st ru ct u ral e n g i n e e r i n g
STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING We collaborate with architects, owners and builders to design elegant solutions for projects of all types, sizes and levels of complexity. From advanced structural analysis and optimization, to performance-based design, and acoustics and vibration consulting, our engineers focus on meeting – and exceeding – client needs.
st ru ct u ral e n g i n e e r i n g
ALWAYS INNOVATING We pursue innovation as a problem-solving tool. Our engineers are passionate about finding creative ways to tackle project challenges. We partner with clients and teammates to identify problems, and then we do whatever it takes to solve them. This approach has driven our advances in computational modeling, vibration control and project delivery. We partner with our CORE studio and advanced analytics experts to develop new applications and technologies. Our engineers also collaborate with all project stakeholders and strive to improve the building design and construction process.
WHAT WE DO Our structural designs balance the demands of form, function, sustainability, constructability, schedule and budget. We constantly seek new ways to improve the speed, quality and cost-effectiveness of project design and delivery. BUILDING STRUCTURES We look beyond the obvious to find the approach best suited to each project, using sophisticated methods to conceptualize, model and deliver integrated designs that benefit all project stakeholders. KINETIC STRUCTURES We provide integrated design for moveable building elements such as retractable roofs, operable walls and doors, and convertible seating. Our capabilities are enhanced by access to in-house façade engineers, sustainability consultants and construction support specialists. SPECIAL STRUCTURES Special structures require engineering creativity and unconventional analysis or construction techniques. Our multidisciplinary teams work collaboratively with architects, uniting imaginative design with leading-edge modeling and analysis to invent artful solutions to the complexities these projects present.
STRUCTURAL EXPLORATORY STUDIES & OPTIMIZATION The earliest stages of any project are critical to its success. We use analytical and parametric tools to provide our project partners with insights and options for design competitions and concept and feasibility studies. These tools allow us to quickly analyze many options and zero in on the optimal solution. ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS We use sophisticated analytical techniques to solve tough design problems, and when off-the-shelf software can’t do it, we develop our own tools. Our analytical approach is informed by lessons learned in our forensics, applied science and protective design work. ON-SITE STRUCTURAL SERVICES We provide full-time site representation, from project start to close, including inspections required by governing authorities. SWALLOW ACOUSTICS NOISE & VIBRATION CONSULTING Thornton Tomasetti acquired Swallow Acoustic Consultants Limited in 2017. Our team provides a full spectrum of acoustics and vibration services.
The Shed is a multipurpose cultural facility in New York City featuring a moveable outer shell that deploys on rails to transform the adjoining plaza into flexible enclosed space. We provided structural design – including kinetic engineering – as well as façade engineering, sustainability consulting and construction engineering. Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Rockwell Group
We provided structural engineering for the 1,000+ meter Jeddah Tower, which upon completion will be the world’s tallest building.
SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE COMPUTATIONAL ANALYSIS While modern modeling tools enable almost limitless options for form, geometric discipline is essential for budget control. When forms are still in flux, we use parametric and generative modeling tools to interactively study multiple geometries and recommend optimal shapes for structural frames and related systems.
HOW WE WORK COLLABORATION DRIVES VALUE Collaboration is the key to successfully balancing competing project priorities. We talk to teammates across disciplines, ask questions and look beyond the obvious to find critical areas of intersection – uncovering the unique approach best suited to each project. Our method of challenging our partners and ourselves and then supporting the strongest technical options increases design and construction efficiency and makes us a natural fit for design-build, designassist and Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) teams.
PROJECT DELIVERY METHODS Our structural engineers are experienced in all delivery methods, from fast-track, construction managerat-risk (CMR), and design-build, to IPD, Lean Project Delivery (LPD) and hybrids of all of these. Our collaborative approach is well suited to delivery methods that are designed to foster greater cooperation, and we strategically apply the benefits and best practices of these methods to enhance traditional design-bid-build projects.
EXPERIENCE + ANALYTICS = OPTIMIZATION We have undertaken projects – of every type, shape and size – in more than 60 countries. When an engineering challenge arises, it’s likely an issue one of us has encountered and solved before. When the know-how of our deep bench is combined with our advanced analytical capabilities, we can quickly find optimal solutions to even the most difficult engineering problems. INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE Design and construction can vary greatly by location. Different conditions, availability of materials and factors like wind or seismic activity all play a role in determining “how it’s done here.” Our locations around the world confer a breadth of international know-how that’s hard to match. We hire local professionals who understand their region’s design and construction cultures, markets, and legal and regulatory environments. These “boots on the ground” are especially important once construction begins.
Courtesy Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
SENIOR STAFF STAYS INVOLVED At some firms, senior-level engineers come to the interview and kickoff, then hand off the project to less experienced colleagues. But we know the value of continuity in project leadership. We believe our clients have the right to expect the participation of senior leaders for the duration of a project.
CROSS-PRACTICE SYNERGY Our structural designs benefit from the multidisciplinary expertise of our 10 integrated practices. Lessons learned from investigative and renewal work inform our design decisions. Internal expertise in acoustics, façade engineering, protective design, transportation and sustainability helps us fully integrate these systems into our structural designs. Software developers and experts in applied science provide advanced tools and problem-solving for complex challenges. And our Construction Engineering practice’s Advanced Project Delivery™ services deliver highly constructable designs via the same software platforms used by contractors, saving time and money in the field.
THORNTON TOMASETTI OPTIMIZES THE DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE OF STRUCTURES, MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROJECTS OF EVERY SIZE AND LEVEL OF COMPLEXITY. An employee-owned organization of engineers, scientists, architects and other professionals collaborating from offices worldwide, we support clients by drawing on the diverse expertise of our integrated practices. We are committed to being a sustainable and enduring organization and the global driver of innovation in our industry. INNOVATION AT OUR CORE
CORE is our innovation incubator, a vehicle for collaborating with project teams, academic institutions and other partners – in the AEC industry and beyond – to develop and market new technologies. CORE lab identifies and nurtures R&D projects – ranging from incremental to transformational – to create new capabilities, methods or products.
www.thorntontomasetti.com
CORE studio provides technology-focused expertise to all our practices, enhancing collaboration and responsiveness through a wide range of creative initiatives.