Cast iron columns, commonly used in building construction in the 1800s and early 1900s, possess low tensile capacities and require special attention to detail in building alterations. 315 Hudson Street is a ten-story cast iron column building undergoing such alteration in New York City. Extensive renovations to the building included lowering a portion of the ground floor structure, transferring two off-grid columns at the ground floor via transfer beams at the second floor, and reinforcing columns for new rooftop loads. Each endeavor required novel detailing to brace, support, and reinforce the cast iron columns in a manner that limited tension on the cross-section.
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Author Archives : Jessica Mandrick, P.E., LEED AP
Jessica Mandrick is a Partner with Gilsanz Murray Steficek in New York City and a STRUCTURE magazine Editorial Board member (info@gmsllp.com).
Natural disasters devastate communities, destroy structures, halt livelihoods, and take lives. With each event, engineers aim to improve our practices to lessen the impact of future incidents. Reconnaissance trips following natural or manmade disasters can provide a valuable education. As a young engineer, I have had the opportunity to work in three areas following natural disasters, exposing me to collaboration among disciplines, foreign codes and practices, new research, damage to structures at full scale, and the consequences of our designs. …
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Why Are They Important and What Needs To Be Done?
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. …