STRUCTURE

NCSEA | CASE | SEI DECEMBER 2020

SPECIAL SECTION: 18
EXCELLENCE
IN STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING
AWARDS

SOILS & FOUNDATIONS

Guide to Soil-Structure Interaction 8
Falling Through the Cracks 12
Transforming a Vacant Jail 23
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4 STRUCTURE magazine
 Contents D ECEM BER 2020

23 TRANSFORMING A VACANT JAIL

INTO A CLASS A OFFICE BUILDING

18
By Mark Forman, S.E., Brandon Horton, S.E., and Diana Gonzalez, EIT

Cover The 225 W. Madison project provided the opportunity to

Feature resurrect and repurpose a decommissioned jail facility. The project
transformed the jail into an
NCSEA open workspace, accomplished
EXCELLENCE by enhancing the structural

IN STRUCTURAL integrity of the original cast-in-

place concrete structure, which
ENGINEERING
also serves as the exterior skin.
AWARDS
The National Council of
Structural Engineers Associations
Columns and Departments
announced the winners of the 7 Editorial Time to Contribute and Make a Difference
2020 Excellence in Structural By John Tawresey, P.E.

Engineering Awards in
November. For 23 years, the 8 Practical Solutions A Practical Guide to
awards highlight work from Soil-Structure Interaction
By Bret Lizundia, S.E.
the best and brightest in the
structural engineering profession.
12 Risk Management Falling Through the Cracks
Read an overview of the award- By Ross J. Smith, P.E.
winning projects.
16 Response to October 2020 STRUCTURE Article
By Jason B. Lloyd, Ph.D., P.E., Robert J. Connor, Ph.D., P.E.,
and Karl H. Frank, Ph.D., P.E.

34 Structural Forum How Much Respect is Enough?

By David L. Pierson, S.E.

In Every Issue
4 Advertiser Index
26 Resource Guide – Earth Retention
28 NCSEA News
30 SEI Update
32 CASE in Point

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

CASE Business Practices Creating a Culture of Recruitment and Retention By Jeff Morrison
InFocus Staying Engaged and Effective While Working Remotely – Part 1 By STRUCTURE’s Editorial Board

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.

DECEMBER 2020 5
 EDITORIAL
Time to Contribute and Make a Difference
By John Tawresey, P.E., F.SEI, Dist.M.ASCE
I t was a beautiful day in Seattle, with the bluest skies you have ever
seen. On that day, I was at my construction site, waiting to pour
the first building foundation. I retired in 2013 and converted my
assets into constructing seven rental units. After 40 years of practic-
ing structural engineering, I was confident that I could be my own
general contractor. It should be easy on a small project.
While waiting, my phone chimed. It was Glenn Bell (Past President
of the SEI Board of Governors). “John, I am calling you about the
foundation.” How did Glenn know about my foundation? He could
not know. He was 3000 miles away. I responded, “What foundation?”
He replied, “The Structural Engineering Institute Futures Fund
(SEIFF). It’s a subset of the ASCE Foundation.”
Glenn asked me to join the Futures Fund Board. I did not even know
it existed. Perhaps today you are in the same position, so read on!
I asked Glenn for additional information, and I learned.
The SEIFF was formed in 2013. A memo of understanding between
the ASCE Foundation and the SEI Futures Fund was executed. It has
interesting provisions favorable to SEI.
• The ASCE Foundation will provide administration and
support for fundraising activities.
• There will be no fees to the SEI or the SEI Futures Fund for
Foundation administration and support of the SEIFF
fundraising efforts.
Wow, a fund with no expenses! All of the contributions are for
projects – what a deal.
I learned that funding requests could be submitted to the Futures
Fund by making a proposal within four strategic areas:
• Promote Student Interest in Structural Engineering,
• Support Younger Member Involvement in SEI Activities,
• Enhance Opportunities for Professional Development, and
• Invest in the Future of the Profession.
Each year the Board receives proposals, with a June 1 deadline.
Not all submissions are funded. Sometimes the Board will suggest
modifications to the request and fund accordingly. Realizing that the
SEI Futures Fund has these strategic, forward-leaning attributes, I
placed my name for consideration and was subsequently accepted.
That was four years ago. In the meantime, my rental foundations
were completed. I finished the buildings and learned that being a
general contractor is hard work and challenging.
Being a structural engineer is not easy, but it is a wonderful profes-
sion. In what other profession do you have the opportunity to do
something different every day? Solving problems is fun, and our
architect colleagues provide many opportunities. I am fortunate to
have designed many structures and participated in many professional
organizations. I recognize the necessity to give back, and, for all of
us, the SEIFF provides the opportunity.
Being on the Futures Fund Board has been challenging. For me, asking
for your support is harder than designing a masonry wall. But my discom-
fort is overcome by the good I know that support will do. Here are some
of the activities previously funded that may help you decide to participate.
1) SEIFF provides scholarships for engineering students and
young professionals to attend the Structures Congress.
2) Sponsored by the SEI Codes and Standards Division, SEIFF
provides expenses for younger members to participate and be
STRUCTURE magazine
2019 SEI Futures Fund Student and Young Professional Recipients of a Scholarship
to the Structures Congress.
involved in standards meetings, giving them exposure to,
and investment in, this crucial work of our profession.
3) Pursuing our goal of expanded global professional aware-
ness and connection, the formation of the Global Activities
Division of SEI received funding from the SEIFF and is now
active in providing SEI with a more international perspective
and involvement.
4) SEIFF has sponsored workshops for structural engineers to
gather and discuss important issues facing our profession.
Sponsored events include workshops on the future of struc-
tural engineering education; workshops on sustainability and
how structural engineers can meet the challenges of combat-
ting changes to the global environment; and workshops on
leadership training.
5) Sponsored by the SEI Local Activities Division, SEIFF has
funded expenses to communicate important codes and stan-
dards changes to our members.
Many of these activities are continuing. New activities are funded for
fiscal year 2021, including scholarships for the upcoming Electrical
Transmission and Substation Structures Conference (ETS) and seed
money to develop a database on claims against structural engineers.
Designing and constructing a resilient foundation is essential to the
performance of our structures. Donating to the Futures Fund is criti-
cal to provide the foundation materials (growing financial resources)
to support our community.
I support the work of the Futures Fund, not because I am on the
Board but because I am passionate about the future promise of our
profession. Indeed, that is why I joined the Board to begin with!
I am inviting you to join me and many others who believe our
profession is only just beginning to catch a glimpse of its future.
Here’s what I would like you to consider – a sacrifice. Would you
take the money you might spend on a good bottle of wine or a
nice dinner out and instead gift it to support those who will follow
us and one day lead our profession? Would you make that one
simple investment decision? It is easy; you can contribute by visiting
www.asce.org/SEIFuturesFund.
In addition, do you also have some ideas about how we, together,
can improve our profession? If so, make a bold proposal to us, and
let’s get to work on it! For submittal requirements, visit the
website. Thanks for your ongoing commitment to the future
of structural engineering – OUR profession.■
John G. Tawresey is a retired CFO of KPFF Consulting Engineers in Seattle, WA.
D E C E M B E R 2 02 0 7
 practical SOLUTIONS
A Practical Guide to Soil-Structure Interaction
By Bret Lizundia, S.E.

S oil-structure interaction (SSI) can make a substantial dif-

ference in how buildings behave during earthquake shaking
and how they should be designed. Yet, there is relatively little
implementation of SSI effects by practicing structural engineers.
Provisions are available in ASCE/SEI 7-16, Minimum Design Loads
and Other Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, and in ASCE/
SEI 41-17, Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, that
Figure 1. The building on the left with a larger footprint will have a lower design
can be used to address SSI. However, they can be hard to follow,
base shear coefficient than the building with a smaller footprint on the right.
and limited guidance is available. To help engineers, FEMA has
funded a project managed by the Applied Technology Council
(ATC) and identified as ATC-144, which is nearing completion.
The output from this effort includes the development of a design
guide of examples, entitled FEMA P-2091, A Practical Guide to
Soil-Structure Interaction.
The design guide is intended to help practicing engineers know when
incorporating SSI would be important and to provide examples of how
to implement different SSI techniques. It describes situations where
SSI effects can reduce or increase demands on the building or simply
change the pattern of yielding in the foundation and superstructure.
It covers period lengthening, foundation damping, base slab averag-
Figure 2. The building on the left with a deeper foundation embedment will have a
ing, embedment effects, soil flexibility, and modeling of basements,
greater reduction in the design base shear coefficient than the building on the right.
and it includes worked design examples for a two-story braced frame
building and a 12-story concrete building.
This article reviews situations where SSI is important; describes the
Situations Where SSI is Important
design guide's purpose, scope, target audience, and topics covered; The following situations show where SSI can make a substantial dif-
and provides practical tips for effective implementation of SSI. The ference in how buildings behave during earthquake shaking and how
ATC-144 project also included an in-depth analytical exercise to design forces can be affected. Note that figures are taken from the
explore and validate SSI provisions and the development of updates forthcoming FEMA P-2091 unless otherwise noted.
to the code provisions. These are not addressed here due to article
Large Building Footprints
size limitations.
Building footprint size has been shown to correlate with spectral
demands, primarily in the shorter period range. The larger the build-
ing, the greater the reduction in short period spectral response. This is
due to the kinematic interaction effects of base slab averaging (Figure 1).
Substantial Foundation Embedment
Foundation embedment has also been shown to correlate with spec-
tral demands, primarily in the shorter period range. The deeper the
embedment, the greater the reduction in short period spectral response.
This is due to the decrease of ground motions with depth, which is
a typical feature of site response (Figure 2).
High Structure-to-Soil Stiffness Ratios
When the structure is relatively stiff compared to the soil, founda-
tion rotation can occur, adding to structural displacements and
increasing or lengthening the fundamental period of the structure.
The increase in period can affect the associated spectral accelera-
tions used in design. This effect commonly occurs in buildings
with concentrated lateral force-resisting systems, such as reinforced
concrete shear walls and steel braced frames, which are supported
on localized foundation elements. Conversely, for buildings with
Figure 3. A structure where soil flexibility will have a significant impact on the wide, stiff foundations and relatively flexible superstructures, the
lateral displacement and fundamental period of the structure. impact of soil flexibility is typically relatively small.

8 STRUCTURE magazine
 Figure 3 shows an example of a concentrated cantilever shear
wall and foundation system, where including soil flexibility will
increase the fundamental period of vibration. The roof displace-
ment of the shear wall itself is shown in the left as Δw. In Figure 3
on the right, the vertical flexibility of the soil is represented by a set
of springs. During lateral displacement of the superstructure, there
will be vertical displacement of the springs and foundation rotation.
The drift from rocking is shown in Figure 3 on the right as Δr. The
increase in displacement correlates with an increase in the fundamental
period for the structure.
Figure 4 shows the potential impact on changing the period in a
response spectrum analysis. The period with the fixed base model is
denoted as T, and the period with soil flexibility is denoted as T˜. Two
cases are shown. In the short period case, the structure is very stiff,
and the increase from T to T˜ results in climbing up the response Figure 4. Significant impacts of period lengthening and foundation damping on
spectrum and an increase in spectral acceleration. In the long period spectral response (from NIST GCR 12-917-21).
case, the structure is more flexible, and the increase in period results
in a reduction in spectral acceleration. Figure 4 also shows the impact
of foundation damping on reducing spectral response.
Foundation Rocking
Structures with concentrated coupled vertical lateral force-resisting
systems can behave much differently when soil flexibility is introduced.
Figure 5 shows a nonlinear static (pushover) analysis example from
the seminar slides that accompanied the FEMA P-2006 design guide.
In the fixed base model, the mechanism is buckling of the compres-
sion brace in the lowest story, and the brace is highly overstressed.
In the flexible base model, where vertical springs are located under
each column, the braced frames rock, and the system has sufficient
capacity to resist the demands. Note that, in the flexible base model,
the ends of the beams linking the frames have higher rotations than
they do in the fixed base model.

Details on the SSI Design Guide

The overall goal of the design guide is to present information regarding
SSI as implemented in code provisions but in an easy-to-understand,
concise format targeted towards practicing engineers. The purpose of Figure 5. The significant impact of soil flexibility on a coupled braced frame system.
the design guide is (1) to help practicing
engineers know when incorporating SSI
would be important, and (2) to show
examples of how to implement different
SSI techniques.
Target Audience

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The primary target audience for the design
guide is practicing engineers who are
familiar with seismic design using ASCE/
SEI 7 but who have little to no expe-
rience with SSI. A secondary audience
is engineers who have some experience
with some SSI techniques, such as using
springs, but may need advice on other SSI
techniques they have not utilized.
Scope and Organization
The design guide covers the SSI topics
in ASCE/SEI 7-16 Section 12.13 and
Chapter 19. The focus is on techniques
that practicing engineers can use. It is
organized into the following chapters.
continued on next page

DECEMBER 2020 9

Figure 6. Two-story braced frame example in the design guide.
• Chapter 1, Introduction, introduces SSI terminology;
covers the purpose, scope, and target audience for the
Guide; and summarizes some key high-level advice on SSI
implementation.
• Chapter 2, Situations Where SSI is Important, provides an
expanded discussion of situations that engineers commonly
encounter where SSI can impact the forces used in design
and the way the structure responds to earthquake shaking.
• Chapter 3, Rule-of-Thumb Test for Inertial SSI Significance,
describes a simple test that can be used at the start of a
project when only very limited information is available to help
determine if using SSI will be likely to make a difference in
results. The rule of thumb is targeted at inertial interaction and
does not provide information about the potential significance
of kinematic interaction.
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10 STRUCTURE magazine
• Chapter 4, Base Slab Averaging, addresses how the interconnec-
tivity of the foundation can help reduce the demands into the
structure. It provides examples of common foundation and slab-
on-grade situations, and whether base slab averaging can be used.
• Chapter 5, Embedment Effects, discusses how foundation
embedment can reduce the demands on the structure.
• Chapter 6, Foundation and Soil Flexibility, reviews different
methods for adding vertical and horizontal springs to represent
soil flexibility.
• Chapter 7, Period Lengthening, covers provisions for how soil
flexibility leads to period lengthening in the structural response
and the resulting impact on seismic demands.
• Chapter 8, Foundation Damping, shows how and when to
apply two types of foundation damping – radiation damping
and soil damping – that can reduce demands on the structure.
• Chapter 9, How to Model a Basement, discusses different
accurate but straightforward analytical approaches to mod-
eling basements.
• Chapter 10, Conclusions and Recommendations, summarizes
key points regarding SSI discussed in the design guide and
provides recommendations on revisions needed to code SSI
provisions and further SSI studies that should be undertaken.
• Appendix A, Short Building Example, provides a detailed
example of applying different SSI techniques for a two-story
steel buckling-restrained braced frame building, shown in
Figure 6. The building is founded on spread footings, and
the equivalent lateral force method is used for design. SSI
topics include implementation of soil springs, change in

Figure 7. Twelve-story concrete building example in the design guide.
response mode, and reduction in seismic demands due to
foundation flexibility, soil flexibility and damping, and base
slab averaging.
• Appendix B, Tall Building Example, provides a detailed
example of applying different SSI techniques for a 12-story
concrete building that has a moment frame in one direction
and a dual system with a moment frame and shear wall in
the other direction. It is founded on piles, and the modal
response spectrum method is used for design. It includes
variations with and without a basement. SSI topics covered
include reduction in design demands due to base slab averag-
ing and foundation embedment, adjustments to demands
from period elongation and foundation damping, and
impacts of limitations imposed by ASCE/SEI 7-16 provi-
sions. Figure 7 shows a plan and a section. Figure 8 shows the
free-field response spectrum without SSI, the reductions that
base slab averaging and foundation effects provide, and the
minimum floor on allowable reductions.
Tips for Understanding
and Implementing SSI
Based on experience in performing SSI analyses, the fol-
lowing general observations are offered. These observations
are discussed in detail in the design guide.
• SSI is not that difficult to implement.
• SSI is typically iterative, so it may require additional
rounds of analysis to converge on the final solution,
as compared to a fixed base analysis.
• SSI typically reduces the seismic demands that are
used for design. Still, there are unusual cases with
site-specific response spectra where demands can
increase because period elongation may lead to
climbing up the response spectrum with increasing
levels of spectral acceleration.
• Adding foundation flexibility to a model can affect
how the building behaves in some situations and
associated deformation patterns, par-
ticularly for situations where foundation
flexibility would lead to the rocking of
shear walls or braced frames in the super-
structure. This can increase shear and/
or flexural demands in certain structural
elements relative to what would be evalu-
ated from fixed base analyses.
• Effective shear wave velocity, vs , is a key
parameter in several SSI equations and
techniques. The effective shear wave
velocity differs from the low strain shear
wave velocity, vso, used for site classifi-
cation in ASCE/SEI 7-16 Chapter 21.
Modifications are made based on soil type,
site spectral acceleration, and the depth of
importance. The design guide provides
guidance on this subtle, important issue.
• There are several code provisions, both in
ASCE/SEI 7-16 Chapter 12 and Chapter
19, that can limit the extent of SSI reduc-
tions that can be utilized. These restrictions
may be discouraging the application of SSI
and lack a strong technical basis.
• Although ASCE/SEI 7-16 is the standard that is referenced and
used in the design guide examples, ASCE/SEI 41-17 has a similar
set of SSI provisions. In some cases, ASCE/SEI 41-17 has more
relaxed requirements and limitations regarding the use of SSI.
The design guide highlights these differences.
Conclusion
FEMA P-2091 will provide a helpful guide to practicing engi-
neers on demystifying and simplifying the world of SSI.
The design guide will be available for free on FEMA’s
publication website later this year.■
An “SSI Terminology” sidebar and references are included in the
PDF version of the article at www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
Bret Lizundia is a Principal with Rutherford + Chekene in San Francisco.
(blizundia@ruthchek.com)
Figure 8. Design response spectra for the 12-story example building.
DECEMBER 2020 11
 risk MANAGEMENT
Falling Through the Cracks
Unexpected and Unfortunate Events Leading to Structural Failures
By Ross J. Smith, P.E., LEED AP BD+C, CDT

T he role of structural design professionals is often complex, starting

early in the conceptual phase and continuing until after project
completion. From the onset, they knead architects’ visions for space
gathered on the lawns
around the steeple to
attend free concert
and form into a stable reality. Throughout, they are navigating imper- offerings from a 12-bell
fect sites they did not select, maintaining restrictive budgets they didcarillon housed within
not create, and meeting aggressive schedules they did not approve. the tower. The idyllic
Nevertheless, structural professionals press forward to deliver successful
tradition was recently Figure 1. Front elevation view of 1888 church bell
structures meeting the owner’s needs and architect’s dreams. To con- cast into shadow when tower in Northern Michigan.
sistently deliver reliable solutions, despite challenging circumstances,caretakers noted the
structural professionals rely on proven design processes to tactfully existence of cracks, localized spalling, and general masonry disre-
advance from concept to construction. Though no universally appli- pair. Concerns led parish leaders to adopt the understanding that the
cable workflow exists to capture the nuances of every design procedure tower was falling apart. The presumed culprit? Vibrations and other
perfectly, specific steps generally describe the typical process (Table).
dynamic forces from the motions of carillon bells. This justification led
These are the basic components over which the structural professional leadership to suspend concerts, eliminate all carillon usage, close the
has some level of influence. When these steps are not completed or facility, and begin planning for the demolition of the historic building.
are hastily checked, problems may arise. The design process, or some In hopes of saving the building, concerned staff and community mem-
iteration of it, applies not only to new construction but to evaluationsbers sought an independent technical opinion from a structural design
of existing buildings as well. Proper assumptions, load applications, professional. Grade-level exterior inspections revealed a series of cracks
and inspections are still critical whenever structural review occurs. that existed in the exterior brick masonry at windows, doors, and near
Admittedly, an honest assessment reveals there are many other factors building corners. Presenting at areas of expected stress concentration
the designer cannot control or even predict. Structural professionals throughout the building, these cracks were common in masonry of
are sometimes forced to rely on: information they did not gather this vintage and not related solely to structural behaviors of the tower.
(others’ assumptions, site conditions, adjacent construction, water table,Significant gaps between the exterior masonry wall of the tower and
topography), processes outside their purview (material procurement, the perpendicular flying buttresses of the adjacent side aisles were
fabrication, delivery, site erection), as well as performance of trades observed from windows of adjacent structures. Previous reports and
(metallurgists, masons, steel and concrete contractors) and equipment assumptions asserted these gaps were specifically attributable to the
(concrete vibrators, welders, nuclear density gauges) they do not oversee.
usage of the carillon bells.
These factors fall between process steps, in the gaps where problems can Implementing some respectful skepticism of established assump-
occur beyond the designer’s influence and direct oversight, and could tions, the structural design professional climbed several flights of
lead to failures the structural professional would not have anticipated.stairs and a few seldom-used ladders, which afforded admission to
A collection of real-world project examples is compiled here to illus-the rarely accessed carillon belfry. One notable feature became imme-
trate the importance of each step and demonstrate the risks within the diately apparent. The aged timber structure supporting the bells was
process. Each case study highlights the results of taking shortcuts in structurally isolated. Over a century ago, the original designer astutely
the design procedure, the effects of outside factors occurring between determined to keep the support of the carillon independent from
steps, or a combination of both. the surrounding masonry facade. This was likely more challenging
and less efficient for the builders, constructing one frame inside the
other, but allowed for two completely isolated structures. A second
The Sounds of Silence critical observation was that the bells were permanently affixed in
In Northern Michigan, a historic Catholic church stands at the center a stationary position, either by design or decades-old retrofitting.
of a charming port town. Constructed in 1888, the church celebrates Instead of a bell rotating/swinging and sounding with an internal clap-
architectural influences from the mixed Table of Design Procedure. per, the ringing of each bell is activated by
German and Irish heritage of the original a side-mounted, electronically-activated
parishioners. Highlighted among many Number Description hammer (Figure 2). Since they are station-
striking features is the iconic 170-foot 1 Gather available information ary, the bells do not create any significant
bell tower, which looms over the town, dynamic forces within the tower. Further,
2 Establish assumptions
offering a welcoming beacon to those whatever minimal forces are initiated are
arriving by land or by water (Figure 1). 3 Apply codes and loading scenarios not transferred to the masonry walls due
For decades, the tower has been the cen- 4 Select materials and member sizes to the as-designed structural isolation.
terpiece for cultural events in addition Combined, these two realities painted the
5 Review shop drawings
to being the original community center originally voiced concerns as potentially
of worship. The community regularly 6 Conduct periodic field inspections costly misconceptions.

12 STRUCTURE magazine
 Though this review occurred well beyond the original
design timeline, the grasp of the current situation featured
misunderstandings that led to significant problems. In this
scenario, Step 1 of the “Design Procedure” was skipped or
poorly executed and led to incorrect assumptions in Step
2. These assumptions grossly mischaracterized common
masonry problems and led to misinformed decisions. The
actual designer, of course, could not have been consulted,
but grave consequences for a historic structure and the
surrounding community were quickly unfolding.
As structural design professionals, it is critical to ask Figure 2. Left: View from the belfry where bells are observed to be permanently affixed and stationary.
difficult questions, challenge the presented “facts,” and Right: View from the belfry revealing the bell support framing is structurally isolated from the tower
take extra steps to physically verify the actual conditions.
Assuming the provided information is correct can be a mistake. Instead, statement of assumption was both enlightening and concerning,
skeptical review and verification are often appropriate. considering the structure is within two miles of Lake Michigan, a
Fortunately, in this case, the involvement of a structural profes- historically documented heavy snow zone. The designer contended
sional furnished the church with a fact-based assessment and detailed that the fabric surface, structure’s slope, and arch stiffness collectively
explanations regarding typical exposure-related masonry cracking and prevent snow from accumulating. Actual events and structure perfor-
separations due to long-term differential building movements. Armed mance suggested otherwise. Simply, snow accumulated on the roof
with renewed insight, a phased masonry restoration program was caused expected deflection, which ironically allowed for additional
initiated, the carillon restrictions lifted, and the community gathered accumulation and additional deflection (Figure 4 , online).
around the spire once again to hear the bells ring. In this case, the designer applied incorrect assumptions in Step 2 of the
“Design Procedure.” The proprietary design/manufacture/install model
was generically applied in a location susceptible to snow loading contra-
Let It Snow dicting the baseline assumptions. Anticipating the sloped segment of the
An indoor tennis facility on the western fringe of lower Michigan arches would shed the snow before deflections led to improper application
suffered snow-related damage during the unusually heavy winter of of the code-required loading in Step 3 of the “Design Procedure” and,
2013-2014 (Figure 3, online). Averaging 76 inches of snow annually, eventually, poor material selections in Step 4. The flawed assumptions
the region recorded over 132 inches of snow and fewer warming/ were exposed when snow fell and accumulated, liberally selected materials
thawing cycles during this season, thereby leading to more significant plastically deformed, and design parameters were unacceptably violated.
overall snow accumulations. The pre-
engineered structure was comprised of
a fabric shell stretched over a series of
structural steel arches, and was installed
ten years prior. The shell reportedly
The one-of-a-kind design guide
exhibited visible deflections in several
of the arches, causing the owners to close
you’ve been waiting for.
the facility and engage snow removal
Over 990 pages and 140 worked-out examples
services. During the following spring,
a structural engineering professional providing the proper application of the 2019
was engaged to document the extent of Building Code Requirements for Structural

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damage and provide a causation analysis.
Field investigation and deflection mea-
surements along the length of the frame
segments found plastic deformation in
six of the nine arches, ranging from less
than 1⁄8 inch to as large as 5 inches. A
review of available proprietary informa-
tion, followed up with lengthy phone
conversations with the pre-engineered
system provider, revealed the designer,
manufacturer, original installer, and
the presumptive repair contractor were
all the same entity. The manufacturer’s
published deflection criteria provided
more stringent deflection criteria than
the governing codes. The technical rep-
resentative explained the arches were
Concrete (ACI 318-19) provisions for cast-
in-place concrete buildings with nonpre-
stressed reinforcement.
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tions on the fabric did not occur. That

DECEMBER 2020 13

Figure 5. Partial view of framing and roof collapse.
As structural design professionals, it is imperative to revisit assump-
tions regularly, especially those used repetitively. Different locations
and situations always require renewed attention and verification of
previous expectations. In the end, this site narrowly avoided a col-
lapse and instead only suffered the arch deformations. All arches
with permanent deflections out of manufacturer’s strict tolerances
were replaced, operational heating recommendations were refined,
and the building management implemented removal instructions for
any future snow accumulations.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
A plastic molding and electrostatic plating company touting 50 years
of manufacturing success and experience decided to support continued
growth by adding a new manufacturing facility in Western Michigan.
A 40-foot-tall high-bay structure comprised of steel columns, connect-
ing girders, and panelized joist assemblies was selected, designed, and
rapidly constructed to expedite the opening, usage, and profitability
of the expanded facility. With over half of the structure and roof deck
in place, a construction failure occurred. The collapse damaged two
50- x 60-foot bays of steel framing and one completed bay of roof
joists and decking (Figure 5). During post-event interviews, the steel
erector admirably accepted responsibility and provided insight on some
contributing causes leading to the collapse.
After erecting two new columns and girders spanning from the existing
frame to the new columns, the bay frame was not completed with a
tie joist linking the two columns. Instead, since it was nearing evening
and raining, the work was stopped early for the day, leaving the two
girders and their end columns unbraced. Rain evolved into a storm
with high winds causing the unbraced girders and columns to enter a
dynamic cycle of out-of-plane displacements, eventually culminating
Ross J. Smith is a Principal with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc, living
in failure at the column baseplate connections. Felled columns pulled
and working in West Michigan. (rsmith@wje.com)
down their respective girders, which pulled additional columns and a
progressive, multi-bay failure ensued. “All because
of the rain,” as reported.
An additional detailed account of the events
was found to be equally significant. The erector
later shared that the tie joist was not even on-site
with the other frame components. The delivery
truck with that specific component had suffered
a flat tire, delaying the arrival and leaving the
erection sequence disrupted. In their haste to stay
on schedule, the crew elected to move forward,
planning on a late arrival and a last-minute instal-
lation of the tie joist. The rain soured that plan.
Closer inspections of the debris field found
oversized double holes in the column base- Figure 6. Close-up view of anchor bolt washers and
plates and cupped round washers. Some washers nuts that pulled through oversized baseplate holes.
14 STRUCTURE magazine
and nuts had completely pulled through their baseplates (Figure 6 ).
Other anchor bolt assemblies where columns were not yet placed were
found with brand new square plate washers installed and corroded
round washers discarded nearby. Clearly, material selection and field
implementation had suffered and contributed to the event. A detailed
review of the joists revealed numerous failed welds at the bearing seat
angles as well as misplaced, oversized holes. Poor weld quality allowed
shearing failures between joist webbing and the seat angle (Figure 7 ),
leaving the entire seat angle perched on top of the column. Fabrication of
the joists, particularly the quality of the welds, was now in question as well.
This case exemplifies the susceptibility of the gaps between steps in the
design process. An extensive series of fabrication, delivery, installation,
and erection problems compounded to cause a large-scale construction
failure. Specifically, the flat tire impacted material delivery, which dis-
rupted the steel erection sequence, which was exacerbated by a rainstorm.
All of these occurred somewhere well after Step 5 and before Step 6 and
were outside the direct supervision and control of the designer. Step
4 may have been poorly executed by the designer, sizing washers that
were too thin and/or too small. Oversized holes of poor workmanship,
coupled with poor erection decisions, created a susceptible condition
which exposed the washer issue and led to pull-through failures. In Step
5, the designer checked the shop drawing and expected a competent
weld, and then reviewed the erection plan and expected the sequence
to be completed with all the parts. Actions of others between the design
steps were the letdown. Nearly all of these linked factors occurred out-
side of the purview of the structural design professional and amassed
to create a significant failure.
Each of the steps of the design process is critical and requires refined
attention on every project. Missing or poorly executing any step can lead
to failures, property damage, and possibly loss of life. Disruptive factors
or dismissive postures can lead to misunderstanding, misapplications,
and improper assumptions. Even a flawless design execution is suscep-
tible to hazards of unexpected complications, many outside the designer’s
control. Designers must remain engaged, ask additional questions, be
respectfully skeptical, and challenge both assumptions and provided
information. Whenever possible, designers must regularly verify that
expectations are met in the shop and the field. While these intentional
engagements may require extra effort and may be perceived as finicky, the
added value of catching and correcting potential mishaps provides a high
return on investment. The structural design industry should embrace
and reinforce the vision that additional engagement benefits
all parties by reducing risks of failure, property damage, and
the general occurrence of unfortunate events.■
Figure 7. Close-up view of joist seat, which has
sheared off at suspect quality weld locations.
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 Response to October 2020 STRUCTURE Article
By Jason B. Lloyd, Ph.D., P.E., Robert J. Connor, Ph.D., P.E., and Karl H. Frank, Ph.D., P.E.

T he October 2020 STRUCTURE article, Coating Preparations Reduce the Strength of Bridges,
presents information and opinions on potential problems with the fatigue resistance of steel bridges
prepared for coatings using grit blast cleaning methods. Some of the information in this article is misleading with
unsubstantiated claims regarding the safety of existing and future steel bridges. These topics are addressed below.

Blast cleaning has been used in the coating process

of steel bridges for decades. Shot and grit blasting
techniques are approved cleaning methods used in
fabrication shops, as well as field painting for new
and existing bridges. The most common media used
is a shot/grit mixture. The blast cleaning processes
are regulated by state department of transportation
specifications for bridge design or rehabilitation proj-
ects. These generally are consistent with the AASHTO
LRFD Bridge Construction Specifications where it states
in article 13.2.3.1 that blast cleaning “shall leave all
surfaces with a dense and uniform anchor pattern
of not less than 1 mil or more than 3 mils, as mea-
sured with an approved surface profile comparator”
(AASHTO, 2017). The methods for removal of foreign
material for surface preparation for liquid coatings
generally also conforms to either the SSPC-SP 6 or
SSPC-SP 10 preparation specifications with additional
guidance provided by AASHTO/NSBA Steel Bridge
Collaboration S8.1 (2014). Surface preparations for
thermal spray coatings are performed in accordance Example large-scale fatigue test of steel bridge girders (Hebdon et al., 2017).
with SSPC-CS 23.00/AWS C2.23/NASCE No.12,
as well as additional guidance provided by AASHTO/NSBA Steel 58, 62, and 66% of the yield strength, respectively). The elevated stress
Bridge Collaboration S8.2 (2017), specifying a surface roughness ranges accelerate the fatigue testing and help amplify the influence
between 2.5 and 5 mils. of minor surface condition parameters. The reduction in fatigue life
The opinions in the October 2020 article are based on the misapplica- caused by the grit blasting relative to the polished surface is expected
tion of the work by Padilla, Velasquez, Berrios, and Puchi Cabrera of and an important consideration for machined components.
the University of Venezuela, which was published in 2002. The cited The October 2020 article stated that grit blasting “significantly
research is thorough and adept with an important field of application degrades the strength of steel bridges, endangering safe design.”
listed as dynamic components of helicopters. We do not take issue This statement is based upon the reduction in the rotating beam
with the research; however, we fully disagree with applying those specimens relative to a mirror-like surface observed by Padilla et al.
results to steel bridge fatigue life design and safety. However, the mirror-like surface commonly used in rotating beams
The research by Padilla et al. (2002) included the comparison of tests is vastly different than the as-fabricated and as-rolled surface
fatigue life of rotating-beam specimens having three different surface conditions of steel used in highway and railway bridges. The fatigue
conditions; mechanically polished (described as “mirror-like”), grit design requirements in the AASHTO specifications are based upon
blasted, and grit blasted with hard facing thermal spray coating. The full-scale girder tests with as-received mill scale surfaces (see Figure),
specimens were made from SAE 4140 steel (which is not a structural as well as bolted connection tests with blasted and blasted-then-
steel used in bridges) with a measured yield strength reported as coated surfaces (Fisher et al., 1983; Fisher et al., 1974; Fisher et
approximately 127 ksi. The specimens were tested in a rotating beam al., 1970; Brown et al., 2007; Frank and Yura, 1981). The research
apparatus and were subjected to reversed bending at very high stress is conclusive; fatigue resistance of all steel bridges is governed by
levels. This type of fatigue testing is sensitive to surface condition welded or bolted connection details, not by minor surface condi-
effects and yield strength. Thus, it would be sensible for a researcher tions. This is particularly true at the low effective fatigue stress ranges
to choose these relatively quick and affordable tests when wanting to experienced by in-service steel bridges, which, based on extensive
observe the influence of different surface conditions on fatigue life for field testing experience of the authors, is typically only about 4 to
a particular base material. The rotating beam tests were performed at 8% of the steel yield strength. Furthermore, the fatigue life of the
high stress ranges, including approximately 69, 74, 79, and 84 ksi (54, rotating beam tests, performed by Padilla et al., greatly exceeded

16 STRUCTURE magazine
the fatigue life of steel bridge welded connection details that are
used throughout the United States.
Extensive fatigue studies of bolted connections with blasted and
blasted-then-painted surfaces have been performed (Brown et al.,
2007; Frank and Yura, 1981). These studies showed that the coated
specimens had a slightly higher fatigue resistance due to the reduc-
tion in fretting caused by slippage of the connection. The uncoated
blasted surface fatigue life equaled or exceeded the Category B fatigue
design strength for bolted connections. These large-sized bolted con-
nections, which included both weathering and non-weathering steel
and realistic surface preparations, confirmed the adequacy of the
AASHTO specifications.
It must be kept in mind that the current AASHTO fatigue design
specifications are derived from experimental data representing the 95
percent confidence limit for an approximate 97.5 percent survival for
each detail type. Extensive fatigue data was accumulated over many
years of testing to develop the AASHTO categories. The fatigue
design curves statistically correspond, therefore, to the shortest lives
experimentally observed for each category, which, of course, would
have been governed by the most severe discontinuity. What resulted
are AASHTO fatigue design curves representing the detail with the
most severe discontinuity and predicting, with high statistical confi-
dence, that it will survive the desired service life. This also means that
a substantial majority of details in a given category will have longer
fatigue lives than predicted by a design curve.
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ENGINEERED
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There is an extensive experimental database that was used to develop
the AASHTO fatigue design provisions, which are based upon large-
scale test specimens having surface conditions, constraints, residual
stresses, random flaw distributions, and welding procedures used for
actual bridges. An extrapolation of rotating-beam fatigue test data
for surface roughening to the fatigue behavior of some industries
may be acceptable, but it is inappropriate for fabricated steel bridges.
Likewise, a claim that bridge designs are “in jeopardy” due to fatigue
is egregious. The claimed reduction in fatigue strength has not been
found in large-scale fatigue tests of bridge components nor
in the observed excellent in-service fatigue performance of
steel bridges over the past 45 years.■
References are included in the PDF version
of the article at STRUCTUREmag.org.
Jason B. Lloyd is a Bridge Steel Specialist with the National Steel
Bridge Alliance.
Robert J. Connor is the Jack and Kay Hockema Professor in Civil
Engineering and the Director of the Center for Aging Infrastructure and
S-BRITE Center at Purdue University.
Karl H. Frank is a Professor Emeritus at The University of Texas at Austin,
the Chief Engineer at Hirschfeld Industries, Ret., and a Consultant.
www.h-b.com
DECEMBER 2020 17
 23RD
ANNUAL EXCELLENCE
T he National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA)
is pleased to publish the winners of the 2020 Excellence in
Structural Engineering Awards. The awards were announced during
NCSEA’s 28th annual Structural Engineering Summit, which was held
virtually this year. A video of the presentation can be found on the
NCSEA website. Given annually since 1998, each year the entries
highlight work from the best and brightest in our profession.
Awards were given in eight categories, with one project in each
category named the Outstanding Project. The 2020 Awards
Committee was chaired by Carrie Johnson (Wallace Engineering
Structural Consultants, Inc., Tulsa OK). Ms. Johnson noted: “We
had two rounds of judging to allow the judges more time to focus
on each individual project. The preliminary round was performed
by NCSEA Past Presidents and the final round by NCSEA’s
Northeast Coalition with engineer judges from Connecticut, Rhode
Island, and Massachusetts. The judges had an enormous task
of trying to determine winners. The level of challenges requiring
innovation and creativity was impressive. The group of winning
projects is outstanding.”
Please join NCSEA and STRUCTURE magazine in congratulat-
ing all the winners. More in-depth articles on several of the 2020
winners will appear in the Spotlight section of the magazine
over the 2021 editorial year. Visit the NCSEA website
(https://bit.ly/2IYbDb8) for more!

OUTSTANDING PROJECTS
Category 1: New Buildings under $30 Million Category 2: New Buildings $30 Million
ICE Block I to $80 Million
Sacramento, CA | Buehler Casa Adelante
San Francisco, CA | Mar Structural Design
ICE Block I is one of the first projects in Northern California to utilize
an exposed mass timber structure. The building blends three structural Casa Adelante is a seismically resil-
materials seamlessly: ient, nine-story affordable housing
mass timber at the project for low income seniors. The
upper floors, concrete specially “tuned” reinforced-con-
podium at the second crete building uses self-centering
floor, and steel Buckling walls on a rocking mat foundation.
Restrained Braced Lead extrusion dampers within
Frames. The fourth the foundation control the seis-
floor “mezzanine” mic response. Th e building has
provides expansive been evaluated to have zero days of
views through a glass downtime for repair after a major
curtainwall. earthquake.

Category 3: New Buildings $80 Million to $200 Million Category 4: New Buildings over $200 Million
International Spy Musuem The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
Washington, D.C. | SK&A Los Angeles, CA | Buro Happold

The International Spy Museum is a 130,000-square-foot, distinc-
tively designed steel building. The design incorporates exposed,
sloping columns along
the south and west
faces that are part of
the building’s gravity
load carrying system
and support an intri-
cate series of exposed
steel monumental
stairs and platforms
and a sixty-foot-tall
glass “veil.”
The project consisted of a museum plus a soaring spherical addi-
tion housing a 1,000-seat theater. The original steel and concrete
structure required
seismic strengthen-
ing in addition to its
major renovation. For
the 150-foot-diameter
orb-shaped theater, an
unusual base-isolation
system allows move-
ment 30 inches in any
direction during an
Courtesy of Alex Nye earthquake.

18 STRUCTURE magazine
INSTRUCTURAL
ENGINEERING AWARDS
2020 PANEL OF JUDGES
Preliminary Round – NCSEA Past Judges
Bill Bast, S.E., LPI, Inc.; Craig Barnes, P.E., CBI Consulting Inc.; Marc Barter, P.E., S.E., SECB, Barter & Associates, Inc.;
Mike Tylk, S.E., TGRWA, LLC; Ron Hamburger, S.E., Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.; Barry Arnold, S.E., P.E., ARW Engineers;
Ben Nelson, P.E., Martin/Martin; Tom DiBlasi, P.E., SECB, DiBlasi Associates, PC; Tom Grogan,P.E., Retired;
Vicki Arbitrio, P.E., Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP; Carrie Johnson, P.E., Wallace Engineering Structural Consultants, Inc.;
Jim Malley, S.E., Degenkolb Engineers; John Joyce, P.E., Engineering Solutions LLC; Sanjeev Shah, P.E., Esq., Shajeev Shah, Inc.
Final Round – NCSEA’s Northeast Coalition from Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts
Bassem Almuti, P.E., Cannon Design; Bruce Richardson, P.E., The DiSalvo Engineering Group; Craig Barnes, P.E., SECB, CBI Consulting;
Erik Nelson, P.E., S.E., Structures Workshop; Graham Carr, P.E., Vital Structures, LLC; Han Xu, P.E., Thornton Tomasetti;
James Fox, P.E., BVH Integrated Services; Kevin Chamberlain, P.E., S.E., Distefano & Chamberlain;
Mark Rodriguez, DiBlasi Associates; Michael Fillion, P.E., S.E., Fillion Group; Rick Boggs, P.E., S.E., SECB, Fuss & O'Neill;
Robert Kane, EIT, McNamara Salvia; Ben Nelson, P.E., Martin/Martin

OUTSTANDING PROJECTS
Category 5: New Bridges or Transportation Structures Category 6: Forensic / Renovation / Retrofit / Rehabilitation Structures < $20 Million
Dublin Link Pedestrian Bridge West Virginia State Capitol Building
Dublin, OH | Endrestudio Charleston, WV | WDP & Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc.

The Dublin Link Pedestrian Bridge was conceived simultaneously Repairs to address the structural deficiencies of the historic inner
as a sculptural form, an efficient structure, and a dramatic expe- dome and interior supporting walls of the West Virginia State
rience for Dublin’s Capitol Building
visitors and residents were designed to
alike. Its features of the strengthen portions of
Eye of the Needle cen- the existing structure.
tral pylon, sinuously Supplemental supports
curving deck, and preserved integrity
unusual single-sided while supporting the
suspension method dome in place as the
create a unique and walls beneath were
structurally innovative completely removed
Courtesy of Cory Klein
bridge. and rebuilt.

Category 7: Forensic / Renovation / Retrofit / Rehabilitation Structures > $20 Million Category 8: Other Structures
Google Spruce Goose Mackinac Bridge Paint Platforms
Los Angeles, CA | Arup Mackinaw City, MI | Ruby + Associates, Inc.
By rehabilitating and seismically upgrading the existing timber Unique platforms allowed for removal and collection of original
Spruce Goose aircraft hangars to current code requirements, the lead-based paint and repainting of the Mackinac Bridge’s towers.
buildings have been Traveling along cables,
transformed into a davit-like “outriggers”
modern office. Retrofits supported two-story
included the use of up movable structures
to 52-inch self-tapping to paint the towers’
wood screws, heavy upper portion. A
steel (multi-tier) braced second platform,
frames, and steel tie consisting of steel box
rods to limit deforma- trusses, was used for
tions under seismic the struts connecting
loads. the tower legs.

DECEMBER 2020 19
 AWARD WINNERS
CATEGORY 1: NEW BUILDINGS UNDER $20 MILLION

Wagner Education Center

Seattle, WA | KPFF, Inc.
The Wagner Education Center establishes a new front door for the Center for Wooden Boats. The dra-
matically exposed structure, simple yet evocative materials, and energy-efficient design solve the challenges
presented by a limited budget and restrictive site.

CATEGORY 2: NEW BUILDINGS $30 MILLION TO $80 MILLION

Apple Park Visitor Center
Cupertino, California | Nabih Youssef & Associates
A large column-free space dominates the Apple Park Visitor Center. The
extremely transparent building
is enclosed by a twenty-foot-tall
perimeter glazing system and cov-
ered by a thin curved carbon-fiber
roof deck. The building utilizes
a novel post-tensioned steel roof
structure.
Cal Poly Pomona Student Services Building
Pomona, CA | John A. Martin & Associates, Inc.
The 138,400-square-foot Student Services Building is comprised of two
structures separated by a spacious
breezeway. A streamlined, undulat-
ing roof serves an essential role in
passive solar design. The engineer’s
process decreased costs, increased
construction speed, and delivered
Courtesy of Bill Timmerman a sustainable campus icon.

North Surrey Sport & Ice Complex

Surrey, BC, Canada | StructureCraft Builders Inc.
This new 134,000-square-foot complex features three ice arenas with curved, long-span hybrid-timber
roofs and provides venues for lacrosse, basketball, and trade shows. Centrally located near transit, the
Courtesy of Calvin Owen Jones building is part of an effort to rejuvenate this up and coming area.

CATEGORY 3: NEW BUILDINGS $80 MILLION TO $200 MILLION

Charles Library, Temple University University of Michigan Biological Sciences Building

Philadelphia, PA | LERA Consulting Structural Engineers
The architect’s vision demanded a dynamic and innovative structural
system, employing a combination
of large cantilevers and long-span
arches. The 4-story library features
a building-wide green roof, a 3-D
printing workshop, an automated
book storage and retrieval system,
and more.
Ann Arbor, MI | SmithGroup
Integrating science education with innovative research space and an
interactive museum, the vision
was to bring science to life by
putting active research on display
and encouraging interactions
between scientists and visitors.
The design encourages visitors
to explore science in new ways.

CATEGORY 4: NEW BUILDINGS OVER $200 MILLION

W Hotel Tower New Stanford Hospital

Bellevue, WA | Cary Kopczynski & Company
The 41-story W Hotel Tower caters to every
need. The structure incorporates North
America’s largest use of a seismic design inno-
vation recently pioneered by the Engineer of
Record. The combined success of the archi-
tecture and structure makes the W Hotel
Tower an outstanding example of contem-
porary building design and construction.
Palo Alto, CA | Nabih Youssef & Associates
The base-isolated New Stanford
Hospital represents the latest in
seismic resiliency technology, one
of the first to use Triple Friction
Pendulum isolation bearings.
A base-isolated steel moment
Courtesy of Bruce Damonte
frame structure was designed for
Functional Recovery performance following a major seismic event.

20 STRUCTURE magazine
 CATEGORY 5: NEW BRIDGES OR TRANSPORTATION STRUCTURES

707 Fifth - Manulife Place Pedestrian Bridge
Calgary, Canada | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
707 Fifth – Manulife Place Pedestrian Bridge’s elegant
structural system, known as a suspended lenticular truss, improves
connectivity within the down-
town core. The new link provides
a seamless connection to adja-
cent buildings while managing
subgrade conditions, installation
sequences, and non-structural
Courtesy of Tom Harris coordination.
LaGuardia Airport Pedestrian Bridge B
East Elmhurst, NY | HOK
Relying on concourse islands to increase efficiency and trim years
off the construction schedule, and using cutting-edge parametric
optimization, 450-foot-long
bridge trusses were proposed that
surpassed vibration requirements.
Construction-staging strategies
minimized cost and facilitated
erection with precise deflection
predictions.

CATEGORY 6: FORENSIC / RENOVATION / RETROFIT / REHABILITATION STRUCTURES < $20 MILLION

First Unitarian Society Meeting House Napa County Historic Courthouse

Madison, WI | Pierce Engineers
The under-designed center-hinged arches of this National Historic
Landmark settled significantly
over the years. Pierce Engineers
designed a pretensioned cold-
formed/steel hybrid truss that
could be installed to take load off
failing trusses without the use of
shoring to transfer load.
Napa, CA | ZFA Structural Engineers
The jail portion of the Napa County Historic Courthouse was
demolished in 1977. A new
Administrative Annex was built
as infill between the remain-
ing Courthouse and the Hall
of Records buildings to create a
single-occupancy space between
the three separate structures.

28 Liberty Street
New York, NY | Shmerykowsky Consulting Engineers
Renovation of the sub-cellar floors included a new inter-floor escalator opening connecting five floors.
This involved the simultaneous removal of two axially-loaded floor framing members on two levels
and the redistribution of their axial loads via a new double truss system.

CATEGORY 7: FORENSIC / RENOVATION / RETROFIT / REHABILITATION STRUCTURES > $20 MILLION

Yotel Stanley A. Milner Library Renewal

San Francisco, CA | Holmes Structures
Yotel San Francisco, a survivor of the great 1906 and Loma
Prieta earthquakes, required a
full seismic retrofit. Engineering
challenges included designing to
high forces, strengthening the
frail existing structure within
tight spaces, and rising to unfore-
Courtesy of BAR Achitects seen construction challenges.
Edmonton, Canada | Fast + Epp
The transformation of the existing monolithic concrete façade was
accomplished through a complex
truss system that cantilevered
from the existing structure to
transform the building’s shape.
Other features included a new
lateral system, a reading ramp,
and enhanced open spaces.

CATEGORY 8: OTHER STRUCTURES

Coastal Wall at Northwestern University
Evanston, IL | SmithGroup
Northwestern University’s Ryan Fieldhouse and Walter Athletics Center
required an innovative solution. To
maximize available land, the team
created “virtual” land by cantilever-
ing the building to Lake Michigan’s
edge. SmithGroup designed a
curved coastal wall to withstand
dynamic waterfront conditions.
Cayton Children's Museum Courage Climber
Santa Monica, CA | Holmes Structures
To evaluate the complex geometric shape of this 1,500-square-foot
tensile structure, a parametric
form-finding tool was utilized
to assess the distribution of loads
with the use of a non-linear mesh
of cable elements. The building’s
roof was also strengthened to
Courtesy of Paul Vu
accommodate the climbers.

DECEMBER 2020 21
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General Contractor: Reid & DeLeye Contractors Ltd

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 TRANSFORMING
a Vacant Jail Into a
Class A Office Building
By Mark Forman, S.E., Brandon Horton, S.E., and Diana Gonzalez, EIT

F ormerly the Madison Street Jail, constructed in 1985, the

225 W. Madison project in Phoenix provided an opportunity to
resurrect a decommissioned jail facility and re-purpose it through adap-
tive re-use as a Class A office building. Maricopa County, the facility
owner, chose to re-use and adapt the existing building, resulting in
approximately $70M in savings. The 278,775-square-foot building
project completely transformed the jail into an open workspace. This
was accomplished by enhancing the structural integrity of the original
cast-in-place concrete structure, which also serves as the exterior skin.
DLR Group provided planning, architecture, structural engineering,
MEP engineering, interiors, and construction administration services.
The design challenge was to transform a secure, closed, and fortified
structure designed to separate individuals from society and completely
reinvent it as an open, welcoming workspace with daylight and views.
Project overview before (top leftt) and after (bottom) – Adaptive reuse
Other firms assessed the building, and the recommendation was to at 225 W. Madison, formerly Madison Street Jail in Phoenix, AZ.
“tear it down.” Instead, DLR Group took a more creative approach…
reuse! By not tearing the space down, the project reused 2.1 million reinforcement and floor height adjustment allows office workers to
pounds of steel and saved 65 million extra pounds of concrete (16,633 view the city out their window while sitting at their desks. These two
cubic yards) from being sent to the landfill. concepts were critical to making this project feasible and saving the
The structural team was tasked with designing the rehabilitation building from the wrecking ball.
of the Madison Street Jail into an office building. The re-designed Maricopa County attorneys needed access from the adjacent South
building offers modern offices with panoramic views, a bridge to Courts Tower to the adjacent courthouse. A pedestrian walkway bridge
connect to the adjacent courthouse, and an outdoor rooftop garden that connected the two buildings was necessary. County attorneys no
located on the 5th floor, transforming the 34-year-old building into longer have to walk blocks from leased offices to the courthouse. The
something that brings “a breath of fresh air” to the area. new pedestrian bridge will connect 225 W. Madison with the Superior
What drove the creativity of the structural engineering team was Courts Complex at the court level, not only saving time and money
the desire for an integrated, highly useful, open space for Maricopa but improving staff security. An elevation change between buildings
County. From a code perspective, the project changed the occupancy required a built-up, sloped concrete detail. The structural systems of
use of the building, which in turn required evaluating the loading each building required a series of expansion joints to act independently
for the new occupancy. and avoid adding lateral load to the new building or the South Courts
Since the mezzanine was demolished and cell walls, beams, and slab Tower. The slab-on-metal deck was stepped across an expansion joint.
were removed, this left unbraced columns in the A concrete slab over geofoam created the sloped
open space. The design analysis involved recreat- walkway. Part of the bridge is on top of an exist-
ing the entire structure of the existing building ing pedestrian walkway. Inside the South Courts
in analytical models, ensuring each beam and Tower, an atrium opening was infilled to provide
column was strong enough to handle the new a landing and walkway from the new bridge.
loads. All columns, beams, and slabs that did Carbon fiber wrapped beams, columns, and
not meet the load requirements were reinforced slabs were used to meet structural require-
with carbon fiber or traditional steel methods. ments. The carbon fiber reinforced polymer
The existing building had 6-inch-high slit wrap improved the existing strength of the
windows at a sill height of 7½ feet that provided cast-in-place concrete members. One of the
no views and very little natural light. This chal- specific challenges for the design occurred when
lenge was solved by opening-up the concrete a column needed to be reinforced but was locked
spandrel panels to 2½ feet high throughout in by an exterior wall. To accomplish a full wrap
the complete perimeter of the building. That for force transfer and adequate reinforcement,
was just the first step to bring in the light. embedded ties were used to anchor through the
Since this would leave the window height too wall and connect to more carbon fiber wrap on
high to be useful to look out (5½ feet), a two- the other side. This allowed for full reinforce-
foot-high access floor was installed. This dual Carbon fiber polymer wrap used in shear and ment even though the column section was not
approach of window height adjustment with moment reinforcing applications. clear or open all the way around.
continued on next page
DECEMBER 2020 23
 Old inmate recreation yard re-purposed to a rooftop garden. Implemented carbon reinforcement and traditional steel reinforcement methods to
accommodate load that is double the existing design.

The carbon fiber was less labor-intensive than traditional steel rein-
forcement methods. Although traditional steel reinforcement methods
were used, a large percentage of reinforcement was achieved by carbon
fiber. DLR Group used special carbon fiber reinforcement at concrete
beam-to-column connections. The reinforcement was used to increase
the moment capacity of the connection. Special carbon fibers were
bonded together and adhesive-anchored into the column, and then
splayed about the top of the concrete beam where they were attached
more conventionally.
The old interior stairs were removed to utilize the entire interior
floor space for usable square footage. The most prominent exterior
feature is the exterior steel braced framed stair towers. The towers
are supported by a concrete retaining wall and include piers and mat
foundation on deep drilled shafts.
The heaviest load in the new occupancy of the building is a rooftop
garden consisting of planter areas, large trees, and built-up soil. Previously,
this was only a lightly-used inmate recreational area. The increased load dif-
ference between these two occupancies required steel beam reinforcement
to shorten the span of the existing slab, as well as carbon fiber reinforce-
ment for some of the slabs and the columns below the rooftop level.
The highest form of true sustainability is to re-purpose an existing
facility. The Madison Street Adaptive Reuse project is evi-
dence of the environmental and societal benefits creativity
and structural ingenuity can provide.■
The Project Team for this article is included in the online article.
All authors are with the DLR Group in Phoenix, AZ.
Mark Forman is a Project Manager. (mforman@dlrgroup.com)
Brandon Horton is a Project Engineer. (bhorton@dlrgroup.com)
Diana Gonzalez is an EIT. (dgonzalez@dlrgroup.com)

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 NCSEANCSEA News
National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
NCSEA Past President Susan A. Jorgensen: Remembered for
Her Dedication to SE Licensure and Her Infectious Smile
NCSEA Past President Susan (Susie) A. Jorgensen, P.E., SECB. F.SEI, F.ASCE, passed away
Saturday, November 14, 2020. Susie served on the NCSEA Board of Directors from 2014
to 2020, assuming the President role from January to April 2020. At the state level, Susie
helped establish the Structural Engineers Association of Nebraska (SEAON) and served as
its president, in addition to serving as a director of the Structural Engineers Association of
Colorado (SEAC). Susie was a past-chair of the NCSEA Structural Licensure Committee
and advocated and supported structural engineering licensure while serving as chair on the
Structural Engineering Licensure Coalition (SELC). In 2014, NCSEA honored Susie with
the NCSEA Service Award for her work for the betterment of NCSEA to a degree that is
beyond the norm of volunteerism, and for making a clear and indisputable contribution
to the organization and therefore to the profession.
“Susie served as my quiet confidant and advocate,” said current NCSEA President
Emily Guglielmo. “Her leadership and vision will guide NCSEA leaders for decades
to come. We will honor her by carrying on her legacy of licensure, leadership, and
passion for structural engineering.”
Susie had 30 years of professional experience and held professional registrations
in 18 states. At the time of her passing, she was the Quality Control Manager
for Studio NYL in Boulder, CO, and a Senior Structural Engineer for Integral
Engineering in Centennial, CO. Prior to these roles, Susie was President
of Prairie Smoke Engineering, LLC, in Highlands Ranch, CO, and Senior Susie in 2019 with fellow BOD members: Jon Schmidt,
Structural Project Engineer, Vice President, Managing Principal, and Director Emily Guglielmo, Bill Warren, Stephanie Young,
Ed Quesenberry, Rick Boggs
of Operations for the Denver office of Leo A. Daly. She had gained structural
engineering design experience working with consulting firms in Colorado, North Dakota, and South Dakota after earning
her degree from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.
Susie’s passion for the profession came from a young age as she was introduced to civil engineering by her mother and to her alma
mater through her uncle. She owed her involvement in the profession to the encouragement she received from friends and family,
and believed that encouragement and support needed to be passed on to younger people in order to grow the profession further.
Susie was a vocal advocate for structural engineering licensure and the value that structural engineers provided to the world.
“It was a joy to serve NCSEA with Susie over the years, first on the Structural Licensure
Committee and then later on the Board of Directors,” said current NCSEA Past President
Jon Schmidt. “She was a tireless leader and a good friend, a blessing to me and to all
who knew her.”
In her down time, Susie enjoyed cooking with her husband (who is also a professional
engineer and geologist), quilting, and spending time with her family. Susie was loved
and respected by many and will be remembered for her tremendous dedication to the
Susie with her husband, Steve. industry, her infectious smile, and her affinity to cut a rug on the dance floor.

Resources to Improve Racial Equity in the Profession

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. NCSEA partnered with a strategic diversity and inclusion practitioner to develop a series of webinars
that introduced attendees to diversity, equity, inclusion, and discussed ways to begin developing multicultural organizations via inclusive
policies, programs, and practices. To further impact these efforts, SE3 has developed a library of resources with regards to engagement and
equity within the structural engineering profession. Each month, the committee curates a series of articles, audio-visual and digital media
to facilitate self-education in matters that affect our professional practice as structural engineers. These resources are available for you at
www.ncsea.com/resources/dei.
28 STRUCTURE magazine
 News from the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations

Congratulations to the 2020 Young Member Summit Scholarship Winners!

Each year, NCSEA awards Young Member Scholarships for the Structural Engineering Summit. Applicants submit an essay
(or video) answering one of three prompts. The best submissions are chosen and awarded complimentary registration to the
Summit. Congratulations to this year's recipients who all attended the 2020 Virtual Summit. Visit www.ncsea.com to read
the essays that sent them there!

Danny Preut John Gervais

Danny Preut is a member of SEAONC, John Gervais is a member of MNSEA,
and an Engineer-in-Training II with and a Structural Engineer at Ericksen
Martin/Martin Consulting Engineers in Roed & Associates in Saint Paul,
Larkspur, California. Minnesota.

Pricilla Nguyen Richard Kirchner

Pricilla Nguyen is a member of Richard Kirchner is a member of
SEAONC, and a Design Engineer at MNSEA, and a Structural Design
Degenkolb Engineers in Emeryville, Engineer, EIT, at BKBM Engineers in
California. Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Young Member Group of the Year Announced

Congratulations to the Young Member Group of the Minnesota Structural Engineers Association (MNSEA) for being named
the 2020 Young Member Group of the Year! The Young Member Group of the Year was announced at the YMGSC's Virtual
Reception, where they also honored the YMG of the Year finalists and the scholarship winners. Young Member Groups from
five SEAs were named finalists before the winner was chosen. The runners-up were the: Structural Engineers Association of
Northern California (SEAONC), Structural Engineers Association of Georgia (SEAOG), Structural Engineers Association
of Illinois (SEAOI), and Structural Engineers Association of Massachusetts (SEAMass). These groups were honored for
providing a benefit to their young members, member organization, and communities.
Visit www.ncsea.com to read more about the successes of this year's YMG of the Year Winner and finalists!

NCSEA Adds Support to AISC's Student Bridge Competition

AISC's Student Steel Bridge Competition is an annual competition that challenges student teams to develop a scale-model steel bridge. The
teams determine how to fabricate a bridge and then plan for an efficient assembly under timed construction at the competition. The bridge
must span approximately 20 feet, carry 2,500 pounds, and meet all other specifications of the competition rules.
Students may have questions about how to put together a written report and how to best convey the important information about the design
and construction sequence of their bridge project. Teams also might need technical assistance with their design. This is where NCSEA comes
in. As a supporting affiliate of the Student Steel Bridge Competition, NCSEA will assist by pairing our members, practicing structural engi-
neers, with student teams to provide mentorship and guidance. If you are interested in supporting a student team, email lbaran@ncsea.com.

NCSEA Webinars Register by visiting www.ncsea.com.

December 10, 2020 December 15, 2020
Retrofitting of Existing Buildings Sustainable Structural Design:
with Steel Joists Strategies That Can Make a Big Impact
Bruce Brothersen, P.E., S.E., and Walter Worthley, Jr., P.E. Erik Kneer, S.E., LEED AP BD+C, and Megan Stringer, S.E., LEED AP BD+C

Courses award 1.5 hours of Diamond Review-approved continuing education after the completion of a quiz.

DECEMBER 2020 29
 SEI Update
Learning / Networking
NEW Free Download: Performance-Based Structural
Fire Design: Exemplar Designs of Four Regionally Diverse
Buildings using ASCE 7-16, Appendix E
SEI/ASCE received an exclusive $230,000 research grant from the Charles Pankow Foundation to develop
and publish the state-of-the-art exemplar procedural guidance to properly execute a performance-based
structural fire design (PBSFD), complying with the nationally adopted standard Minimum Design Loads
and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, ASCE 7-16, Appendix E – Performance Based
Design Procedures for Fire Effects on Structures, with guidance contained in Structural Fire Engineering,
Manual of Practice 138. Performance-Based Structural Fire Design includes the analysis of four regionally
diverse, protected, steel-framed building designs by design teams from four leading structural engineer-
ing firms: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH), Magnusson Klemencic Associates (MKA), Thornton
Tomasetti (TT), and Walter P Moore (WPM). The design teams worked closely with a panel of aca-
demic advisors from four institutions: University at Buffalo, Oregon State University, Johns Hopkins
University, and University College London (previously with the University of Maryland).
Part I includes an overview of the methodology, a description of the project’s design procedures, and
summaries of each design team’s analyses, results, and conclusions. Part II includes four design team
reports that further document and detail the evaluation of the design scenarios.
These exemplar designs demonstrate the most significant benefit of PBSFD, which is its explicit process to confirm structural system per-
formance under fire exposure. This is a valuable resource for new building project stakeholders, including building officials, fire marshals,
or the appropriate Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for final approval.
The project would not have been possible without the financial support to the Charles Pankow Foundation from the following project spon-
sors: AISC, ASCE Industry Leaders Council, ArcelorMittal, and MKA Foundation. Access from www.ascelibrary.org, www.asce.org/SEI,
and the Charles Pankow Foundation.

SEI Virtual Events

www.asce.org/SEI/virtual-events
Join the discussion with leaders on
Performance-Based Design
Civil Engineering Source is your one-stop destination bringing together industry news, #SEILive on YouTube – Wednesday, December 2,
career and management articles, Society news, job postings, and practitioner-focused
technical updates. 12:30 pm US ET https://rb.gy/1ncb0j

Looking for a smarter news brief? Get the personalized news YOU need!

Our new AI-driven smart newsletter, Civil Engineering Source, delivers an individualized
news brief to your mailbox five days a week. Content is customized to your interests as
the AI-engine learns your preferences. Sign up today for your free subscription at
source.asce.org/subscribe.

Find us online at source.asce.org.

#ASCESource

Errata SEI Standards Supplements and Errata including ASCE 7. See www.asce.org/SEI-Errata.
If you would like to submit errata, contact Kelly Dooley at kdooley@asce.org.

30 STRUCTURE magazine
 News of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE

Advancing the Profession

Welcome to the SEI Futures Fund Board
Linda M. Kaplan, P.E., M.ASCE, is excited to join the SEI Futures Fund Board and continue to serve the
Structural Engineering Community. Linda’s first interaction with the Futures Fund was in 2012 when she
attended SEI Structures Congress in Chicago as one of the first Young Professional Scholarship winners. This
opportunity launched her ongoing involvement with SEI and many friendships. She is looking forward to
helping the Futures Fund advance their strategic initiatives, particularly through activities that promote and
support young professional and student engagement. Just as the Futures Fund helped her get involved, she
hopes to help more young professionals grow their careers and challenges the structural engineering community
to seek these opportunities.
Over the past ten years, Linda has been involved with SEI in many ways. She first got involved nationally when
Structures Congress was being planned in Pittsburgh, as the chair of Younger Member Activities for the conference.
Linda is a Past Chair of the SEI Young Professionals Committee, Past Chair of the Aesthetics
in Design Committee, and Current Chair of the Steel Bridge Committee. She also serves as
one of SEI’s representatives on the STRUCTURE magazine Editorial Board. Linda is a Past
Chair of the Pittsburgh Chapter and has remained on the local board since 2010.
Linda is a project engineer with Pennoni, working in Pittsburgh, PA. She specializes in
transportation structures, with experience designing highway, rail, and pedestrian bridges.
Linda has a Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (2007) and a
Master’s in Structural Engineering from Lehigh University (2010). She is co-author of the
book, Bridges... Pittsburgh at the Point... A Journey Through History.
Give to the SEI Futures Fund to support and invest in the future of structural engineering. www.asce.org/SEIFuturesFund

Membership
Thank you to 2020 SEI Sustaining Organization Members
Alfred Benesch & Company – Elite Member Boswell Engineering Simpson Strong-Tie
International Code Council Walter P Moore
Schnabel Foundation Company

Join SEI as a Sustaining Organization Member to reach SEI members year-round, and show your support for SEI to advance and serve
the structural engineering profession. www.asce.org/SEI

Order Your Bridges 2021 Calendar today!

Bridges 2021 celebrates the awesome combination of art and architecture that is the cornerstone of great
engineering. These civil engineering masterpieces inspire photographers, too! Every photo in the calendar was
selected from entries to ASCE’s Bridges Photo Contest, and all winning photographers are identified.
$13.95 | 2 for $20 + shipping/handling https://bit.ly/38ofLM9

SEI Online

SEI News Read the latest at www.asce.org/SEINews

SEI Standards Visit www.asce.org/SEIStandards to view ASCE 7 development cycle
D E C E M B E R 2 02 0 31
 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 several tools available for firms to enhance their internal policies and procedures – from office policy guides to employee reviews.
Tool 1-1 Create a Culture for Managing Risks and Preventing Claims Tool 5-2 Milestone Checklist for Young Engineers
Tool 1-2 Developing a Culture of Quality Tool 5-3 Managing the Use of Computers and Software
Tool 1-3 Sample Policy Guide Tool 5-5 Project Management Training
Tool 5-6 Lessons Learned
Tool 2-2 Interview Guide and Template
Tool 2-3 Employee Evaluation Templates
Tool 2-5 Insurance Management
Tool 2-6 Structural Engineering Job Descriptions

Tool 3-2 Staffing and Revenue Projection

Tool 3-5 Staffing Schedule Suite

Tool 4-3 Sample Correspondence Guidelines

CASE Popular Guideline Updated!!

CASE 962-D: A Guideline Addressing Coordination and Completeness of Structural Construction Documents
CASE has released a comprehensive update to its popular Guideline Addressing Coordination and Completeness of Structural Construction
Documents. The guideline will assist the structural engineer of record (SER) and everyone involved with building design and construction in
improving the process by which the owner is provided with a successfully completed project. Their intent is to help the practicing structural
engineer understand the importance of preparing coordinated and complete construction documents and to provide guidance and direction
toward achieving that goal.
This guideline focuses on the degree of completeness required in the structural construction documents (Documents) to achieve a “suc-
cessfully completed project” and on the communication and coordination required to reach that goal. They do not attempt to encompass
the details of engineering design; instead, they provide a framework for the SER to develop a quality management process.
The coordination and completeness of Documents vary substantially within the structural engineering profession and among the various
professional disciplines comprising the design team. The SER’s goal should be meeting both the owner’s and the contractor’s needs by pro-
ducing a complete and coordinated set of Documents. Owners and contractors generally understand that some changes will occur because
they realize that no set of Documents is perfect. The SER must focus on completeness, coordination, constructability, and reducing errors
to minimize potential changes.
An overall comprehensive update was done to the document to keep up with best business practices and current industry standards.

You can purchase these and the other Risk Management Tools at www.acec.org/bookstore.

And the Scholarship Winner Is…

The CASE scholarship, administered by the ACEC College of Fellows, is awarded every year to
a deserving student seeking a master’s degree in an ABET-accredited engineering program. Since
2010, the CASE Scholarship program has given over $34,000 to engineering students to help
pave their way to a bright future in structural engineering. CASE strives to attract the best and
brightest to the structural engineering profession, and academic support is the best way to ensure
our profession’s future.
The 2020 winner, Amanda Kalab, will graduate in May 2021 with a Master’s degree in Civil
Engineering, with an emphasis on Structural Engineering, from Washington State University. She
was honored at the recent ACEC Virtual Fall Conference and will be honored locally through
ACEC/Washington.

32 STRUCTURE magazine
 News of the Coalition of American Structural Engineers
Structural Engineers Weigh-in!
During the recent ACEC Virtual Fall Conference held over October 28-30,
CASE hosted a structural engineering roundtable that convened people from
firms around the country. Participants tackled issues facing the industry,
such as what role SEs play in creating fabrication drawings, ethical and risk
implications of off-shore work, and dealing with short and long-term outlooks
during the pandemic.
Participants talked about the need for firms to make a conscious decision to get
into this area and have experienced personnel. A firm just having the software
is likely not enough, and the firm should have a robust QA/QC program. In
terms of off-shoring work, several firms say they have had moderate success
with this. However, some only do it for BIM modeling, not for engineering,
since they cannot find local talent that can do the work. Firms with offices
overseas that have this work run it out of those offices and treat it like a regular
office with a full staff. And some firms outsource work to former employees
who have re-located elsewhere. All agreed that it is best to get multiple refer-
ences when trying to choose a firm to outsource to and deciding what sort of
work will be outsourced.
In looking at short/long-term outlooks, participants agreed on the “cultural bank” withdrawal being done and that it will need to be
replenished. Several firms’ commented that it would be sometime in 2021 before all offices are back to near-normal employee levels. Others
commented that they may not ever go back to 100% in the office all the time but may schedule some “mandatory” days in the office with
the rest being at home. Many agreed on the challenges mentoring and collaborating with staff have been, while a few noted that they were
re-writing policies on working at home. In terms of expenses, many said that areas like travel and entertainment within their budgets had
been reallocated to more technology resources for employees to continue being remote.
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tional training on how to facilitate that with more ease.
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DECEMBER 2020 33

How Much Respect is Enough?
By David L. Pierson, S.E.
I am a structural engineer and quite happy
with who I am. Call me a simple guy. I
grew up in a small town, and I was happy.
I went to public schools, played little league
baseball, and learned the value of hard work
from a dad with a solid work ethic. It was
not until much later in life that I learned
my family lived well below the government’s
established “poverty line.” Nobody told me,
so I did not know we were poor. I did not
know I was supposed to be miserable.
Now here I am working at a job I really love.
It is only when I read articles in engineer-
ing magazines or when I listen to speakers
at engineering conferences that I learn that
I am not adequately respected and that I am
not sufficiently compensated for what I do.
When I hear someone say that Structural
Engineers do not get the respect we deserve, I
wonder what exactly that means. The statement
implies that there is a proper amount of respect
that we should have. Who established that
benchmark for “adequate respect,” and how
does someone know if the benchmark is or is
not being met? In our society, there is a perni-
cious virus that is attacking the fabric that holds
us together, what some call the “Entitlement
Mentality.” Every time we decide that we are
entitled to anything beyond that which we are
willing to work for and earn, we promote the
growth of this virus. So, are we saying that we
are “Entitled” to more respect? Or ought we
to simply earn it, as we expect others to earn
it? Robert Herjavec (of “Shark Tank” fame)
stated it well to an entrepreneur seeking his
investment, “Here’s the truth about life. You
don’t get what you think you deserve – you
get what you earn.”
One of the common ideas I hear bantered
about is the concept that Structural Engineers
save lives – as if this needs to be recognized by
society so that others will respect us more. I sup-
pose that this idea may help some engineers feel
better about themselves, but what does it really
mean? The reality is – we do not save lives in
the same way that Doctors save lives. The way
we save lives is much more akin to how a Truck
Driver or a Farmer saves lives. Without food, I
would die, and much of the food I need comes
from farmers, delivered to the grocery store
by truck drivers. Farmers and Truck Drivers
each provide vital services for our economy,
and if they do not do their jobs correctly, people
could die. Ditto for Structural Engineers. But
34 STRUCTURE magazine
structural FORUM
“
Love of Structural Engineering, not fame or
wealth, should be your motivation for choosing
this profession for your career. Once that choice
is made, go earn your fame and wealth.
an average engineer makes quite a bit more than
an average farmer or truck driver.
Which brings me to the most often heard
topic of discussion at professional society meet-
ings – the inadequacy of compensation for
Structural Engineers. And then I see some
of these same individuals and organizations
out lobbying youth to choose engineering as
a profession. The first question is this – who
gets to say what the “Right” compensation is
for Structural Engineers? If you do not think
the free market ought to decide, you probably
should not practice in the United States. And if
you believe that the free market and capitalism
are the best way for our services to be valued,
then why in the world would you lament that
fewer students are choosing engineering as a
profession. Basic Economics was part of the
core curriculum for us in college, correct? Is
the Law of Supply and Demand not suffi-
ciently clear? I know this – when I graduated
from USU, I could have commanded a much
higher salary had I been the only graduate that
year. And some of my smart peers who chose
Accounting or Computer Science may have
become Engineers instead.
One positive thing I see happening at the
national level of our Engineering Organizations
is the push to raise the barriers to entry into
our profession. The push for more education
requirements is a straightforward way to keep
less-qualified people from becoming licensed
engineers. Unfortunately, at the same time,
there is a movement in some states to remove
professional licensing requirements, which
would be a step backward for the engineering
profession in the United States.
Ironically, I did just learn some very interest-
ing things about Switzerland and Structural
Engineering. During a discussion with an
Engineering Professor from Switzerland, I
asked how hard it was to get licensed as a
Structural Engineer in his country. He told
me that in many areas of Switzerland, they
do not have licensing. Stunned, I asked what
qualifications were required by the Building
Department when applying for a building
permit. He said little to none. Sometimes
you must show evidence of a degree from a
recognized school of Engineering, but often
that is all they want. He thought it was strange
that we would rely on the government to regulate
this. He said several times, “In Switzerland,
engineers have the responsibility to do what is
right. They have the right to do engineering,
and with that right comes the responsibility
to only do what they are qualified to do.”
It seems that, in Switzerland, engineering
practice is based substantially on reputation
and honor. Owners and Constructors only
hire engineers they trust and, therefore, the
Design Professionals essentially self-regulate.
It seems they embody ethical standards similar
to those we espouse – but like the ancient
Hebrews, their word is their bond.
It sounds like the engineers in Switzerland
have earned quite a bit of respect.
I wish I lived in a country where that worked,
but our culture is obviously much different
from Switzerland. I would not advocate for
no governmental licensing in the U.S.
As I tell my students, “Stiffness Attracts Force.”
That, of course, is vitally important but irrel-
evant to this article. I also tell them, “Love of
Structural Engineering, not fame or wealth,
should be your motivation for choosing this
profession for your career. Once that
choice is made, go earn your fame and
wealth.” Auf Wiedersehen■
David Pierson is a Vice President at ARW
Engineers in Ogden, Utah. He is also an
Adjunct Professor at Utah State University.
(davep@arwengineers.com)
DECEMBER 2020
STRUCTURE
DECEMBER 2020
Bonus Content
 IN FOCUS
Staying Engaged and Effective While
Working Remotely – Part 1
By STRUCTURE’s Editorial Board Members

The article represents a collaborative effort by

members of the STRUCTURE magazine Editorial
Board. Text enclosed in quotes denotes personal
experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

O ver the past nine months, the engi-

neer position has transitioned to a
primarily remote-work model as firms have
responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. As
staff juggle family risk factors and dependent
obligations, the remote-work model adapts
to workers’ needs and lessons learned. Many
firms had already integrated some degree of remote work to support work/life balance and family needs; the firms and
individuals that took advantage of this previous experience were better positioned to expand to a 24/7/365 proposition.

For those that had always worked in a traditional office environment,
the transition was a leap into the abyss. Most engineers probably had
a few thoughts and expectations of what it would be like to work
remotely for a few weeks, or a month at the longest, during the
“flattening of the curve” phase but, for the most part, perceived it as
a temporary inconvenience. However, as health officials nationwide
started worrying about second waves, spikes, and spreads, what started
as a temporary option morphed into a situation with no specific end
in sight and one that required more thought-out plans.
The Editorial Board wanted to share some lessons learned from the
current situation and to provide a few ideas for making firms more
resilient and adaptive when all or most staff is working remotely.
While we hope not to have another pandemic anytime soon, other
situations, social pressures, or local needs may make some form of
remote work a more permanent arrangement in the future.
Regardless of personal or political beliefs and circumstances, good
engineers grow and adapt. Learning how to stay engaged and effective
while working remotely, should it be necessary, is critical to personal
success and firm success. We hope you find our observations helpful.
Please send a message to the Editorial Board if you have any additional
lessons to share with our readers.
Logistics
Engineering is a business; whether staff is working in an office or
working from home, the business needs to find work, execute that
work, and get paid. The success of an office is dependent on all
three of these activities working efficiently and cohesively. Before the
COVID-19 lockdown, most of these activities were performed in
the office where managers, engineers, and administration staff could

REGARDLESS OF PERSONAL OR POLITICAL

BELIEFS AND CIRCUMSTANCES, GOOD
ENGINEERS GROW AND ADAPT.
STRUCTURE magazine
 LEARNING HOW TO STAY ENGAGED AND EFFECTIVE WHILE
WORKING REMOTELY, SHOULD IT BE NECESSARY, IS
CRITICAL TO PERSONAL SUCCESS AND FIRM SUCCESS.
collaborate and communicate face-to-face and quickly
resolve issues. “It is more difficult doing so remotely
because the three groups are working in ‘silos,’ and
important issues can get neglected.”
Most offices have an established reputation and busi-
ness profile that clients recognize and align with their
needs. Clients expect to contact their engineers as
easily as before and to have their needs met in the same
manner. Maintaining this profile in the work-from-
home environment is critical to assure clients that they
can rely on the same quality of service and innovation
they have always received from their engineer of choice.
There may be an additional level of disconnect if your
client is accustomed to calling the main office number
and hearing the voice of a well-known receptionist. When the office
building is closed, that may not happen, either because the position is
not as available as before or calls are not forwarded to the receptionist
but are redirected to the engineer. Businesses should discuss options
with the receptionist and/or office phone service provider. It would
be optimal if, when the office number is called, it transfers to the
receptionist wherever they are working from during regular business
hours. Make sure that the receptionist can effectively and efficiently
transfer calls as they always have done.
It seems like most engineering offices now have their staff working
from home, except for essential activities like servicing IT equipment
and picking up the mail. In many cases, a few workers go to the office
to perform these functions. It is equitable to seek volunteers for this
assignment and respect that staff can have concerns or fears that they
will be exposed to the virus. It is important that a system is developed
to get mail to the person who needs it. It is not uncommon to see
a massive pile of mail – magazines, letters with bills and payments,
etc. – piled up on a table and left undistributed.
Management
Maintaining company culture is critical. Each firm has its own
way of operating, communicating with clients, communicating
internally, performing work, learning, celebrating successes, and
handling challenges and difficulties. These unique attributes are
what makes the firm what it is and distinguishes it from other firms.
Since working remotely is something that most managers have not
been trained to do, it takes a lot of learning, experimentation, and
flexibility to maintain the culture as best you can.
Engineers are trained to solve problems, and they function best
as part of an organization that works closely together to achieve an
optimal outcome. “One of my engineering colleagues who married
a ballerina told me once that she appreciated her husband’s ability
to follow instructions, like discipline demanded in ballet.” Working
from home limits the natural sharing of instructions, feedback, and
collaboration that every engineer needs to succeed.
Management and senior staff should schedule regular meetings to
connect and walk through what their teams have been working on; this
is especially critical when working with younger or less experienced
engineers. “The frequency of meetings depends on individual projects
and the experience of team members. Experienced project managers
will appreciate hearing from every team member. Sometimes you
don’t know what you don’t know, so these meetings will uncover issues
that need discussing and create learning opportunities. Sometimes,
young engineers can be afraid to speak up. When they do proactively
contact their managers, take advantage of the opportunity.” Having a
set time to review tasks and planned approaches to the work provides
for feedback and clarification to avoid rework and frustration. The
process is a great learning experience for younger engineers and a sup-
port mechanism for all the staff involved who may feel disconnected.
Regular calls with the entire staff are also valuable for individuals
to report on their billable work and marketing and administrative
activities. “Urban Engineers of New York conducts daily calls at 8 am
each day, and each project manager is asked to give a report. When a
project manager is not available, the staff engineer is asked to report
on the work. This call provides a regular opportunity for staff to hear
about proposals, the status of projects, and administrative activities
like executing contracts, sending invoices, and collecting money. The
success of this call is astonishing. Urban Engineers has seen almost
100% participation in these daily check-ins over the last seven months.”
Some large, complex projects and proposals require extensive col-
laboration that is difficult to achieve when working from home.
“Team and Zoom meetings provide a platform for collaboration,
but the technology limits the exchange of information and ideas: it
is flat, 2-dimensional, and singular. Multi-discipline projects require
the coordination of several documents and references.” There can be
a distinct advantage in certain circumstances to strategically bring-
ing technical staff to work together in person. When this occurs, the
DECEMBER 2020 BONUS CONTENT
 office must be a safe space that adheres to CDC recommendations exacerbated in the current work-from-home paradigm (italic text in
and local health department mandates for COVID-19, including the bulleted list is from the 2016 article):
screening personnel, strict mask protocols, social distancing, proper • The study report noted, There is no doubt that for many people
ventilation and filtration, and aggressive cleaning. If done right, the in their thirties, the demands of work can be tough; some have
benefits should outweigh the risks. young children to care for, bosses to impress, clients to serve. Faced
with these many demands, they report having little control over
the way they work, the hours they work, and their capacity to
Staying in the Loop craft new ways of working. This puts stress on their families and
If you live in an area where your office can continue to operate much vitality. It is no surprise that they say they are more exhausted
as it did before COVID, and only specific personnel work from home than older workers. When working from home, those issues are
(e.g., self-quarantine, high-risk individuals, etc.), remember to keep spotlighted because frustrations and long hours are front-and-
them in the loop. “Out-of-sight, out-of-mind can hurt when they center for the family.
find out they were the only ones not to get the memo handed out • The financial literacy of younger workers, in general, is limited, so
in an impromptu meeting at the office, or they are the only ones on learning how to handle money and finances helps in the work-
a conference call not getting the joke about what happened in the place (proposals, contracts, negotiations, etc.)… Involving young
office last week. Working remotely necessarily brings some degree of engineers in the details of projects and business financials
isolation but feeling like an outsider in your own company should should not be overlooked when working remotely.
not be part of the bargain. Avoid making general statements that • When we look at long, productive lives, it is clear that…the
ostracize or belittle people who choose to work remotely. There are development of relationships and networks is crucial at any
still lots of unknowns, and their choice has to be respected.” stage…Those over the age of 50 are simply maintaining their
current network and failing to build new networks. As a result,
their networks will become increasingly homogenous and static.
Maintaining Learning During this pandemic, face-to-face interaction has been basi-
Continuous learning on the job is fundamental; creating opportu- cally halted. It can be difficult and daunting to create strong
nities to share information, either top-down or laterally between relationships and networks via email and video conferencing.
coworkers, is more difficult when work-
ing remotely. Older engineers can
probably remember important lessons
learned at work that happened spon-
taneously, in a casual conversation or
when eavesdropping, and turned out to
WHILE WORKING REMOTELY,
be more useful later in their careers than
knowledge gained in formal seminars
or lectures. Some things just seem to
IT IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE
“stick.” For the most part, young engi-
neers learn by doing and observing what RESPONSIBILITY TO REACH OUT
is going on around them, the kind of
over-the-shoulder learning that is typi-
cally unscheduled. They need the most TO COWORKERS TO MAINTAIN
attention of any group in the firm.
By now, most firms have probably fully
integrated one of the branded meeting
RELATIONSHIPS.
technologies. It is essential that older
engineers aggressively use real-time
screen sharing tools available in these
programs, to pull up plans, quickly sketch out concepts, and create However, younger engineers seem to be more productive with
interactive teaching moments with young engineers. Rather than networking, and doing it with technology may be easier for
send a marked-up set of drawings or an edited letter back to the them. This might be an opportunity for young engineers to
young engineers, senior staff should use screen-sharing technology train the older staff!
to create the same review and learning experience as would have It is important to make sure that remote interactions do not just
been experienced face-to-face in the office. “The back-and-forth focus on the immediate technical needs of a project. Regular con-
discussion is really key. Don’t be afraid to tell a few stories, since versations on broader topics and soft skills are just as important and
these can be valuable. You won’t even see the rolling of eyes and essential to employee engagement and development.
the here-he/she-goes-again look!”
In addition to maintaining technical education and development, it
is important to include soft skills as well. Lynda Gratton and Andrew
Relationships
Scott, both of the London Business School, published an article in According to the HR firm Paychex, Given the time spent together,
the Harvard Business Review (November 2016) titled What Younger it’s possible that the people you share an office with can become more
Workers Can Learn from Older Workers, and Vice Versa. Takeaways than just coworkers. These relationships formed through work can have
from their survey of over 10,000 people point to issues that may be a major impact on how satisfied people are in the workplace. They can

STRUCTURE magazine
also affect how comfortable employees feel coming into the office each
morning, how productive they are throughout the day, and how happy
they are in their chosen career. This camaraderie is impacted when
staff works remotely. In a survey of 1,011 full-time workers, Paychex
found that (italic text is from the survey report):
• Job satisfaction and willingness to ask coworkers for advice or help
on the job is positively correlated to the number of office friends.
• 70% of respondents felt that office friendships had a positive
impact on the work environment and strengthened the workplace
in terms of teamwork.
While working remotely, it is important to take responsibility to
reach out to coworkers to maintain relationships. “Simple efforts can
increase your sense of camaraderie with peers and how supported you
feel in your role. When appropriate, management should also seek
opportunities to facilitate virtual socialization among staff. Virtual
activities can include happy hours, trivia events, or other similar
activities that promote social engagement among staff. These social
events should not be mandated but offered for those staff seeking
such an outlet.” If local health rules permit, try getting together in
person in small groups just to say hello.
Relationships with clients are just as essential as those with cowork-
ers. “It is as important as ever to make sure your clients know you are
engaged and still have their interests and projects as priorities. Respond
to emails in a timely manner. Share your cell number with important
clients, even if you typically do not like them contacting you directly.”
Another alternative is to
have calls to your office
number forwarded to your
cell phone to maintain the
privacy of your cell phone
number. Conversely, it is
probably more acceptable
now than before to contact
clients on their cell phone
if permitted, even when it
is not critical or particularly
important. It is best to ask
them what they are com-
fortable with. “Don’t forget
to update your greeting to
include what you consider
‘work hours,’ so the caller
knows when to expect a
return call.”
Talent – Where Will We Live?
When thinking about working remotely, most people still think about
continuing to live in the firm’s geographic area. It has not been long
enough for people to consider selling their homes and moving far-
ther afield. But the natural question will eventually arise about really
working remotely, like in another state or country. Once a physical
link with the office is broken, what is the limit, or better yet, is there
a limit on where the staff lives?
“More progressive firms may find that they can retain
key staff by allowing them to locate around the country Watch for Part 2 of this series on working remotely in a future issue
or the world and take advantage of a 24-hour work- of STRUCTURE magazine. In the interim, please send your comments,
day and the consequent benefits.” Making site visits
or meeting in person with clients could be off the observations, and experiences to RemoteWork@STRUCTUREmag.org.
table. There could be substantial savings in salaries,
healthcare, and reduced office/rental expenses from a business per-
spective. Keep an open mind! Engineering will lead our society in
this new normal by discovering new ways to work and live, just as
this profession has done for other historical events and challenges.
The same goes for hiring. Most firms hire locally and recruit from
local universities unless they have the reputation and reach to go farther
afield. But if working remotely is acceptable, then maybe new hires
work remotely, opening recruiting to previously untapped sources.
Some serious thinking will be required about getting these remote
hires to be part of the team and take on the company culture, but it
will certainly be worth considering for the right hires.
Empathy
Management must understand the additional stress that staff is expe-
riencing and help them navigate the work-from-home situation.
Remember that an engineering firm is really nothing without its
people. Staff with children may need additional help since, besides
work, they are serving in the role of an assistant schoolteacher. Burnout
is real. Do not get caught blindsided by asking your staff generic ques-
tions like, “How are you doing?” Probe with more revealing questions
such as “What has been the biggest hurdle for you lately?” Offer help
by asking, “What can the business be doing to make your life easier
and less stressful?” Virtual happy hours may sound like a great idea
but, after a long day of work with considerable time spent on video
conferences during working hours, another hour on the computer
may seem more like work than fun.
Also, recognize the impact of pay reductions, due to furloughs and
other situations, on the lowest-paid employees who are also likely
to have the smallest financial resources. It is easy to forget that the
income and wealth accumulation of senior staff and management often
exceeds that of hourly staff and younger engineers just getting a start
in the industry. When speaking with staff, particularly hourly staff,
put yourself in their shoes. You might want to avoid talking about
the new car you bought, the home addition and kitchen remodel you
are considering, and leisure activities that the staff cannot partake
in because of time or financial restraints. Even in the best of times,
some people may not want to hear about your trip to your cabin in
Montana or a little R&R along the coast to clear your head, but in a
pandemic, think twice about these discussion topics.
Conclusion
COVID-19 has severely impacted the engineering profession.
Companies have lost work, employees have been laid off, and our
physical movements have been restricted. Some believe that corporate
performance has not been impacted, others disagree. Society may be
getting used to working-at-home, and voluntary remote-work options
may be deemed useful for some businesses in the future. Time will
reveal the impacts of the forced work-from-home model, good and bad.
Society will ultimately rebound, but our lives will be dif-
ferent. Until the verdict is in, we need to work remotely
as well as we can.■
DECEMBER 2020 BONUS CONTENT
 CASE business practices
Creating a Culture of Recruitment and Retention
By Jeff Morrison

R ecruitment and retention of new engi-

neering and technical staff are always
challenging for structural engineering firms,
and this challenge seems to be ever-increasing.
Millennials and Generation Z often place a
higher value on benefits related to company
culture, work environment, flexible working
hours, and work-life balance compared to
previous generations. By 2025, 75 percent
of the workforce will be Millennials and
Generation Z. A firm’s success now and in the
future will be closely tied to how well they can
meet the needs of these younger employees.
The downturn of the economy after the Great
Recession in 2008 drove both experienced
engineers and those who may have otherwise
entered the profession to other fields. Studies
have shown that this staffing issue is likely to
only become more challenging in the future.
Other technical/STEM fields that are more
popular in the mainstream culture are often
seen as more desirable. These companies are
constantly in front of the younger generation
considering their college majors and making
career choices. It is critically important for our
industry to share what we do with elementary,
middle, and high school students to interest
them in structural engineering as a rewarding
career choice.
The Millennials, generally those born between
1981 and 1996, and Generation Z, generally
those born between 1996 and 2012, are consid-
ered the first “digital natives,” with technology
and social media having always been a significant
part of their lives. They have been comfort-
able working with technology in many forms
BY 2025, %OF THE WORKFORCE 75
WILL BE MILLENNIALS AND GENERATION Z.
from an early age. These generations are also
considered creators, innovators, and entrepre-
neurs with strong opinions and a strong desire
to be heard and have a meaningful impact with
their employers. Creating opportunities for these
employees to feel open to making suggestions
and contributing to innovation will provide a
deeper level of engagement.
These issues greatly influence where these
employees want to work and how long they
ultimately stay. Those in company leadership
need to understand these different values and
mindsets to recruit and retain these younger
employees successfully. It is critically impor-
tant to a firm’s future and growth to be able
to recruit high-quality employees and to be
able to keep those employees for the long
term. We all understand that a very significant
investment of time and financial resources
are put into the training and development of
young engineers. As such, minimizing staff
turnover can significantly impact efficiency,
profitability, and a firm’s culture.
The initial hiring phase is crucial. Finding
the best fit for the company’s values, cul-
ture, and environment will provide the
highest likelihood of future success and
long-term happiness for both the employee
and employer. It is often beneficial to involve
multiple people and phases in the interview
process to best determine an individual’s fit
and be open and honest with the position’s
expectations. Often it is not fulfilling the
technical skills that proves to be most difficult
but instead finding the best fit based on office
culture, work environment, and expectations.
The Table is intended to highlight/brain-
storm ideas in several broad categories and use
it as a template in evaluating a firm’s current
benefits and methods used for the recruit-
ment and retention of employees. This can
be a starting point to decide which of these
benefits best fits a firm’s environment, culture,
current staff, and future employees. The list
focuses on benefits beyond the typical benefits
of salary, insurance, retirement, and profit-
sharing. These other benefits are often less
costly; however, they are greatly appreciated
by staff and serve to provide significant returns
on investment related to company
culture, work environment, and
building a team atmosphere.■
Jeff Morrison is Vice President and Senior
Project Manager with Lynch Mykins in Raleigh,
NC, and a CASE Toolkit Committee member.
(jmorrison@lynchmykins.com)

Table of potential “added benefits” for today’s firms.

WORK Modern, Open, and Unique Varying Work-Stations/Places Outdoor Spaces Lab/Modeling/Virtual Reality/Gaming
ENVIRONMENT Office to Work Within the Office Areas/Onsite Snacks/Food/Drinks

WORK-LIFE Flexible/Remote/Work from Flexible Hours Gym Memberships, Fitness/Health Unlimited/Liberal PTO Policy/Paid Family
BALANCE Home Options Coaching, Financial Planning Leave/Sabbatical Leave

COMPANY SPONSORED Regular Company Socials/ Team Building Activities Company Retreats/Vacations Charity/Volunteer Work, Sponsor Groups of
EVENTS Outings Interest to Employees

SOCIAL MEDIA/ Active Social Media Presence, Modern Website Up to Date Design Software/Tools Laptops/Tablets Provided to All Employees
INTERNET PRESENCE/ Involve All Staff in Posts
TECHNOLOGY
TEAM Tools for Collaboration Between Culture of Continuous Culture of Everyone Pitching in Frequent Professional Development
ATMOSPHERE Employees and Clients Coaching, Teaching, When Needed Opportunities, Company Sponsored Team
and Learning Sports (Softball, Basketball, Soccer…)

DIVERSITY Diversity Well Represented Within Accepting and Valuing Truly Open to New Ideas and Encourage/Seek Diversity in Hiring Practices
the Company at All Levels of All People Ways of Working and Thinking

STRUCTURE magazine DECEMBER 2020 BONUS CONTENT