CASE Business Practices

from STRUCTURE magazine | June 2014

Just the FAQs

CASE BuSinESS PrACtiCES business issues Not Your Grandfather’s Risks Anymore

By Brent White, P.E., S.E., SECB

The Author recently had a conversation with a structural engineer who has been retired for over fifteen years. During his career, he observed many changes in the practice of structural engineering and the tools available to assist in his practice. The conversation turned to the current state of structural engineering and the many challenges today’s practicing structural engineer faces. He was amazed at the various “balls that need to be kept in the air” to successfully practice engineering and compete in today’s marketplace. These differing challenges are really an identification of risks we face as we practice structural engineering today. The list of risks is lengthy. In reality, the practice of engineering is a practice of managing risks. The very act of analyzing and designing a structural system of any type is recognition of risk and the ability to apply physics, mechanics, skill and some artistic license to manage understood risk. Beyond the science of engineering, our practices face risks that must be properly managed if we are to remain competitive in the marketplace. This engineering market we are all part of places risk on us and our firms. Project delivery methods, projects schedules, fee pressures, scope creep, the level of expectation from client and owner, the use of building information modeling (BIM), expanding codes and design guidelines are all examples of increased challenges and risks that the retired engineer, mentioned above, may not have been forced to deal with. From the author’s personal experience, the only reasonable way to recognize, understand, and manage risk is to have risk management be an integral part of firm culture. Risk management is everyone’s business. Maybe a better way to say it is that it is an obligation of every member of the firm. With varying degrees of experience and understanding, it can be a daunting task to keep everyone on the same page relative to risk management and risk avoidance. Active participation in professional associations is an essential element in developing a firm culture of excellent technical skills and successful business practice. Technical training and knowledge gained through professional associations is vital. Just as vital is the knowledge and understanding available though professional associations such

He was amazed at the various “balls that need to be kept in the air” to successfully practice engineering and compete in today’s marketplace.

as CASE (Coalition of American Structural Engineers) relative to crucial business practice and risk management. CASE has outlined 10 foundations of risk management and business practice activities providing value to members. The foundations are: Culture, Prevention & Proactively, Planning, Communication, Education, Scope, Compensation, Contracts, Contract Documents, Construction Phase. CASE has developed numerous products around these foundations that assist firms in addressing business practice issues and developing risk management skills. There are over 60 guidelines, contracts, and other tools that directly address many of the challenges mentioned in this article. These tools can help practicing structural engineers and firms enhance risk management development and business practices knowledge. One example of an excellent publication that most firms can benefit from is A Guide to the Practice of Structural Engineering. This document is a concise training tool for younger or inexperienced engineers that teaches the business of consulting structural engineering. Most engineers complete academic studies feeling much more confident in technical skills with little understanding of how the business of engineering works. A Guide to the Practice of Structural Engineering is an updated and revised tool that can assist in the acclimation of less experienced structural engineers to the business and operation of a successful consulting engineering business. This concise and invaluable document was developed by a group of structural engineers who, through their collective experience, recognized the need to speed up the development of young engineers. The PDF format allows the user to learn the various aspects of the consulting engineering business by topics. The user can learn and understand in a self-paced atmosphere, and can verify his/her understanding by completing the interactive quiz at the end of each section. This tool is also a great refresher for more experienced engineers that are beginning to face the demands of project and business management. A second example is a tool entitled Create a Culture for Managing Risks and Preventing Claims. Centered around the foundation of Culture, this tool outlines methods and activities that are intended to help a firm in developing a culture of risk management and claims prevention. Changing the culture of an organization that has been deeply embedded can be challenging, however this tool was developed to assist firms in meeting this challenge. The recommendations and methods are adaptable to any firm size, and are structured to assist in developing and understanding that risk management begins at the cultural level of the firm. Today’s challenges can be met. It requires a different set of tools and knowledge than the aforementioned retired engineer may have needed, but those tools are available, and the author finds them invaluable.▪

Brent White, P.E., S.E., SECB (brentw@arwengineers.com), is president of ARW Engineers in Ogden, Utah. He serves as the chair of the CASE Toolkit Committee and is a past-president of the Structural Engineers Association of Utah.

A listing and description of all CASE publications can be found on the CASE website, www.acec.org/case. All tools are free of charge for CASE member firms. Tools are available to non-member firms for nominal fees. If you are interested in joining CASE, refer to the website or contact Heather Talbert, htalbert@acec.org.

Software

ADAPT Corporation

Phone: 650-306-2400 Email: info@adaptsoft.com Web: www.adaptsoft.com Product: ADAPT-Edge for Load Takedown and Column Design Description: e ideal tool for rapid load takedown and column design of concrete buildings. O ers both a tributary-based and 3D FEM analysis loading of columns. Use Edge’s integrated column design module or export all tributary and load values into a exible XLS format. Seamlessly imports building models from Revit Structure.

Product: ADAPT-ABI for 4D Geometry Control for Buildings Description: Model building frames and calculate critical geometry control factors, including di erential shortening of supports, required superelevation of levels, and long-term deformation of critical structural elements. Using an intuitive 4D construction phase planner, time-dependent e ects of phasing, creep, shrinkage and relaxation of steel are explicitly considered.

Bentley Systems

Phone: 610-458-5000 Email: katherine. esh@bentley.com Web: www.bentley.com Product: RAM Structural System Description: A specialized engineering software tool for the complete analysis, design, and drafting of both steel and concrete buildings. It optimizes work ows through the creation of a single model by providing specialized design functions for buildings and by providing thorough documentation. Product: AECOsim Building Designer Description: A single building information modeling (BIM) software application for multidiscipline teams. Enables architects, structural, mechanical, and electrical engineers to design, analyze, construct, document, and visualize buildings of any size, form, and complexity. It includes capabilities of former products: Bentley Architecture, Bentley Mechanical, Bentley Electrical, Structural Modeler.

Concrete Masonry Association of California and Nevada (CMACN)

Phone: 916-722-1700 Email: info@cmacn.org Web: www.cmacn.org Product: CMD12 Description: Structural design of reinforced concrete and clay hollow unit masonry elements. Design of masonry elements in accordance with provisions of Ch. 21 – 1997 UBC, 2001 – 2013 CBC or 2003 – 2012 IBC and 1999 – 2011 Bldg. Code Requirements for Masonry Structures (TMS 402/ACI 530/ASCE 5). CSC

Phone: 877-710-2053 Email: sales@cscworld.com Web: www.cscworld.com Product: Fastrak Description: An essential design and drafting software for steel buildings. Structural engineers use Fastrak to design simple or complex steel buildings. Produce clear and concise documentation including drawings and calculations, all to US codes. Product: Tedds Description: A powerful software that will speed up your daily structural and civil calculations. Using Tedds you can access a large library of automated calculations or write your own, while creating high quality and transparent documentation.

Devco Software, Inc.

Phone: 541-426-5713 Email: rob@devcosoftware.com Web: www.devcosoftware.com Product: LGBEAMER v8 Description: Analyze and design cold-formed cee, channel and zee sections. Uniform, concentrated, partial span and axial loads. Single and multi-member designs. 2007 NASPEC (2009 IBC) compliant. ProTools include shearwalls, framed openings, X-braces, joists and rafters.

Integrated Engineering Software

Phone: 800-707-0816 Email: info@iesweb.com Web: www.iesweb.com Product: VisualAnalysis Description: A great tool for tall building design including area loads, streamlined design features, and a “stay out of your way” attitude. Tall buildings are more than just a “total model” and VisualAnalysis is excellent for all kinds of investigations and analysis.

ITW Red Head

Phone: 630-338-6491 Email: marketing@itwccna.com Web: www.itwredhead.com Product: Truspec Design Software Description: Using Truspec anchor calculation software, architects and engineers can now design concrete anchoring connections in minutes in accordance with ACI 318 Appendix D.

Nemetschek Scia

Phone: 877-808-7242 Email: info@scia-online.com Web: www.nemetschek-scia.com Product: Scia Engineer – New Version Description: Easily plug structural design into your Tall Building work ow. Leverage complex architectural models into analysis and pass back optimized models for coordination. Link your custom calculations and checks to Scia Engineer’s advanced FEA engine. Create professional engineering reports that are simple to update as designs change. Try for FREE! New Millennium Building Systems

Phone: 260-868-6000 Email: kevin.disinger@newmill.com Web: www.newmill.com Product: Steel Joists, Decking and Castellated Beams Description: New Millennium engineers and manufactures steel joists, metal decking, FreeSpan castellated and cellular beams. Our free BIM steel joist design component is available for download at the website.

Powers Fasteners

Phone: 985-807-6666 Email: jack.zenor@sbdinc.com Web: www.powers.com Product: Powers Design Assist Description: Software to design to ACI 318 Appendix D.

RISA Technologies

Phone: 949-951-5815 Email: info@risatech.com Web: www.risa.com Product: RISAFloor Description: RISAFloor and RISA-3D form an unrivaled building analysis and design package. Modeling has never been easier whether you’re doing a graphical layout, importing a BIM model (from Autodesk Revit Structure), or prefer spreadsheets. Full code checks and optimization for six di erent material types.

S-FRAME Software Inc.

Phone: 203-421-4800 Email: info@s-frame.com Web: www.s-frame.com Product: S-FRAME Analysis Description: A powerful, e cient 4D structural analysis and design environment with fully integrated steel, concrete and foundation design and optimization tools. Use S-FRAME to perform linear or advanced non-linear analysis on buildings and industrial structures. Includes advanced BIM and CAD links.

Product: S-STEEL Design Description: Design and optimize steel buildings with S-STEEL, an S-FRAME integrated steel design solution. Code-check and auto design for both strength and serviceability to multiple design codes. S-STEEL supports composite beam design, staged construction, and numerous optimization criteria and constraints. Comprehensive design reports include equations, clause references and interactive graphics.

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Strand7 Pty Ltd

Phone: 252-504-2282 Email: anne@beaufort-analysis.com Web: www.strand7.com Product: Strand7 Description: An advanced, general purpose, FEA system used worldwide by engineers, designers, and analysts for a wide range of structural analysis applications. It comprises preprocessing, solvers (linear and nonlinear static and dynamic capabilities) and postprocessing. Features include staged construction, quasi-static solver for shrinkage and creep/relaxation problems.

StructurePoint

Phone: 847-966-4357 Email: info@structurepoint.org Web: www.StructurePoint.org Product: Concrete Software Description: spMats – Analysis & design of reinforced concrete foundations, combined footings or slabs on grade. spSlab – Analysis, design & investigation of reinforced concrete beams & one-way and two-way slab systems. spWall – Finite element analysis & design of reinforced, precast ICF & tilt-up concrete walls. spColumn – Design & investigation of rectangular, round & irregularly shaped concrete column sections.

Suppliers

Cortec Corporation

Phone: 651-429-1100 Email: jmeyer@cortecvci.com Web: www.cortecvci.com Product: MCI 2005 Description: Migrating Corrosion Inhibiting admixture for protection of embedded steel reinforcing. Works independently of chloride exposure and does not adversely a ect concrete mix properties (ASTM C1582). Documented performance worldwide, and used in substructures of many tall buildings, including the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa.

CTS Cement Manufacturing Corporation

Phone: 800-929-3030 Email: jong@ctscement.com Web: www.ctscement.com Product: Type-K Shrinkage-Compensating Cement Products Description: Install concrete structures and industrial-size oors using Type-K shrinkagecompensating cement products with no curling, no drying shrinkage cracking and no intermediate saw cut joints. Keep your concrete in compression through the life of the concrete. Product: Rapid Set® Cement Products Description: Cement products for concrete repairs, restoration and new construction. Achieve high durability, fast strength gain and structural strength in one hour. Decon® USA Inc.

Phone: 866-332-6687 Email: sales@deconusa.com Web: www.deconusa.com Product: Anchor Channels Description: Decon USA is the exclusive representative of Jordahl in North America. Hot rolled Anchor Channels are embedded in concrete and used to securely transfer high loads. eir main application is for exible connections of glazing panels to high-rise buildings. Anchor Channels with welded-on rebar or corner pieces are available. Product: Studrails® Description: e North American standard for punching shear enhancement at slab-column connections. Produced to the speci cations of ASTM A1044, ACI 318-08, AND ICC ES 2494. Studrails are also increasingly being used to reinforce against bursting stresses in banded post-tension anchor zones.

Halfen USA

Phone: 800-423-9140 Email: pschmidt@halfenusa.com Web: www.halfenusa.com Product: Anchor Channels Description: Halfen is a global manufacturer of adjustable anchoring systems for curtain walls and glazing applications. Designed to accommodate construction tolerances, eliminate the need for drilling and reduce hazards from welding or projecting bolts.

ITW Buildex

Phone: 800-848-5611 Email: marketing@itwccna.com Web: www.itwbuildex.com Product: Teks Select Description: Selectively hardened self-drilling and tapping fasteners that attach similar or dissimilar metals and have a Grade 5 performance. Teks Select fasteners replaces the timely process of using nuts and bolts by cutting the installation time in half.

Malcolm Drilling Co., Inc.

Phone: 253-395-3300 Email: jstarcevich@malcolmdrilling.com Web: www.malcolmdrilling.com Product: Geotechnical Construction Description: e premier geotechnical specialty contractor in the United States, providing drilled shafts and deep foundation systems, Design/Build earth retention systems, underpinning, Ground Improvement and construction dewatering for more than 50 years.

Schöck USA Inc.

Phone: 855-572-4625 Email: info@schock-us.com Web: www.schock-us.com Product: Schöck Isokorb® type CM Description: A load bearing thermal insulation element for cantilever concrete slabs such as balconies. e element transfers bending moment stress and shear forces. e integrated hanging and perimeter tensile reinforcement, tted as standard, saves the unnecessary and costly use of extra stirrups or hooped mat. Simpson Strong-Tie®

Phone: 925-560-9000 Email: web@strongtie.com Web: www.strongtie.com Product: Simpson Strong-Tie CFS Designer Software Description: Design CFS beam-column members according to AISI speci cations and analyze complex beam loading and span conditions. Intuitive tools automate common systems such as wall openings and compression posts for shearwalls. CFS Designer supports design with Simpson Strong-Tie® curtain wall and bridging connectors. Product: Simpson Strong-Tie Utility Clips Description: e new SSC steel-stud utility clip and the low-cost, multi-use SFC steel framing connector are ideal for a variety of stud-to-stud and stud-to-structure applications. e SJC steel joist connector is designed for various CFS joist, rafter and underside of steel-deck applications. Visit the website for more information.

Vulcraft/Verco Group

Phone: 402-844-2570 Email: mike.klug@nucor.com Web: www.vulcraft.com Product: Steel Decking Description: Used in many applications, but is particularly well suited to roo ng and ooring. Vulcraft/Verco group manufactures many di erent types of deck, including roof deck, oor deck, composite oor deck and cellular deck. A full line of deck accessories, such as end closure and pour stop, is also available.

Product: Steel Joist and Joist Girders Description: Open web-steel joists and joist girders are an engineered, truss-like construction component used to support loads over short and long spans. Steel joists and joist girders provide an economical system for supporting oors and roofs. Vulcraft joists and joist girders are designed/manufactured in accordance with the Steel Joist Institute.