these) by catching the buts, ifs, engineered over 600+ seismic retrofits across the
nonlinear effects or seismic loads. Integrated concrete, insteads, footnotes, and hidden items that most people west coast ranging from non-ductile concrete, un-
steel, timber, and foundation design ensures your miss. Demo available at the website. reinforced masonry, and soft story buildings.
maximum productivity. Our continued R&D
investment gives users the latest advantages and Listings are provided as a courtesy, STRUCTURE is not responsible for errors.
dedicated technical expertise.
COREBRACE
C oreBrace, as a world leader in the construction industry,
offers innovative technology to achieve high-performance,
resilient structures. CoreBrace designs and fabricates Buckling
6) Availability of advanced modeling and sustainability design aids
7) Integration with structural analysis and detailing software
packages
Restrained Braces (BRBs), seismic protection devices that provide 8) Replaceability after a major seismic event, if necessary
stable energy dissipation, which helps to create safe and sustain- CoreBrace designs and manufactures all of its products within its
able buildings. BRBs provide a cost-effective and highly efficient own AISC Certified facility utilizing in-house designers, engineers,
solution that allows structures to withstand earthquake demands project management, and sales staff. Added to these capabilities is a
ADVERTORIAL
and to continue to be operational after a seismic event. CoreBrace strong commitment to collaboration. CoreBrace provides attention
BRBs have been successfully utilized in a wide variety of struc- to detail that is unmatched in the industry. Through dedication to
tures, including high-rise towers, hospitals, schools, stadiums, and continuous improvement and innovation, CoreBrace is a progressive
industrial facilities in locations such as Azerbaijan, New Zealand, company that is always looking for new perspectives, opportunities
Thailand, Guam, Chile, Mexico, and nearly every state in the to improve, ways to excel, and methods to outperform. CoreBrace
United States. CoreBrace’s continuous R&D program provides provides its clients with confidence that their project is built to
unparalleled service and extensive support to Design Teams, Steel the highest standards, using the best options and latest modern
Fabricators and Erectors, Detailers, and General Contractors during approaches available. The global success of CoreBrace is the result of
the various stages of a project. This approach offers numerous a worldwide need for reliable seismic solutions to protect structures
advantages, including, among others: from the devastating effects of earthquakes. CoreBrace provides its
1) Reduced earthquake forces on the structure and foundation clients with complete dependability, superior quality assurance, and
2) Simple connections to the structural system for faster erection customized schedule performance in every project.
3) Stable hysteretic behavior through multiple design level events
4) Convenient solution for seismic retrofit or upgrade applications
5) Minimized strengthening of existing structural members
and foundations
801-280-0701 | [email protected] | corebrace.com
FOUNDATIONS
American Wood Council Geopier Foundation Company RISA
Web: www.awc.org Web: geopier.com Web: risa.com
Product: Permanent Wood Foundation Design Product: Geopier Rammed Aggregate Pier® and Product: RISAFoundation
Specification (PWF) Rigid Inclusion Systems Description: The ultimate tool for analysis
Anchors 5
Description: PWF covers permanent wood Description: Geopier® provides an efficient and and design of a variety of different foundation
foundation systems which are intended for light cost-effective Intermediate Foundation® solution for types. Featuring an open modeling environment,
frame construction, including residential buildings. the support of settlement structures. Our systems finite element analysis, and full integration with
This document primarily addresses the structural have become effective replacements for massive over- superstructure analysis programs; you won’t find
design requirements. excavation and replacement or deep foundations, a better choice for retaining wall, spread footing,
including driven piles, drilled shafts, or augered cast-in- combined footing, mat slab, or pile cap design.
place piles. Thousands of structures around the world
are currently supported by Geopier technologies.
ENERCALC, Inc.
Phone: 800-424-2252 ENERCALC
Email: [email protected] Larsen Products Corp. STRUCTUREPOINT
Web: https://enercalc.com Phone: 800-633-6668 Phone: 847-966-4357
Product: Structural Engineering Library/RetainPro/ Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
ENERCALC SE Cloud Web: www.larsenproducts.com Web: www.structurepoint.org
Description: ENERCALC’s SEL has you Product: Weld-Crete® Product: spMats
covered when it comes to design of individual Description: Weld-Crete chemical concrete bonding Description: Widely used for analysis, design, and
pad, continuous wall, or combined footings. The agent incorporates polyvinyl acetate homopolymer investigation of concrete mat foundations, footings, and
foundation design modules feature flexible geometry in a patented formulation. For exterior and slabs on grade. spMats is equipped with the American
definition, thorough load combinations, and clear interior use, Weld-Crete will bond new concrete, (ACI 318-14) and Canadian (CSA A23.3-14) concrete
concise output. Instant recalculation allows “what- Portland cement plaster, and cementitious mixes to codes. Utilized by engineers worldwide to optimize
if ” solutions. Build 20 subscriptions now include structurally sound concrete floors, walls, columns, complicated foundation design and improve analysis of
RetainPro’s retaining wall modules. Update today! beams, steps, and ramps. soil structure interaction.
DURAFUSE FRAMES
D uraFuse Frames products are unique seismic resilient systems
preventing beam and column damage while also providing repair-
ability. DuraFuse Frames offers the ideal moment-frame and dual-frame
• Added stiffness in connection region results
in reduction of overall frame weight
• Fewer parts and less fit-up in installation process
solutions for all building types in all Seismic Design Categories and • No field welding or inspection requirements
provides the most versatile SMF/IMF system on the market in addition • Fewer parts and less connection weight
to resiliency. The frame design utilizes bottom fuse plates, which protect • Improvement of project schedule
the beams and columns, becoming the only parts to be replaced follow- • No prescriptive lateral bracing
ing a severe earthquake event. This innovative design allows buildings • No seismic compactness requirements
ADVERTORIAL
to be more resilient to major earthquakes. DuraFuse Frames enjoys full • No protected zone in the beam
compliance with the performance requirements in AISC 341 with code • Reduction of downtime and repair costs following
approvals from IAPMO UES ER 610, including 2018 IBC, CBC, and severe earthquake
LA Addendum. Its team of highly competent researchers and devel- Three benefits unique to DuraFuse Frames:
opers, project managers, and support staff are dedicated to providing The only fully-restrained (FR) steel moment frames that do not
professional, timely, and responsive service. DuraFuse Frames products require prescriptive lateral bracing per AISC 341, D1.2b, which saves
provide economic seismic protection and industry-leading resilience that money by eliminating braces and creates possibilities for frames where
are easy to incorporate, fast to install, and commercially competitive. braces are not feasible.
Multiple Technical Bulletins have been published to provide additional The only fully-restrained (FR) steel moment frames that do not have
details, value analyses, and cost benefits of incorporating DuraFuse seismic compactness requirements for the beams which enables the
Frames products. Unique benefits and features include: use of the most efficient beam shapes and can reduce frame weights.
• Elimination of typical continuity plates and doubler plates The only fully-restrained (FR) steel moment frames that do not have
• Reduction of cover plate thickness a protected zone in the beam.
• Reduction of seismic beam bracing (kickers) DuraFuse Frames is available in RAM Structural Systems, Revit,
• Fewer parts and less fit-up in fabrication process SDS2, and Tekla.
801-727-4060 | [email protected] | www.durafuseframes.com

ANCHORS
Adhesives Technology Corporation H&B Powered by MiTek Simpson Strong-Tie
Web: www.atcepoxy.com Web: h-b.com Web: www.strongtie.com
Product: ULTRABOND® Anchoring and Product: Thermal Anchor Product: Anchoring, Fastening and Restoration
Doweling Adhesives Description: Brick veneer support system reduces Solutions Product Guide
Description: Now offering four IBC compliant thermal bridging in shelf angles. Features job-specific Description: The comprehensive Product Guide
anchoring adhesives. Along with HS-1CC, the world’s engineering to move the shelf angle away from the features up-to-date products and technical
strongest anchoring epoxy, we offer new EPX-3CC, a wall allowing for continuous insulation behind the information to locate the ideal product solution for
high-performance epoxy for high-volume applications, shelf angle. 2-SEAL™ Thermal Wingnut Anchor uses a your job. The Anchoring, Fastening, and Restoration
and new HYB-2CC, the hybrid that cures fast in hot steel reinforced, UL94-rated wing to create a thermal Solutions Product Guide provides information on
and cold temperatures. ACRYL-8CC provides fast break at the insulation. adhesives, mechanical anchors, direct fastening,
cure and a very broad application temperature range. carbide drill bills, and concrete restoration products
for concrete and masonry.
ASDIP Structural Software IES, Inc. Product: 304|316 Stainless-Steel Titen HD®
Phone: 407-284-9202 Phone: 800-707-0816 Heavy-Duty Screw Anchor
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Description: Now available in Type 304 and 316
Web: www.asdipsoft.com Web: www.iesweb.com stainless steel. Type 316 is the optimal choice for
Product: ASDIP STEEL Product: VAConnect applications in corrosive environments such as near
Description: An advanced software for quick and Description: Design base plates by AISC Design chemicals or saltwater. Type 304 is a cost-effective
efficient design of steel members, base plates, anchor Guide #1 and anchorage calculations for ACI solution for less extreme applications, including in
rods, and shear lugs per the latest ACI anchorage 318. Both of these, independently, are difficult by wet, moist, or damp environments.
provisions. See immediate graphical results, and hand! With VAConnect you will get the job done
condensed or detailed reports with exposed formulas quickly and accurately. Works alone or with IES
and code references. Save design time and let ASDIP VisualAnalysis.
handle the math complexity.
Trimble
Phone: 770-715-3976
DEWALT Anchors & Fasteners PROSOCO Web: www.tekla.com/us
Phone: 800-524-3244 Phone: 800-255-4255 Product: Tekla Tedds
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Description: Automating your everyday structural
Web: www.anchors.dewalt.com Web: www.prosoco.com designs, the Tekla Tedds’ library includes anchor bolt
Product: DEWALT Anchor and Fastening Systems Product: PROSOCO Stitch-Ties and Grip-Ties design per ACI 318 Appendix D. The calculation
Description: Productivity enhancing, reliable, and Description: PROSOCO offers a variety of includes comprehensive checks for tensile and shear
code approved. Dust X+™ is an ICC-ES approved masonry anchors and ties for all kinds of wall failure of anchors and is available as part of a free trial
system combining DEWALT dust extractors, rotary stabilization projects, on new construction and by visiting www.tekla.com/us/products/tekla-tedds.
hammers, and hollow drill bits for installation of on retrofits. New construction anchors establish a
adhesive and mechanical anchors. Premium epoxy secure facade on new masonry buildings, and our Product: Tekla Structures
Pure 110+ and hybrid AC200+. Anchor installation restoration anchors restore existing buildings by Description: An open BIM modeling software that
systems supported by DDA™, a no fee, in-house stabilizing the facade. can model all types of anchors required to create
engineered software app. a 100% constructible 3-D model. Anchors can be
created inside the software or imported directly from
DuraFuse Frames RISA vendors that provide 3-D CAD files of their products.
Phone: 801-727-4060 Phone: 949-951-5815
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
Web: www.durafuseframes.com Web: risa.com
Product: DF360 Product: RISAConnection Wej-It High-Performance Anchors
Description: DuraFuse Frames products are unique Description: The cutting edge of next-generation Phone: 203-523-5833
seismic resilient systems preventing beam and column connection design software features full 3-D Email: [email protected]
damage while also providing repairability. DuraFuse visualization and expandable reports for every limit Web: www.wejit.com
Frames offers the ideal moment-frame and dual-frame state. The latest release, v11, includes integration Product: POWER-Skru Large Diameter Concrete Screw
solutions for all building types in all Seismic Design with Hilti Profis for anchorage design, support for Description: A high-strength screw anchor with
Categories, and provides the most versatile SMF/IMF column cap plate moment connections, and updated self-tapping threads that offers a unique undercutting
system on the market in addition to resiliency. HSS tube connection design according to the design for anchoring into concrete and masonry. No
Canadian steel code. secondary setting is needed. The POWER-Skru Large
Diameter Concrete Screw provides high-strength
ENERCALC, Inc. performance with low installation torque. A heavy-
ENERCALC Listings are provided as a courtesy,
Phone: 800-424-2252 duty mechanically-galvanized finish is available to
Email: [email protected] STRUCTURE is not responsible for errors.
enhance corrosion resistance.
Web: https://enercalc.com
Product: Structural Engineering Library/
ENERCALC SE Cloud/RetainPro
Description: Design of anchors and anchor bolts
typically requires a thorough development of applied 2020 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
loads and may require analysis of full structures
or connected components. Structural Engineering
Resource Guide
Library can assist in determining those loads and
performing those analyses through its Loads & Forces Live on STRUCTUREmag.org for a full year!
modules and its many analysis and design modules.
ADHESIVES TECHNOLOGY CORP.
U.S. and California Regulations Drive the Evolution of
Anchoring Adhesives
Until recently, anchoring adhesives used in transportation infra-
structure have been approved at the discretion of state departments
of transportation, while those used in vertical construction were
subject to compliance with the International Code Council’s
International Building Code (IBC) guidelines. Changes in Federal
regulation have now substantially altered the approvals landscape
for infrastructure projects.
ATC has significantly evolved its adhesive anchoring products
in compliance with the new regulatory landscape and offers a full
product line to serve the needs of companies building and repairing
the country’s vital roadways, bridges, and tunnels.
A Game-Changing FHWA Advisory
The Federal Highway Administration issued a technical advisory
in January 2018, establishing new guidelines for the installation
Introducing the Big 4
and inspection of adhesive anchors under sustained loads. These
guidelines bring a new national requirement to the use of post- ATC now offers four IBC compliant anchoring adhesives among
installed adhesive anchors in transportation infrastructure and now a growing list of state DOT approvals. ATC maintains an easy-
mandate states to comply, or risk losing federal funding on non- to-use list of DOT approvals sortable by product and state at
compliant projects. Henceforth, anchors used in federally funded www.atcepoxy.com/dot-approvals.
infrastructure projects must qualify under the same standards as ULTRABOND® HS-1CC, the world’s strongest 1:1 mix ratio
ADVERTORIAL
adhesives specified in accordance with the IBC. anchoring and doweling epoxy for cracked and uncracked concrete,
and the first code-compliant formula available in both cartridge
Presidential Domestic Content Order
and bulk. Made in USA. ICC-ES approval report ESR-4094
In January 2019, an executive order directed government agencies NEW ULTRABOND® HYB-2CC, a high-speed, high-strength
and departments to encourage recipients of federal project dollars hybrid anchoring adhesive that can be applied in temperatures
to use products made in the United States for every contract, sub- down to 23 °F and is also qualified for post-installed rebar con-
contract, purchase order, or sub-award. The order covered many nections. ICC-ES approval report ESR-4535
products, including industrial adhesives, which must have 50% or NEW ULTRABOND® EPX-3CC, the best high-performance and
more U.S. content for related projects to qualify for federal funding. value-optimized adhesive for high-volume anchoring and doweling
applications. Made in USA. ICC-ES approval report ESR-4533
California Weighs In
FAST CURE ULTRABOND® ACRYL-8CC provides a full cure
On April 20 of this year, California, the largest recipient of federal rate of 45 minutes at 70 °F, and an extended in-service tempera-
construction funds, officially modified the California Department ture range of 14 °F to 248 °F. ICC-ES approval report ESR-4249
of Transportation (Caltrans) Authorized Materials List to include These four products are just part of ATC’s full line of advanced
only products that are IBC compliant. Because of its size and ULTRABOND® anchoring and doweling adhesives, which is
influence, California is often a bellwether of changes to come in complemented by a full line of CRACKBOND® concrete repair
the construction industry, and other states are expected to follow and restoration products.
its example in the coming months and years.
About ATC
ATC is proud that its ULTRABOND® HS-1CC anchoring and
doweling epoxy was the first product on Caltrans’ new materials list Founded in 1978, ATC has a proud heritage of research, develop-
to be IBC compliant in both bulk and cartridge packaging. With ment, and manufacture of advanced concrete-related construction
the more recent approval of new ULTRABOND® HYB-2CC, materials. They are a founding member of the Concrete and
ATC became the only manufacturer to be listed by Caltrans with Masonry Anchor Manufacturer’s Association (CAMA), offer
both an epoxy and a non-epoxy hybrid approved for all threaded NCSEA accredited coursework in anchor design accompanied
rod and rebar diameters. by free anchor design software (Pro Anchor Design), and pro-
These products are just a few of the recent developments at ATC, a vide technical training and support to engineers and contractors
company that has cultivated a reputation for formulating advanced through their network of field representatives.
anchoring adhesives and is considered by many to be the country’s ATC is a subsidiary of Meridian Adhesives Group which offers a
#1 structural adhesives specialist. By focusing on adhesives, ATC broad array of adhesives for the electronics, flooring, infrastructure,
has put itself at the forefront of this rapidly evolving sector. and packaging markets.
754-399-1057 | [email protected] | www.atcepoxy.com

NEW MILLENNIUM BUILDING SYSTEMS
Overcome the Hidden Costs of RFIs
I t is time to fix the problem of incomplete structural
drawings. No one likes confusion or misunderstanding
or ambiguity. In the construction industry especially, these
things lead to damaging results: Project delays. Cost overruns.
Tainted reputations. These are the project risks associated
with incomplete structural drawings and the related request
for information (RFI) process.
RFIs are nothing new to the construction industry. Arising
out of incomplete or inaccurate structural drawings, they
have been a necessary and important part of building design
and construction for decades. That said, RFIs appear to be The risks associated with the request-for-information process include project delays and
increasing in frequency while decreasing in effectiveness. blown budgets, among others. There is a better way forward that avoids these pitfalls.
Navigant Construction Forum researched projects that began
between 2001 and 2012 in their paper, Impact & Control of RFIs on
Uncover the Solutions
Construction Projects. In the 1,362 projects studied, 1.1 million RFIs
were submitted for an average of 796 per project. After removing the The problem of incomplete drawings and RFIs is not going away
least costly and most costly outliers, the average cost of each RFI was on its own. Progressive firms are pursuing better ways to deal
determined to be about $1,080, or $859,680 per project. with them and a better way forward. What is their approach? A
The cost impacts are just the beginning. Instead of solving prob- revamped process for project delivery, starting with early design
lems as intended, the RFI process has increasingly created other, collaboration with suppliers’ engineering teams.
unintended problems. Know your options: In A Guideline Addressing Coordination and
Project delays: Resolving an RFI often ensnares representatives Completeness of Structural Construction Documents, the Council
ADVERTORIAL
of multiple trades working on a project. Navigant found it takes of American Structural Engineers (CASE) calls for coordination
an average of eight days before an RFI receives its first response. between the structural engineer of record and suppliers’ engineers
Median response time is 12 days. The RFI back-and-forth con- for successful specification and structural drawings. This upfront
tributes to extended project timelines, delaying occupancy and coordination pays off with more accurate drawings and fewer
resulting in a loss of residential or business revenue. RFIs, especially as project complexity escalates.
Change orders: As the RFI process drags on, it often drains a Listen to the experts: STRUCTURE magazine has long been
project’s contingency funds. Belated structural design and engi- an advocate for a more collaborative process, as stated in March
neering analyses result in the addition, modification, or removal 2010: “Design professionals and engineers should encourage
of structural materials, with resulting change orders becoming the questions and should be available to lend their expertise as
norm for material costs and fieldwork. As Navigant explains: “It is needed to offer guidance on a project.” Engineers specializing
now common to see contractors submitting an exceptional number in long-span floor systems, for instance, can suggest the proper
of RFIs and then presenting unapproved change orders which they system needed to achieve optimal spans, support loads efficiently,
claim are the result of the design professional’s response to RFIs.” and create shallow floor depths to maximize interior spaces.
Depending on project size, actualized material savings can range
from 3 percent to 20 percent, but most commonly between 5
percent and 10 percent.
Put BIM to work: In a July 2016 survey of the impact of BIM
use among architects, engineers, and contractors, Dodge Data
& Analytics found that 70 percent of those firms reported at
least a 5 percent decrease in requests for information during
construction. Using BIM, points of discussion are given imme-
diate clarity in the design phase, removing guesswork and their
Want to wipe out RFI risks? Progressive firms are taking on the challenge and
related costs.
are finding early collaboration and cooperation can mitigate RFIs.
Your Roadmap Forward
Tainted reputations: Developers and owners have reasonable
expectations about their investment and, when they are not met, A new three-part, in-depth RFI guide provides you the blueprint
everyone suffers. If a drawn-out RFI process causes project delays for success. It features advice from experienced industry special-
or cost overruns, reputations are damaged. Similarly, delayed RFI ists, case studies illustrating how to deal with RFIs successfully,
responses, inaccurate answers, or unanswered RFIs tarnish the and strategies and actions to avoid and mitigate RFIs. Get the free
image of the responsible companies. guide at newmill.com/RFIguide.
260-969-3500 | www.newmill.com
STEEL
Advant Steel CoreBrace New Millennium Building Systems
Web: www.advantsteel.com Web: www.corebrace.com Web: www.newmill.com
Product: Advant Cold Formed Steel Truss Product: CoreBrace Buckling Restrained Braces Product: Steel Joists and Deck
Description: The first and only CFS truss product Description: A sustainable and cost-effective solution to Description: For multi-story projects, we offer the
designed specifically for use in shallow, parallel chord improve seismic performance of structures. This highly broadest range of long-span, “thin-slab” composite
applications – specifically Floors and Flat Roofs. ductile system has been used in thousands of projects floor systems, including dovetail composite, deep deck
Anchors
worldwide for earthquake risk mitigation. CoreBrace’s 5 composite, and composite joists. We are the leading
expert staff works closely with engineers and the entire provider of special profile steel joists for unique roof-
design and construction team to meet their requirements. lines. And we produce architectural steel deck for
Aegis Metal Framing highly aesthetic, exposed ceiling applications.
Phone: 314-851-2200
Web: www.aegismetalframing.com DuraFuse Frames Qnect LLC
Product: Ultra-Span® CFS/Steel Engine® Phone: 801-727-4060 Phone: 413-387-4375
Description: Our design software does the necessary Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
calculations to determine sizes, shapes, loads, webs, Web: www.durafuseframes.com Web: www.qnect.com
chords, and all the factors involved in your project – Product: DF360 Product: Qnect
bringing ease of fabrication and construction. Sign up Description: DuraFuse Frames products are unique Description: An intelligent, cloud-based connection
for a free account to have access to our specification seismic resilient systems preventing beam and column service giving fabricators, detailers, and engineers fast
creator and detail library. damage while also providing repairability. DuraFuse and flexible connections with significant cost and
Frames offers the ideal moment-frame and dual-frame schedule savings. Connect steel buildings in minutes,
solutions for all building types in all Seismic Design with minimal training. Prevent schedule drift, utilize
Categories, and provides the most versatile SMF/IMF one-station fabrication, and reduce connection
Applied Science International, LLC system on the market in addition to resiliency. material, time to fabricate and erect.
Phone: 919-645-4090
Web: www.appliedscienceint.com ENERCALC, Inc. RISA
ENERCALC
Product: SteelSmart Framer Phone: 800-424-2252 Phone: 949-951-5815
Description: Provides designers with a powerful new Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
tool to better design, estimate, and communicate Web: https://enercalc.com Web: risa.com
light steel framing on projects using Autodesk® Revit® Product: Structural Engineering Library/ Product: RISA-3D and RISAFloor
Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. ENERCALC SE Cloud/RetainPro Description: Now includes the ability to design cold-
Description: Save hours on every steel design with formed steel wall panels. Easily specify the sheathing,
Product: SteelSmart System ENERCALC’s Structural Engineering Library. Beams, studs, and design methodology in order to analyze
Description: Provides structural engineers with a columns, two dimensional frames, force distribution and optimize CFS walls for both gravity and lateral
structural design software tool engineered for optimal in bolt groups, and more. The clear, simple user loadings, making RISA the place for the design of
design and detailing of light steel framing studs, joists, interface make it fast and easy to setup, confirm, multi-story buildings utilizing cold-formed steel.
shear walls, and connectors. and “what-if ” your designs. Member optimization
improves your efficiency and saves time!
Strongwell
ASDIP Structural Software GIZA Steel Phone: 276-645-8000
Phone: 407-284-9202 Phone: 314-656-4615 Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Web: www.strongwell.com
Web: www.asdipsoft.com Web: www.gizasteel.com Product: EXTREN®
Product: ASDIP STEEL Product: GIZA Description: Pultruded fiberglass structural shapes
Description: An advanced software for quick and Description: A software tool to help design structural and plates replace traditional metals in a wide variety
efficient design of steel beams, composite beams, steel connections. The GIZA library covers 415 of structural applications. A durable, lightweight, cost
columns, base plates, anchor rods, shear lugs, and different connection configurations in the Shear, saving structural material ideal for turrets, spires, or
connections. See immediate graphical results and Moment, Vertical Brace, and Horizontal Brace groups. other features on top of tall buildings. EXTREN holds
condensed or detailed reports with exposed formulas GIZA works as a stand-alone tool or can integrate with L.A.R.R. approval for construction of RF transparent
and code references. Save design time and let ASDIP Tekla Structural Designer. Go to our website to try our screenings or enclosures.
handle the math complexity. FREE 15-day trial.
Trimble
CAST CONNEX Phone: 678-737-7379
Phone: 416-806-3521 IES, Inc. Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected] Phone: 800-707-0816 Web: www.tekla.com/us
Web: www.castconnex.com Email: [email protected] Product: Light Steel Framing Studs and Connectors
Product: Innovative Connection Solutions Web: www.iesweb.com Description: Create detailed, constructible 3-D models
Description: The leading supplier of cast steel Product: VisualAnalysis of any steel structure from industrial and commercial
components for use in the design and construction Description: Helps engineers avoid “The Black Box,” buildings to stadiums and high-rise buildings. Integrates
of building and bridge structures. Universal Pin with steel design reports to help you understand your with industry-leading construction management and
Connectors™, Architectural Tapers™, and Diablo Bolted project’s behavior. Detailed checks, with intermediate analysis and design software, as well as most of major
Splices™ bring off-the-shelf simplicity and reliability values and code references, minimize your chances of error advanced production or resource planning and machine
to AESS, while custom designed components enable and maximize productivity. That’s only what we think: automation systems for structural steel. Drawings can be
unparalleled opportunity for creativity in design. customers say, “Easy to Use” and “Excellent Value.” extracted from the updated model.

STRONGWELL
S trongwell is the recognized world leader
in the manufacture of fiber-reinforced
polymer (FRP) composites utilizing the pul-
FRP Structural Shapes and
Connections
trusion process. Fabricators utilize traditional carpenter’s tools
Strongwell manufactures hundreds of FRP equipped with a carbide- or diamond-grit
structural shapes, plate, fiberglass gratings, blade for cutting operations, and carbide
FRP handrails and guardrails, and much more, tipped drill bits for drilling operations. FRP
all made in the USA in one of Strongwell’s can be fabricated in many ways, including
three U.S. ISO 9001 certified facilities. sawing, drilling, shearing, punching, routing,
threading, tapping, grinding, and sanding.
Pultrusion
EXTREN can be fastened in multiple ways.
Pultrusion is the manufacturing process where raw materials of a Surface preparation and the use of fastening devices are encour-
liquid thermoset resin mixture (containing resin, fillers, and spe- aged for adhesion and connection. Common attachment methods
cialized additives) and flexible textile reinforcing fibers are pulled include screwing, bolting, riveting, and adhesive fastening, or a
(hence the name “PULtrusion”) through a heated steel forming combination.
die using a continuous pulling device. This results in constant
Installation Costs
cross-section shapes that are exceptionally strong (especially in
the lengthwise direction), corrosion-resistant, lightweight, RF Total installed costs are a
transparent, and virtually maintenance-free. big way EXTREN struc-
tures stand out versus other
EXTREN® Product Line
materials. Composites sig-
EXTREN is the registered trade name for the proprietary line of nificantly decrease worksite
standard pultruded fiberglass structural shapes and plate produced costs by reducing factors
by Strongwell. The EXTREN line consists of more than 100 such as involvement of
different fiberglass shapes, each with a very specific, proprietary specialty trades, additional
composite design. lifting equipment, trans-
portation, and additional
Designing with FRP
permitting costs. Installed
Strongwell offers a complete Design Manual for working with costs for FRP structures are
EXTREN structural shapes and plate, as well as Strongwell’s other generally up to 15% less
structural FRP products. This manual than carbon steel, 30% less
is available from Strongwell’s website. than galvanized steel, and 50% less than stainless steel.
ADVERTORIAL
Temperature and Corrosive Resin Choices
Chemicals
EXTREN Series 500 and 525 are both premium polyester
The coefficient of thermal expansion resin-based products. Both contain UV inhibitors and excellent
of EXTREN is slightly less than steel corrosion resistance properties. Series 525 offers improved fire
in the 0° direction and significantly performance.
less than aluminum. In lower temper- EXTREN Series 600 and 625 are both premium vinyl ester
atures, EXTREN actually becomes resin-based products. Both contain UV inhibitors and are designed
stronger. Independent testing con- for more intensive corrosive environments and higher temperature
firms that EXTREN maintains its applications. Series 625 offers improved fire performance.
mechanical and physical properties The resin makeup of EXTREN and Strongwell’s other FRP prod-
for temperatures down to at least ucts can also be modified to meet specific customer requirements.
-60° F. At higher temperatures, engi-
Strongwell FRP
neering and/or resin considerations
should be made when the design Strongwell’s website is an invaluable resource for designers and
temperature goes above 150° F. engineers, as it offers design guides, specifications, CAD blocks,
FRP offers resistance to a broad case studies, corrosion resistance information, brochures, fabrica-
range of chemicals and harsh environ- tion worksheets, and much more. Visit the website to learn more
ments. Strongwell offers a full Corrosion Resistance Guide to ensure about EXTREN, and the complete product lines manufactured
the performance of its products in some of the toughest conditions. by Strongwell.
276-645-8000 | [email protected] | www.strongwell.com
CONCRETE
American Concrete Institute IES, Inc. S-FRAME Software
Web: www.concrete.org/membership Web: www.iesweb.com Web: s-frame.com
Product: Memberships Product: ConcreteBending Product: S-CONCRETE Multistory Designer
Description: With 30,000 members in more than Description: IES offers practical software tools for Description: Shave days off concrete design and
100 countries, ACI is the premiere, global community concrete designers. Whether you are analyzing frames, detailing projects. Quickly read in all concrete data
dedicated to the best use of concrete. With enhanced
benefits, ACI membership provides information on Anchors
slabs, walls, or foundations, IES has economical
solutions. Reports include code checks, intermediate 5 from an ETABS® model, run a concrete performance
assessment to identify problem areas, design and
engineering and construction practices worldwide. values, and specification references to help explain optimize, and generate a detailed engineering report
Individual, student, organizational, and sustaining the structural behavior as well as your design choices. containing all concrete design results.
memberships are available. Proven by engineers for over 25 years.
ASDIP Structural Software Larsen Products Corp. Simpson Strong-Tie®

Web: www.asdipsoft.com Web: www.larsenproducts.com Web: www.strongtie.com
Product: ASDIP CONCRETE Product: Weld-Crete® Product: Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious
Description: An advanced software for quick and Description: Weld-Crete chemical concrete bonding Matrix (FRCM)
efficient design of continuous beams, biaxial columns, agent incorporates polyvinyl acetate homopolymer in Description: FRCM combines a high-performance
and concrete or masonry walls. See immediate graphical a patented formulation. For exterior and interior use, sprayable mortar with a carbon-fiber grid to create a
results, and condensed or detailed reports with exposed Weld-Crete will bond new concrete, Portland cement thin structural layer that doesn’t add significant weight
formulas and code references. Save design time and let plaster, and cementitious mixes to structurally sound or volume to an existing structure. FRCM can be
ASDIP handle the math complexity. concrete floors, walls, columns, beams, steps, and ramps. used to repair and strengthen concrete and masonry
structures for seismic retrofit or load upgrades.
Concrete Masonry Association Losch Software Ltd Contact us for design support.
of CA & NV Phone: 323-592-3299
Phone: 916-722-1700 Email: [email protected] StructurePoint
Email: [email protected] Web: www.LoschSoft.com Phone: 847-966-4357
Web: www.cmacn.org Product: LECPres Email: [email protected]
Product: CMD18 Description: Analyze prestressed and/or mild Web: www.structurepoint.org
Description: Structural design of reinforced concrete reinforced simple span or cantilevered concrete beams Product: spMats
and clay hollow unit masonry elements for design of and slabs. Handling analysis is also included. A 30- Description: Widely used for analysis, design,
masonry elements in accordance with provisions of day trial version is available. and investigation of concrete mat foundations,
Ch. 21 of 2010 through 2019 CBC or 2009 through footings, and slabs on grade. spMats is equipped
2018 IBC and 2008 through 2016 Building Code Product: LECWall with the American (ACI 318-14) and Canadian
Requirements for Masonry Structures (TMS 402). Description: Theindustr y standard for precast (CSA A23.3-14) concrete codes. spMats is utilized
concrete sandwich wall design handles multi-story by engineers worldwide to optimize complicated
columns as well. LECWall can analyze prestressed foundation design and improve analysis of soil
ENERCALC, Inc. and/or mild reinforced wall panels with zero to 100 structure interaction.
Phone: 800-424-2252 ENERCALC
percent composite action. Flat, hollow-core, and
Email: [email protected] stemmed configurations are supported. Complete Product: spLearn
Web: https://enercalc.com handling analysis is also included. Description: StructurePoint licensed structural
Product: Structural Engineering Library/ engineers have decades of experience with
ENERCALC SE Cloud/RetainPro reinforced concrete design. As such, we have
Description: Structural Engineering Library (SEL) POSTEN Engineering Systems multiple resources on our website for the structural
quickly completes calculations for the design of Phone: 510-275-4750 engineer’s benefit, including: detailed design
footings, columns, beams, pedestals, shear walls, etc. Email: [email protected] examples, technical articles, video tutorials,
Powerful new quad meshing system in ENERCALC Web: www.postensoft.com webinars, and more. Visit our website to learn more
3D simplifies complex mesh building tasks. SEL Product: POSTEN and request a webinar or consultation.
Build 20 subscriptions include RetainPro retaining Description: Efficient and comprehensive post-
wall modules, which provide detailed concrete earth tensioned concrete software; unlike other software,
retention design / calculation tools. not only automatically designs the tendons, drapes,
as well as columns, but also produces highly efficient, Zenith Engineers
cost saving, sustainable designs with automatic Phone: 408-439-3283
Geopier Foundation Company documentation of material savings for LEED. The Email: [email protected]
Phone: 704-439-1790 others simply Analyze – POSTEN designs. Web: zenithengineers.com
Email: [email protected] Product: Seismic Retrofitting Service
Web: geopier.com RedBuilt Description: Zenith Engineers has designed and
Product: Geopier Rammed Aggregate Pier® Phone: 866-859-6757 engineered over 600+ seismic retrofits across the
and Rigid Inclusions Email: [email protected] west coast ranging from non-ductile concrete,
Description: Geopier® provides an efficient and Web: www.redbuilt.com un-reinforced masonry, and soft story buildings.
cost-effective Intermediate Foundation® solution for Product: RedForm™ LVL and RedForm™ I-joists
the support of settlement structures. Our systems Description: ThecharacteristicsofR edForm LVL
have become effective replacements for massive over- and RedForm I-joists make them ideal for working
excavation and replacement or deep foundations, in concrete forming applications. Thesepr oducts are Listings are provided as a courtesy,
including driven piles, drilled shafts, or augered cast-in- also reliably engineered to withstand multiple reuses.
place piles. Thousands of structures around the world Visit the RedForm website under Products/Concrete- STRUCTURE is not responsible for errors.
are currently supported by Geopier technologies. Forming-Shoring for more information.

CAST CONNEX
S ixteen years ago, a research group at the University of Toronto
was established to explore how steel casting manufactur-
ing could be leveraged to simplify and improve conventionally
together (ART+UPC), lending a slenderer overall appearance to
structural elements fitted with the connectors.
Diablo™ Bolted Splices (DBS) are cast steel fittings that enable
fabricated structural steel connections. Cast steel alternatives to unobtrusive field bolted splices in round HSS members. The fit-
codified steel connection types ranging from high-seismic to tings are designed such that the bolted connection is inboard of
pinned connections were developed through an iterative design the outer diameter of the HSS. Splices made with DBSs can be
process informed by full-scale destructive testing, close understand- sheathed in thin-gauge plate to conceal the splice completely or
ing of manufacturing, and industry insights from practitioners can be left uncovered to provide a more technical aesthetic.
in design and construction. The work not only supported the Timber End Connectors™ (TEC) are clevis-type fittings designed
hypothesis that castings can provide dramatically improved struc- to connect to the ends of heavy timber or glue-laminated structural
tural performance and resilience over conventionally fabricated elements loaded in predominately tension or compression for use
steel connections but also emphasized the architectural potential in architecturally exposed applications.
of the geometric freedom afforded by casting manufacturing. High Strength Connectors™ (HSC) and Cast Bolted Brackets
(CBB) are capacity designed connectors for use in Special and
Elegance in Design
Ordinary Concentrically Braced Frames and Special and Ordinary
CAST CONNEX was founded in 2007 by two graduate stu- Moment Frames, respectively. Both connector types eliminate the
dents from the research group with a mission to enable structural need for field welding, thereby reducing the total installed cost of
engineers and architects to leverage castings in their building and the structural steel frame while improving quality. High Strength
bridge designs. Since then, the company has put tens of thousands Connectors are also commonly used in AESS, as their use results
of steel castings into service in hundreds of structures, establish- in smaller gusset plates and because the connectors’ curvaceous
ing itself as a facilitator of its collaborators’ innovative designs as appearance is often preferred over slotted-HSS connections that
well as an innovator. require net section reinforcement.
ADVERTORIAL
Today, CAST CONNEX is a rapidly growing multinational Scorpion™ Yielding Connectors (SYC) are modular, replace-
organization, and elegance in design remains one of the com- able, standardized hysteretic fuses that provide enhanced ductility
pany’s core values. To CAST CONNEX, elegance encompasses and improved performance in the retrofit of seismically deficient
everything from utility to aesthetics to manufacturability. All of structures or for use in the Seismic Force Resisting System of
CAST CONNEX’s solutions are developed to improve overall new structures. The system exhibits a full, symmetric hysteresis
structural performance and safety, to simplify steel fabrication characterized by an increase in stiffness at deformations above
and field installation, and to beautify the spaces in which the design level. In multistory structures, this post-yield stiffening
components are used. can decrease the likelihood of the formation of a soft story and
CAST CONNEX engineers and Technical Sales personnel bring results in a more uniform distribution of inelastic demand over
experience in structural engineering consulting and construction the building’s height when compared to other yielding devises
to each interaction with specifying practitioners and the construc- that exhibit a low post-yield stiffness.
tion team for each project. High Integrity Blocks® (HIB) are ultra-heavy weldable solid
steel components that exhibit a minimum 50 ksi yield strength
A Variety of Standardized and Custom Solutions
and elevated notch toughness in all three directions of loading
CAST CONNEX offers pre-engineered steel connection solutions and through the full cross-section of the section. HIBs are ideal
ranging from strictly functional to those ideal for use in architec- for use at the Disturbed Regions of Connections where lamellar
turally exposed structural steel (AESS). CAST CONNEX custom defects in conventional rolled plate may compromise quality and
cast steel solutions have virtually limitless scope in application, strength of the connection or where the lamination of multiple
from 10-pound precision-machined fittings for custom facades steel plates to build up a section is not advisable due to the need
to 35-Ton nodes for special structures. to transmit forces in multiple directions or orthogonal to the
Universal Pin Connectors™ (UPC) are sleek, clevis-type stan- laminations. HIBs are supplied fully engineered and detailed by
dardized fittings designed to connect to round hollow structural CAST CONNEX to fit project-specific geometries and loading.
section (HSS) elements for use in AESS applications. The connec- Custom Cast Steel Components are designed to address project-
tors are carefully sculpted to provide smooth transitional geometry specific needs and can provide economy in-shop fabrication and
that is otherwise unachievable using standard fabrication practices. field erection as well as create connection details that enable iconic
Architectural Tapers™ (ART) are hollowed, cast structural steel architecture. The company’s design-build services related to custom
conical tapers also designed to connect to round HSS for use in casting supply typically include industrial design and 3-D model-
AESS applications. Both UPCs and ARTs can be used on their ing, engineering including finite element stress analysis, casting
own at the ends of steel columns, braces, struts, and ties, or used detailing, and manufacturing, including oversight.
416-806-3521 | [email protected] | www.castconnex.com
BRIDGES
American Wood Council Hexagon Standards Design Group, Inc
Web: www.awc.org Web: https://hexagonppm.com Web: www.standardsdesign.com
Product: Connection Calculator Product: GT STRUDL Product: Advanced Window Glass Design
Description: Provides users with a web-based Description: A trusted, general-purpose beam and Description: Performs all required calculations to
approach to calculating capacities for single bolts, FEA solution. Bridge engineers can leverage the power design window glass according to ASTM E 1300-16
nails, lag screws, and wood screws per the 2015
NDS. Both lateral (single and double shear) and Anchors
of the moving load generator, truss wizard for quick
model generation, ability to model sloped and skewed 5 and ASTM E 1300-09, ASTM E 1300-02/03/04,
ASTM E 1300-98/00, and ASTM E 1300-94.
withdrawal capacities can be determined. Wood- geometry, and perform staged construction and cable Includes computations for the E 1300-16 Analytical
to-wood, wood-to-concrete, and wood-to-steel or dynamic analysis to solve complex projects. Method. Facilitates calculations for three-ply
connections are possible. laminates. Most comprehensive analysis and design
package for glass to date.
CAST CONNEX IES, Inc.

Phone: 416-806-3521 Phone: 800-707-0816 STRUCTUREPOINT
Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Phone: 847-966-4357
Web: www.castconnex.com Web: www.iesweb.com Email: [email protected]
Product: Cast Steel Nodes and Connectors Product: VisualAnalysis Web: www.structurepoint.org
Description: The use of cast steel nodes and Description: Helps engineers bridge the gap Product: spLearn
connectors in steel bridge structures can provide between theory and practice. Get analysis and design Description: As the former software development
improved fatigue performance, enhanced structural results. Engineers praise VisualAnalysis as “easy to team of the Portland Cement Association,
resilience, and can reduce the total life-cycle cost of learn” and an “excellent value.” Try it free on your StructurePoint is uniquely positioned at the heart of
pedestrian, road, and rail bridges. next project and get answers you need to succeed. the cement industry. Our licensed structural engineers
Indeed. Proceed to the website. have decades of experience with reinforced concrete
design. For assistance, structural engineers will benefit
Cintec Reinforcement Systems Ltd from the multiple resources on our website.
Phone: 613-225-3381 LUSAS
Email: [email protected] Phone: 646-732-7774 Product: spColumn
Web: www.cintec.com Email: [email protected] Description: Visit our Technical Article webpage to
Product: Archtec Web: www.lusas.com see Bridge Pier Design Capacity Evolution where two
Description: Complete diagnostic, design, and Product: LUSAS Bridge interaction diagrams using spColumn software are
installation service, using state-of-the-art technology Description: Use to analyse, design, and assess all superimposed to compare and contrast capacity before
and drilling methods. Specially designed to strengthen types of bridge structures and investigate soil/structure and after the introduction of major code changes at
masonry arch bridges internally, while preserving interaction effects. Recent releases have extended the beginning of the century. This will help bridge
historical value. This novel system of internal the engineer’s workflow from analysis into steel and designers make money-saving decisions.
strengthening involves inserting and grouting stainless RC frame design, and improved prestress, concrete
steel reinforcing bars into the masonry. Stainless steel modeling, and vehicle and rail loading capabilities.
and a high-performance grout enhance durability.
Trimble
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STRUCTURE
OCTOBER 2020
Bonus Content
structural ANALYSIS
Numerical Analysis Case Study
Unreinforced CMU Wall with Diagonal Step Crack
By Vitaly B. Feygin, P.E., and Christian P. Gunn
M odern CMU construction almost always requires the installa-

tion of vertical reinforcement in the grouted cells of the CMU.
However, addressing structural issues associated with unreinforced
CMU construction prevalent prior to the 1990s can be daunting. In
the author’s experience, today’s engineers do not know how to deal
Figure 1. Wall 8-inch strip load diagram.
with, or adequately investigate, diagonal cracks in unreinforced CMU
walls. The discovery of such cracks quite frequently leads to the unjus-
tified conclusion that this type of distress affects the capacity of the
wall to resist lateral wind pressure loads. This article investigates the
lateral capacity of an ungrouted and unreinforced CMU wall affected
by a diagonal step (stair step) crack. The analysis demonstrates why
a diagonal corner crack should not be qualified as structural damage. Figure 2. CMU block geometry.
For the load diagram, see Figure 1.

Known Data Axial load at the middle of the wall (per 8 inches of vertical strip
A 54-foot by 24-foot structure with 8-inch-thick ungrouted CMU of wall) is:
walls is located in an area with wind exposure “B” and an ultimate Ax h2 = (-443×0.67 + 0.6×42 psf × 0.67×8.66)
wind speed of 140 mph. The wall is 8 feet 8 inches high. The roof, 2
which overhangs the wall by 2 feet, is sloped 3:12 and is supported = -75.3 lbs tension force at wall mid height
by roof trusses spaced 2 feet apart. The roof dead load is 10 psf and Pv = Ax top = 443 lbs/every 2 feet
wall self-weight is 42 psf (normal weight of an ungrouted CMU pw = 36.2 psf (Ultimate wind pressure)
wall). A crack runs diagonally from the top of the wall at the corner MW = 0.6×36.2×0.67×8.66
2
down to the base. The analysis is per ASCE 7-10, Minimum Design 8
Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, using Components and = 136 lb-ft per 8-inch horizontal crack or 1,637 lb-in
Cladding pressures. per 8 inches
• Tension Stress: Uplift versus Gravity (Figure 2)
Note: stresses in the wall are calculated for an 8-inch vertical strip
Solution of the wall.
Considering the slope of the crack, the horizontal projection of the -fa = -75.3 = -2.60 psi
crack is equal to the wall height of 8.67 feet. The 2.4-foot-wide (2×1.25×8+5.12×(1×1.25×0.5×1))
High-Pressure Zone at the corner is reinforced. Therefore, only the • Tensile stress due to flexure caused by wind, considering
portion of the crack in the unreinforced Normal-Pressure Zone is un-cracked section:
considered here. -fa = -1,637 = -25.70 psi
Wind pressure loads are based on wind tributary area for compo- 8×6.375×1.25
nents and cladding: • Total tension stress, assuming uncracked section:
• Roof Ultimate wind pressure: p = -35.3 psf -fa = -(25.70+2.60) = -28.30 psi
• Additional wind pressure [2-foot overhang]: p = -65.7 psf • Modulus of rupture, fr , for masonry elements subjected to
• Wall Ultimate wind pressure: p = -36.2 psf out-of-plane bending shall be in accordance with the values
• Critical Wind Load Combination, LC 7, ASCE 7-10, in Table 9.1.9.2 of ACI 530-13, Building Code Requirements
Chapter 2.4 (ASD) and Specification for Masonry Structures and Companion
LC 7 = 0.6DL + 0.6W Commentaries, for Portland cement type N, normal to bed
Roof load at roof truss to wall attachment: joints for ungrouted CMU: fr = 64 psi
Ax top = -443 lbs tension per 2 feet of wall length, This value incorporates a 33% increase in the stress allowed for wind
uplift at top of the wall load. This value applies only to the flexural tensile stress developed
The most critical section is in the middle of the wall, where the wind between the masonry units, mortar, and grout. ASCE 7-10, Chapter
moment is the largest. 2.4.1, Exceptions, states: “Increase in allowable stress shall not be used
OCTOBER 2020 BONUS CONTENT

Figure 3. Effective resistance width of slab for distributable concentrated load. Figure 4. Partial plastic-hinge resistance.
with the loads or load combinations given in this standard unless it can
be demonstrated that such an increase is justified by structural behavior
Limit State I – Cantilever action of the wall
caused by rate or duration of load.” above the crack (Figure 3):
Unmodified Modulus of Rupture becomes:
The shaded portion of the wall is acting as a vertical cantilever with
64 psi clamping force investigated at locations 3 and 4.
fr = = 48 psi
1.33 • Location 3 is 5 blocks high (5×8 = 40 inches tall)
The analysis must also include redistributed stresses from the cracked Uplift moment, Mup3 = 443×(24) = 10,632 lb-in
section (8-inch-wide horizontal crack) along the uncracked portions Downward moment from self-weight of the CMU above
of the Effective Resisting Width of the wall panel. the crack Msw3 = 39,765 lb-in
Force redistribution theory (Figure 3), based on spring stiffness along The resisting downward moment, Msw3 = 39,765 lb-in >
the span of the wide plate, was first introduced for the analysis of flat Uplift moment of Mup3 = 10,632 lb-in
plates with distributable and non-distributable loads by S. Timoshenko • Location 4 is 8 blocks high (8×8 = 64 inches tall)
in the Theory of Plates and Shells. It was first successfully utilized for the Uplift moment, Mup4 = 443×(48+24) = 31,896 lb-in
design of Hollow Core Slabs (PCI Manual for Design of Hollow Core Downward moment from self-weight of the CMU above
Slabs). The same analogy can be utilized for the analysis of CMU walls. the crack Msw4 = 173,525 lb-in
The wide plate is viewed as a trampoline having different spring values The resisting downward moment, Msw4 = 173,525 lb-in >
along the span. The spring is defined by k = δP Uplift moment of Mup4 = 31,896 lb-in
where,
P = 1 kip – a unit force placed anywhere along the span of the Limit State II – The shear stress
1-foot-wide strip of the plate
δ – is a deflection of the 1-foot plate strip under the unit load at critical locations:
Since a stiffer spring along the plate span narrows the “effective resis- Allowable shear stress of the CMU block (ACI 530-13, 8.2.6.2) is
tance width,” a softer spring will widen the zone of the distributable Fv = 37 psi
load redistribution. Figure 3 shows the boundaries of the distributable
width utilized for the distribution of the load applied to the strip with fV2 = (433−1.33×0.67×42) = 10.14 psi < Fv
(2×1.25×16)
a plastic hinge (a short horizontal crack in the wall strip).
However, before confirming the redistribution force model, check fV3 = (2×443−3.33×0.67×42) = 7.92 psi < Fv
the clamping action from the vertical cantilever action created by (2×1.25×40)
the shaded area of the wall above the diagonal crack (shown by the The uplift force from the wind acting on the roof does not affect the
magenta line in Figure 3). assumption of effective resistance width shown in Figure 3.
STRUCTURE magazine
Clamping action, created by a gravity load of the portion of the It was analytically proven that a hairline crack forming a partial
wall above the diagonal crack at the two critical locations, allows plastic hinge in the unreinforced wall with a diagonal crack does not
for the distribution of the distributable load within the effective degrade the wall’s flexural capacity.
distributable width. Taking into consideration the statement above, additional distribut-
able stress is taken by the uncracked portion of the effective resistance
width of the CMU wall (Figure 3).
Limit State III – Effect of the partial limited Effective Resisting width at mid-height of the wall is equal to:
hinge created by a hairline diagonal step crack: 0.5H = 0.5×8.66 = 4.33 feet or 52 inches
Additional distributable stress
The out-of-plan flexure resistance mechanism activated within the
hairline crack is shown in Figure 4. If the cantilever above the crack ∆fa = -28.30×8 = -5.14 psi
is not sheared by torsional force induced by flexure, the horizontal 52−8
crack forms a partial plastic hinge restrained by the wall gravity and
Where 27.84 psi is total tension stress assuming uncracked section.
CMU shell shear capacity.
Adding that additional distributable stress to the stress in the
Partial Plastic-Hinge capacity of the cracked CMU
uncracked section of the effective resistance width results in:
At wall mid-height:
fa distr = -(28.30+5.14) = 33.44 psi < fr = 48 psi
( 2 )
M ph@ H2 = 37 psi ×48×1.25+0.5×42 psf × 8.67 × (7.625−1.25) Although analysis for three-quarter wall-height could be provided,
net tensile stress at that location is smaller than at the wall mid-height.
= 15,599 lb-in/ft width
Therefore, it was proven that the adjacent uncracked cells within
At ¾ wall-height:
the effective resisting width with a diagonal crack could effectively
4 ( 4 )
M ph@ 3 H = 37 psi ×24×1.25+0.5×42 psf × 8.67 × (7.625−1.25) resist the wind load without endangering the stability of the building.
= 7,799 lb-in/ft width
Note: Contribution from the roof DL was conservatively neglected. Conclusion
The allowable flexural capacity of the unconfined wall under simple
Numerical analysis proves that a hairline diagonal crack in the
beam flexure:
ungrouted CMU walls, in the absence of severe foundation
Mall = fr ×1.25×12×(7.625−1.25) = 48×1.25×12×6.375 damage, should be categorized as “local distress” rather than
= 4,590 lb-in/ft (based on mortar rupture) “structural damage”.■
Mall = ft ×1.25×12×(7.625−1.25) = 25×1.25×12×6.375 Vitaly B. Feygin is a Principal Structural and Geotechnical Engineer, Florida
= 2,390 lb-in/ft (based on allowable tensile stress of hollow Geotechnical Engineering, Inc.
ungrouted CMU with type ‘N’ mortar cement)
Christian P. Gunn is an Assistant Director of Engineering, Florida
Both partial hinges exceed the flexural capacity of the unconfined Geotechnical Engineering Inc.
unreinforced CMU wall.
OCTOBER 2020 BONUS CONTENT

2020 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING SUMMIT
November 4–6, 2020...& Beyond
Designed by Structural Engineers for Practicing Structural Engineers
The 2020 Structural Engineering Virtual Summit is a solution designed for you. It will include three days
of live presentations, three days of Bonus Content Presentations with live speaker interaction, and two-
months of access to our virtual trade show.
• 26 Hours of Available Education • Access to Our Virtual Trade Show
• Captivating Keynote Addresses by Expert Speakers • Unique Networking Opportunities & Virtual Lounges
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
24 Hours/Day Trade Show Open Concurrent Session | 10:45 - 11:45
8:00-3:00 Interactive Lounges Open Mass Timber – Forest to Frame – Part I: Forest
8:00-8:15 NCSEA President’s Address This presentation focuses on managed forests and how calculating carbon
8:15-10:00 Keynote: What’s Happening with the Future pollution and carbon storage can make wood a good design solution.
of the AEC Industry Concurrent Session | 12:45 - 1:45
This session, moderated by James Malley, Degenkolb Engineers, will focus
Tornado Wind Loads for the Practicing Engineer
on the trends, technologies, and innovations that will shape the profession.
This session will focus on how tornado loads affect the practicing engineer,
It will showcase a leading architect–Vibhuti Harris, HKS, Inc.; a contractor–
including an overview of ASCE 7-22 Tornado and ICC-500 Storm Shelter
Greg Gidez, Hensel Phelps; and a structural engineer–Glenn Bell, Simpson
provisions.
Gumpertz & Heger (retired), to discuss what the future looks like from their
Concurrent Session | 12:45 - 1:45
perspective and provide a glimpse into the needs of the industry’s customers.
Ask the Experts: Embodied Carbon and Structural Materials
Concurrent Session | 10:45 - 11:45 This session is a sit-down with representatives from the steel, concrete, and
Serviceability Design for the Practicing Engineer wood industries to discuss how these material industries are responding to
This session will provide practical information and design examples to the focus on embodied carbon.
evaluate the serviceability performance of buildings against the requirements 2:00-3:00 Networking Event
of the IBC and ASCE 7.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 5
8:00-3:00 Interactive Lounges Open Evolving Paradigms in Post-Disaster Safety Assessment:
8:00-8:10 NCSEA Vice President’s Address The Structural Engineers’ Role
8:10-8:30 Awards Presentation This presentation provides an overview of the FEMA P-2055 publication and
8:30-9:30 Keynote: Leading the Human Way: focuses on the key conclusions of the document that are applicable to the
How to Stop Acting Your Age and practicing Structural Engineer.
Lead a Multi-Generational Workforce Concurrent Session | 12:15 - 1:15
This session, led by Matt Havens, will share a unique approach to solving all of
Post-Tensioned Concrete Design: Code Requirements
your generational issues in the workplace (and at home) by rediscovering the
The presenter will discuss the current code, and the future relationship of the
similarities among us and learning to lead the Human Way. He will walk you
ACI 318 concrete building code and the ACI/PTI 320 dependent code.
through the steps to resolve your generational differences and show you that
the solutions are not as complicated as they seem. Concurrent Session | 12:15 - 1:15
Concurrent Session | 10:15 - 11:15 Community Resilience & Wildfires: The Role of the Structural Engineer
This session will overview how fire hazards are assessed, common mitigation
How Do We Progress Towards Racial Equity in the
methods, and the underlying research that supports those policies.
Structural Engineering Community?
This session will highlight common experiences reflected in the SE3 survey 1:30-2:30 Networking Event
data related to race and racial inequities, and will connect the panelists’
experiences in the workplace through conversation with racial diversity,
equity, and inclusion experts from the AEC industry.
*All Sessions are Listed in Pacific Time*
Learn about the 2020 Structural Engineering

Virtual Summit at www.ncsea.com
EVERYONE Can Join us for the Virtual Trade Show!
The 2020 Trade Show is open now! ANYONE can access the Exhibit Hall today through November 2. Summit registrants will have expanded access
through November 24. Visit www.ncsea.com for the opportunity to visit, learn, and engage.
American Concrete Institute CoreBrace International Code Council Nucor Steel Deck Institute
ASCE CRSI International Masonry Institute Peikko USA Steel Joist Institute
Atlas Tube DeWalt - Engineered by Powers Keller Post-Tensioning Institute Steel Tube Institute
BASF Fabreeka LNA Solutions RISA Tech, Inc. Taylor Devices
Blind Bolt Headed Reinforcement Lindapter Simpson Strong-Tie Trimble
Cast Connex Hubbell Power Systems MiTek SlipNOT
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6
8:00-2:00 Interactive Lounges Open Structural Engineering Engagement & Equity: 2020 Survey Results
Concurrent Session | 8:00 - 9:00 This presentation will focus on the results of the 2020 survey. Attendees will gain
An Inside Look at Codes and Standards Development an understanding of the challenges facing the profession as well as actionable
This panel discussion will bring industry leaders together to give a behind-the- information and recommended best practices.
scenes look at the development of codes and standards. Concurrent Session | 11:30 - 12:30
Concurrent Session | 8:00 - 9:00 ACSE 7-22 New and Updated Hazards
Growing an Engineering Firm: Why, How, and When The Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE manages the development of
Mark Aden has led DCI’s growth to 13 offices and 350 total staff. Mark will ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and
discuss the reasons for growth, organic and M&A growth techniques, costs and Other Structures. This session will present updates and new developments for
financing, and how to define and ensure success. the 2022 edition.
Concurrent Session | 9:45 - 10:45 Concurrent Session | 11:30 - 12:30
Performance-Based Design: Where the Profession is Headed The Evolution of Work Flexibility, Before and After COVID-19
As part of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE’s vision, this session will Previous SE3 surveys investigated the demand for various employment benefits,
present the current state of performance-based design, recent advancements in including work flexibility to help achieve work-life balance. This session will
PBD, and the possible impacts on future standards and building code. review the challenges and adaption in the workplace.
12:45-1:45 Summit Closing
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17
8:00-9:00 8 Tips to Avoid the Traps of Unethical Behaviour
This session will acquaint the participant with the Canons of, and the application
of the Code of Ethics. Tips will be provided to help assess ethical problems and
determine when corrective action is required and how to accomplish it.
9:45-10:45 Meet the Newest AISC Standard: AISC 342-20
Seismic Provisions for Evaluation and Retrofit of
Existing Structural Steel Buildings
This presentation will overview changes and technical developments to AISC
342-20 Seismic Provisions for Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Structural Steel
Building and clarify the relationship to ASCE/SEI 41-17, Chapter 9.
11:30-12:30 Improving the Design of SE’s Subconsultant
Agreements
BONUS CONTENT SCHEDULE Experienced design professional contract lawyers will share key strategies
Structural Engineers can use when dealing with the architect prime.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24
8:00-9:00 Understanding Changes to the 2021 IEBC Structural 8:00-9:00 Marketing Your SE Firm—Tools for the Structural
Provisions & Frequently Asked Questions Engineer at All Levels
This presentation will help practicing structural engineers identify and have an This discussion will cover why structural engineers at every level should be
understanding of the most recent changes to the 2021 edition of the IEBC. focused on marketing and the influence they can have on their firm’s brand.
9:45-10:45 Strategies for Increasing Productivity and 9:45-10:45 2050 M Street: Designing a Lean Structure to
Streamlining Workflows Highlight a Dynamic Façade
This discussion will look at software and concepts that are continuously This session will discuss the structural design approach to 2050 M Street, a new
improving the way the industry operates. 450,000-sf premier office building in Washington, D.C.
11:30-12:30 Workflow Process for Seismic Calculations 11:30-12:30 Mass Timber – Forest to Frame – Part II: Frame
This session will provide workflow processes for use when preparing structural This presentation focuses on wood and mass timber products available and
calculations for seismic design. Calculations and examples will be presented. the approach to calculating whole-building Life Cycle Assessments (LCA).
Learn about the 2020 Structural Engineering Virtual Summit at www.ncsea.com

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STRUCTURE

NCSEA | CASE | SEI OCTOBER 2020

INSIDE: Cable-Stayed Bridges 38

Salesforce Transit Center, CA University of Lethbridge, AB

CAST CONNEX® is the industry leader in Standard

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Evans Mountzouris, P.E.

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Eytan Solomon, P.E., LEED AP

Jeannette M. Torrents, P.E., S.E., LEED AP

STRUCTURE ® magazine (ISSN 1536 4283) is published monthly

STRUCTURE is a registered trademark of the National Council of Structural

Columns and Departments

16 Structural Performance 3-D Snow Drifts

30 DEADLY MIAMI PEDESTRIAN 44 InSights Bridging the Current Gaps in

According to the preliminary report from NTSB on the collapse of the

56 Special Section 2020 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING Resource Guide

October 2020 Bonus Content Additional Content Available Only at – STRUCTUREmag.org

■ Concrete Forming Hardware

Williams Form has been a leader in anchoring

A s I sit at my desk at work, the view out my window is not a typi-

STRUCTURE magazine OCTOBER 2020 7

S ince 2004, there have been 10 hurricanes in the Atlantic

Aeronautics and Scape Administration (NASA). Because of this,

W hat we had here was a failure to communicate –

Overlooked as a design problem for decades, grit blasting is the

Fatigue Failures of Bridges Testing

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S tandard practice during bridge design and construction is to

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AEGIS ULTRA-SPAN FLOOR TRUSSES ®

UL & Sound Rated

B efore the 2016 version of the American Society of Civil Engineer's

Conclusion and Recommendation

Table 3. W4 values for 272 rotated and normalized wind roses.

Direction Mean Median Minimum Maximum St. Deviation

T he Ashtabula Bridge disaster was one of the

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O n March 15, 2018, a pedestrian concrete truss bridge in Miami,

Numerical Simulation Results

remedying the cracking symptoms as intended, re-tensioning member

Conclusions and Lessons

The online version of this article contains references.