About the author ⁄ John Dal Pino, S.E.

John A. Dal Pino is a Principal with Claremont Engineers, Inc. in Oakland, California. He serves as the Chair of the STRUCTURE Editorial Board (jdalpino@claremontengineers.com)

The Story of a Survivor

Sand Palace of Mexico Beach

Hurricane Michael, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes to ever make landfall in the contiguous United States, made a direct hit on Mexico Beach, Florida, on October 10, 2018. The Category 4 storm strengthened unexpectedly as it raced through the Gulf of Mexico with maximum wind speeds of 155 mph. At landfall in Mexico Beach, the measured storm surge was nearly 16 feet and, if wave height is added, the height of the wall of water was over 20 feet. The storm caused 45 deaths and resulted in damage of approximately $15 billion. …

Mar, 2019 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Feature Comments 0

The San Francisco Soft-Story Ordinance

In 2013, the City of San Francisco embarked on an ambitious and groundbreaking endeavor: the mandatory seismic retrofit of its wood-framed soft-story apartment buildings. The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake caused considerable damage to such buildings in the Marina District (Figure 1) and exposed the vulnerability of buildings with soft and weak first stories. Yes, even wood-framed buildings, thought by most engineers to be the most naturally earthquake resistant type of structure due to their lightweight nature and reserve strength, can collapse under the right (or perhaps wrong) circumstances. According to a 2016 report by the Association of Bay Area Governments, San Francisco had 6,700 soft-story buildings, far more than the rest of the region combined. …

Mar, 2019 By John Dal Pino, S.E. and James Enright, P.E., LEED AP In Lessons Learned Comments 0

My Thoughts on the Future of STRUCTURE

I am quite honored to have been selected as the next Chair of the STRUCTURE Editorial Board. I joined the Board four years ago and have been privileged to serve under past Chairs Jon Schmidt and Barry Arnold, and to work alongside our dedicated, volunteer Board members. …

Feb, 2019 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In InFocus Comments 0

The Northridge Earthquake

25 Years On

In the early morning of January 17, 1994, the ground shook hard in the northern San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. The structural engineering profession was shaken hard too. That was 25 years ago, and how have things changed! …

Dec, 2018 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In InFocus Comments 1

Earthquake Resiliency – Where Do We Stand?

Resiliency is “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.” To a structural engineer, this means a strong yet ductile structure that is survivable and repairable in the face of severe environmental loads, such as major earthquakes. In terms of earthquake resiliency, where does our building inventory stand? We have come a long way as you will see, but we have a long way to go. …

May, 2017 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Articles, InSights Comments 0

Do You Know the Standard of Care?

Most structural engineers understand that they should perform their engineering services with no less than the skill customarily exercised by other structural engineers in similar circumstances. Most likely, their employer or a colleague told them so at some point in their early careers, or they overheard other engineers discussing the issue in the context of a legal action. …

Dec, 2016 By John Dal Pino, S.E. and Kirk A. Haverland, P.E., SECB In Articles, CASE Business Practices Comments 0

Seismic Retrofits Using the IEBC

Should I use 75% of IBC or ASCE 41?

In the October 2010 Insights column (STRUCTURE^®), Bruce Maison wrote an excellent article on ASCE 41-06 Seismic Rehabilitation of Existing Buildings, now called ASCE 41-13 Seismic Retrofit of Existing Buildings, and its inclusion in the International Building Code (IBC). …

Aug, 2016 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Articles, InSights Comments 0

Another Fine Mess We Have Gotten Ourselves Into!

I had a conversation with a colleague recently while developing a fee proposal for a seismic project which was to use a national structural engineering seismic standard. Our discussion eventually got around to that often repeated question, “why are these provisions so constraining, rigid and detailed, leaving me no flexibility to make engineering judgments?” My colleague told me that the answer was that the writers of codes and standards are trying to force engineers to do the “right thing” in all situations, via the technical provisions. …

Dec, 2015 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Articles, CASE Business Practices Comments 2

Reflections on the 2014 South Napa Earthquake

In the wee hours of August 24, 2014 (3:20 am to be precise), most of the Bay Area was awakened by a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that lasted a lot longer than those sudden, one or two second jolts that happen from time to time and that residents have become accustomed to, if one can actually get used to such things. Most people probably thought, “Is this the big one?” …

Mar, 2015 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Articles, Structural Failures

What is the Value of Your Idea?

What is the value of your idea? No, not what is the value of your ideas to people in society in terms of the benefits they enjoy by safely crossing the river, or riding out the storm protected in the building you designed, but what is the monetary value of your ideas to your client? Put another way, how much profit do you think should accrue to you and your firm as a result of your dedication, creativity and hard work from a business relationship with another party who will rightfully exploit your ideas to the fullest extent possible for their own benefit? …

Sep, 2014 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Articles, CASE Business Practices Comments 0

Current Issue	Resource Guide