Newsletter of the

Structural Engineers Association of Washington

Click Here to View PDF Version

Seattle Chapter's September Virtual Meeting

Choosing the Right Framework for Sustainable and Resilient Structures

Date: Tuesday, September 27th

Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM PST

Location: GoToWebinar

Cost: SEAW Members and Students - FREE! | Non-Members - $15

PDH: 1 Hour PDH certificates will be emailed to attendees after the webinar.

Register to Attend: Click here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Presentation:

Close your eyes and picture it in your mind, what characteristics would it have? Is there an ideal construction material? On a typical project multiple materials are utilized. But when we start to consider what an ideal construction material would be, it provides us with a framework to evaluate the major materials in use today. Today sustainability is just as important as it has been, but resiliency has become part of the equation as well. This course will discuss the sustainable and resilient characteristics of structural steel and comparing those characteristics to those of wood and concrete.

Presenter:

David A. Fennell, MBA

Structural Steel Specialist - Seattle/San Francisco Market

American Institute of Steel Construction

David is the Structural Steel Specialist in the greater Seattle market for the American Institute of Steel Construction. He is committed to helping architects, engineers, general contractors and owners achieve better project outcomes by using domestically produced and fabricated structural steel on their building projects. He has multiple years of general contracting experience with various organizations throughout the country on a wide range of project deliverables. David is a graduate of Purdue University’s Construction Engineering and Management program as well as earning his Master of Business Administration at Northwood University.

The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), headquartered in Chicago, is a non-partisan, not-for-profit technical institute and trade association established in 1921 to serve the structural steel design community and construction industry in the United States.

YMG August Virtual Seminar Review

By Anand Mourougassamy, YMG 

Resilient Slip Friction Joint (RSFJ) being tested at a laboratory(photo courtesy Tectonus)

Resilient Slip Friction Joint (RSFJ) installed as part of CLT Wall atFast+Epp’s HQinVancouver(photocourtesy Tectonus)

The SEAW YMG hosted Tectonus for a virtual technical seminar on how its innovative seismic technology improves the resiliency of structures in high seismic regions. Pierre Quenneville, CTO of Tectonus, joined in from New Zealand to present the company’s unique seismic dampers and its application in various projects around the world. 

The founders of Tectonus originally began as a team of New Zealand academic researchers who wanted to improve seismic resiliency in the wake of the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Part of the research completed at the university during this time resulted in the original array of solutions that Tectonus now offers. 

Among the unique technology Tectonus offers is the Resilient Slip Friction Joint (RSFJ).  The RSFJ is a self-centering damping device that can be installed as part of a huge variety of lateral systems. The device is an assemblage of steel plates with long slotted, trapezoidal holes pre-stressed by disc springs. The device acts as a fuse during earthquakes and dissipates energy in reliable, flag-shaped hysteresis. Though dampers themselves are not a new technology, the unique self-centering design, reliable damping characteristics, and their highly adaptable connection to a suite of different lateral systems (including retrofits), makes RSFJs a compelling option in any engineer’s resiliency toolbox. 

Pierre presented examples of past projects where RSFJs successfully improved the structural design. At the New Zealand University Building, RSFJs were used as part of structural steel bracing system and they were able to achieve up to 20% hysteretic damping and an average residual drift of less than 1mm due to the self-centering properties of the RSFJs. Half the way around the world at Fast+Epp’s headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, RSFJs were used as a self-centering lateral system in a CLT shear wall. 

In addition to their off-the-shelf products, Pierre also explained how Tectonus provides engineering support as well as online resources that assist engineers through various phases of the design.  

By vastly improving post-event building operational capabilities, being adaptable to different lateral systems, and being easily incorporated into analysis and design, Tectonus’ dampers are a unique technology that makes a tremendous case for the role that innovation plays in the structural engineering community. Achieving community resiliency is no easy task, and skilled engineers are required to identify efficient yet elegant solutions to meet and raise society’s standards. Tectonus offers a great lesson in creativity meeting practicality and the true spirit of engineering, and SEAW should take this lesson in stride! 

For further information, please contact Pierre Quenneville pierre.quenneville@tectonus.com or visit their website www.tectonus.com. 

Introducing the new SEAW DEI Scholarship

By Lisette Terry, DEI Chair 

Did you know that there are only five universities in the state of Washington that offer a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering? When we chartered the SEAW Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in 2020, and as our committee charter was established, we yearned to create a more inclusive environment to welcome any and all into our structural engineering community. As we continue to grow our diverse network of colleagues and students in our field, we asked ourselves how we might tap into a more diverse pool of students entering the field and formed a mission statement. 

Mission (Our Why): The SEAW DEI Committee is a volunteer-driven organization, dedicated to the social and academic enrichment of students who have been historically excluded or underrepresented in the field of structural engineering.  

As a committee, we recognized a need for a scholarship that may help foster an educational opportunity for people who have been historically excluded or underrepresented in our field. This led us to brainstorming sessions, some great conversation, and implementation of a plan to provide a scholarship that could be targeted towards students at the community college level – students who have a passion for structural engineering and who have applied to one of the five civil engineering departments in our state universities that offer civil engineering degrees.  

During our planning phase we met with the SEAW Scholarship committee to talk through the logistics of a scholarship program, as well as with the SEFW Board about the possibility of partnering with them to provide the funding for the scholarship. In our discussions we learned about the late Mr. Richal Smith, who had a passion for helping communities in need, and contributed his structural engineering skills following disaster-type events. In memory of his tireless efforts to advance underrepresented individuals within the fields of structural and construction engineering, Richal Smith has bequeathed a sizable donation that is to be dedicated towards his commitment to individuals who have been historically excluded from the field of structural and construction engineering. In Mr. Smith’s honor, the SEAW DEI Committee and the SEFW Board will partner together to provide an annual $5,000 SEAW DEI Scholarship – aimed at targeting the 27 community colleges in our state. In tandem with the financial award, and to ensure we are attracting candidates who are especially interested in structural engineering, we plan to offer the awarded candidate a chance to experience an 8-hour-day exposure to two or three structural engineering firms, or as we like to call it, an Externship. If you work for a firm that would like to join the growing list of firms elevating their DEI efforts, we would be delighted to add you as an SEAW DEI Scholarship partner. 

The SEAW DEI Committee will begin soliciting applications in late fall and will work together to award the scholarship to the top candidate in Spring of 2023. If you are interested in joining the conversation, please send an email to DEI@SEAW.org to be added to the email list. We look forward to presenting this first SEAW DEI Scholarship award at the SEAW Seattle Chapter Spring Social in June 2023. 

Two Outreach Opportunities: ACE and ASSA

By Kyle Johnson, Outreach Committee

With the school year just around the corner, we have many great opportunities to get involved and inspire the next generation of structural engineers. There are several opportunities with varying levels of time commitment to work with K-12 students in your local area. If you are interested in volunteering your time and expertise, feel free to reach out and we can help you find the right organization for you. Here are two great groups that are currently looking for volunteers: 

The ACE Mentor Program: 

ACE Mentor of Washington is recruiting Puget Sound area structural engineers to serve as mentors for the 2022-2023 program. If you are not familiar with ACE, it is an after-school extracurricular program that pairs students interested in A/E/C fields with professional mentors who guide students through the design process with a mock RFP. About 250 students from 60+ area high schools participate every year, many of whom go on to college to study A/E/C careers and even come back and mentor with ACE.  

There are 70+ affiliates around the country, and the Washington affiliate has student teams in Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma. There has been interest in ACE teams in Spokane, TriCities, and the peninsula, and any potential mentors who are interested in helping establish ACE in these geographic areas are welcome to mentor with the virtual ACE team for a year to get an understanding of the program.  

To register for ACE, please visit app.acementor.org, and to find out more email the ACE executive director at SeattleWA@acementor.org. Please share the opportunity with your colleagues and your firms! Applications are being accepted for all of September, and ACE hopes to have the mentor teams assembled by mid-October. Structural engineers are needed!  

WABS After School Stem Academy: 

The After School STEM Academy (ASSA) program promotes hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning experiences in an after-school environment. Using an engaging curriculum and everyday materials, local industry professionals volunteer their time to lead lessons that reinforce STEM concepts to students in grades 3-6 after school. 

Each quarter during the school year, volunteers spend four weeks leading 1.5-hour sessions. Students have an opportunity to work in teams to solve real-world STEM problems, design and build products and prototypes, and troubleshoot issues along the way. Local industry volunteers share their experiences from the workplace and relate them to the activities, so students learn first-hand how STEM professionals work, think, and interact in real life. 

Registration for the Fall ASSA will open September 19th. For more information on how to participate in the After School STEM Academy, contact Kyleigh Sapp at kyleigh@wabsalliance.org.  

PSEC Committee Update & Awards Banquet 

By Mike Visser, PSEC Liaison 

On May 14, the Puget Sound Engineering Council (PSEC) held its 63rd Engineer of the Year Award Banquet at the Museum of Flight. PSEC awards were presented for Academic Engineer of the Year, Government Engineer of the Year, Industry Engineer of the Year, K-12 STEM Engineering Teacher of the Year, Young Engineer of the Year, Professional Engineer of the Year, and the Kenneth W. Porter Award (for youth mentorship).   

The Awards Banquet was great. The Keynote speaker was Brent Sherwood of Blue Origin, and the Museum of Flight is a very good venue. The structural engineering community was well represented both in attendees and in the awards presented. SEAW, as a member of PSEC, nominated the winners for: 

• Academic Engineer of the Year: Professor Katherine Kruder, Ph.D, P.E. of Seattle University in recognition of her career as a structural engineering educator, her contributions to the characterization and optimization of cement-based composites, and her dedicated efforts as a teacher and mentor to engineering students. 
• Government Engineer of the Year: Susan Chang, Ph.D, P.E. of Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections in recognition of her exceptional career as a geotechnical earthquake engineer, her innovative work in developing design guidelines for considering earthquake ground motions in high-rise buildings, and her leadership in revising the state building code. 
• Professional Engineer of the Year: M. Lee Marsh, Ph.D., P.E. of WSP USA, Inc. in recognition of his lifetime achievements in the development and maintenance of seismic design procedures for bridges, his design support of numerous Northwest public agency bridge projects, and his contributions to publication of national bridge design guidelines. 

PSEC members are a dozen (or so) local chapters of engineering and scientific societies in the Puget Sound region. PSEC’s primary goal is to increase public awareness and appreciation of engineering, science, and technology. The Seattle Chapter of SEAW is a member of PSEC to support PSEC’s primary goal, but also so that it can share organizational knowledge (how other PSCE members are doing: what works what does not seem to work so well), and so that it can get structural engineers and structural engineering recognized in events such as the Awards Banquet. 

I became SEAW’s PSEC rep in January of this year, taking over for Pete Opsahl who served in the position for many years. 

Special Wind Region Report Complete; White Paper in Progress  

The Wind Engineering Committee presents the following report for September:  

Washington/Oregon Special Wind Regions (SWR) Study – CPP has completed the final report for all the special wind regions in Washington State and along the Columbia River. CPP’s recommendations for Washington include the SWR along the Pacific Coast to remain, with generally lower design wind speeds than currently required. The report recommends the SWR along the north Olympic Peninsula Coast and the Columbia River be eliminated, with risk category design wind speeds reverting to the ASCE 7 wind maps. 

Washington and Columbia River Risk Category II Special Wind Regions 

The SEAW WEC is authoring a SEAW White Paper incorporating CPP’s final report. The SEAW White Paper with the attached report will be submitted to the SEAW State Board for approval. SEAW’s final recommendations will then be submitted for adoption by the Washington State Building Code Council, and eventually for inclusion in ASCE 7 and the IBC. For a copy of CCP’s final report recommendations please contact WEC Chair Scott Douglas at sdouglasscott@gmail.com.  

• City of Bellevue Kzt Map – A Wind Load Factor Map following the format of the existing City of Seattle Wind Load Factor map for rapid determination of Kzt and shoreline exposure factors will be generated for City of Bellevue consideration and potential adoption.   
• Update to the 2004 SEAW commentary on wind code provisions (ATC 60) – The NCSEA CAC Wind Engineering Subcommittee is proceeding with this update effort. An outline is being developed for the new commentary in order not to duplicate commentary in ASCE 7 or other publications. 
• Participation - All SEAW members, whatever their experience, are encouraged to participate at in WEC meetings. Please contact the WEC chair, Scott Douglas sdouglasscott@gmail.com, to join the SEAW WEC and receive additional information and announcements on Committee activities and actions. 
• Next Meeting – Friday October 21 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm. Meeting will be virtual via the following Zoom link: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86546740401?pwd=NDE1cmZDS3JBL2pLcWxmZDkxOUkzZz09 

Meeting ID: 865 4674 0401 

Passcode: 127693 

Save the Date: Fall Forum 2022 

By Angela Gottula Twining, SEFW 

The Structural Engineers Foundation of Washington 2022 Fall Forum will be at Town Hall Seattle on November 30, 2022. There will be several speakers and a possible panel discussing the incredible efforts to reduce embodied carbon across the entire industry and even in other industries, as well.  

You don’t want to miss it! If your firm is interested in being a corporate sponsor and you are not on the invitation list, please email admin@sefw.org. Invitation letters will go out in early October. Donating to SEFW is a way to support the mission to advance the profession of structural engineering through scholarship, education, research, and outreach. Every year SEFW partners with various SEAW committees (like the Outreach committee, DEI committee, and others) and community organizations (like ASCE, ACE, school districts, and others!) to promote structural engineering. This is important work! 

Be on the lookout for more information about the Forum! We are excited!  

• September 27:  Seattle Chapter's September Virtual Meeting
• October 21: SWR Meeting

For more details and registration on events visit the website.

New Members:

• Dikshit Goel
• Kaden Hooper
• Timothy Avery
• Aleksandr Koshman

Opportunities for Mid-level Design Engineer and Senior Project Manager: 

Seattle Structural is a downtown Seattle firm looking for qualified professionals to join our talented group practicing across a number of different industries. Seattle Structural offers an excellent opportunity to work on a variety of public and private institutional, healthcare, educational, and commercial projects. We offer a competitive salary and a relaxed, collaborative work environment. Benefits include medical, transit reimbursement, and retirement matching. Seattle Structural is a firm that makes it easy to become personally invested in the achievements of your company. 

Seattle Structural is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We are filling two positions. Candidates must meet the following requirements:

• Mid-level Designer: 5+ years’ experience.
• Senior Project Manager: 10+ years’ experience.
• BS or MS in Structural, Civil/Structural, or Architectural Engineering.
• Experience in steel and concrete buildings, aluminum structures, lateral analysis, deep foundations, and marine projects are desired.
• Working knowledge of CAD and Revit preferred.
• Strong emphasis on client service.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong technical skills.

Please address inquiries to: 

Lisa Wipplinger

Seattle Structural PS Inc.

3131 Elliott Avenue Suite 600A

Seattle, WA 98121

LWipplinger@SeattleStructural.com

MLA Engineering has a Senior Structural Engineer position available immediately.

Position requires seven to fifteen years of experience, specifically in a consulting design office that provides structural engineering on buildings that require close coordination with a multi-discipline team. We look forward to talking with engineers who are exceptionally skilled designing with all major construction materials and communicating well on a project team.

MLA Engineering (MLA) has a solid reputation and success designing local, national and international projects, including:

• Aquarium, zoo, and entertainment facilities;
• Public infrastructure: maintenance, wastewater and solid waste facilities;
• Evaluation, repair and seismic improvements of structures.

Our Seattle staff enjoys designing diverse projects that require critical thinking and creativity. We combine the opportunity of engineering unique and exciting projects with the flexibility, culture and benefits of a small business. 

Qualifications:

• Master of Science’
• Licensed Structural Engineer;
• Strong technical and analytical skills;
• Intuitive and practical;
• Competent using REVIT as a design tool;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Skilled at providing accurate work;
• Excels in a team environment.

MLA is an equal opportunity employer with a comprehensive benefits package including 401K matching contribution (up to 4%), medical, dental, vision insurance, HRA account, bonus potential and flexible work environment.



For more information, visit our website at www.mlaengineering.com

Please send your résumé and cover letter to info@mlaengineering.com

Structural Staff Engineer / Project Engineer

Swenson Say Faget has immediate openings in our Seattle, Tacoma, and Central Washington offices for talented Structural Engineers. All experience levels are encouraged to apply.  Responsibilities include being smart, having common sense, playing well with others, and tackling challenges like a dog with a bone. 

We approach project design with open minds and technical chops to find solutions to some real head-scratchers. Our loyal clients provide staff at all levels opportunities to directly collaborate with architects, owners, contractors, developers, artists, and public and private entities on projects of all types and sizes. Our culture is informal. Besides being flexible, hardworking, and technically savvy, did we mention we’re also really nice people and like to have a ton of fun?   

We’ve been in business for 27 years and remain committed to being a place where people want to spend their time and energy. Pay is dependent on experience and benefits are great. Check us out at www.ssfengineers.com. If you like what you see, we’d love to hear from you. Submit your resume to info@ssfengineers.com.