Presented on September 21, 2022
The use of steel castings in the design and construction of building and bridge structures is a fast-growing trend in the United States as casting manufacturing offers unparalleled geometric freedom in structural steel. As such, cast steel components are often used to address challenges in design and construction that would otherwise be very difficult to tackle using conventional steel fabrication. Given the freeform capabilities of casting manufacturing, castings are also very commonly used in architecturally exposed structural steel.
Through the study of successful past projects, attendees will be introduced to opportunities to leverage steel castings in architecturally exposed structural steel connections and complex arduously loaded connections to improve structural performance, enhance aesthetics, and/or to improve the constructability of the structural frame or system.
Attendees will learn how to create specifications for custom (project-specific) castings to successfully communicate architectural and structural design criteria to casting suppliers such that the casting products delivered to the project can safely and efficiently carry structural loads and achieve the desired aesthetics.
The presenters will explain how various pre-engineered castings can improve the anti-seismic performance of buildings and how to specify them to enhance the structural resilience of buildings.
Presented by: Jennifer Anna Pazdon, MSE, PE, and Jacinda L. Collins, PE, LEED Green Associate
Jennifer Anna Pazdon, MSE, PE, is the Vice President of Cast Connex. With over 15 years of experience in the design of structures and construction, Jennifer has worked as a structural engineering consultant based in NYC, Africa, and SE Asia. Jennifer has lectured extensively on the application of steel castings for buildings and bridges, is Chair of AASHTO/NSBA Collaboration TG 17: Steel Castings, Director of SEAoNY, and a member of the ASCE SEI Aesthetics Committee and the NCSEA SE3 Committee.
Jacinda Collins, PE, LEED Green Associate, is a Technical Sales Engineer for Cast Connex. She provides connection solutions and architecturally exposed structural steel guidance for the design and construction community. Jacinda previously worked as the Senior Structural Steel Specialist for the American Institute of Steel Construction and Forensic Graduate Engineer for HDR, Inc. She earned her BS in Architectural Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin and is a licensed engineer in the state of Texas.