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2021 IBC Significant Structural Changes

Part 2: Foundations (Chapter 18)

This five-part series (Part 1, STRUCTURE, November 2021) includes discussion of significant structural changes to the 2021 International Building Code (IBC) by the International Code Council (ICC). This installment includes an overview of changes to Chapter 18 on foundations and soils. Only a portion of the total number of code changes to this chapter are discussed in this article. More information on the code changes discussed here can be found in the 2021 Significant Changes to the International Building Code, available from ICC.

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Dec, 2021 By Sandra Hyde, P.E. and John “Buddy” Showalter, P.E. In Codes and Standards Comments 1

Pour Strips

Often Overlooked and Misunderstood

For over 40 years, the traditional pour strip in concrete construction has been an issue of contention between the engineer of record (EOR) and the contractor, and this challenge continues today. The EOR desires a high-quality slab, which requires more pour strips that are left open longer. The contractor wants faster construction, which requires fewer pour strips and pouring them back sooner. Shrinkage and restraint-to-shortening (RTS) are at the core of this age-old dilemma, and EORs should not have to sacrifice quality for cost and schedule.

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Dec, 2021 By Gordon H. Reigstad Ph.D., P.E., S.E., Jason G. Reigstad and Jared M. Reigstad, P.E. In Structural Design Comments 0

Adaptation Advantage

The Top Non-Technical Skill Structural Engineers Need in an Evolving AEC Industry

In 1996, a bespectacled nerdy high school student leaped out of her car with a movie rental. She slid in the rain, dashing to the Blockbuster drop-off a mere minute before closing. Her singular focus: to return the movie and avoid the late fees that cost more than the initial rental. That teenager was me.

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Dec, 2021 By Stephanie Slocum, P.E. In InSights Comments 0

Calculating Rain Loads per 2021 IBC

Secondary drainage system rain loads have been updated in the 2021 International Building Code® (IBC) to be consistent with ASCE 7-16, Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures. The following text shows the specific change in the 2021 IBC. Strike-through indicates deleted text and underlined denotes new text.

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Dec, 2021 By Sandra Hyde, P.E. and John “Buddy” Showalter, P.E. In Code Updates Comments 1

Quebec Bridge Failure #2, 1916

After the collapse of the Quebec Bridge in August 1907, an Engineering Committee was formed under the supervision of the Transcontinental Railway Commission to undertake a complete redesign of the bridge. The Board consisted of one Canadian, H. E. Vautelet, one American, Ralph Modjeski, and one British Engineer, Maurice Fitzmaurice. Engineering News wrote of the Board,

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Dec, 2021 By Frank Griggs, Jr., Dist. M. ASCE, D. Eng., P.E., P.L.S. In Historic Structures Comments 0

A Vision for Structural Engineering Licensure

The Structural Engineering Licensure Coalition (SELC), an organization formed by the Council of American Structural Engineers (CASE), the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA), the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI), and the Structural Engineering Certification Board (SECB), has been advocating since 2012 for structural engineering (S.E.) licensure as a post-professional engineer (P.E.) credential in all U.S. jurisdictions. As part of that effort, SELC recently published its Vision for the Future of S.E. Licensure (the Vision), which builds on vision documents published by its parent organizations.

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Dec, 2021 By Structural Engineering Licensure Coalition In Professional Issues Comments 0

The Case for Science-Based Public Policy

The scientific method is best described as a series of sequential steps: Question, Research, Hypothesis, Experiment, Observation, and Conclusion. If the hypothesis is “proven” through experiment and observation, the Conclusion becomes a Theory generally supported and accepted by other subject-matter experts. This process takes time and effort and cannot be rushed.

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Dec, 2021 By John Dal Pino, S.E. In Talking Points Comments 0

A New Link in Calgary’s Covered Walkway System

707 Fifth – Manulife Place Pedestrian Bridge is an essential link in Calgary’s elevated network of pedestrian pathways. The bridge improves connectivity within the downtown core, adding a new connection from 707 Fifth – Manulife Place to Calgary’s +15 covered walkway system, creating a unique architectural expression in downtown Calgary. It was a challenge that required innovative solutions: providing a seamless connection to adjacent buildings while managing subgrade conditions, installation sequences, and non-structural coordination. With a total length of 270 feet 10 inches, the bridge features an elegant structural system known as a suspended lenticular truss, spanning 96 feet 5 inches.

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Dec, 2021 By STRUCTURE magazine In Spotlight Comments 1

Coordination and Completeness of Structural Construction Documents

As structural engineers, at the end of the design phase, our work product consists of the construction documents (drawings and specifications), which detail the requirements to construct a given structure to serve an intended purpose. The degree to which the project will be considered a success is directly related to the quality of the construction documents. The documents must be complete, coordinated, clear, concise, and constructible. Poor quality construction documents lead to significantly more time, frustration, and potential liability when issues need to be corrected during shop drawings or, worse, during or even after construction. Building structures today are more complicated than ever, and a successful project involves proactive management of both the technical and administrative sides of the project.

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Dec, 2021 By Jeff Morrison In CASE Business Practices Comments 0

Structural Engineering Summit – Feel the Love this February

The NCSEA Structural Engineering Summit will be in New York City February 14-17 and online January 31-Feburary 24. The Summit offers unrivaled educational opportunities, an industry-leading trade show, and unique and fun networking opportunities.

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Dec, 2021 By STRUCTURE magazine In News Comments 0

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