Forming a Young Members Group (YMG) has altered my professional vision and influenced the lives of many others. In 2010, shortly after attaining my master’s degree, I joined the Structural Engineers Association of Massachusetts (SEAMASS) and have been actively involved ever since. However, I soon noticed that there were hardly any young registered members or event attendees. …
As current leaders in structural engineering approach the end of their careers, it is increasingly important that young professionals take active measures to step into leadership roles. Leadership transition plays a vital role in the profession, but always brings with it challenges that differ from those of past generations. This article highlights select challenges identified by the ASCE Structural Engineering Institute’s Young Professional’s Committee. …
There are many benefits to a diverse workforce of structural engineers. The representation of multiple perspectives and experiences in the workplace has shown to enhance innovation, creativity, knowledge, and productivity (NAS 2006). Even so, less than 15% of civil engineers are women and less than 20% are nonwhite. …
On the subject of deferred submittals, let us touch on an issue relating to when an engineered design (containing a deferred submittal) is considered final. Virtually every building department requires an engineered set of plans to be stamped by the EOR as a condition of granting a building permit. This is often before any deferred submittal documents have been finalized and reviewed by the EOR and submitted to the building official for approval. …
In Part 1 of this series, the importance of proper routing review of a deferred submittal was highlighted. Pre-engineered wood trusses were used as a case study and, while this topic is obviously an issue directly affecting the Engineer of Record (EOR), it impacts the Building Official and their ability to properly enforce the building code. …
Over the course of my career, I have worked in both engineering design and construction. While I have dealt with each of the systems described above, most of my experience has been with pre-engineered wood trusses. My purpose here is not to so much discuss their design, but rather focus on the overall coordination needed during the design process, including their role as a deferred submittal. – Dean Brown …
How will the practice of structural engineering and the industry as a whole evolve from its current state? What are the opportunities and challenges in our continually changing industry? To answer these questions and more, the ASCE Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) surveyed structural engineering leaders nationwide in January 2013. Questions ranged from basic demographics to operational issues, licensure, and the ranked importance of external influences on the professional in the coming decade. …
Support for structural licensure led NCSEA, SECB, ASCE-SEI and ACEC’s CASE to form the Structural Engineering Licensure Coalition (SELC). While SELC serves to provide a common voice in support of structural licensure, there are engineers and organizations that oppose structural licensure. This article examines the reasons for such opposition. …
Weather, climate and extreme events are key considerations in structural engineering design and practice. Weather is defined as “the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc.” (NWS, 2013). Weather generally refers to short-term variations on the order of minutes to about 15 days (NSIDC, 2012). Climate, on the other hand, “is usually defined as the average weather, or more rigorously, as the statistical description in terms of the mean and variability of relevant quantities over a period of time ranging from months to thousands or millions of years” (IPCC, 2007). …
While some of the more complex design, detailing and critical coordination on a building construction project occur at the interface of the structure and the building enclosure, building design teams often consider façade-system attachments as ancillary components of the project. In fact, design, fabrication, and erection of façade systems are often subcontracted out to a specialty contractor, who is part of the construction team. …