Aspiring to be the best-daylit library in the world, the primary design goal was to leverage daylight to create a space that is bright, open, and welcoming through its connection to the natural environment. Consequently, structural engineering is on display throughout the building in both obvious and subtle ways, manifesting innovation from the foundation to the roof. Although much of the primary structure is cast-in-place concrete, the artful use of structural steel was critical to bringing the architectural vision to life without compromise.

The much-anticipated public opening occurred in October 2017 to rave reviews and huge crowds. Thousands of daily visitors continue to flock years later, reminiscent of the grackles celebrated in the giant public art pieces inside.

Austin’s new Central Library received LEED Platinum certification and was awarded several major structural, architectural & library recognitions, including The AIA COTE Top Ten Award in 2020.

Roosevelt Weeks, Director of Austin Libraries, claims the library, “is the crown jewel of not just the Austin Public Library system but the city as a whole.” John Gillum, City of Austin Facilities Manager, stated, “This is something that this part of the world has never seen before.”

A general understanding of the IBC and the ICC 500 will be needed as a starting point for this discussion. We will delve further into the FEMA P-361 / ICC 500-2020 for the design of storm shelters and review other government-regulated codes in the design of facilities subject to terrorism. This will allow a discussion of the differences and similarities between these protective enclosures. Most will be unfamiliar with the GSA and the DoD standards for buildings subject to terrorism, but we will look further to see where these requirements for buildings serving as both might be accommodated.
All spatial and structural coordination is very important in the design and evaluation of storm shelters to protect occupants during times of tornadoes and hurricanes as described in both the FEMA P-361 and the ICC 500. This is also uniquely set in the design of a Shelter for Terrorism as set by the P100 Facilities Standards for Public Buildings Service (GSA) and the Unified Facilities Criteria DoD Minimum Antiterrorism for Buildings (DoD) as centered on the protection of the occupants.

This discussion will be aligned with the requirements of a storm shelter and a shelter serving as a safe area from terrorism and see where and how they could serve as both where their requirements overlap or go beyond. In the event some of the requirements of either are more restrictive, we will review what updates are needed for a facility to serve as both.

Localized and sometimes systemic problems and failures often impact civil infrastructure projects of all types. To understand these failures and problems, forensic studies are often conducted to investigate the failure mechanisms, assess the consequences, and develop solutions for the affected structures. Forensic engineering often employs field and laboratory testing coupled with fundamental engineering analysis to investigate the challenging problems involved. Lessons learned from these studies can often advance the state of practice for structural engineers and lead to changes in codes and standards. This presentation will focus on several examples that have impacted civil infrastructure projects, discussing the issues, solutions, and potential impacts to codes and standards.

Hurricanes are one of the costliest natural disasters, and their damage surpassed the damage due to the earthquakes within the United States. When a hurricane strikes, several factors contribute to assessing damage to residential structures. These factors include the intensity of the storm, duration of exposure, building materials used, construction quality, and the specific vulnerabilities of the structure.

Damage caused by hurricanes typically includes structural failures, such as roof damage and wall collapses. Hurricane winds can also cause damage to windows, doors, and other openings that compromise the integrity of the building envelope. However, it is important to note that not all types of damage observed following a hurricane are necessarily considered hurricane-related. Pre-existing conditions, such as structural deficiencies, long-term soil movement, inadequate waterproofing, or poor maintenance, all can cause structural and building envelope damage, and it is often necessary to differentiate between storm-related and non-storm-related damages during post-hurricane inspections.

Typical hurricane-related damages and damaged patterns will be discussed in this paper, along with a number of frequently claimed damages for residential structures that are extremely rare to be caused by wind. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for homeowners, insurers, and policymakers involved in the assessment and recovery processes following a hurricane event.

Discuss the development of new structural systems for buildings.

Innovations include:
A. Haunched girder concrete
B. Tapered Drop panel system for concrete floor systems
C. Stub-girder steel system
D.Partial Tube system for steel system
E. Composite Shear wall system for Pennzoil Towers
F. Composite perimeter tube with core walls …. J.P.Morgan Tower, Houston

All these developments will be described with actual projects.

Expansive clays, known for their significant volume changes with moisture fluctuations, pose substantial challenges in long term building performance. This presentation addresses the critical aspects of managing the movement caused by these soils, which can lead to structural damage and operational issues if not properly addressed. We begin by exploring the common causes of expansive clay-related issues, including natural factors such as hydrological cycles, groundwater levels, and anthropogenic influences like improper drainage and irrigation practices.

The investigation section delves into the methodologies for assessing these movements, including geotechnical investigations, structural monitoring techniques, and diagnostic tools like ground-penetrating radar. We will also discuss methods for identifying and analyzing the sources of moisture that contribute to soil expansion. Key techniques covered include soil sampling and testing, moisture monitoring, and the use of geotechnical surveys to pinpoint problematic areas.

We will then discuss some examples of how the expansive clays affect existing structures.

The presentation will then shift focus to practical repair recommendations, emphasizing both preventative and remedial strategies that a structural engineer could benefit from knowing early in the design process. Preventative measures involve proper site assessment and design modifications, such as the installation of effective drainage systems, moisture barriers, choosing the right foundation type, setting realistic expectations of anticipated slab-on-ground performance and allowing for movement in plumbing and interior finishes. For existing structures, we will cover various repair techniques including soil stabilization methods, and foundation repair options tailored to mitigate the impacts of expansive clays.

By integrating these insights, the presentation aims to equip engineers, and construction professionals with a comprehensive understanding of expansive clay behavior, effective strategies for minimizing its impact on infrastructure and the knowledge needed to effectively diagnose and remedy foundation issues, ensuring long-term structural performance and safety.

The Borlaug Building on Texas A&M University’s main campus in College Station, Texas, underwent a significant renovation to accommodate new mechanical rooms and new floor loading over existing roof areas. Originally constructed as a three-story concrete pan joist building in the early 1990s, this project presented unique challenges related to additional loading and structural strengthening.

This presentation will delve into the collaborative efforts and problem-solving strategies that enabled the project team to navigate knowledge gaps in implementing an unfamiliar solution at this scale. By remaining vision focused and collaborating, the design team, contractor, and design partners successfully overcame these challenges. Attendees will gain insights into the following key areas:

• Project Overview: An introduction to the Borlaug Building renovation, including its structural complexities and the goals of the project
• Assessing Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) as a Solution: A discussion on how FRP was evaluated as a potential solution for strengthening the structure, despite being an unfamiliar technology for the team, and an analysis of alternative methods.
• Procurement Process: An examination of the procurement strategies, highlighting the considerations between Design Assist and Delegated Design approaches, and how these methods can uniquely facilitate knowledge sharing and decision-making.
• Role of Third-Party Delegated Designers: Insights into how third-party designers contributed to bridging knowledge gaps through Design Assist, Delegated Design, and Value Engineering processes.
• Project Solution Summary: A review of the final project outcomes, including a comparison of budgeted versus actual costs, and the lessons learned in implementing an innovative solution.
• Recommendations for Structural Engineers: Practical recommendations for structural -engineers facing similar challenges in renovation projects, particularly when dealing with unfamiliar technologies.

This case study highlights the importance of collaboration and continuous learning in overcoming knowledge gaps and delivering successful projects.

Synthetic macrofibers are rapidly gaining market share in slabs on grade, composite metal decks, parking lots and light duty pavements. By replacing rebar or wiremesh with synthetic macrofibers, projects are being completed faster, with a lower carbon footprint while reducing initial cost.

This presentation will educate attendees on the benefits, design methodology, field installation practices, mix design issues and more. The goal is for those attending to gain the knowledge necessary to utilize this growing construction trend when they believe it to be appropriate. Some of the owners who now utilize macrofibers are Tesla, GM, Ford, Amazon, Fedex, Tractor Supply and many more.

Vessel impacts to major bridges have increased significantly over the past 60 years, with 36 major bridge collapses being recorded worldwide between 1960 and 2024. 19 of those collapses have occurred in the United States, including the most recent Key Bridge Collapse in Baltimore, Maryland.

The collapse of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa, Florida in 1980 spurred efforts to provide Vessel Impact design guidance in the AASHTO code in the United States. The first Vessel Collision Design of Highway Bridges Guide Specification was published in 1991. The detailed procedure in this code is a probabilistic analysis method that differs substantially from other parts of the AASHTO code, which introduces challenges for engineers conducting a vessel impact evaluation that could produce multiple acceptable solutions.

This presentation will first give a general overview of AASHTO Method II, introducing all of the variables that may need to be considered on major bridge projects. Each variable will be discussed in detail with a focus on current best practices, especially where the engineer’s judgment is needed to determine vessel data, characteristics, and project-specific variables. The different possible solutions that can be developed will be discussed, and how different engineering decisions made during an evaluation can impact possible design solutions. Case studies of major bridge vessel collision evaluations will be presented, including the controlled factors involved and the necessary decisions made by the owners and engineers in selecting each of the solutions.