LEGAL COUNSEL Q & A | Michael J. Baker, Esq.
Green construction and personal-versus-profession
Q: Our firm is being asked to look into adding more aspects of green construction into our design. One concern we have is how we can assure ourselves that the quality we specify regarding our green design will end up in the final product? Any suggestions?

SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | Jennifer Anna Pazdon
Félix Candela: Prototype for sustainability
Materials, structural systems, and construction methods developed with sustainable principles as their basis will be necessary to truly revolutionize the design and construction sector. Advancing sustainability will require more than just making current practice less unsustainable. The call for development of innovative structural ideas will allow structural engineers to take the role of leaders in defining the manifestations of sustainable design. Similarly, successful structural engineers throughout history often represented the vanguard in the use of new materials, and subsequently invented new forms to optimize the characteristics of those new materials. Maillart and Menn's development of efficient bridge forms in reinforced concrete and Kahn's development of integrated gravity and lateral systems for tall steel buildings offer a few examples. Because their forms defied convention, these notable structural engineers were often compelled to devise new and efficient construction techniques. Instances include the reusable formwork of Heinz Isler and Jack Christiansen, and Christian Menn's innovative use of the cantilever construction method for prestressed bridges.

THE VIEW FROM HERE | Richard G. Weingardt, P.E.
Riding the big wheel
Amemorable event of a recent "around-the-world" trip my wife and I took (in celebration of our 50th anniversary) was riding the tallest Ferris wheel ever built, the Singapore Flyer. At a height of 540 feet—approximately 100 feet taller than the popular London Eye wheel in England—the giant Singapore Flyer can be seen for miles around, a beacon towering over this immense city. Comprised of a 492-foot-diameter wheel on top of a three-story terminal building, the rotating structure has become integrated as a signature landmark of Singapore's Marina Bay area.

Three new prequalified seismic moment connections

Do you design steel structures in high-seismic applications (R>3)? Do you use Special or Intermediate Moment Frame Systems (SMF or IMF)? If the answer to these questions is yes, this article provides an overview of existing and new moment connection options that may help you on your next project.

 

Electro-chemical dewatering system for concrete
For building owners and managers, one of the biggest issues is a damp or moldy basement area resulting from water intrusion through cracked concrete slabs and foundation walls. This is evidenced by the fact that structural engineers are often asked by architects and building owners about the cost to design crack-free concrete structures. Those with experience in concrete repair have found that structural and concrete mix designs must be coupled with exceptional field curing and placement practices to achieve "crack-free" or "watertight" concrete.

Maintaining historical integrity
The City of Cincinnati believes in maintaining the historical integrity of the city throughout new construction projects. The downtown Cincinnati business district contains structures constructed of natural quarried stone, which engineers try to match as best they can while providing the structural support required in new building projects. A prime example of the city's commitment to context sensitive design is the Riverside Drive Improvement Project that was completed in November 2008.

The 9th annual compensation survey

There are two sides to every story, and recent structural engineer compensation definitely has a story to tell—with two very different sides. The good news is that salaries are still climbing, although only very slightly over the previous year; the bad news is that increases in salary have slowed significantly.

In fact, overall earnings may be declining when considering decreases in annual bonuses and raises received.

Single-story tilt-up panel design considerations
Although tilt-up is well established in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) communities, in many instances professionals are unaware the building method is a type of precast concrete. The American Concrete Institute's Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-05) Section 2.2 defines precast as any structural concrete element that is cast in one position and moved to a different, final position. The commentary in Chapter 16 of ACI 318 also names tilt-up concrete as precast. Specifically, tilt-up construction is site-cast precast concrete. However, since the term precast in the AEC industry has a very well-defined connotation, use of the word often takes engineers by surprise. What most engineers and architects would refer to as precast is shop-cast precast concrete.