SM12 2014 PDF

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AWARDS
A Joint Publication of NCSEA | CASE | SEI
STRUCTURE
NCSEA EXCELLENCE IN
December 2014 Soils & Foundations
CONTENTS
FEATURES
December 2014
Reaching New Heights

in Los Angeles
20
COLUMNS
By Gerard M. Nieblas, S.E.
Rising out of a 90-foot deep excavation in the earth, a new

high rise office/hotel building will dominate the skyline of
Los Angeles. Bounded by Wilshire Boulevard and Francisco
to the north, and 7th Street and Figueroa to the south, the
Wilshire Grand project takes up an entire city block.
7 Editorial
A Bold Vision: Educating
Tomorrows Leaders and
Innovators
By David J. Odeh, S.E., P.E., SECB
9 Structural Design
Subgrade Modulus Revisited
Shoring Up the Past,

New York City Style
25
By George Aristorenas, Ph.D., P.E.

and Jess Gmez, P.E., D.GE
16 Structural Rehabilitation
By Alan M. Rosa, P.E. and Stephen Lehigh
The design of temporary shoring for existing buildings

offers the engineer challenges on multiple levels, especially
on vintage structures. This article presents a project that
involved temporary shoring of an exterior bearing wall and
storefront of a depression-era six-story apartment building
located in midtown Manhattan.
Divine Design: Renovating and

Preserving Historic Houses of
Worship Part 1
By Nathaniel B. Smith, P.E. and
Milan Vatovec, P.E., Ph.D.
41 Building Blocks
Cellular Concrete
By Scott M. Taylor, P.E.
NCSEA Excellence in Structural

Engineering Awards
30
The NCSEA Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards

program annually honors the best examples of structural
ingenuity from around the world. The winners of the 2014
program were announced at the NCSEA annual meeting
in September. Read about the structural solutions developed
for these unique projects, and join NCSEA in congratulating
these exceptional winners.
DEPARTMENTS
46 InSights
Building Increased Productivity
Using the Cloud
By Sam Liu
48 CASE Business Practices

CASE on Contracts Part 1
By Steve Schaefer, P.E.
58 Structural Forum
Rethinking Engineering Licensure
A Joint Publication of NCSEA | CASE | SEI
STRUCTURE
By Kip Gatto, P.E., S.E.
NCSEA EXCELLENCE IN
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING AWARDS
December 2014 Soils & Foundations
ON
THE
COVER
The Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Terminal 2. The

Headhouse Roof, supported by only 30 columns, produces a large
column-free space ideal for an airport. The Terminal Building
project is an NCSEA Outstanding Project winner. Photo courtesy
of Robert Polidori, Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd. See
page 33 of this issue.
Publication of any article, image, or advertisement in STRUCTURE magazine does not constitute endorsement
by NCSEA, CASE, SEI, C 3 Ink, or the Editorial Board. Authors, contributors, and advertisers retain sole
responsibility for the content of their submissions.
STRUCTURE magazine
December 2014
IN EVERY ISSUE
8 Advertiser Index
50 Resource Guide
(Earth Retention)
52 NCSEA News
54 SEI Structural Columns
56 CASE in Point
Editorial
A
Bold Vision: Educating Tomorrows
new trends, new techniques and current industry issues
Leaders and Innovators
By David J. Odeh, S.E., P.E., SECB, F.SEI
hat inspired you to become a structural engineer?

For me, it was a fascination with the great buildings
of history, like the Parthenon and the Eiffel Tower,
and the ingenuity and creativity of the civilizations
that built them. Starting with that early inspiration, I have always
been driven by a desire to create new structures that have a positive
impact on the way people live. Regardless of why we chose structural
engineering as a career, it is this underlying passion that yields our
most impactful ideas and accomplishments. If we want the future of
our profession to be one of leadership and innovation, then we need
to better harness this energy by changing the way we educate and
train young structural engineers.
For the last fourteen years, I have taught a class in structural design
for civil engineering students in their senior year of undergraduate
study. Often, this class is the first glimpse these students get into the
real world of professional practice. But while the practice of structural
engineering has changed dramatically over the time I have taught this
course, the way we prepare our students to enter the profession has
been largely stuck in neutral for more than a generation.
Fundamentally the system is still based on an undergraduate degree in
civil engineering, followed sometimes by a masters degree with more
specialized technical coursework. Undergraduate degree programs
are highly constrained by ABET, the organization that accredits most
engineering programs, through prescriptive content requirements that
must typically be met in a four-year program. These requirements allow
minimal opportunity for students to explore areas outside of their chosen
field. Most core courses are technical in nature and, with no formal
internship or residency requirements, many young engineers become
licensed to enter professional practice with limited practical experience
or knowledge of disciplines outside of civil and structural engineering.
To judge the effectiveness of these programs, consider what skills
will be rewarded by the economy of the future. Typical structural
engineering tasks like stress analysis, prescriptive code-checking,
member size selection, and detailing will be increasingly handled by
automated computer programs or lower-cost technicians, perhaps
working remotely. To truly lead and innovate, structural engineers
must be decision-makers instead of technicians. They must be able
to leverage the output of computer models to create innovative conceptual designs and new solutions to difficult problems, or create new
paradigms that apply technology from many core fields like materials
science, solid mechanics, machine design, mathematics, and physics.
This will require a mastery of the classical methods, but also new
skills that respond to the changing dynamics of professional practice.
To innovate, structural engineers must also learn to operate in a more
collaborative and interdisciplinary manner. We will need to move
beyond working alone on calculations and specifications in our offices,
and contribute to a more holistic and integrated design and construction process. The industry is increasingly turning to newer and more
collaborative approaches to construction such as Integrated Project
Delivery, a contractual method in which designers, contractors, and
owners align their goals and work in highly collaborative teams to
tackle the complex problems presented by construction projects. On
such teams, structural engineers might be co-located with architects, builders, and other engineers in rooms with high-tech displays
of computer models where teams jointly develop design solutions.
STRUCTURE magazine
Finally, to lead in the global economy, structural

engineers must be able to operate in multiple
languages and cultures, and have a broader understanding of different
building systems in use throughout the world. In one of my firms recent
projects located in the United States, the entire steel detailing package was completed by a team operating out of the Philippines. While
initially concerned about this arrangement, I was eventually impressed
by the ability of these detailers to communicate with our engineers and
efficiently understand and execute our design. American structural
engineers must similarly adapt their unique skills to a broader worldwide
marketplace if we hope to remain competitive in the global economy.
SEI is committed to addressing this challenge at its roots, and engaging in an effort to re-imagine the educational system to better align
it with the vision for the future. Earlier this spring, the institute created the new Committee for the Reform of Structural Engineering
Education (CROSEE) with a mission to engage with key stakeholders
from both academia and the profession to create bold, new initiatives
to transform structural engineering programs. CROSEE will focus
on re-thinking undergraduate education, exploring the concept of
new professional schools for structural engineers, creating new and
more formalized models for engineering internship programs, and
strengthening the links between academics and practice. Recognizing
that change in academia is difficult and will face numerous obstacles,
the committee intends to begin its work with workshop sessions
designed to frame the key issues and identify both short-term and
long-term goals for reform.
If you are passionate about structural engineering education and the
future of our profession, consider some ways you can get involved in
this initiative. Stakeholder workshops will be a great way to contribute
your ideas and opinions. Agree or disagree, this is your chance to
influence the future of our profession. Additionally, as a key strategic initiative of SEI, the SEI Futures Fund is investing in CROSEE
by providing seed funding for its first stakeholder workshop. If you
believe, like I do, that our educational system needs to evolve to a
new model of leadership and innovation, please consider making a
gift to the Futures Fund this year.
We can only imagine what the inspiring structures of tomorrow
will be. Perhaps we will create buildings made from new materials
that are better able to withstand natural disasters and improve public
safety; conceive of new classes of structures that seamlessly blend with
elements of mechanical systems to improve energy efficiency and
reduce the impact of construction on the global climate; or invent
more humble buildings that revolutionize the availability and affordability of housing for the worlds growing population. To remain at
the forefront of these advances, future structural engineers must be
critical and creative thinkers fueled by a passion to solve
the worlds great challenges. Lets take action to reform
our educational system today to build a vibrant and
engaged profession for the future.
David J. Odeh, S.E., P.E., SECB, F.SEI, is the current Vice President
of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE. He is a principal at
Odeh Engineers, Inc. of Providence, RI, and also serves on the adjunct
faculty in the School of Engineering at Brown University.
December 2014
Advertiser index
PleAse suPPort these Advertisers
American Concrete Institute ................. 29

Bentley Systems, Inc. ............................. 59
CADRE Analytic .................................. 49
Cell-Crete Corporation ........................... 2
Engineering International, Inc............... 11
Enercalc, Inc. .......................................... 3
Fyfe ....................................................... 44
Geopier Foundation Company.............. 24
Hayward Baker, Inc. ................................ 6
ICC....................................................... 40
Integrated Engineering Software, Inc..... 47
Integrity Software, Inc. .............. 17, 42, 50

ITW Red Head ..................................... 45
KPFF Consulting Engineers .................... 8
National Concrete Masonry Assoc......... 43
NCEES ................................................. 13
NCSEA ................................................. 12
Pile Dynamics, Inc. ............................... 10
PT-Structures ........................................ 49
Ram Jack Systems Distribution ............. 23
RISA Technologies ................................ 60
S-Frame Software, Inc. ............................ 4
Editorial board
Chair
Jon A. Schmidt, P.E., SECB
Interactive Sales Associates

Chuck Minor
Jerry Preston
Evans Mountzouris, P.E.
Eastern Sales
847-854-1666
Western Sales
480-396-9585
Davis, CA
Degenkolb Engineers, San Francisco, CA
The DiSalvo Engineering Group, Ridgefield, CT
Mark W. Holmberg, P.E.
Greg Schindler, P.E., S.E.
Heath & Lineback Engineers, Inc., Marietta, GA
KPFF Consulting Engineers, Seattle, WA
Dilip Khatri, Ph.D., S.E.
Stephen P. Schneider, Ph.D., P.E., S.E.
Roger A. LaBoube, Ph.D., P.E.
John Buddy Showalter, P.E.
Brian J. Leshko, P.E.
Amy Trygestad, P.E.
Khatri International Inc., Pasadena, CA
CCFSS, Rolla, MO
HDR Engineering, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
BergerABAM, Vancouver, WA
American Wood Council, Leesburg, VA
Chase Engineering, LLC, New Prague, MN
2014 AWARDS
Best New Building Project, Alliant Build America,
Associated General Contractors of America
Marvin M. Black Excellence in Partnering Award,
Associated General Contractors of America
Distinction Award, Design-Build Institute of
America Western Pacific Region
ADVERTISEMENT - For Advertiser Information, visit www.STRUCTUREmag.org
A Joint PublicAtion of
ncSEA | cASE | SEi
Brian W. Miller
CBI Consulting, Inc., Boston, MA
John A. Dal Pino, S.E.
AdvErtiSing Account MAnAgEr
Burns & McDonnell, Kansas City, MO

[email protected]
Craig E. Barnes, P.E., SECB
Simpson Strong-Tie......................... 1415

Soc. of Naval Architects & Marine Eng. 46
Structural Engineers, Inc. ...................... 49
Structural Technologies ......................... 19
StructurePoint ....................................... 51
Struware, Inc. ........................................ 49
USP Structural Connectors ................... 27
Williams Form Engineering .................. 26
Wood Advisory Services, Inc. ................ 50
Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, CA

IMAGE BY: LaCasse Photography
[email protected]
EditoriAl StAff
Executive Editor Jeanne Vogelzang, JD, CAE
[email protected]
Editor
Christine M. Sloat, P.E.
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Associate Editor
Graphic Designer
Web Developer
Nikki Alger
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Rob Fullmer
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William Radig
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STRUCTURE (Volume 21, Number 12). ISSN 1536-4283.

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STRUCTURE magazine
December 2014
he Subgrade Modulus, also known as

the Modulus of Subgrade Reaction, is
a stiffness parameter typically used
in defining the support conditions
of footings and mat foundations, such as that
shown on Figure 1. The parameter is expressed
in units of [Force]/[Length]3. Physically however,
it is defined as the (contact) bearing pressure of
the foundation against the soil that will produce
a unit deflection of the foundation. The use of
the parameter implies a linear elastic response,
and therefore in design the pressure generated
by the subgrade modulus is always limited by the
allowable bearing pressure of the soil.
In practice, the parameter is often recommended
by the Geotechnical Engineer and used by the
Structural Engineer for analysis of the structure.
The structural analysis is not only used to gain
insight into the settlement of the structure, but
also provides consideration of settlement-induced
stresses within the structure. In a structural
analysis process, the subgrade modulus is typically utilized to obtain a vertical spring constant
([Force] / [Length]) by multiplying the subgrade
modulus with the tributary area of the spring
support elements.
As a parameter that spans the geotechnical and
structural realms, the subgrade modulus has been
used and abused in practice, to a point where
engineers tend to forget the physical meaning of
and implications of the use of the parameter. This
article will revisit the concept of the Subgrade
Modulus by presenting and discussing common
misconceptions of the parameter.
Misconceptions
Statement 1: The Subgrade Modulus is a
soil property.
False. The subgrade modulus takes its theoretical origins from the formulation of Winkler-type
beams-on-elastic-foundations (Hetenyi 1946). The

subgrade modulus is a lumped constant of integration of the differential equation of a beam supported
by elastic springs. It is a function of the following:
1) Soil elastic properties: Modulus of
Elasticity, Es, and Poissons Ratio, s.
2) Foundation plan dimensions: Length, L,
and Width, B.
3) Foundation stiffness: Modulus of
Elasticity, Ef, and Moment of Inertia, If.
4) Other indirect factors: Compressible
soil layer thickness, Hs, and depth of
foundation below ground surface, D.
As early as 1955, Terzaghi had suggested a
conversion factor that involves the ratio of the
size of footings to that of a plate load test to
obtain the appropriate subgrade modulus for
the footing. This implies that, for a given soil,
the subgrade modulus is inversely proportional
to the size of the footing.
It can be concluded from the above that an adequate evaluation
of the subgrade
modulus requires
both geotechnical and structural
information.
Structural
DeSign
design issues for
structural engineers
Subgrade Modulus Revisited
Statement 2: The Subgrade Modulus is

constant beneath the foundation.
False. The ratio of the bearing pressure to the
settlement within the footprint of the foundation
varies according to a number of factors. Some
researchers (Dey et al. 2008) have proposed formulations that include confining stress effects
on the stiffness of granular soil, which generally
decreases from the center of the foundation to the
edges. However, in the opinion of the authors, the
most dominant factors causing non-uniformity of
the subgrade modulus beneath the foundation are
the bearing pressure distribution and deformation
compatibility mode.
continued on next page
George Aristorenas, Ph.D., P.E.,

is a Technical Principal of the
Geostructural Group of Schnabel
Engineering, Inc. Dr. Aristorenas
specializes in the analysis and
design of soil-structure interaction
problems, using advanced
analytical and numerical
techniques. He may be reached at
[email protected].
Jess Gmez, P.E., D.GE,
is a Vice President at GEI
Consultants in West Chester,
Pennsylvania. Dr. Gmez is
an Adjunct Professor at Drexel
University. In April 2011 he was
honored by CE News Magazine
as one of seven individuals on the
Power List of people advancing
the Civil Engineering profession.
He may be reached at
[email protected].
Figure 1. Mat foundation for a building under construction.
STRUCTURE magazine
By George Aristorenas, Ph.D., P.E.

and Jess Gmez, P.E., D.GE
The distribution of the bearing pressure, even

for a uniformly loaded finite foundation, is
affected by the stiffness of the foundation as
it settles, and the settlement profile. Consider
the cases illustrated below.
For a very flexible foundation, the uniformly
applied load essentially produces a uniform
bearing pressure, as shown on Figure 2a.
However, by compatibility of deformation
at the edges of the foundation, i.e., the settlement profile cannot be discontinuous at the
edges, the foundation does not settle uniformly, producing a maximum settlement at
the center and minimum at the edges. Taking
ratios of bearing pressure to settlement suggests that the maximum subgrade modulus
occurs at the edges of the foundation.
On the other hand, a uniformly loaded very
stiff foundation will essentially settle uniformly.
However, because the edges of the foundation
represent an abrupt change in stiffness causing
a discontinuity in the slope of the settlement
profile, the bearing pressures spike at the edges
and decrease as the center of the foundation is
approached, as shown on Figure 2b, noting that
the bearing pressure at the edges may taper off
to the bearing capacity if it is approached. The
areas of the bearing pressures of Figures 2a and
2b are equal, but the intensity of the bearing
pressure underneath a stiff foundation varies.
Taking ratios of bearing pressure to settlement
for a very stiff foundation, it is observed that
the subgrade modulus also increases towards
the edges of the foundation.
The non-uniformity of the settlement profile, even under a uniformly loaded flexible
foundation, is primarily caused by the soil
deformation mode along the foundation as
imposed by continuity of settlement. Under

the center of the foundation, the primary
deformation mode is vertical compression.
However, at the edges of the foundation,
the soil is also undergoing shear distortion
in addition to compression. This combined
deformation mode produces a stiffer net vertical response from the soil, thereby resulting in
a smaller settlement. Furthermore, the zone of
influence, or stress bulb, of the bearing pressure
is shallower at the edges than at the center of
the foundation. A constant subgrade modulus
used under a uniformly loaded very flexible
foundation will result in a uniform settlement,
which is clearly erroneous.
To capture the intrinsically multi-dimensional
nature of the deformation mode, as opposed to
a purely vertical mode using vertical subgrade
moduli, some researchers (e.g. Teodoru 2009)
have developed a two-parameter formulation
of beams-on-elastic-foundations involving
the subgrade modulus and another parameter
which considers the shear distortion of the soil
and an assumption of the curved deformation
pattern. Note also that, with finite element
software more readily available, it may be
more efficient to model the soil as solid finite
elements as opposed to springs, thereby encompassing all soil deformation modes underneath
the foundation and beyond.
(a)
Figure 2. (a) Flexible foundation. (b) Stiff foundation.

(a)
False. As a stiffness parameter, a low subgrade modulus will result in large settlement.
Ultimately, however, the effect of differential
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(b)
Figure 3. (a) Constant subgrade modulus assumption.

(b) Non-uniform subgrade modulus assumption.
Statement 3: Given the range of

subgrade moduli underneath a
foundation, it is more conservative to
use the lowest value uniformly.
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(b)
Foundation capacity by Case

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capacity, resistance distribution and
simulated static load test.
settlement on the structure is perhaps more

important. Consider the cases illustrated
below in which a symmetrical structure is
supported by a mat foundation.
If the lowest subgrade modulus is used uniformly underneath a foundation, as shown
on Figure 3a, the mat will essentially settle
uniformly with possibly very minor curvature due to the concentrated loads from the
columns. Thus, even though an upper bound
estimate of settlement is calculated, the model
does not adequately convey the bending of the
mat foundation or the consequent distortion
of the structure due to the actual settlement
profile of the foundation.
Using higher subgrade moduli at the
edges of the mat foundation produces
less settlement at the edges, as shown on
Figure 3b. However, the foundation
settles non-uniformly. Consequently,
there is bending of the mat foundation
and its curvature causes the structure
to experience more distortion. These
settlement-induced stresses in the foundation and structure are not captured
in a uniformly settling foundation. It is
for the same principle that differential
settlement is considered more critical
to a structure than absolute settlement.
It should further be noted that the
stiffness of the superstructure will tend
to increase the stiffness of the foundation. The increased overall stiffness of the
foundation will further enhance the nonuniformity of the subgrade modulus, as
illustrated in Figure 2b.
Estimation of
Subgrade Modulus
[email protected]
+1 216-831-6131
STRUCTURE magazine
www.pile.com/pda
10
December 2014
As mentioned earlier, it is more accurate to model the soil as solid elements
Figure 5. Subgrade modulus along diagonal line from center to corner.

B = 52 ft, L = 130 ft, tf = 3 ft, Ef = 3600 ksi, Es = 600 ksf, s = 0.35,
Hs = 60 ft, D = 3 ft.
Figure 4. Distribution of subgrade modulus (kcf ). B = 52 ft, L = 130 ft,

tf = 3 ft, Ef = 3600 ksi, Es = 600 ksf, s = 0.35, Hs = 60 ft, D = 3 ft.
8.9 k-ft
6.4 k-ft
12.2 k-ft
7.8 k-ft
Y
Z
28.6 k-ft
10.9 k-ft
Load 3 : Bending Z :
Displacement
0.56"
Load 3 : Bending Z :
To illustrate the concept presented in

Figures 3a and 3b (page 11), a 1-foot strip
along the transverse centerline of the mat is
modeled using the program STAAD.Pro. It
is assumed that the mat supports a two-story,
two-bay frame structure. Each story is 15 feet
high, and each bay is 20 feet wide. The walls
and slabs are 1-foot thick concrete structures,
while the mat is assumed to be 1.5-feet thick.
In addition to selfweight, a 100 psf uniform
load is applied on the roof, slabs and mat.
Construction staging is ignored.
For the first case, a constant subgrade modulus of 20 kcf supports the mat, while the
second case uses a non-uniform subgrade
modulus varying from 20 kcf to 37 kcf as
shown along the transverse section of Figure
4. The frame displacements and bending
moments for these two cases are shown on
Figures 6a and 6b, respectively. Comparing
results from these two cases indicates that,
as discussed before, larger settlements are
observed for the case when a constant minimum subgrade modulus is used underneath
the mat foundation, but larger structural
bending moments result when a non-uniform
subgrade modulus is used.
Conclusions
1) The subgrade modulus is a function
of the soil stiffness and compressible
11
Displacement
0.54"
Figure 6a. Case 1 frame displacement and

bending moments; constant subgrade modulus of
20 kcf.
STRUCTURE magazine
18.2 k-ft
32.6 k-ft
0.61"
December 2014
0.36"
Figure 6b. Case 2 frame displacement and

bending moments; subgrade modulus varies from
20 kcf to 37 kcf.
layer thickness, as well as the

foundation dimensions and stiffness.
2) The subgrade modulus is not
constant underneath a foundation.
3) Using a constant, lower bound,
value for the subgrade modulus
underneath a foundation produces
upper bound settlement
but does not result in a
conservative design of
the structure.
The online version of this article
contains detailed references. Please visit
www.STRUCTUREmag.org.
248
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with appropriate material properties using

finite element software to capture multidimensional deformation modes (Material
behavior using finite elements become even
more efficient for time-dependent consolidation and creep responses.). If, however,
it is imperative that subgrade moduli be
used in a structural model, there are certain
approximations that can be performed to
obtain the variation of the moduli underneath a foundation.
One general procedure that may be adopted
is as follows:
1) Use published linear elastic half space
theories for calculating settlements
resulting from a unit bearing pressure;
e.g., settlement at a corner of a
rectangular area. Use superposition
as necessary to define interior points
within the foundation. These theories
are typically extensions of Boussinesq
equation using the soil modulus, Es,
Poissons ratio, s, and the thickness of
the compressible layer, Hs.
2) Apply appropriate influence factors
for foundation shape and size (B
and L), foundation embedment, D,
and foundation stiffness (Ef and If or
thickness tf). The foundation stiffness
may also include the stiffening effects
of the superstructure.
3) Calculate the inverse of the
settlement from a unit bearing
pressure; this is the subgrade modulus
at the particular location.
For instance, following the theory of elasticity
presented in Das et al. (2009), the contours
of subgrade modulus for a quadrant of a
rectangular mat is shown on Figure 4. The
distribution of subgrade modulus along the
foundations diagonal line from the center to
the corner is shown in Figure 5. Both figures
show that the use of elastic half space theories
also support the statement that the subgrade
modulus is not constant beneath a foundation, and the subgrade modulus increases at
the edges of the foundation.
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Structural
rehabilitation
renovation and restoration of
existing structures
erforming renovation or restoration work

on historic houses of worship presents
a unique set of challenges for design
professionals, and in particular structural
engineers. These structures often feature large
open-space areas, archaic structural systems and
hard-to-define load paths, and varying degrees
of deterioration or distress (often lack of maintenance and upkeep driven). All of these factors
can make even the most simple-seeming renovation projects difficult, unique, and, in some
cases, even stressful. Depending on the scope of
planned renovations, structural upgrades aimed
at preserving safety and mandated by building
codes may also be triggered, which can be hard to
implement or cost-prohibitive for structure types
typical for historic houses of worship.
However, renovating older, historic buildings
to keep them functional and to equip them with
modern amenities is a necessary undertaking.
Understanding the inherent challenges at the
outset of a project is key
to making the renovations successful. Historic
houses of worship are
commonly part of the
social fabric of neighborhoods, and it is important
to preserve them for the
benefit of the community,
as well as for their architectural significance.
This article discusses commonly encountered
structural issues on renovation projects of this
type, and provides guidance on ways to address
them. Part one of this series focuses on foundations. Parts two and three, to be published in
upcoming issues of STRUCTURE magazine,
will focus on wall and roof systems, respectively.
Divine Design: Renovating

and Preserving Historic
Houses of Worship
Part 1: Foundations
By Nathaniel B. Smith, P.E. and
Milan Vatovec, P.E., Ph.D.
Nathaniel B. Smith, P.E., is

a Senior Project Manager at
Simpson Gumpertz & Hegers
office in New York City. He
serves as Project Manager on
numerous projects involving repair
and rehabilitation of houses of
worship. He can be reached at
[email protected].
Dr. Milan Vatovec is a Senior
Principal at Simpson Gumpertz
& Heger Inc. He serves as the
Principal-in-Charge of numerous
repair and rehabilitation
projects. He can be reached at
[email protected].
Foundations
Foundations are a critical component of any
building structure; however, they also pose a
significant maintenance and troubleshooting
challenge as main foundation components are
typically buried below grade and not readily accessible. Modern reinforced-concrete foundations
typically require little if any maintenance over
the life of a building. However, historic buildings commonly feature stone masonry and other
archaic foundation systems that are more susceptible to damage due to movement or changed load
paths, as well as deterioration due to exposure
to moisture or other environmental factors. As a
result, they require periodic evaluation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.
Stone Masonry Walls

Unreinforced stone masonry is a brittle building material, and is susceptible to damage from
Typical stone masonry foundation wall.
almost any type of movement. The actual construction details and quality of construction
invariably affect the robustness and in-service
performance of the walls. Stone masonry walls
come in a variety of styles, and usually reflect the
vintage of the building, the materials that were
readily available at the time of construction, and
the style of the local craftsman that built the wall.
High quality walls are typically constructed from
cut-stone fully laid in mortar. The mortar in these
walls helps to hold all of the pieces together, and
enables them to act as a single, homogeneous
component. Sturdiness of such walls is always
greater than that of dry-laid stone walls. However,
while dry-laid walls do not contain any (or much)
mortar, if they were carefully constructed they
could be fairly robust. A dry-laid stone constructed with cut stone will typically be more
robust than a wall constructed from irregularly
shaped stones. In the worst case, one may encounter a rubble stone wall that was constructed by
basically dumping stone in a trench with some
mortar to hold things together. Poor quality
of construction of such walls makes them very
susceptible to damage and performance issues.
Movement of foundation walls can occur for
a number of reasons; the two most common
are related to settlement of the soil below the
foundation, and/or lateral soil pressures on the
cellar portion of the foundation walls. Because
of the brittleness of masonry walls, differential
settlement will typically result in cracks developing at mortar joints and in shifting of the stones
themselves. This distress will often translate up
the height of the building, and can also result
in rotation or other out-of-plane movement of
the walls above. Lateral soil pressures, on the
other hand, often cause bowing or leaning of the
masonry walls. The walls typically span vertically
between the cellar floor and the first floor, and
are incapable of resisting the induced bending
without distress.
Wall cracking can be locally repaired through a
number of conventional methods (e.g. repointing, brick stitching, etc.). However, if cracking,
vertical displacement, bulging or bowing of the
foundation walls is significant, the wall may
need to be rebuilt, or additional lateral support
16 December 2014
walls is to excavate test pits at select exterior

locations, to observe the typical condition of
the stone and mortar up close, and, if necessary, collect samples for subsequent testing.
If sufficient deterioration of the mortar
exists, repointing or strengthening of the
wall may be necessary. When repointing, care
should be taken to try to match the composition of the new mortar to the existing mortar.
Modern mortar mixes use Portland cement as
the binder, which is much stronger than limebased binders and creates a much stiffer mix.
Using a stiffer mortar mix for repointing can
result in unintended performance and cracking. Repointing the exterior of the foundation
wall will also typically require excavation to
expose the face of the wall, and is therefore an
expensive exercise. If this work is undertaken,
it is also a good time to consider providing a
waterproofing or water-management system
to minimize the contact of wall components
with moisture, and to prolong the life of the
foundation system. Upon completion of the
work, proper site grading should also be provided to promote surface drainage away from
the walls.
Similar to the above-discussed methods,
strengthening of deteriorated stone masonry
walls may include construction of a reinforced-concrete (or shotcrete) liner wall on the
inside face of the wall, providing supplemental
framing, adding bracing, etc. Using a thin
reinforcing-mesh, such as fiber-reinforced
polymer sheets or laminates (FRP) is difficult
given the typically uneven face of the stone
and the variation in mortar joint locations.
Deep Foundations
Depending on the local soil conditions, historic houses of worship may be founded on
deep foundation systems. A commonly used
historic deep-foundation system is untreated
timber piles. Untreated wood piles have successfully been used for centuries throughout
the world to transfer the weight of structures sitting on fill or other types of weak top
strata to deeper soil layers capable of providing
adequate support. Untreated timber piles can
have a long service life if the tops of the piles
stay submerged below the local groundwater
elevation. However, groundwater elevations
can be affected in numerous ways, but most
critically by man-made actions: adjacent
construction work, leakage into sewage systems, sumps installed within newer buildings
located nearby, paving and diverting surface
runoff away from foundations, etc.
If the tops of the timber piles become exposed
to oxygen due to lowering of the groundwater,
the wood can quickly deteriorate due to fungal
STRUCTURE magazine
17
December 2014
Effects of differential settlement.
attack (rot). Wood destroying fungi eat away

at the wood cell structure, causing severe deterioration that can result in a significant loss of
cross-section, change in mechanical properties,
and a significant decrease in strength. This
deterioration can lead to crushing of the wood
fibers, pile failures, and localized or global differential settlement of the superstructure. If
the deterioration is minimal or caught early,
the piles may be able to be salvaged if the
groundwater elevation can be restored and
maintained to a level above the tops of the piles.
This is typically accomplished by re-charging
the groundwater to raise the water surface,
installing coffer dams that surround the building footprint, etc. If the deterioration is too
advanced, underpinning and re-supporting
the building structure is typically required. The
difficulty, of course, is that evaluating the condition and understanding the magnitude of the
problem is often a difficult and expensive proposition: extrapolations of remaining service-life
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provided to prevent further distress or collapse

of the wall. Rebuilding a wall will typically
require extensive excavation on the exterior of
the building, as well as temporary shoring of
floor framing so that the wall can be removed
and rebuilt. This option is frequently not cost
effective, and consideration should be given
to providing supplemental lateral support.
Additional lateral support can be provided by
constructing a liner wall on the inside face of
the wall, or installing buttresses or tiebacks.
The tradeoff may be that these supplemental
elements could encroach on the interior or
other usable space, but are likely less expensive
than a rebuild.
As with any below-grade space, the exterior
of the masonry foundation walls are exposed
to moisture. Stone and mortar are porous
materials that absorb water; prolonged exposures will degrade the mortar, which is often
lime-based and more susceptible to moisture-driven damage than current Portland
cement-based mortars. Deterioration of
mortar can lead to loosening and shifting of
the stone elements, which may in turn cause
distress in the structure above: brick masonry
bearing walls may crack and bulge, floor framing can experience loss of bearing, or other
distress may ensue. The stones themselves
may also degrade from exposure to moisture; the amount of deterioration depends
on the type of stone and level of exposure.
Less dense and more porous stones such as
sandstone and limestone will absorb more
moisture and are therefore more susceptible to
deterioration. This becomes especially critical
if they are located near the ground surface
and are subject to freeze-thaw cycles, which
will accelerate the deterioration. More dense
stone like granite, schist, or gneiss will absorb
minimal amounts of moisture, and are much
more resilient to deterioration.
Evaluating the condition of stone masonry
walls is difficult because typically only a portion of the interior face of the wall is exposed
(or can be easily exposed by removing finishes), whereas the majority of exterior wall
may be below grade. The interior face of
the wall is typically also in the best condition because it is exposed to a relatively dry
environment and, chances are, it has been
maintained over its life (repointed, painted,
etc.). Trying to extrapolate the condition of
the exterior face of the wall based on the
observed condition of the interior face is
likely fruitless, given the potentially drastic
exposure-condition difference; deterioration,
if any, may not have spread through the thickness of the wall (foundation walls are typically
on the order of 2 to 4 feet thick). The best
way to evaluate the exterior of the foundation
Supplemental piles.
Cut and post underpinning method.
predictions often need to be made based on a

very small sample size (limited number of test
pits), yet the variability in damage amongst the
population can be significant.
Typical remedial approaches include either
adding new pile elements (essentially circumventing the existing piles), or the cut-and-post
method (underpinning). The cut-and-post
method involves removal of the deteriorated
tops of the piles, and replacement with concrete-filled steel posts wedged to the underside
of the foundation or pile cap. When a group
of piles is cut and posted, excavation is then
filled with concrete to create a new cap and to
fully encase the steel posts (therefore making
the whole system less susceptible to water
fluctuations). Planning and phasing of this
approach is critical, especially for columns
where temporary supports may need to be
provided (especially if only a few piles support
the entire column cap).
Adding supplemental piles to the perimeter
walls is an effective option in lieu of underpinning. There are numerous pile options
available: push-pier, helical, micro-piles, etc.
Several items need to be considered when providing supplemental elements to the existing
system. First, whenever possible, piles should
be added to both sides of the walls to avoid
eccentricity issues. Second, the most challenging part of adding supplemental piles to
masonry foundation walls is usually attaching
the piles to the walls to be able to transfer the
loads into the new system. This can be accomplished in several ways. One way is to place
piles opposite each other adjacent to the wall,
and to construct a connecting grade (needle)
beam under the wall to transfer the load from
the wall to the piles. However, this requires
extensive excavation and coordination with

existing pile locations. Another option is to
install the piles on opposite faces of the wall,
to construct concrete caps atop each pile, and
then install rods through the existing wall to
each cap. The rods are then post-tensioned
to clamp onto the existing wall to transfer
the wall loads to the piles. For smaller loads,
specialty or bolted brackets can be used to
attach the piles to the wall. If none of these
options work, independent foundations can
be installed to support new structural framing
to carry the increased loads
Distress to the structure can also be due to
eccentrically loaded existing piles. The crude
historic methods used to install timber piles
can result in piles not being in the proper
locations. Eccentrically placed and loaded
piles along perimeter walls, and especially at
interior column pile caps, can cause distress
and problems in service. The eccentric loading
can cause rotation of the pile caps and leaning
of the columns or walls extending up from
the cap. The eccentricity can be addressed by
adding piles to the cap in a similar manner
as described above. Replacing the pile cap
below a column may also be necessary in some
situations, which can be extremely difficult.
This typically requires that the column load
be temporarily removed so that the cap can
be removed and replaced. Extensive shoring,
Timber piles and grillage.
STRUCTURE magazine
18
December 2014
jacking, and monitoring is often needed to

accomplish this, and can be prohibitively
expensive. Supplementing the existing piles
and maintaining the existing cap should be
the first option considered.
In some instances, timber grillages (horizontal timbers) were placed over the tops of
piles during original construction to provide a
flat surface to lay the base course of masonry.
Grillages act as continuous beams to transfer
loads from the masonry to the piles. As building
loads are transferred through the timber grillage
to the piles, the timber is loaded perpendicular to the direction of the grain. However, due
to its cellular structure, wood is weak in the
perpendicular-to-grain direction and may be
inadequate to resist such loading. This weakness,
combined with the relatively high concentrated
loads at the piles, can lead to local crushing of the
timber grillage and settlement of the structure.
Timber grillage that is placed eccentric to the
pile tops can cause further crushing and splitting of the wood, leading to larger localized
displacements. The cut-and-post method of
underpinning alleviates this condition as the
tops of the piles and timber grillage are removed.
Increased Loading
Renovations can often add load to the building foundations due to increased weight of
finishes, additional proposed occupancy
loads, addition of HVAC systems, and many
other items that can be part of a typical renovation project. Accounting for and assessing
how these additional loads affect the existing
foundations, especially those featuring timber
piles, can be difficult.
Due to their age, there are often no available
building plans, as-built documentation, or
pile-installation records for historic houses of
worship. However, expensive investigations
to determine the type, layout, configuration,
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Conclusion
Foundations are a critical part of any building.
Problems with foundations, if not addressed,
will almost invariably affect the superstructure, often in significant and irreversible ways.
Understanding existing conditions, limitations, and expected in-service behavior of the
foundation systems is especially important in
historic structures such as houses of worship,
and are a key to success for any renovation or
restoration project.
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STRUCTURE magazine
19
December 2014
and then capacity (through testing, analyses,

etc.) of the existing foundations may not be
needed, depending on the projected load
increase. A reasonable rule of thumb, supplemented by engineering judgment and other
considerations, is to take no further action
if the additional building loads increase the
foundation loads by less than 5%. For load
increases above 5%, and in some cases up to
10%, determining the existing foundation
layout and capacity is needed. This may require
a potentially significant investigative effort:
in-situ testing of stone or masonry, probing
and sampling for subsequent testing, test pits
to expose foundations, evaluation of support
and soil conditions, soil and other testing,
additional analyses, etc.
If pile foundations are involved, typical size
and configuration of the piles needs to be
documented as well. A load test may also be
prudent to ensure that the piles have sufficient
capacity and that the increased loading (or
suspected deterioration) will not cause settlement of the structure or other distress. Load
tests on existing piles should be performed
on piles along the perimeter walls, where
the weight of the masonry wall above can be
used as a reaction load. Typically, one of the
piles exposed in the test pit is selected for the
test. The top of the pile is removed so that a
hydraulic jack can be installed and wedged
between the pile and the underside of the
wall. The jack is then used to load the pile in
increments up to and beyond the current pile
load, and the pile displacement is measured.
The load and displacement measurements are
recorded and evaluated, in a similar manner
to any other pile load test, to determine an
allowable capacity for the piles.
Often, the existing foundation systems will
not have any reserve capacity, and adding
new loads to the building will require supplemental foundations. A number of effective
options, some described above, can be used
to achieve greater foundation capacity: wall or
column strengthening, underpinning, increasing the bearing area, adding supplemental
components (or piles), etc.
REACHING NEW
HEIGHTS
IN LOS ANGELES
By Gerard M. Nieblas, S.E., LEED AP
The grand pour (Guinness World Record).
he skies above downtown Los Angeles will see a new high

rise office/hotel building by March of 2017. Rising out of
a 90-foot deep excavation in the earth, the building will
dominate the skyline of Los Angeles.
The Wilshire Grand project takes up an entire city block. The site
is bounded by Wilshire Boulevard and Francisco to the north, and
7th Street and Figueroa to the south.
Unbalanced soil loads.
Project Description
The project is approximately 2,000,000 square feet with 900 hotel
rooms, 400,000 square feet of office space and 45,000 square feet
of retail space. The five-level subterranean parking covers the entire
site and will accommodate 1,100 vehicles. The structure will have a
rooftop pool with ocean views, highly advanced pressurized double
decker elevators, an architectural roof top sail and a 200-foot tall
architectural spire.
The Tower structure is 73 stories, with the lower floors comprised
of office space and the upper 40 floors as hotel rooms. The lateral
system for the building is a concrete core wall with concrete filled
steel box columns and structural steel framing outside the footprint
of the core. The lateral system of the Tower is extremely slender, with
a 30-foot wide core wall in the transverse building direction and
nearly 1,000 feet tall.
Along the height of the structure there are buckling restrained braced
frames to reduce the overturning demands of the core wall on the
mat foundation and to stiffen the structure for transverse wind and
seismic drift.
In order to meet the aggressive schedule, the project is fast track.
The building permits were issued as Foundation Only, Foundation +,
Superstructure part A to the 26th floor, and a Building Permit Set
to the 73rd floor.
Rat slab with starter columns.
Shoring along 7th street.
STRUCTURE magazine
20
December 2014
Performance Based Design

The upper 40 floors of the Tower are hotel rooms. To maximize views
for all the rooms, it was architecturally important to provide floor
to ceiling glass. A conventional code design of this structure would
have required a secondary lateral system along with the core wall
design. This system would have been some type of steel frame with
deep members around the perimeter of the structure where views of
the Pacific Ocean were most valued.
The design team selected Performance Based design to eliminate
this second lateral back up system. A secondary benefit to the
Performance Based Design allowed the design team, along with the
owner and the peer review panel, to set the performance objectives
for the structure.
Len Joseph with Thornton Tomasetti provided invaluable consulting on the performance based design of the Tower and its interaction
with the podium structure.
Mat reinforcing with shear reinforcing.
Unbalanced Site Loads

The northwest corner of the site is 39 feet higher than the southwest
corner of the site. This unbalanced soil load results in an unbalanced
horizontal force of approximately 25,000,000 pounds. This unbalanced force is approximately 80% of the base shear of the Podium
superstructure and approximately 50% of the Tower base shear.
In the east west direction, this unbalanced soil force accounts for
23% of the total base shear of the entire project.
The addition of interior basement walls and fin walls off the core
walls are required to resist these additional horizontal soil forces.
These supplemental basement walls are supported on grade beams as
large as 18 feet wide and 12 feet thick, with over 1 million pounds
of reinforcing steel.
Elevator pits before top of mat reinforcing.
Shoring
The excavation for the site encompassed an entire city block. There
are 316 soldier piles around the perimeter of the excavation. The
excavation along 7th Street is as close as 5 feet from the subway tunnel.
To provide additional stiffness in the shoring system, rakers were
added at 8 feet on center along 7th Street, adjacent to the subway
tunnel. The x, y and z coordinates of the tunnel along the length
of the excavation are monitored on a daily basis. This will continue
until the entire podium structure reaches street level. Because of the
removal of the soil adjacent to the tunnel, it has moved vertically
approximately -inch.
Grade beam with one million pounds of reinforcing.
Lateral Foundation Analysis

The Tower mat foundation was designed for two levels of earthquake
resistance, as well as a 1,700 year wind event. The tower was designed
for MCE (the Maximum Considered Earthquake 2% probability
of exceedance in 50 years, or 2,475 year return period) site specific
response spectra utilizing several damping values, and for the SLDE
(Service Level Design Earthquake 50% probability of exceedance
in 30 years, or 43 year return period) site specific response spectra
utilizing several damping values. The SLDE earthquake design values
were typically 15-20% of the corresponding MCE values.
The Tower was designed for a suite of eleven time histories utilizing
a Non-Linear Time History Analysis provided by our consultant,
Thornton Tomasetti.
continued on next page
STRUCTURE magazine
Cooling pipe for mat pour.
21
December 2014
Vibrating the mat pour.
Night time photo of grand pour.
The Podium structure and basement were designed for the prescriptive requirements of the 2010 California Building Code and ASCE
7-05 with a response spectra analysis.
The interaction of the Tower structure with the podium structure
and the framed parking levels was worked out by comparison of
relative rigidities of each structure between Brandow & Johnson Inc.
and Thornton Tomasetti.
Tower Foundation
The foundations for the project are supported on bedrock. The allowable bearing pressures for sustained vertical loads under Allowable
Stress Design were 12 ksf and 30 ksf for transient loads at localized
areas from wind and seismic forces. The ultimate soil bearing pressure was 90 ksf for localized transient loads under the MCE design
event. The footprint of the mat foundation extends past the outside
of the Tower to reduce bearing pressures under the mat, and provide
more stability for the foundation. Under service loads, the average
net bearing pressure under the mat is 12 ksf. Under the maximum
considered earthquake (2,475 year return period) the bearing pressures are as high as 58 ksf in small localized areas.
The vertical loads from the core wall and the applied loads on the
mat foundation are so great that it is anticipated that the 18-foot
thick mat will dish approximately 1 inch under the weight of the
core wall, and the mat will settle approximately 2 inches from the
weight of the tower.
The foundation for the Tower was poured in mid-February of 2014.
It set a Guinness Book world record for the largest continuous concrete
pour in history. The USC Marching Band led the first concrete truck.
In total, 21,200 cubic yards of concrete were poured in 18.5 hours
between Friday night and Saturday morning. The mat pour was 17
feet - 6 inches thick and had 6.7 million pounds of reinforcing steel.
The original reinforcing in the bottom of the mat was 13 layers of
#11 @ 6-inch on center each way. The reinforcing steel subcontractor
was concerned about placing these bars and threading the headed #9
shear reinforcing through a clear space of 4 inches. To alleviate this
congestion, #18 bars with couplers were utilized. The bottom mat
reinforcing was modified to 13 layers of #18 bars at an average of
15-inch on center. Since #18 bars may not be lapped spliced, mechanical couplers were utilized to join the bars. Each of these bars had to
be hand spun onto the coupler and tightened with a torque wrench.
In the top of the mat are 4 layers of #11 bars at 12-inch on center.
To reduce the amount of reinforcing required, grade 75 ksi steel was
utilized throughout the mat foundation. In the center portion of the
mat, bars were spaced at 4 feet on center max in each direction for
temperature expansion and contraction, and to provide support for
the cooling pipe.
STRUCTURE magazine
Concrete Temperatures
Mat
The heat of hydration was so great due to one continuous pour, the
concrete temperatures were predicted to exceed 160 degrees without
mitigation. To combat this, an active cooling system with on-site cooling
towers was provided. Approximately 2,000 vertical loops of -inch PEX
pipe were manifolded together to remove heat from the concrete. This
cooling system was left in place for two weeks for continued heat removal.
Another concern with the temperature of the concrete was the differential temperature from the interior to the exterior of the mat. We
were limited to a maximum 35 degree temperature differential from
the exterior edge to the core of the mat. In order to keep the extreme
edges of the concrete from catching cold, thermal insulation was
added on the top of the mat to keep the concrete warm. This thermal
insulation was left in place for two weeks. The Contractor waited
patiently for two weeks to get on the mat to start forming the core wall.
Core Wall
The concrete shear walls at the base of the structure are 48 inches
thick and heat of hydration was always a concern for the design team.
Initially it was planned to build a mockup of the 48-inch wall, with
thermocouples to monitor temperature and reinforcing to model
congested areas of the walls. Due to the nature of the schedule, time
did not allow for a mockup. To provide the design team with a level
of comfort, the Contractor retained a concrete expert from Illinois.
Computer models were made to simulate the heat of hydration, and
the concrete mix and cement were analyzed. It was determined that
the core wall concrete was DEF (Delayed Ettringite Formation) susceptible. DEF is a type of internal sulfate attack on concrete.
In order for DEF to be an issue, three things need to be present:
Unfavorable Cement Chemistry 12% fly ash in the concrete
and unfavorable cement chemistry.
Long Term exposure to water concrete core wall exposed to
the elements for 1 to 2 years.
Temperatures over 160 degrees with a large amount of
cement in the mix, a great deal of heat of hydration, and warm
summer temperatures in Los Angeles, this was an issue.
Insulating the mat for two weeks to keep extremities warm.
22
December 2014
First lift of corewall reinforcing.
Typical corewall reinforcing.
To avoid DEF, it was necessary to chill the concrete mix so that concrete temperatures would never exceed 160 degrees. Los Angeles had
numerous days where the ambient air temperature has exceed 100
degrees. Typically concrete can be delivered at point of placement as
warm as 90 degrees; to avoid DEF, concrete delivery temperatures
were limited to 70-75 degrees.
The reduced concrete delivery temperature retarded the mix from
maturity, which complicates the 4-day cycle of the concrete core wall.
The Contractors schedule requires that the form system be jumped
12 hours after the pour. With lower delivery temperatures of concrete
and slower maturity, the concrete is reaching approximately 1,000 psi
at 12 hours. It was initially assumed that the concrete would reach
2,500 PSI at 12 hours. This created schedule problems with the coil
inserts utilized in the core wall to jump the form system. Currently,
test protocols are under development to demonstrate a safety factor
of 3 in the design loads of the form system for 1,000 psi concrete.
Conclusion
The Wilshire Grand Hotel/Office building will continue rising from
the ground over the next three years. In late 2015 the structure should
top out, with the remaining time devoted to the completion of the
architecture and building skin.
This will be the tallest structure west of the Mississippi. Outside of
New York and Chicago, it will be the tallest structure in
the United States. It will be the only highrise building in
Los Angeles without a flat roof top, redefining the Los
Angeles skyline with its elegant sail atop the structure.
Gerard M. Nieblas, S.E., LEED AP, is President of Brandow &
Johnston Inc. Gerard may be reached at [email protected].
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Shoring Up the Past
New York CitY

Style
By Alan M. Rosa, P.E. and Stephen Lehigh
he design of temporary shoring for existing buildings

offers the engineer challenges on multiple levels, especially
on vintage structures in New York City when not all the
existing conditions can be known. This article presents
a project that involved temporary shoring at the second floor of
approximately ninety feet of exterior bearing wall and storefront
of a depression-era six-story apartment building located on a busy
intersection in midtown Manhattan. The building was continuously
occupied during shoring operations. The design included an innovative rigid support of an excavation system designed for removal of
existing foundation walls, and support of temporary shoring systems.
The project, located at the corner of East 63rd Street and 3rd Avenue,
is part of the construction of a new Metropolitan Transit Authority
(MTA) 2nd Avenue Subway Line project. This building will serve as
a new entrance to the 63rd Street/Lexington Avenue Station by way
of a newly installed escalator entry.
Proposed Construction
The proposed permanent design creates access to the lower level of
the subway station adjacent to the building using an escalator at the
northwest corner of the building. The access point exits at street level
within the envelope of the existing apartment building. During the
construction of the new entrance, the building will receive a new
reinforced concrete foundation wall that will replace an existing stone
rubble wall. The masonry bearing walls and the existing storefront
above the street level will be replaced with a new perimeter steel support frame. The new foundation will include a reinforced concrete
slab, at approximately the same elevation of the existing basement,
that will ramp down fifteen feet below the basement level for the
new escalator.
to any demolition, and their sequences were limited to occur after

installation and preloading of the temporary support steel.
A system utilizing eight 5-foot, 6-inch x 5-foot, 6-inch post-tensioned
unreinforced concrete piers spaced at 9 feet on centers was developed. Hand excavated pits were advanced using horizontal sheeted
timber rings forming a box, similar to conventional underpinning
methods. The base of each pier was extended below the bottom of
the proposed excavation to an adequate subgrade bearing strata.
Once the concrete was poured and cured, the tops of the piers were
post-tensioned using self-drilled rock anchors installed at a 1:4 slope
to accommodate the proximity of the existing building foundation
(Figure 1). The steeply sloped tiebacks were also advantageous to
avoid the existing street utilities. The anchors were located at the
center of the piers in a Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) sleeve within the
pier, and grouted into ledge rock. The embedment into rock ranged
from twelve to fifteen feet and each tieback was tested to 133% of
the anticipated 240 kip lock-off load, i.e. the design anchor load at
the tallest pier. At the northwest corner of the building, the existing
adjacent below grade station entrance framing was used for support
of the temporary shoring system.
Temporary Shoring
Existing Building Construction

Typical multi-story residential construction of this era consisted
of wood floor framing, masonry bearing walls, and perimeter steel
storefront framing. The estimated temporary shoring loads of this
project at the second level varied from 8 kips per foot (kips/ft) to
approximately 13 kips/ft of wall. The foundation consisted of mortared
stone rubble foundation walls, with brick masonry piers at existing
column locations within the basement. The interior of the building
is supported by steel beams and columns on spread footings.
Support of Excavation
A rigid support was required for both the support of the temporary
shoring frames needed upon removal of the existing rubble foundation
walls and for the deep excavation system below the basement level.
Conventional methods were not possible due the proximity of the
street to the building and the vast amount of existing street utilities.
The supports of the excavation were required to be installed prior
STRUCTURE magazine
Figure 1. Elevation of temporary shoring system at north storefront and

bearing wall.
The existing building is classified by the MTA as a fragile structure,

defined as the limit of damage allowed is no more than very slight. This
is defined as damage that contains fine cracks (up to 1/32 inch wide)
in the exterior wall faade that are easily treatable and damage that
is generally limited to interior wall finishes. The restrictions for the
temporary shoring requirements were many, and included stringent
tolerances on the maximum and relative movement. A maximum limit
of 1/8 inch, with a threshold limit of 1/16 inch in both the horizontal
and vertical directions, was required.
Of the variety of temporary shoring designs required on this project,
including one for removal of a six story steel interior column, the two
main systems discussed in this article will be one for the support of
the existing perimeter beams over the storefront and another for the
support of the existing brick bearing walls.
At Storefronts
Within the limits of the new entry, the existing structure was demolished up to the underside of the existing steel beams that support
25
December 2014
Figure 2. Typical A-Frame shoring at storefronts.
the masonry above and span the storefronts. Thus, any temporary
shoring system must leave clearance for the installation of new perimeter beams and columns installed directly below the existing second
floor perimeter steel framing. In addition, a system was required to
allow the installation of a new concrete foundation wall to replace
the existing rubble foundation wall. An A-Frame system consisting
of compression struts and tension ties was developed (Figure 2). The
exterior ends of the frames were supported on the post-tensioned
concrete piers, and the interior ends of the frame were supported
on a steel frame system which in turn was supported on 3-foot by
4-foot concrete piers to a depth of approximately thirty feet below
Figure 3. Elevation of northwest corner with post-tensioned pier supporting

the A-Frames.
STRUCTURE magazine
26
December 2014
the street level (Figure 3). The tops of the A-Frames were attached
directly to the existing steel beams by welding the compression
struts to the existing girder (Figure 4, page 28). The frames straddled
the existing beam ends above the existing columns that were being
removed so as to not change the existing support conditions of the
beams; that is, one A-Frame at each beam end. The A-Frames were
preloaded using hydraulic jacks at each side on the frame. The jacks
were supported by channels connected to the main temporary girders
just below the tension members of the frames. At other locations,
it was possible to jack only from one side of the A-Frame. In these
cases, the lateral movement of the frames at the apex due to the
one-sided jacking was determined to be negligible. Jacking loads
were limited to ninety percent of the calculated dead load plus a
small allowance for live load throughout the building. Since each frame was
jacked independently, the expectation
was that little to no vertical movement
would occur due to the restraint provided by the existing brick walls. Thus, it
was important that the jacking loads be
determined as precisely as possible, and
that the A-Frames and supporting system
would have a significant amount of extra
strength available to confidently remove
the existing steel columns supporting the
perimeter storefront steel. Monitoring
systems were installed to register any
movements. As a result, all original
building columns were removed successfully without any appreciable movement
measured or cracking observed.
not practical given the various frame deflections required to preload

the system. It was therefore determined that the best approach was
to wedge-shim each needle beam at each end to the required vertical
displacement and then to pack it with flat shims to provide uniform
bearing support. The required displacement was determined from
an estimate of the uniform wall load and the tributary width of an
individual needle beam. In order to account for deformations in the
piers and the steel columns, and the deflections of the supporting
frames, a comprehensive structural analysis was performed on both
the interior and exterior frames to determine the exact level of shims
required for each needle beam. Shimming could not commence
until the entire web space and the top flange was packed with grout
so that the masonry bearing area was increased and the masonry
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Along East 63rd Street, a thirty-eight foot

long section of an existing 16-inch thick
brick masonry bearing wall was required
to be removed to the same elevation as
the adjacent storefront (Figure 5, page
28). Needle beams spaced at two feet
on centers, on average, were utilized. As
in the case of the A-Frames, the interior
ends of the beams were supported on
the steel frames, which in turn were supported on the 3-foot by 4-foot concrete
piers. The exterior frames were supported on the post-tensioned concrete
piers (Figure 4). At the second floor, there
were four existing steel beams supported
by the existing bearing wall that needed
to be shored prior to wall removal.
Hung beams adjacent to the wall being
removed provided the support of the
existing beams and were attached to the
bottom flanges of the needle beams.
Distribution beams adjacent and parallel to the exterior wall were required at
the larger window openings, and at the
existing fire escapes, to evenly distribute
the wall load to all needle beams (Figure
6, page 28). In order to uniformly load
the existing wall, jacking methods were
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STRUCTURE magazine
27
December Half
2014
Page: 5" x 7.5"
9-10-2014
At Bearing Walls
Figure 4. Typical A-Frame and needle beam construction sections at existing

storefront and bearing wall.
Figure 6. Needle beam support at existing masonry bearing wall with window
distribution beam.
this project. On this project, multiple prisms and rotational meters

were strategically placed at the face of each building elevation. All
instruments were measured continuously from a remote location.
The tops of the post-tensioned concrete piers were monitored during
preloading of the A-Frames and the needle beams, in anticipation
of possible settlements and possible horizontal displacements due to
relaxation of the post-tensioning anchors. Monitoring will extend to
the end of construction.
Figure 5. Post-tensioned concrete pier construction.
Conclusion
was not overstressed (Figure 6). Concrete piers were monitored for
settlement during shimming operations, with the understanding
that the required design shim thicknesses may need to be adjusted
if settlement occurred. The heaviest loaded needle beams were
shimmed to an estimated mid-span concentrated load of 24 kips.
Once completed, the masonry wall was removed in sections starting
directly under the bottom flanges of the needle beams. Removal was
completed within two days with no movement or cracking registered.
The design of temporary shoring systems in New York City offers

the engineer many challenges given special constraints, existing
utilities and unknown conditions. Innovative, yet practical solutions are necessary to achieve the desired result, one
that is cost effective and on time. A sound monitoring
program is an essential part of the temporary shoring
design and construction.
Acknowledgment: Contractor Judlau Contracting, Inc.,
College Point, NY
Monitoring
One of the more important aspects of this temporary support design
was the monitoring of the existing building for displacement and rotation. With close monitoring and tight restrictions given for movement
and rotation, it allowed adjustments to the design if unintended movements occur. Therefore, the implementation of a sound, well thought
out monitoring program was an important design consideration for
STRUCTURE magazine
28
Alan M. Rosa, P.E. ([email protected]), is a Principal and

Stephen Lehigh ([email protected]), is a Senior Project
Structural Engineer at Structural Consulting Services, P.C.,
Brookfield, CT.
December 2014
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Excellence in Structural Engineering

NCSEA 17th Annual Awards Program
he National Council of Structural Engineers Associations

(NCSEA) is pleased to announce the following 2014
Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards. The awards
were presented on the evening of September 19 during
the Awards Program at NCSEAs 22nd Annual Conference in New
Orleans, LA. The awards have been given annually since 1998 and
highlight some of the best examples of structural ingenuity throughout the world.
All structures must have been completed, or substantially completed,
within the past three calendar years. Awards were given in eight
separate categories, with one project in each category being named
the Outstanding Project. The categories for 2014 were:
New Buildings under $10 Million
New Buildings $10 Million to $30 Million
New Buildings $30 Million to $100 Million
New Buildings over $100 Million
New Bridge and Transportation Structures
International Structures over $100 Million
Forensic / Renovation / Retrofit / Rehabilitation Structures
Other Structures
The 2014 Awards Committee was chaired by Carrie Johnson (Wallace
Engineering Structural Consultants, Inc., Tulsa OK). Ms. Johnson
noted: We had a great group of judges from the Structural Engineers
Association of Oregon this year, and some truly outstanding projects.
They had the enormous task of evaluating a wide variety of projects
from twenty different states and five different countries. The judges did
an outstanding job of thoroughly analyzing each entry and thoughtfully discussing which ones should receive an award. Seeing the entries
each year continues to make me proud to be a structural engineer.
Please join STRUCTURE magazine and NCSEA in congratulating all of the winners. More in-depth articles on several
of the 2014 winners will appear in the Spotlight Department
of the magazine over the course of the 2015 editorial year.
STRUCTURE magazine
30
2014 PANEl of JudgES

The judging was held Tuesday July 22, 2014 at the offices
of KPFF in Portland, OR. The 2014 awards jury from the
Structural Engineers Association of Oregon included the
following individuals:
Rick Amodeo, P.E., S.E.
AAI Engineers
Joe Gehlen, P.E., S.E.
Kramer Gehlen & Associates, Inc.
Ron Kernan, P.E., S.E.
KPFF Consulting Engineers
Amit Kumar, P.E., S.E.
City of Portland
Mark Libby, P.E.
HDR Engineering
Brad Moyes, P.E., S.E.
KPFF Consulting Engineers
Trent Nagele, P.E., S.E.
VLMK
Ed Quesenberry, P.E., S.E.
Equilibrium Engineers, LLC
Tim Rippey, P.E., S.E.
Tim Rippey Consulting Engineers
Wade Younie, P.E., S.E.
DCI Engineers
December 2014
Category 1 New Buildings under $10 Million
outStANdiNg ProJECt
Jasper Place Library
Edmonton, Alberta
fast + Epp
Jasper Place Library is a 15,000 square foot replacement of an existing facility.

The striking new structure was built with the goal of becoming the new social
heart in an older suburban neighborhood. Predominantly cast-in-place concrete
on piles, the primary feature is the expressive curved plate concrete roof that
spans the entire library space, punctuated with skylights. The overall result is a
response to the changing needs of the Library of the Future.
Courtesy of Stephan Pasche.
Courtesy of Stephan Pasche.
Category 2 New Buildings $10 Million to $30 Million
outStANdiNg ProJECt
Theatre for a New Audience at Polonsky
Shakespeare Center
Brooklyn, NY
robert Silman Associates
The Theatre for a New Audience is a laboratory for modern theatrical interpretation of classical plays. Its new home, a sleek glass and steel building in Brooklyns
BAM Cultural District, is deceptively simple in form, belying its structural
complexity and the intricate acoustical isolation that prevents the sounds of the
subway running underneath and the traffic on the busy streets around it from
interfering with the performances happening within. A cantilevered front faade
allows the entire front lobby of the theater to hover above the plaza below, rather
like a curtain being raised for a performance.
STRUCTURE magazine
31
December 2014
Category 3 New Buildings $30 Million to $100 Million
outStANdiNg ProJECt
P750 Helicopter Maintenance Hangar
San diego, CA
frankfurt Short Bruza Associates, PC
The U.S. Navy required a three squadron helicopter maintenance facility located along the northern waterfront at Naval Air Station North
Island. With prime inward views throughout San Diego, this hangar
had to be worthy of its location, reflect an equally positive image,
become a significant part of the installations waterfront and a source
of Navy pride. Structural engineers collaborated with the project team
to deliver strong aesthetic solutions to the projects numerous physical challenges including clear space, volume, environmental design
factors and client requirements. This 112,000 square foot facility
was successfully completed at an approximate cost of $50 million.
Courtesy of Heliphoto.net.
Category 4 New Buildings over $100 Million
outStANdiNg ProJECt
Newport Beach Civic Center and Park
Newport Beach, CA
Arup
The conceptual vision of architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

paired with the sculpted steel designed by Arup structural engineers
celebrates the use of exposed structural steel as architectural form and
function. New structures include the City Hall, Community Room,
Council Chambers, expansion to the public library, parking garage,
and four pedestrian bridges. The iconic curved wide-flange waved
roofs, vierendeel trusses, and buckling restrained brace frames of the
City Hall, and the large cantilevers of the Library roof and the San
Miguel Bridge, allow the public to see the structure at work while
providing memorable experiences.
Courtesy of David Wakely.
Courtesy of Nick LeHoux.
STRUCTURE magazine
32
December 2014
Category 5 international Structures over $100 Million
outStANdiNg ProJECt
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
Terminal 2
Mumbai, india
Skidmore, owings & Merrill llP
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport Terminal 2 adds 4.4 million square feet
of new space to accommodate 40 million passengers per year. The primary design
feature of the building is a long-span roof covering a total of 70,000m2 (83,720
square yards) over various functional requirements, making it one of the largest
roofs in the world without an expansion joint. The Headhouse Roof, supported
by only 30 columns, produces a large column-free space ideal for an airport. The
Terminal Building also includes the largest and longest cable wall system in the
world. The structural design prioritized modular construction for economy and
facilitation of an accelerated construction schedule.
Courtesy of GVK.
Courtesy of Robert Polidori | Mumbai International Airport Pvt. Ltd.
Category 6 New Bridges and transportation Structures
outStANdiNg ProJECt
Floating Cofferdam for Repair of the
Washington State SR-520 Floating
Replacement Bridge
Seattle, WA
Ben C. gerwick inc.
Structural cracking in the new pontoons for the replacement

SR-520 floating bridge required repair in a dry environment. A
floating cofferdam was designed to act as a floating dry dock that
seals against a bridge pontoon afloat. The cofferdam features two
sliding side gates, a cofferdam-pontoon seal, and 28 struts with
hydraulic jacks for load transfer. It is 96 feet wide, 44 feet long and
35.5 feet tall with a weight of 600 tons. The cofferdam was fabricated on a barge and side launched at the Lake Washington site.
Courtesy of Washington State Department of Transportation.
STRUCTURE magazine
Courtesy of Aequalis Photography.
33
December 2014
Category 7 forensic/renovation/retrofit/rehabilitation Structures
outStANdiNg ProJECt
680 Folsom Street
San francisco, CA
tipping Mar
The transformation of 680 Folsom a 1960s steel-moment-framed building that

no one had wanted into desirable office space involved a complete gut renovation,
seismic retrofit, and expansion. At the behest of TMG Partners, a value-engineering
effort impelled Tipping Mar to once again boldly innovate, reaching centuries
into the past and oceans away to medieval Japan. The result? A unique isolative
lateral system unprecedented in modern engineering that saved $4 million
on a $110 million project and provided enhanced seismic performance.
Category 8 other Structures
outStANdiNg ProJECt
East Station Plaza Danseurs (Dancers)
union City, CA
Simpson gumpertz & Heger inc.
The City of Union City, California sought to develop a civic plaza, which included
a centerpiece a terraced fountain with three bronze sculpture Danseurs on
platforms positioned within the fountain. The fountain would be built 0.6 miles
northeast from the Hayward fault line. With that in mind, Simpson Gumpertz
& Heger suggested mounting the sculptures on base-isolated platforms put
them on a suspension with springs and shocks to reduce the lateral forces on the
sculptures. Using isolated platforms, the architect and city were provided with
an elegant solution to protecting their civic sculptures from earthquake damage
for future generations.
STRUCTURE magazine
34
December 2014
AWArd WiNNEr CAtEgorY 1

The Brelsford Visitor Center
Washington State University
Pullman, WA KPff Consulting Engineers
The 4,200 square foot Brelsford Visitors Center orients
guests to WSU and serves as a vital resource for other
attractions in the region. Pivoting display walls build
public awareness, and support of the Universitys lifechanging teaching, research, and outreach activities. The
glazed pavilion is topped by an overhanging CLT roof that
is supported by the 15-foot concrete U on one end and
a 40-foot-tall steel plate tower on the other.

The Dorrance K. Hamilton Rooftop
Garden at the Kimmel Center for the
Performing Arts
Philadelphia, PA the Harman group, inc.
The enclosure of the Dorrance K. Hamilton Rooftop
Garden at The Kimmel Center is a structural glass
gem within the barrel vault of Philadelphias premier
Performing Arts Center.
Structural elegance and simplicity were key to developing a workable supporting structure for the glass box,
enclosing the space while maintaining the high level
of vibration and acoustic separation necessary to the
Perelman Performing Arts Center below.

Denver Union Station Train Hall
denver, Co Skidmore, owings & Merrill llP
SOM Structural Engineers, working closely with SOM
Architects, designed several steel and fabric pavilions
for Denver Union Station Intermodal Hub. The focal
point for the new station the Train Hall structure was
conceived as an efficient and formally expressive means
of clear-spanning 180 feet across multiple railway tracks.
The primary structural system consists of eleven steel
arch trusses spanning nearly 180 feet from a single
large-diameter pin connection. The arch-trusses and cantilevered trusses support a tensioned PTFE fabric.
STRUCTURE magazine
35
December 2014

Trefolo University Building
forl, italy Proges Engineering S.r.1
The so-called Trefolo is the set of paths that connect the
lecture halls at the University Campus in Forl, Italy. It
consists of three twisting tubes with variations in height
and plan. The three tubes (with a total length of about
100 meters or 328 feet) rest on irregularly spaced vertical
elements (props and stairwell partition walls) with several
significant spans. Structural challenges included aspects in
relation to the structures behavior under static and seismic
conditions. In addition, difficult site conditions presented
numerous challenges during construction.

University of Louisville Student
Recreation Center
louisville, KY rangaswamy & Associates, inc.
With a growing urban campus, the University of Louisville
student body saw an increasing need for additional intramural and recreation space. The steel framed $27 million
Student Recreation Center encompasses 128,000 square
feet and contains six new gymnasiums, a multi purpose
court, an indoor cantilevered jogging track, and more.
Due to space constraints on campus, the building has an
irregular geometry which includes stacked gymnasiums
and multiple cantilevers. Several innovative structural
systems were required to meet the multiple framing complexities on this building.

Krishna P. Singh Center for
Nanotechnology University of
Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA Severud Associates Consulting
Engineers, PC
The intra-disciplinary Singh Center for Nanotechnology
ascends as a spiral to The Forum, which is a 68-foot
cantilevered room. By design, it accommodates collaboration and sensitive nanotechnology research including
clean rooms and a transmission electron microscope. The
cantilevered Forum is designed to accommodate lectures
and social events, with vibration considerations such as
dancing. The stepping southern faade encloses the sunny
galleria atrium with a curtain wall cut in two directions
by a sloping roof.
Courtesy of Veerka/Esto.
STRUCTURE magazine
36
December 2014

MAST Foundation
Bologna, italy Proges Engineering S.r.1
MAST Foundation is a cultural and philanthropic institution that focuses on art, technology and innovation.
Steel structures are used for the main building functions;
secondary functions are underground construction in
reinforced concrete. Steel structures forming the building
are the synthesis of the research for specific solutions to
complex problems. The result is that it is not possible to
recognize the presence of structures in part of the building
while, in another part of the building, structures emerge
in all of their strength and elegance of expression.
Courtesy of Christian Richters.

Music City Center
Nashville, tN ross Bryan Associates, inc.
Nashville is known as Music City USA, and when a new
convention center was proposed, it was aptly named the
Music City Center. Located in the rolling hills of Middle
Tennessee, the architects incorporated both Music City
and rolling hills themes into the design of the building.
The grand ballroom is shaped like a guitar. The 14-acre
roof is curved in two directions and includes a 4-acre
vegetated green roof to mimic rolling hills. These features
resulted in a stunning building and presented significant
design challenges for Ross Bryan Associates, Inc.

San Bernardino Justice Center
San Bernardino, CA
Skidmore, owings & Merrill llP
The San Bernardino Justice Center (SBJC) is the largest
project constructed for the Administrative Office of the
Courts, and the first to embrace life-cycle analysis considering the structural performance and return on investment
in a region of high seismicity. With extraordinarily high
site-specific ground motions, SBJC utilizes base isolation
bearings and dampers to manage large ground motions.
SBJC features a steel superstructure with special moment
frames and supplementary viscous damping devices. The
triple-concave friction pendulum seismic isolation system,
located on the mat foundation, accommodates 42 inches
of lateral movement.
Courtesy of Bruce Damonte.
STRUCTURE magazine
37
December 2014

Utah Museum of Natural History
Salt lake City, ut dunn Associates, inc.
Nestled in the foothills above Salt Lake City, the 163,000
square foot Natural History Museum of Utah houses a collection of 1.2 million artifacts. The building is composed
primarily of exposed concrete with copper-alloy cladding.
Between the copper, the lighter concrete and the metal
panels, the building blends into the mountainside by
using colors that complement its natural surroundings.
Intended to teach and inspire visitors about the natural
world and our place within it, the museum creates a
distinct architectural and cultural significance for the
state of Utah.

JW Marriott Hanoi Hotel
Hanoi, Vietnam leslie E. robertson Associates
The Marriott International Hotel, Hanoi also serves as
the home of Vietnams National Convention Center.
This project consists of a nine story, five-star, 500 room
Marriott hotel and attached parking garage. The estimated size of this waterfront project is 800,000 square
feet. The complex building uses steel trusses combined
with reinforced concrete. The buildings design takes
its inspiration from the dragon, which evokes the rich
heritage of Vietnam.

San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge New
East Span
oakland, CA t.Y. lin international/Moffatt &
Nichol, Joint Venture
Located between faults capable of producing destructive
earthquakes, the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge New
East Span is a regional lifeline structure with a 150-year
design life, and is designed to open to emergency traffic within days after a major seismic event. It features
engineering innovations and advancements such as shear
link beams in the single tower, hinge pipe beams and
specially-designed expansion joints in the bridge decks,
and foundations that reach up to 300 feet below the
waters surface to anchor in stable soils.
Courtesy of T.Y. Lin International.
STRUCTURE magazine
38
December 2014

140 New Montgomery
San francisco, CA Holmes Culley
With the latest analysis technology and an innovative
strengthening scheme, Holmes Culley designed a seismic retrofit to preserve San Franciscos first skyscraper.
Using Performance Based Engineering, a full non-linear
analysis model was developed to analyze the existing
building. The new structural solution utilizes outrigger
trusses distributed at two locations over the height of the
building, supported by super-columns at the exterior, to
maximize effectiveness of the core walls; and it satisfies
the Secretary of the Interiors standards for the treatment
of historic properties.
Courtesy of Henrik Kam 2013.

Everyman Theatre
Baltimore, Md Keast & Hood Co.
The project to renovate historic Everyman Theatre in
Baltimore, Maryland, revitalized an abandoned property for new use by a community theater organization.
Encompassing historic preservation, creative design,
construction craftsmanship, and good stewardship, the
project did more than create a modern performing arts
venue it contributed to positive neighborhood and
economic renewal in Baltimores West Side arts district.
Structural design challenges included accommodating
acoustics for two stacked theaters, isolating the structure
from an adjacent train tunnel, developing a unique and
cost-effective system to restore the deteriorated faade,
and reacting to structural surprises and not one, but two,
natural disasters.

Richard Serras 7 Sculpture
doha, Qatar leslie E. robertson Associates
Located on a man-made peninsula in Doha, Qatar,
Richard Serras sculpture 7 is composed of seven 4-inch
thick, 80-foot high by 8-foot wide rectangular steel plates
arranged as a heptagon in plan. Each plate leans and tilts
towards the top of the sculpture. The material is intended
to rust in a pattern conducive to the artists vision. Leslie
E. Robertson Associates (LERA) determined the geometric layout of the sculpture in 3-dimensional software,
reviewed the stability of the slender plates under thermal,
wind, and seismic loads, and designed the connections
between the individual plates and the sculptures supports.
STRUCTURE magazine
39
December 2014
Design with
When facing new or unfamiliar materials, how do you know if they comply with
building codes and standards?
ICC-ES Evaluation Reports are the most widely accepted and trusted technical reports for code
compliance. When you specify products or materials with an ICC-ES report, you avoid delays on
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ICC-ES is a subsidiary of ICC, the publisher of the codes used throughout the U.S. and many global
markets, so you can be confident in their code expertise.
ICC-ES provides you with a free online directory of code compliant products at:
www.icc-es.org/Evaluation_Reports and CEU courses that help you design with confidence.
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updates and information
on structural materials
Too many Pipes! Using a lightweight flowable product saved significant time and labor.
espite the fact that cellular concrete

has been used in the construction
industry for nearly a century, it is
not uncommon for designers to be
unfamiliar with this versatile lightweight product.
What is this stuff? and Why havent I heard of
this before? are very common questions.
The primary reason cellular concrete has gained
popularity so slowly in the civil/structural market
is that the manufacturers have focused on flooring and roofing for the past 50 years. Now that
installers are casting a wider net due to the recent
economic downturn, the civil/structural engineering world is starting to realize the vast benefits
of cellular concrete. We are seeing the variety of
uses expanding daily by enthusiastic and creative
engineers everywhere.
There are rumors of a Swedish patent for cellular concrete from 1923. If the patent is proven
true, the origins of cellular concrete could be
traced back to before 1923. Unfortunately, the
actual origins remain unconfirmed. It has also
been widely believed that cellular concrete was
developed in Germany in the 1940s. We do
know it was brought to the United States in the

1950s as a lightweight floor leveling product.
What Is Cellular
Concrete?
Cellular Concrete
Cellular concrete is a
carefully crafted mixture
of cement, water and preformed foam. This material is mixed to a specified
density and pumped into any void. The fundamentals are simple, but the applications and the ability
to mix properly and at high production rates can
be challenging.
The highly specialized equipment varies by contracting company. Each has spent years developing
its own version of high-production equipment.
The equipment cannot be purchased off the shelf
and must be custom made. There is a network of
foam manufacturers and highly trained specialty
contractors throughout in the country to provide
competitive pricing.
In many areas of the country, state departments of
transportation (DOTs) have developed standards
Large volumes in congested areas and difficult access are easy with cellular concrete. Shown is an 18-inch deep
utility fill in San Francisco.
STRUCTURE magazine
41
What Is It and Why

Would I Use It
By Scott M. Taylor, P.E., MBA
Scott M. Taylor, P.E., MBA, is Vice

President for Cell-Crete Corporation,
managing the Engineered Fill
department. He can be reached at
[email protected].
Lightweight foundation fills that are excavatable yet placed cost effectively and
extremely fast.
for cellular concrete, and more are in development. Large agencies, such as the U.S. Army
Corp of Engineers, Caltrans, Florida DOT
and many large-scale builders are steady consumers of this product and proponents for its
many uses. Many agencies and engineers are
learning about the benefits, and the cellular
concrete industry hopes the product will soon
be a standard product in all 50 states.
Cellular concrete can be provided at any
density desired. As it gets heavier, it gets
stronger but also more expensive. Your local
provider is the best source for the determining the strength-to-weight relationship, as
it varies a little with local cement quality
and fly ash content. The standard cellular
concrete mix weighs 30 pcf, with an average
compressive strength of approximately 100
psi (14,400 psf ).
Where Does It Go and Why?
Basically, cellular concrete can be pumped

into any space. It is highly fluid and easily
pumpable. This geotechnically strong,

these invoices?
Load balancing fills adjacent to existing structures do not cause

adverse movement.
ultra-lightweight fill provides the following benefits to the structural engineer:

1) Lightweight fill in or below the
structure
2) Zero lateral loading on adjacent walls,
sheet piles or retaining structures
3) Long distance placement for tight
locations
4) Extremely high bearing capacities
5) Insulation properties
6) Quick and easy void filling within the
structure
7) Plaza fills at lower costs than those of
other lightweight fills
8) Roof fills paired with expanded
polystyrene (EPS)
9) Rat slabs
Why Would I Use Cellular

Concrete on My Project?
Zero Lateral Loading

Another standard use for cellular concrete is
the zero lateral load concept. For a structure
that requires exterior retaining walls, replacing
some amount of heavy soil on the outside of
the structure significantly reduces the lateral
loading in the design. Cellular is placed in
relatively shallow lifts, creating minor lateral
fluid pressure for about 6 hours. After it hardens, the cohesion is so strong there is no lateral
loading applied to the retaining structure. If
there is no lateral loading, why does it need
a retaining wall at all? A simple erosion face,
is all thats needed to protect the vertical face
which is self-supporting.
Rehabilitations and Metropolitan Work
In rehabilitation work, there are often
voids under slabs, behind walls, or in newly
The reason is simple: money!!! Basic economics require any new solution to be either
better or more cost-effective than the current system. With cellular concrete, both may
apply depending on the application. Here are
a few examples:
Building Support and Load Balancing
What if you put the material under your
building because you are concerned about the
bearing capacity of the site soils or deep settlement? Placing cellular concrete in a uniform
layer under the building provides a strong
non-expansive base and reduces the overall
weight of the new structure. Structural engineers then can revise the foundation system
for this stronger, more stable, non-expansive
subgrade. A win-win situation, especially in
challenging site conditions such as those near
waterfronts and over soft soils.
STRUCTURE magazine
42
December 2014
Cellular concrete flows into every nook and cranny

with no vibration or placement effort.
continued on page 44
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constructed hidden areas. An example is

buildings constructed in pits, which are
then backfilled around each building after
the below-grade portion is complete. Utility
trenches also require backfilling, but the large
numbers of pipes within a trench may pose
a challenge for proper compaction. These
areas can be filled with highly fluid cellular
concrete at high-volume rates by running a
hose to the location and pumping from the
street. This method is relatively easy and clean
(no wheelbarrows). The work above the fill
can proceed the next work day.
Lightweight Plaza Fills

Large structures are often designed to
include roof gardens. To create the feel of
a proper garden, the structure is built 4 feet
below the finished grade to allow room for
utilities and tree roots. This area is then
filled with a lightweight material to provide subgrade for the surface slabs. Cellular
Concrete is easy to apply in this situation as
a poured-in-place product. There is no cutting required, and there is no concern about
the shape/sloping of the structure. Nearly
the lightest of all fills, Cellular Concrete

is simply the most cost effective solution.
When designed for a mix design density of
25-27 pcf, the structural reinforcing rarely
changes due to the weight of this fill over
other alternatives.
Hillside Residential Foundations:
A Simpler Design
For a new home to be built on a hill, a typical foundation design is to install deep piles
typically spaced 8 feet apart. An alternative
is excavating a trench at foundation lines
down to bedrock and then backfill with
cellular concrete. In some cases, savings
of over 75% have been realized, with
a dramatically more stable foundation
system as it interlocks with the bedrock
over larger areas. The foundation system
should then be revised according to the
new subgrade.
Lightweight Insulated
Concrete Roofs
This long-standing hybrid system

combines the high insulation value
of Expanded PolyStyrene (EPS) with
the strength of cellular concrete. In
this system, an EPS tapered system is
installed to create the insulation value
then a 2-inch layer of 250 psi cellular
concrete gives the roof the strong surface
for the waterproofing layer to adhere.
The savings starts in the ability to build
the structure with a simple flat roof, and
construct the slope-to-drain in the foam.
Savings continue since EPS and Cellular
are typically the least expensive insulation/sloping system. A very important
long term benefit for the customer is
that the insulation does not need to be
replaced when reroofing the building.
Conclusions
The various applications and benefits
described above, as well as many others,
are available to the knowledgeable structural engineer who has cellular concrete
in his toolbox. This versatile, easy-toapply material is readily available from
regional specialty contractors who can
provide a wealth of knowledge, experience and design assistance.
Visit the new STRUCTURE website

www.STRUCTUREmag.org
STRUCTURE magazine
44
December 2014
Design concrete anchoring

connections in minutes!
Truspec is a new and free anchor calculation software allowing Architects and
Engineers to design concrete anchoring connections in minutes in accordance with
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Truspec anchor calculation software users

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InSIghtS
new trends, new techniques and current industry issues
Building Increased Productivity Using the Cloud

By Sam Liu
n construction, time is money. And,

when it comes to saving time and
increasing productivity, the cloud is a
catalyst for change. Arguably one of
the most game-changing technologies of the
century, the cloud to the computer industry
is like utility grids for the power industry a
central fabric that powers the most complex
computing tasks. However, it may be the
simple things that result in the greatest business impact. Take, as an example, the access
and sharing of important business documents
and files.
One of the most effective ways engineering
firms can leverage the value of the cloud is
to use it to share files. While it may sound
like a simple task, sharing files can be one of
the most tedious, time consuming drains on
productivity in the construction industry.
With the demand for mobility, the challenge
of sending large files, the need to collaborate
with external parties and the risk of version
confusion and data loss, structural engineering firms have unique needs when it comes
to file sharing.
Using the cloud to share files can give

both productivity and power to the mobile
worker. But, file sharing doesnt only have to
be used for files. Consider that there is a job
change on site that demands quick action.
By snapping a picture, or taking a video with
a smartphone, workers can quickly convey
a situation and its solution using the cloud.
Using a sophisticated online file sharing solution, that photo can be easily shared with
everyone involved for faster resolution. And,
the photo and video files can be automatically archived and tracked for compliance
and accountability.
To best enable mobile collaboration,
select a cloud file sharing solution that
doesnt restrict the device type which can
be used. The best file sharing options
support any mobile device and enable
integrated document editing on tablets
and mobile phones. This eliminates the
need for additional and potentially cumbersome third-party mobile apps.
lead to unnecessary project slowdowns and

cost overruns. By using a secure online file
sharing solution, communication is streamlined and the turnaround time for project
document modifications, reviews, and notifications can be shortened from hours and
days down to minutes.
When selecting a cloud file sharing solution that will empower your extended
teams, be sure to select one that allows
sharing with anyone, even if they are not
a member of the file sharing service you
use. The best solutions dont require you to
force your recipients to register or adopt
a specific file sharing platform. They will
offer access to shared files regardless of
whether recipients are a registered user
of that service or not, while still allowing the sender to remain in control of the
document through access rights such as
passwords and expirations.
Sharing Large Files
The Demands of Being Mobile
Large files present their own challenges.

They are hard to email, time consuming
to upload and challenging to manage. In
the structural engineering field, this is particularly prevalent. The risk that part of
an email attachment wont be received can
cause significant productivity impact, especially when sharing with vendors, partners
or clients.
With a secure online file sharing solution,
site managers and subcontractors can easily
and securely share vital files no matter how
large they are without resorting to email or
other unreliable systems. Whats more, new
versions of files can automatically be tracked,
updated and made available to all recipients.
When working on fast moving projects,

data loss and breach are the last things a
company wants to risk. In fact, data loss can
not only be expensive, it can be devastating.
According to market research firm Gartner
Group, 43 percent of small businesses were
immediately forced to close their business
after experiencing a major loss of computer records.
To be sure that your organization doesnt
become part of that 43 percent, look to a
cloud file sharing solution that offers robust
security features, including security audited
geo-redundant data centers, data encryption, authentication technology, reliable
data loss protection (DLP) and continuous
monitoring against security risks. It is also
wise to select a service that has received
an independent SSAE 16 certification.
Together, these multiple layers of security
can safeguard your company data without
the high costs and complexities of doing
it yourself.
RINE ENG
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ETY OF NAV
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RCHITECTS
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&
THE
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Because building and engineering firms must

work in a range of locations, from high-rises
to remote areas, construction professionals are rarely in the office. Yet, regardless of
where work is being done, access to files is
paramount. Project documents such as design
calculations, CAD drawings, reports, permits,
and more need to be easily accessible both
in the office and on the road. The easier and
more ubiquitous the access, the more productivity can be achieved.
ate
or ce
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joi
PPORTUNITY
We can help you get a head start, get ahead,

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Working with Extended Teams

Compounding the need for simplified
collaboration for professionals in the construction industry is the need to share
content with multiple subcontractors,
vendors, municipalities and clients that
are outside the company firewall. Projects
move fast; any miscommunication, lost
document or a delay in response time can
STRUCTURE magazine
46
December 2014
Protecting Your Work
Sam Liu ([email protected]), is the Vice

President of marketing for Soonr
(www.soonr.com) and an expert in
mobile, cloud and enterprise technologies.
and desig are par

Analysis
of my ever day. IES tools
help our engineers to work
faster, yet with accuracy.
Intuitive Software for

Structural Engineers
IES VisualAnalysis
Frame and finite element analysis.
Simple. Productive. Versatile.
Accurate results. Excellent value.
Model courtesy of:

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CD Engineering, Inc.
IES, Inc.
800.707.0816
[email protected]
www.iesweb.com
CASE BuSinESS PrACtiCES
business issues
CASE on Contracts
Part 1
By Steve Schaefer, P.E.
ood contracts are an important

part of any structural engineering
firms practice. Having a good
contract can make your projects
run more efficiently and improve your firms
profits; conversely, an inappropriate or poorly
written contract could be disastrous for your
firm. This article is the first in a series of articles from CASE to help structural engineers
have more profitable businesses by using contracts effectively.
The Basics
What is a Contract?
A contract is an agreement to do or not to do
something. Saying that a contract is valid
means its legally binding and enforceable.
The point of a contract is to clearly outline an
agreement so that the object is accomplished
while preventing disputes that could lead to
litigation. A lawsuit is a very inefficient and
expensive way to resolve contract disputes;
it also means you lose control over the issue
being disputed since a judge or jury will be
making the decisions instead.
The essential parts of a valid contract include:
Parties. The contract must clearly
identify the parties to the agreement.
Consent. A valid contract also
requires the parties consent. Consent
isnt mutual unless the parties agree on
the same thing in the same sense. This
is often referred to as a meeting of
the minds. Generally, theres an offer
and an acceptance communicated by
the parties.
Object. The product or service being
agreed to is also known as the object or
subject. It must be lawful, possible and
definite. For structural engineers, this is
the Scope of Services.
Consideration. All contracts require
consideration, meaning each party
must gain something. Typically,
your client gains your structural
engineering expertise and your firm
receives money in return; however,
the consideration could also be free
advertising, for example.
What Should a Good Engineering

Services Contract Cover?
In addition to the basic requirements, a good
contract will provide additional protection by
clearly documenting:
a. When you will be paid.
b. The consequences if you are not paid
as required, such as being paid interest
at the specified rate, allowing you
to stop work on the project and/or
forcing the client to reimburse you for
legal expenses expended in order to
collect the amount due.
c. A detailed Scope of Services:
i. Makes it clear what services you
are providing.
ii. Protects you from an expanded
scope or scope creep by providing
for extra compensation due to
unforeseen circumstances or
changes in the scope initiated by
the client.
iii. Protects you from claims regarding
issues that were not within your
scope of services.
iv. In some cases, you may want to
specify some services that you will
not be providing.
d. Other Terms and Conditions that
are not the key elements of the
contract but cover various situations
that may occur.
If a Contract Isnt in Writing,
is it Still Valid?
Contracts do not have to be in writing. An
oral contract is acceptable in many situations;
however, there is no way to prove the terms of
the agreement with an oral contract. In several
states, a contract for engineering services must
be in writing. Further, some states require a
transaction over a certain dollar amount to
be in writing. When the agreement doesnt
have to be in writing, all the other elements
of a valid contract still have to be fulfilled.
before a contract is drawn up or signed, an

attorney should review it; however, that can
be expensive. Your professional liability insurance carrier probably provides a free contract
review service, but this is usually only used
for client-supplied contracts. You have other
options available: The American Institute
of Architects (AIA), the Engineers Joint
Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC),
the Council of American Structural Engineers
(CASE), and others have written standard
contracts for use in the architectural, engineering and construction fields. Contracts
developed by these organizations cover typical conditions applicable to the members of
their organizations and have been reviewed
by attorneys.
AIA and EJCDC have great contracts;
however, AIA contracts are written to cover
the work an architect will be providing to
the owner, or the services that a sub-consultant will be providing to the architect.
They are not written to address issues relative to the structural engineer. The EJCDC
contracts are written to address large civil
engineering projects. Neither organization
has a good contract to cover structural engineering services for smaller projects with a
limited scope.
CASE has written over a dozen contracts
specifically for structural engineers and the
various situations they might encounter. By
far the most widely used of these contracts
is CASE Document 1, An Agreement for the
Provisions of Limited Professional Services.
This contract is in the form of a two-page
Agreement and a one-page Terms and
Conditions, and is intended to be used by
structural engineers on investigations and
small projects with a limited scope of services
where the work will be performed within a
relatively short time frame. As with all of
the CASE contracts, it has been reviewed by
attorneys experienced with structural engineering and construction litigation, and by
Professional Liability Insurers.
Standard Contracts
Scope of Services
A well written contract is your best protection

should a dispute arise. In a perfect world,
Even when using standard contracts, it is critical to specify an accurate and specific scope
STRUCTURE magazine
48
December 2014
Problems Caused By Poorly Defined Scope

The intention of both the engineer and their client, a precast concrete supplier, was that
the engineer would serve as a specialty engineer checking the reinforcing in the precast
suppliers proposed design, and modifying it where necessary so that it complied with the
building code. Shortly after the precast was erected, non-structural cracks formed because
of the way in which the precast supplier configured the structure. Because the engineers
scope of services said Design the precast structure rather than the more specific Review
and modify the reinforcing in the precast suppliers proposed design so that the precast
concrete components complied with the building code, the engineer and its professional
liability insurer paid a very large claim for the expense of fixing the non-structural cracks.
Solves virtually any type of structure for

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CADRE Analytic
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Software and ConSulting
FLOOR VIBRATIONS
FLOORVIBE v2.20 New Release
Software to Analyze Floors for Annoying Vibrations

Demo version at www.FloorVibe.com
Calculations follow AISC Design Guide 11 and SJI
Technical Digest 5 2nd Edition Procedures
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Check floors supporting sensitive equipment
Graphic displays of output
Data bases included
CONSULTING SERVICES
Expert consulting available for new construction

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Structural Engineers, Inc.

Radford, VA 540-731-3330 [email protected]
of services, and avoid language that would

broaden your scope well beyond what you
agreed to perform with the Client. Describe
exactly what services you will be providing.
For example, are you designing a repair to
meet the current building code, a previous
code or just to put a damaged structure back
into its original condition (since that may
be all that the clients insurance company
will pay for)?
Since many projects are of a limited scope,
you may be providing a lower level of service
than on a large project; make sure that this
is clear in the agreement. If necessary, note
what services are not being provided. Some
examples of exclusions or limitations are:
1) The preparation of a Construction
Contract between the owner and
contractor is not included.
2) The preparation or review of a
construction cost estimate is
not included.
3) Only one site observation visit during
construction will be provided.
It is good practice to offer providing these
excluded services for an additional fee.
Having an agreement that documents the
additional services that were offered, but the
client chose not to include, can reduce your
liability if disputes arise.
Summary
Although it may not be legally required,
your contracts should be in writing and
should cover the various conditions that
may apply beyond the basics of Parties,
Consent, Object and Consideration. Even
when using a CASE or other organizations
standard contract, it is imperative that the
scope clearly identifies what services you
will and will not be providing.
To help your firm use contracts more effectively, watch for these additional articles from
CASE:
Terms and Conditions to be included
in your contracts;
What new Project Managers need to
know about contracts;
CASEs survey of contract use;
How to respond to onerous clauses on
Client supplied contracts.
Steve Schaefer, P.E., is the founder
and chairman of Schaefer, a 60-person
structural engineering firm, with offices
in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio
and is a member of CASEs Programs
Committee. Steve may be reached at
[email protected].
STRUCTURE magazine
49
December 2014
StruWare, Inc
Structural Engineering Software

The easiest to use software for calculating
wind, seismic, snow and other loadings for
IBC, ASCE7, and all state codes based on
these codes ($195.00).
CMU or Tilt-up Concrete Walls with &
without openings ($75.00).
Floor Vibration for Steel Bms & Joists ($75.00).
Concrete beams with/without torsion ($45.00).
Demos at: www.struware.com
A structural engineer agreed to check the proposed design for the contractor building the
structural frame for an extreme sports event structure. The engineers contract said the engineer would Analyze and design a temporary ramp structure and that the engineer would
coordinate with (the event promoter and the ramp contractor). One of the athletes was
seriously injured due to an error by the athlete compounded by a completely non-structural
problem that developed during the competition. The athletes attorney used the usual shot
gun approach and sued over twenty firms, any firm that was in anyway involved in the
event. Because the judge interpreted the engineers term ramp structure to include all
physical aspects for the event and not just the primary structural components, and assumed
the engineers responsibility was to coordinate the entire event and not just the primary
structural components, he did not agree to dismiss the engineer from the suit even though
the structural components designed by the engineer performed perfectly. As a result, the
engineer paid $25,000 in attorney fees plus $25,000 for a settlement since the cost to fight
the suit would be considerably more than the settlement. If the engineers scope had been
written to clearly say that the engineer was responsible only for the structural design of the
primary structural components and to specifically list those components, the firm may have
been dismissed from the suit, although they would have still had $25,000 in attorney fees.
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designs in one run. With comprehensive ACI1
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produces detailed reports that include clause
references, intermediate results and diagrams.
Product: S-FOUNDATION
Description: Quickly design, analyze and detail your
structures foundations with a complete foundation
management solution. Run as a stand-alone
application, or utilize S-FRAME Analysis powerful
2-way integration links for a detailed soil-structure
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foundation model and includes powerful Revit and
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Web: www.StructurePoint.org
Product: Reinforced Concrete Design Software
Description: spWall is used for design and analysis of
cast-in-place reinforced concrete walls, tilt-up walls,
ICF walls, and precast architectural and load-bearing
panels. spColumn is used for design of shear walls,
bridge piers as well as typical framing elements in
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STRUCTURE magazine
Malcolm Drilling Co., Inc.

Phone: 253-395-3300
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Product: Geotechnical Construction
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Gripple Inc.
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Product: Ground Anchoring Solutions
Description: Complete ground anchoring solutions
for erosion control and slope stabilization. Provided in
ready-to-use kits that include: Gripple Anchors, TerraLock terminations, and cable lengths specific to the job
requirements and geotechnical conditions. Designed to
save time and labor through easy and efficient installation.
Insulfoam
Phone: 800-248-5995
Web: www.insulfoam.com
Product: InsulFoam GF EPS Geofoam
Description: Lightweight fill eliminates lateral loads
on retaining walls. Replacing the active wedge with
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applications from large residences and commercial
buildings to infrastructure.
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Phone: 800-770-4525
Web: www.versa-lok.com
Product: VERSA-LOK Standard Unit
Description: VERSA-LOK Retaining Wall Systems
have a solid construction and unique pinning system
that enables unparalleled design flexibility. From erosion
control and waterway installations to residential and
commercial hardscapes. The Standard unit is available
in traditional split-face or vintage weathered textures.
Williams Form Engineering Corp.

Phone: 616-866-0815
Web: www.williamsform.com
Product: Anchor Systems
Description: Williams Form Engineering Corporation
has been providing threaded steel bars and accessories
for rock anchors, soil anchors, high capacity concrete
anchors, micro piles, tie rods, tie backs, strand
anchors, hollow bar anchors, post tensioning systems,
and concrete forming hardware systems in the
construction industry for over 90 years.
Work quickly.
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Finite element analysis & design of reinforced, precast

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GINEERS
ASS
O NS
STRUCTU
OCIATI
RAL
EN
COUNCI L
News form the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
NATIONAL
22
Annual Conference
nd
The 22nd Annual NCSEA Conference featured over three days

of technical sessions, committee meetings, networking, business
and fun, at the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel in New Orleans. As
Conference Chair, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank
you to the Conference Committee, including Jamie Lorenz
(MT), Emily Guglielmo (CA), Jera Schlotthauer (WY) and
Tom DiBlasi (CT); NCSEA Board members Carrie Johnson,
Chris Cerino and Ed Quesenberry; as well as NCSEA Staff
members Jeanne Vogelzang, Susan Cross, Jan Diepstra and
Melissa Matarrese; for assembling a wonderful slate of speakers.
This was without a doubt one of the best conferences that
we have held. Distinguishing this conference, we welcomed a
record number of Young Members to the value that NCSEA
provides for the practicing structural engineer. In keeping with
NCSEAs goal of catering to the practicing structural engineer,
there was something for everyone.
Noted leadership coach Kelly Riggs kicked off the conference with his thought provoking keynote address, Why Your
Strategic Plan is Doomed to Fail. Kelly tied his keynote to the
new strategic planning process currently being undertaken by
NCSEA. Technical sessions ran the gamut from a preview of
future changes to building codes and standards, to wind design
for tornadoes, to sessions summarizing the most common errors
with wind and seismic design and how to avoid them, just to
name a few.
The Annual Awards Banquet included recognition of the
dedication of individual engineers to the structural engineering
profession, and the Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards
celebrated the structural engineering achievements, creativity
and ingenuity of a variety of outstanding projects. We introduced eight Young Member Group scholarship winners at the
Banquet and honored outstanding engineering service award
recipients Jim Cagley, Jim Malley, Susan Jorgensen, Dustin
Cole and Tim Mays. If you were unable to join us, the photos
on this page will give you a snapshot of what you missed. Be
sure to mark your calendars for the 23rd NCSEA Structural
Engineering Summit which will take place in Las Vegas from
September 30 October 3, 2015.
The festive Opening Reception.
Young Member Conference Scholarship winners.
A friendly game of Jenga

between sessions.
Outgoing President Carrie

Johnson and incoming President
Barry Arnold.
NCSEA News
Ben Nelson, Conference Chair

Mark your Calendars!
2015 NCSEA Structural Engineering Summit
September 30 October 3
Las Vegas
Young engineer attendees at the Awards Reception.
NCSEA President Carrie Johnson presented the James Delahay Award

to honorees Jim Cagley and Jim Malley.
STRUCTURE magazine
52
NCSEA Past Presidents.
December 2014
January 2930, 2015
Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, Florida
Building Strategies for Growth & Success

Platinum Sponsor
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News from the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations
How can engineering rms increase their value

to clients?
How do you get your rm hired and retain
relationship?
Should your rm grow organically or by acquisition?
What will your banker say?
What should you take into account when deciding
whether or not to purchase another rm?
These questions and more will be addressed at the 2015 Winter
Leadership Forum in Coral Gables, Florida.
Structural engineering leaders and firm
principals will gather to discuss the issues
confronting engineering firms in todays
environment. The Forum will feature
roundtable discussions, presentations
from firm principals and professionals
in banking and finance, and a debate
between structural engineering leaders
on How to Grow.
Registration is now open for the Forum,
as well as hotel reservations at the Hyatt
Regency Coral Gables, Florida.
Register today at www.ncsea.com.
NCSEA News
2015 W
Look for the trusted marks and be

confident that a product meets codes and
standards requirements of Conformity!
www.icc-es.org
14-10383
2015 Structural Engineering Summit: Call for Abstracts Open

Abstracts are now being received for 60-90 minute presentations
at the 2015 NCSEA Structural Engineering Summit, September
30 October 3 at Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas.
The 2015 Summit will feature education specific to the practicing
structural engineer, with potentially non-technical sessions as well.
AL
UR
RU
CT
N
IO
UIN
IN
NT
CO
AT
ST
NCSEA
UC
RS
Diamond
Reviewed
These courses will award 1.5 hours of continuing education.

Approved for CE credit in all 50 States through the NCSEA
Diamond Review Program. Time: 10:00 AM Pacific, 11:00
AM Mountain, 12:00 PM Central, 1:00 PM Eastern. NCSEA
oers three options for NCSEA webinar registration: Ala Carte,
Flex-Plan, and Yearly Subscription. Visit www.ncsea.com for
more information or call 312-649-4600.
Webinar Subscription Option!
December 2014
STRUCTU
RAL
GINEERS
NATIONAL
O NS
53
EN
OCIATI
Set up your 2015 continuing education now! NCSEA

offers a Webinar Subscription Plan. For an annual fee of
$750, an individual can access all NCSEA live webinars
over a one-year period. This option is only open to NCSEA
members, i.e., members of NCSEA MOs, Aliate, Associate
and Sustaining Members. Enrollment form and details are
available at www.ncsea.com.
ASS
STRUCTURE magazine
EE
January 20, 2015

Design Examples using the ACI Anchorage Provisions
Donald F. Meinheit, P.E., S.E., retired,
Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates
GIN
January 13, 2015

Behavior, Design and Special Installation of
Adhesive Anchors
EN
January 6, 2015
Behavior and Design of Cast-in-Place and
Mechanical Expansion Anchors
More detailed information on the webinars and a registration

link can be found at www.ncsea.com.
ED
NCSEA Webinars
Abstract session proposals of up to 500 words must be received

by February 23, 2015. Presenters of accepted abstracts will be
notified by March 16, 2015. Speakers will be provided with
required guidelines after acceptance of abstract.
More information can be found at www.ncsea.com.
COUNCI L
Structural Columns
The Newsletter of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE
Registration Now Open for Structures Congress 2015

New ideas. New practices. New science.
New resources. New colleagues.
April 2325, 2015 Portland, Oregon
The sessions I attended were informative but the
opportunity to speak with the leaders in our profession is what keeps me coming back.
TOP REASONS TO ATTEND
Network with researchers, designers, project/construction
managers, and contractors from around the world to
discuss current and future challenges for structures
Gain knowledge by attending outstanding technical
sessions over 110 from which to choose
Visit a wide range of exhibitors in one location and find
the latest tools to help your organization
Earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs) in
technical sessions to maintain your professional licensure
Attend the opening and closing plenary sessions to hear
compelling presentations by innovative top leaders in
the field
Interface with students and young professionals

Visit Portland for roses, parks, museums, outdoor
adventures, great food, microbreweries, and so much more
Enjoy learning & earning PDHs from the Council of
American Structural Engineers (CASE) at their Spring
Risk Management Convocation
Visit the congress website at www.structurescongress.org for
more information and to register.
Call for Abstract and Session Proposals Now Open

We are seeking dynamic sessions and presentations on topics
addressing both Geotechnical and Structural Engineering issues.
Final papers are optional and will not be peer reviewed. Consider
submitting either session proposals or single abstracts related to
the topics and subtopics of interest to both professions.
The 2016 joint congress will feature a total of 15 concurrent
tracks: there will be tracks based on traditional GI and SEI
topics, and tracks on joint topics. In addition, we will be offering

interactive poster presentations within these tracks.
All proposals must be submitted by April 7, 2015 (no extensions).
Visit the joint conference website at www.Geo-Structures.org
for more information and to submit your abstract.
Thank you to 2014 SEI Sustaining

Organization Members:
Second ATC-SEI Conference
Improving the Seismic Performance of Existing

Buildings and Other Structures
December 1012, 2015
Hyatt Regency San Francisco
Become an SEI Sustaining

Organization Member
Raise recognition for your organization in the structural engineering community, and increase visibility to more than 25,000
SEI members via the SEI website, SEI Update e-newsletter, and
SEIs Structural Columns in STRUCTURE magazine. Learn
more at www.asce.org/SEI.
STRUCTURE magazine
54
Call for abstracts and session proposals now open!

Organized by the Applied Technology Council (ATC) and the
Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) of the American Society
of Civil Engineers (ASCE), this conference will be dedicated to
improving the seismic performance of existing buildings and
other structures.
All proposals must be submitted by January 22, 2015 (no
extensions). See the conference website at www.atc-sei.org/
for more information and to submit your abstract.
December 2014
New Committee on Advances

in Information Technology
Ashraf Habibullah, structural engineer and Founder, President,

and CEO of Computers and Structures, Inc., is offering a generous matching gift challenge to support the SEI Futures Fund.
He will match, dollar for dollar, any new donations made by
SEAOC members to the SEI Futures Fund by December 31,
up to $25,000. Your gift, combined with Ashraf s, could total
$50,000 in vital program funding for the Futures Fund, which
invests in activities that advance the art, science and practice of
structural engineering. Learn more about strategic efforts the SEI
Futures Fund supports, and give today at www.asce.org/SEI.
SEI has created a new technical committee on Advances in

Information Technology. The new committee will reside in the
Analysis and Computation TAC. Chaired by Ronald T. Eguchi
of ImageCat, Inc., the committee will focus on how emerging
technologies can be used for structural design and analysis,
post-disaster response and recovery, and pre-event planning
and disaster preparedness. The committee will seek to bring
together technologists and practicing engineers to bridge the
gap between product idealization and implementation. See the
SEI website at www.asce.org\SEI to learn more.
2015 ASCE Bridge Calendar

Now Available
Promote your Business All Year Long

Print your company name and logo across the full 12-inch
width at the bottom of customized Bridges 2015 calendars.
Your brand and message will be in front of your clients and
colleagues every day. For additional questions about calendar
advertising, contact ASCE at [email protected].
Enter the 2015 SEI Student

Structural Design Competition
Deadline is January 5, 2015
Gain valuable professional and networking experience, compete

for cash prizes, and raise visibility for your team and university.
Awards include complimentary registration, sponsored by the
SEI Futures Fund, to participate and present finalist projects at
Structures Congress April 2325, 2015 in Portland, Oregon.
Visit the SEI website at www.asce.org/SEI to learn more and
to enter.
Box Girders Survey
Professional Interest Inventory
The Seattle team of Parsons Brinckerhoff is developing an

independent research project on the prestressed-concrete boxgirder bridges constructed in the past 20 years in the U.S.
and internationally. The project includes creating a bridge
database and analyzing the impacts of different construction
methods on deck dimensions and quantities of concrete,
mild reinforcement and post-tensioning. If interested in
participating in this research, please contact Marco Rosignoli
at [email protected] or Joan Zhong Brisbois at
[email protected]. A form will be distributed to collect a few project specifics bridge geometry, construction
method, moment of inertia and quantities of materials. The
results of the research will be published.
Complete ASCEs online Professional Interest Inventory. The

PII will give ASCE the ability to tailor its email marketing to
send you only the items that are relevant to you. The PII allows
you to select specific topics such as Bridges, Buildings, and
Electrical Transmission Structures. This will help ASCE avoid
sending messages that dont interest you. It takes less than five
minutes. To complete your PII, log in to your ASCE account at
www.asce.org/interests, check off your preferences and submit.
STRUCTURE magazine
Errata
SEI posts up-to-date errata information for our publications at
www.asce.org/SEI. Click on Publications on our menu, and
select Errata. If you have any errata that you would like to
submit, please email it to Jon Esslinger at [email protected].
55
December 2014
The Newsletter of the Structural Engineering Institute of ASCE
Bridges 2015 offers spectacular images of bridges from the

United States and around the
world. This calendar is a celebration of the unique blend of
technology and art that is the
hallmark of great engineering.
Every photo in the calendar
was selected from entries to
ASCEs Bridges Photo Contest. The photos selected for the
2015 calendar celebrate the form, function, and style central
to excellence in civil engineering. Visit the ASCE website at
www.asce.org to order your calendar today.
Structural Columns
SEI Futures Fund SEAOC

Matching Challenge
CASE in Point
The Newsletter of the Council of American Structural Engineers
CASE Contracts Now Available!

CASE #1 An Agreement For the Provision of
Limited Professional Services BEST SELLER!!
This is a sample agreement for small projects or investigations
of limited scope and time duration. It contains the essentials of
a good agreement including scope of services, fee arrangement,
and terms and conditions.
CASE #2 An Agreement Between Client and
Structural Engineer of Record for Professional
Services BEST SELLER!!
This agreement form may be used when the client, e.g. owner,
contractor developer, etc., wishes to retain the Structural
Engineer of Record directly. The contract contains an easy
to understand matrix of services that will simplify the whats
included and whats not questions during negotiations with
a prospective client. This agreement may also be used with a
client who is an architect when the architect-owner agreement
is not an AIA agreement.
CASE #3 An Agreement Between Structural
Engineer of Record and Consulting Design
Professional for Services
The Structural Engineer of Record, when serving in the role
of Prime Design Professional or as a Consultant, may find it
necessary to retain the services of a sub-consultant or architect. This agreement provides a form that outlines the services
and requirements in a matrix so that the services of the subconsultant may be readily defined and understood.
CASE #4 An Agreement Between Owner and

Structural Engineer for Special Inspection Services
Special Inspection services provided by a Structural Engineer
are normally contracted directly by the Owner of a project
during the construction phase. This agreement has a Scope of
Service that directly relates to the applicable code or industry
standard requirements. The Structural Engineer of Record or
another structural engineer providing these services may use this
agreement. The language for coordinating laboratory testing
work is also included within this agreement.
CASE #5 An Agreement for Structural Peer
Review Services
A request to perform a peer review of another structural engineers design brings with it a different responsibility than that
of the Structural Engineer of Record. The CASE #5 document
addresses the responsibilities and the limitations of performing
a peer review. This service is typically performed for an Owner,
but may be altered to provide peer review services to others.
These publications, along with other
CASE documents, are available for purchase
at www.booksforengineers.com.
Donate to the CASE Scholarship Fund!

The ACEC Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE)
is currently seeking contributions to help make the structural
engineering scholarship program a success. The CASE scholarship, administered by the ACEC College of Fellows, is awarded
to a student seeking a Bachelors degree, at a minimum, in an
ABET-accredited engineering program.
We have all witnessed the stiff competition from other disciplines and professions eager to obtain the best and brightest
young talent from a dwindling pool of engineering graduates.
One way to enhance the ability of students in pursuing their
dreams to become professional engineers is to offer incentives
in educational support.
In addition, the CASE scholarship offers an excellent opportunity for your firm to recommend eligible candidates for our
scholarship. If your firm already has a scholarship program,
remember that potential candidates can also apply for the CASE
Scholarship or any other ACEC scholarship currently available.
Your monetary support is vital in helping CASE and ACEC
increase scholarships to those students who are the future of our
industry. All donations toward the program may be eligible for
tax deduction and you dont have to be an ACEC member to
donate! Contact Heather Talbert at [email protected] to donate.
STRUCTURE magazine
56
Follow ACEC Coalitions on

Twitter @ACECCoalitions.
December 2014
Does your company have data but lack insight? Is the rapid pace
of change a challenge to timely decision-making? Is valuable
time wasted searching for just one more piece of data?
As a leader of a small firm, you face increasingly complex
decisions decisions that are filled with ambiguity, uncertainty
and risk. To remain competitive, you cant wait for complete
data and certainty. To save time and money, you must decide
and decide now. Its easy. Successful leaders know the secret.
They gather as much information as feasible and they pay
attention to intuition gut feel. Powerful decisions come
from balancing cognition and intuition in a skilled internal
calculus. New research in neuroscience reveals the proven
processes your brain uses to perform that calculus. Now you
can harness that power for the management of your firm and
development of future leaders.
Through these sessions, discover practical skills that put neuroscience to work for you and your business so that you can:
avoid the pitfalls of over-thinking; sidestep analysis paralysis;
learn techniques to simplify complex decisions; and develop
future leaders who are both smart and insightful.
Increase your decision-making skills now at ACECs Small
Firm Councils (SFC) annual Winter Meeting February 20-21
in Nashville. Speaker, Coach and Author, Shelley Row, P.E., of
Shelley Row Associates LLC, will ignite an interactive exploration of complex decision-making based on her personal
interviews with over 70 leaders. The data confirms that the
most effective leaders make decisions by gathering information
while trusting their intuition. That remarkable combination
is what Shelley calls infotuition. Dont over-think it! Join the
discussion today. InfotuitionYouve got it. Are you using it?
To register, visit www.acec.org/coalitions.
NEW AMAZON PORTAL

Knowledge is power and your firms greatest asset. Whether
its keeping ahead of the competition or improving your bottomline, beefing up your firms know-how can only help. And laying
your hands on trustworthy A/E and business resources is about
to become a whole lot easier.
In mid-August, ACEC launched its new webstore, the ACEC
Business Resource Center, on the Amazon e-commerce platform.
Now ACEC members, as well as A/E professionals worldwide,
can enjoy fast access to hundreds of engineering and general

business resources, published by ACEC and other publishers,
through one convenient hub. As an added benefit, current
Amazon Prime members can continue to enjoy the privileges
of Prime membership including free 2-day shipping when
making purchases at the ACEC Business Resource Center.
Visit the ACEC Business Resource Center at
www.ACECEngineeringBookCenter.org.
CASE Risk Management Convocation in Portland, OR

The CASE Risk Management Convocation will be held in
conjunction with the Structures Congress at the Doubletree
by Hilton Downtown Hotel and Oregon Convention Center
in Portland, OR, April 23-25, 2015. For more information and
updates go to www.seinstitute.org.
The following CASE Convocation sessions are scheduled to

take place on Friday, April 24:
7:00 AM 8:15 AM
CASE Breakfast: The Future of Structural Engineering
Sue Yoakum, Donovan Hatem
8:30 AM 10:00 AM
Addressing Hidden Risks in Todays Design Contracts
Speakers Rob Hughes, Ames & Gough;
Brian Stewart, Collins, Collins, Muir & Stewart
10:30 AM 12 Noon
How to Succeed Without Risking It All!
Moderator John DalPino, Degenkolb Engineers
1:30 PM 3:00 PM
Lessons Learned From Structural Cases in Litigation
Speaker Jeffrey Coleman, The Coleman Law Firm
3:30 PM 5:00 PM
SE Practice for Quality and Profitability Panel Discussion
Moderator Stacy Bartoletti, Degenkolb Engineers
STRUCTURE magazine
57
December 2014
CASE is a part of the American Council of Engineering Companies
ACEC Business Insights
CASE in Point
Strengthen your Competitive Edge:

Increase your Decision-Making Skills
Structural Forum
opinions on topics of current importance to structural engineers
Rethinking Engineering Licensure

By Kip Gatto, P.E., S.E.
t was a pleasure to read the 2013 report

by the SEI Board of Governors Task
Committee, A Vision for the Future of
Structural Engineering and Structural
Engineers: A Case for Change. This document provides great suggestions for significant
changes in the profession if structural engineers are to remain a respected and vibrant
part of the global community. Advancements
in technology and ongoing globalization
require reappraising the structural engineers
role in the design, development, and preservation of the built environment. Although
technical abilities remain important, other
skills leadership, innovation, diversity, and
economics now need to be considered of
near-equal importance. Excessive risk aversion and over-reliance on prescriptive design
criteria are hindering progress. Most of us who
practice structural engineering are constantly
reminded by our well-meaning colleagues
about liability and are directed to an alphabet soup of codes and standards that constrain
our innovations. The values espoused in the
SEI document seek to restrain this tendency
and pose refreshing goals for the future of
our profession.
The SEI committee recommends substantive
changes in the way we educate new engineers,
conduct business, and define our profession,
all of which are clearly consistent with their
stated goals. They also endorse the promotion of structural engineering licensure
. needed to promote public safety in the
built environment. It is not as clear how
this recommendation is consistent with their
objectives. It feels to some like an attempt to
restrain trade and legislate our way around the
reality that automated design and specialty
engineering are causing part of our profession
to become obsolete. Although there have been
some dramatic cases of design errors causing
tragic loss of life and property, such as the
Hyatt Regency in Kansas City and the I-35W
Bridge in Minneapolis, many remain skeptical that licensure laws would have prevented
these tragedies or will substantially contribute
to safer structures in the future.
Attributes such as innovation, leadership,
and diversity are not well-captured in the
licensing process, implying that these softer

skills are not as important to our profession.
We are competing for candidates with other
exciting disciplines that embrace these skills
for designing cars, biomedical machines,
spaceships, supercomputers, solar panels,
and other fascinating and useful technologies for the global community. These thriving
disciplines do not typically rely on licensure
for furthering their profession or providing
safe work products. To some extent, structural licensure actually has the potential to
lead to complacency, implicitly relieving
some licensed individuals from their duty
to be innovative leaders and stay up-todate. Proposed solutions to this generally
acknowledged issue typically include even
greater reliance on bureaucratic processes,
which seem just as attractive to us as codifying
every aspect of engineering design.
Structural licensure has been adopted in
many states and is likely to be adopted in
even more. The train has already left the station, so to speak. Assuming that this train
will not be stopped, a logical analysis suggests that instead of resisting it, those with
concerns may be better served by trying to
redirect it. SEI identifies one indicator that
its vision for the future is being realized as
when Earning a structural engineering
license is viewed as a major achievement
and aspirants would willingly rise to the
challenge to earn the distinction. It might
be time to rethink what the challenge is so
that the process of earning a license can
be made more consistent with SEIs stated
objectives and can thus attract more dynamic
and diverse candidates.
Most engineers familiar with the licensing
exam are aware that its primary goal is to
evaluate a candidates ability to apply building and bridge codes properly to structural
engineering design. If you do not have a
good understanding of the codes, you are
not going to pass the exam. Although this
may seem like a sensible goal, it is actually
inconsistent with the vision of SEI, which
indicates that a heavy reliance on codes is
not necessarily desirable for the future of the
profession. Could we not instead encourage
up-and-coming engineers to focus their

efforts on mastery of the fundamentals
such as Newtonian mechanics, material
behavior, and structural response rather
than current code provisions? The code will
be at least somewhat different three years
from now, and substantially different 30
years from now, but proper application of
engineering principles will result in safe
structures in perpetuity.
Consider (what should be) the simple
design of a cast-in-place concrete anchor.
Instead of requiring candidates to demonstrate that they can quickly navigate all 48
pages of ACI 318 Appendix D, would it not
be better to have them instead demonstrate
ability to calculate anchor strength from
first principles such as failure cone geometry
and concrete tensile strength? Have them
recommend a factor of safety for the anchor
design and justify it based on the expected
reliability of the anchor. Or consider the
calculation of seismic forces on a structure.
Instead of requiring candidates to determine
code values for various parameters and apply
prescribed force distribution equations, they
could be provided with an arbitrary response
spectrum and be required to estimate the
spectral acceleration based on the calculated
period of the structure. They could then
be asked to estimate an appropriate force
reduction based on overstrength, ductility,
etc. (not tables), and distribute calculated
forces based on seismic principles.
Consideration should also be given to
exam questions that test for softer skills.
Candidates could be presented with a scenario that includes economic and cultural
sensitivities, and then asked how they would
handle the situation. A rethinking of licensure
priorities along these lines could help the
process appeal to a broader group, require
genuine demonstration of competence, and
attract dynamic candidates with a desire to
rise to the challenge.
Kip Gatto, P.E., S.E. ([email protected]),
is an Associate Principal with Wiss, Janney,
Elstner Associates, Inc. in Seattle, Washington.
Structural Forum is intended to stimulate thoughtful dialogue and debate among structural engineers and other participants in the design and
construction process. Any opinions expressed in Structural Forum are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NCSEA,
CASE, SEI, C 3 Ink, or the STRUCTURE magazine Editorial Board.
STRUCTURE magazine
58
December 2014
Strong Structures Come

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teams and software.
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Visit www.bentley.com/Structural
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2014 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley, the B Bentley logo, ProjectWise and MicroStation are either registered or unregistered
trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product
names are trademarks of their respective owners.
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STRUCTURE (Volume 21, Number 12). ISSN 1536-4283.

reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission