Structural Solutions: We’re All Busy....
As a business owner, you have to deal with a lot of things. Some are simple: Where to order copier paper? Where should we have the Christmas party this year? Others are not so simple: Is it time to consider moving the office to the cloud? How can we grow our company or expand our offerings? Some are downright difficult: (usually involving people). And some issues are totally out of our control: the economy. Humble Pie From 2009 to mid-2014, the economy reminded us what it feels like to not be...
From The Editor: An Honor and Privilege to Serve Our AEC Community
Ten years ago, I gave a presentation at the Trimble Dimensions annual training and networking seminar. The session was focused on the interoperability between Trimble’s data collection and reduction software, and Autodesk’s CAD modeling software, so it wasn’t surprising to find a packed room when the session began. I had spoken to large crowds before, but this was different. Many in the room were older than me, had been in the industry longer than me, and, while we were all tackling the same pr...
Engineer Spotlight: The Unhappy State of U.S. Bridges and Highways
An interesting article ran in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Journal of Leadership and Management in Engineering in 2008: “A Tale of Two Bridges: Dangerous and Still Standing.” Robert W. Clark, P.E., authored the piece about two well-used bridges in Stuyvesant, N.Y. One of the bridges had passed safety inspections by the state DOT every year. The other bridge, owned by CSX Railroad, also had cleared corporate safety standards. Clark inspected the bridges and determined that they...
Code Update: Change the Oil to Avoid Paying More Later
I often ask audiences if they’ve read the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Code of Standard Practice. As I do so, I picture the oil-filter commercial Fram used to run, with one mechanic who changes oil and another who rebuilds engines. “You should pay me now,” said the first mechanic. “Or you can pay me later,” said the second. All too often, the answer to my question is “only when we have a problem.” That second mechanic just morphed into an attorney! There’s no time like t...
Final Thoughts: Looking Backwards and Forwards
With 45 years in civil engineering behind me, I have the experience (or at least the tenure) to look back and reflect—as long as my memory doesn’t fail me. But I want to start by looking back even further than I can remember. Lasting Structures My wife and I have had the opportunity to travel to other parts of the world, many of them with much older civilizations than here in the United States. Some years back, we were in Bruges, Belgium, staying in a hotel located on one of the canals through...
Code Update: New Los Angeles Seismic Ordinance Will Save Lives ... and a City
As a structural engineer working with governments and communities worldwide as they struggle to face earthquake disasters, I’ve repeatedly seen tragedies unfold after catastrophic earthquakes. Most often, these cities were not ready. From the loss of historic buildings to modern multi-story hotels pancaked onto the soft first story and non-ductile concrete schools that collapsed like decks of cards on innocent children, these are horrible things to witness when you know—as engineers do—that be...
Executive Corner: Is the End Near for Traditional Management/Ownership Structures?
There’s no doubt about it; attitudes regarding ownership, particularly among younger generations, are changing. Why own a car when, with the touch of your iPhone, you can summon an Uber or Lyft driver to take you where you want to go? Why own a house or condo, when you can rent? As these generations progress in their professional careers, I wonder what impact this cultural shift will have on the ownership and capitalization structures of architecture, engineering and environmental-consulting fi...
Engineer Spotlight: Small Changes for Women: Big Improvements for the Engineering Profession
In the last few years, there’s been much discussion of “Women in (fill in the blank).” Why are these topics so important? And what can be improved for women in engineering to better the profession? Much debate focuses on how women’s careers may be limited because they're valued for being “nice” or supportive as opposed to being leaders. And there’s still a lot of criticism directed at women who have “leaned in” and are assertive and outspoken. That aside, people tend to relate to, befriend and...
Structural Solutions: Delegated Design or Delegated Engineering?
If you didn’t make it to the 2016 NASCC conference this year, you missed a lot of excellent engineering sessions. One of the more-interesting sessions (at least for me) was titled “Delegated Connection Design: What Are the EORs Responsibilities?” As I understand it, there are differences in the way steel-framing connections are handled along East and West Coasts. West Coast engineers typically designate exactly how they expect even the simplest of connections to be detailed. Although there may...
Structural Steel Detailing—Perfection has Always Been More than Important
Today’s construction industry relies heavily on robust steel development. Accurate structural engineering promises sturdy buildings that withstand unexpected natural disasters. Gone are times, when engineers and construction specialist had to work with elementary knowledge about various aspects of a project at hand. Blueprint were the only authority, based on which crucial decisions were made on how to move from one step to another in any construction project – large or small. With the dawn o...
Stormwater Interview with Robert Page, P.E., Vice President, HNTB
Santa Barbara County North Branch Jail Expansion
February Issue 2026
