Andrea Shear, PE, Murray Engineering

Matthew Fadden, PhD, PE, WJE

In October 2024, SEU welcomed Matthew Fadden, PhD, PE, from WJE, and Andrea Shear, PE, from Murray Engineering, to present Identifying, Evaluating, and Correcting Punching Shear Deficiencies in Flat Plate Construction.  Matt and Andrea have designated the Dick Woods Student Impact Fund (Dick Woods Student Impact Fund – 338683 – Michigan Giving) for our SEU Speaker Inspires donation for the month.

The Dick Woods Scholarship Fund exists to honor of Professor Woods (1935-2021) and his willingness to help CEE students in need. The fund supports students with a demonstrated financial need.

Thank you, Matt and Andrea, for helping structural engineers with your SEU session, and for your designation of the Dick Woods Student Impact Fund at the University of Michigan as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SEU began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SEU to make a donation to help improve our world.

Temporary structures can be an enigma for structural engineers.  ASCE 7 does not directly address temporary structures, so engineers are left to their own judgment to determine the appropriate wind load provisions to use.  

In the March 2025 SEU session, Emily Guglielmo, PE, SE, from Martin/Martin, presented Refining Wind Load Approaches for Non-building Structures.  Emily reviewed the applicability of ASCE 7 wind load provisions for rooftop equipment, screenwalls, PV panels, signs and canopies, and other non-building structures.  She also addressed ways to approach wind loads on structures not explicitly addressed in ASCE 7 such as trellises, tall parapets, and balcony rails.  Emily presented rational analysis strategies to address gaps in code provisions for non-building structures and industry best practices.

Emily noted that, in the past, there was no nationally recognized standard that addresses wind load provisions for temporary structures.  More recently, a proposal was initiated through IBC to use ASCE 37 Design Loads on Structures during Construction which includes minimum design loads on buildings and other structures during construction.  ASCE 37 does allow for a reduction in wind loads.  However, this was strongly discouraged by SEI within the committee meeting for two reasons.  First, there is an implied risk while on a construction site which does not exist in public venues which are typically housed in temporary structures such as tents with platforms and bleachers.  Second, these temporary structures typically travel and are used countless times over the span of many years.  This extended life of the structure, although only used in short, temporary circumstances, increases the chance of high speed wind loads on the structure.  Thus, SEI put together a group of experts who studied and issued guidelines which are now included in the body of IBC 2024 and will be included in a future Chapter 35 of ASCE 7-28.  Check out these new guidelines in IBC 2024 until they become part of ASCE 7 the next time you have a temporary structure to design.

Engineers may often be confronted with competing duties of confidentiality, especially between clients or other engineering professionals.  How can you establish which confidentiality rules apply and when they take precedence over other ethics rules?  To whom does the engineer owe confidentiality?

In the February 2025 SEU session, Matthew Rechtien, PE, Esq., from Walter P Moore, presented Mum’s the Word: 2025 Engineering Ethics Update: Engineers’ Duty of Confidentiality.  Matt explained the origins of, and policies behind, engineers’ duty of confidentiality.  He described common applicable confidentiality rules and their common features and he demonstrated how to apply such confidentiality rules.

Matt noted that engineers may be subject to multiple jurisdictions in regard to ethics rules, such as state board rules as well as professional member organizations.  These rules may differ, thus, engineers should educate themselves on their individual responsibilities in regard to their duty of confidentiality to their clients and the public.

To hear Matt’s thought process, as he walks through a possible example of an engineer facing a confidentiality quandary, click on the video below:

Matt’s algorithm of questions can be especially useful when faced with competing rules or tension between competing loyalties.  Click on the slide below to print your own copy to use when comparing the various confidentiality rules which may apply to your unique situation or state.  Click on these links to access NSPE’s Code of Ethics, which addresses confidentiality in Section III.4, and Section 4e in ASCE’s Code of Ethics.  State laws will vary on this issue, so engineers should take care to spot potential conflicts to avoid disclosing or unethically using confidential information. 

Engineers are not often exclusively responsible for locating wall openings on their masonry design projects. However, they are responsible for advising the owner on ways to minimize labor and material costs on the job. There are many strategies which can reduce unnecessary costs in masonry construction, but are you aware of a simple change which can result in massive savings on masonry construction projects?

In the September 2024 SEU session, Scott Walkowicz, PE, from Walkowicz Consulting Engineers, presented Masonry Design and Detailing: Using Your Owner’s Money Wisely.  Scott discussed the structural performance benefits and building improvements achieved through the use of masonry, as both a structure and an outer envelope.  He identified ways to reduce cost and minimize material waste in masonry design and detailing.  He also examined masonry details to create functional, durable, and constructable masonry assemblies.

A huge cost savings on masonry jobs can be eliminating the need for saw cutting blocks to accommodate off-modular spacing or openings.  Scott mentioned that up to 1-3% of the masonry package can be spent on the labor costs associated with saw cutting blocks.  A best practice to minimize these additional costs is for engineers and architects to specify openings and spacing of openings to align with modular blocks.  As shown in the slide below, a significant number of blocks would require saw cutting when openings are located offset from the modular spacing.  

A better layout is shown below, which locates the opening both horizontally and vertically to avoid off-module saw cuts.  On a standard job site, masonry suppliers include a certain number of half-blocks, which eliminates the need for saw cutting when everything aligns with standard unit sizing.

Engineers can also advocate to architects to consider this issue early in the design process.  Reducing saw cuts on the jobsite will always result in a lower cost for the owner, so consideration should be given to maintaining proper modular spacing for openings.

Scott Walkowicz, PE Walkowicz Consulting Engineers

In September 2024, Scott Walkowicz, PE, from Walkowicz Consulting Engineers, presented Masonry Design and Detailing: Using Your Owner’s Money Wisely. Scott nominated the The Masonry Society (TMS) (Clayford T. Grimm, P.E. Student Scholarship – The Masonry Society) for the SEU Speaker Inspires donation of the month.

Scott shared, “I chose The Masonry Society (TMS) because of the great work that is done by TMS and its members. I obtained my first degree, a BS in Architecture, and I then wanted to learn how to ‘engineer’ masonry. I attended Clemson University and was able to receive not only a BS in Civil Engineering, but also an MS in Civil Engineering with an emphasis on masonry and interaction with one of TMS’s Honorary Members. The Master’s level coursework and the project that I worked on were extremely valuable to me and my career. I’m very happy to help other engineering students who are seeking Master level degrees and doing research that will benefit both them and the masonry industry.”

Thank you, Scott, for helping structural engineers with your SE University session, and for your designation of the The Masonry Society (TMS) as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SE University began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SE University to make a donation to help improve our world.

SE Solutions is pleased to announce the recipients of the SE Solutions + SE Impact structures scholarships at Purdue University as Kyra Fales and Hafdís Magnúsdóttir. This is the twelfth year that SE Solutions has offered the scholarships.

Kyra Fales received her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering with an emphasis in structures from Purdue University in May 2024. She also graduated with minors in Global Engineering Studies and Spanish for the Professions. She is now continuing her education at Purdue through their 4+1 program and will graduate in May 2025 with her master’s degree. During her undergraduate degree, Kyra co-oped as a bridge engineer in Indianapolis, and she will be returning there this summer to begin full-time work. Outside of school, she likes to play soccer, hike and travel. 

Hafdís Magnúsdóttir is from Iceland and received her B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University in Spring 2024. She is currently pursuing an M.S. degree through the 4+1 program, with expected graduation in Spring 2025. After graduation, she will be joining KPFF in Indianapolis as a structural engineer. She has gained hands-on construction experience by working for a construction company in Iceland for the past four summers. At Purdue, she served as a Resident Assistant and as a Marshall in Chi Epsilon. She was also involved in undergraduate research with the Resilient Extra-Terrestrial Habitats Institute (RETHi), a NASA-funded research group. As part of this research, she designed and built an internal structure to support a testing bladder inside a physical test model and created a 3D SolidWorks model for presentation purposes. Outside of academics, Hafdís enjoys hiking with her dogs, Max and Moose, and playing handball.

SE Solutions would like to congratulate each recipient and wish them future success in their fields of study as structural engineers.

When the Geotechnical engineer is first engaged to provide a geotechnical report, they are often working off of limited project information and may not have a clear vision of the proposed structure. Without detailed project information, the geotechnical report might not provide all of the information the structural engineer requires, and may lead to the structural engineer having to make generalized assumptions about the site specific soil conditions. How then can structural engineers-of-record ensure they get the information they need on projects when there is no national standard for what is included on geotechnical reports?

In the December 2024 SEU session, Andrew Walters, PE, from American Engineering Testing, presented Guide to Understanding a Project Geotechnical Report.  Andy explained the importance of a project geotechnical report to various members of the project team, and described the field exploration methods and tests commonly used as part of a project geotechnical evaluation.  Andy offered guidance on achieving the information needed in a project geotechnical report and the importance of understanding the report in its entirety.

Andy suggested that structural engineers become involved early on in the project with the RFP for geotechnical services.  There are many important elements that would be useful for the geotech engineer to form the basis of an RFP.  As shown in the slides below, the intended use and future building expansion plans, intended structural loads, and unique project elements should all be noted so the geotech can make appropriate recommendations.

After providing detailed project information, the RFP should also include the intended scope of the geotechnical services.  This is especially helpful when comparing RFPs from different geotech firms.  Having conversations early on and often with a geotechnical engineer can provide insight into which services would be needed based on the unique aspects of the project.

Structural engineers are not always included in these early discussions when owners and architects launch a new project.  However, one of the first aspects the structural engineer-of-record should engage on the project team is a competent geotechnical engineer to ensure the necessary information is obtained for the site specific soil conditions.  Communication early in the project can produce a useful and complete geotechnical report.

Tom Tarcha, PE Simpson Strong-Tie

Mark Jarvinen, PE Simpson Strong-Tie

In August 2024, SEU welcomed Mark Jarvinen, PE and Tom Tarcha, PE, from Simpson Strong-Tie, to present Post-Installed Adhesive Anchors into Cracked and Uncracked Masonry.  Mark and Tom have designated Habitat for Humanity (https://www.habitat.org/) for our SEU Speaker Inspires donation for the month.

A proud supporter of Habitat for Humanity for more than two decades, Simpson Strong-Tie has been a national sponsor of Habitat for Humanity International since 2007, donating more than $2.5 million in cash and products. The contribution has helped support numerous Habitat houses across North America as well as U.S. and international programs. In addition, Simpson Strong-Tie employees have contributed hundreds of volunteer hours in building homes and training local Habitat affiliates along with joining the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects to repair and build homes affected by natural disasters.

Thank you, Mark and Tom, for helping structural engineers with your SEU session, and for your designation of Habitat for Humanity as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SEU began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SEU to make a donation to help improve our world.

Barry Arnold, PE, SE,  ARW Engineers

In July 2024, SEU welcomed Barry Arnold, PE, SE, retired from ARW Engineers, to present Temperature Effects in Steel Structures.  In 2022, Barry designated Structural Engineers Association of Utah Scholarship Fund (Structural Engineers Association of Utah – Scholarships (seau.org)) for our SEU Speaker Inspires donation for the month, and he has chosen to do the same in 2024.

Barry shared, “As a student struggling to pay for tuition and books, attending classes, completing homework, maintaining a good family life, and working full-time, I remember how grateful I was to receive a scholarship. Receiving a scholarship reduced my anxiety and the pressure I felt by easing my financial burdens. I hope whoever receives this scholarship will benefit from the financial assistance as I did when I was a student.”

Thank you, Barry, for helping structural engineers with your SEU session, and for your designation of Structural Engineers Association of Utah Scholarship Fund as our SEU Speaker Inspires Organization of the Month!

SEU began the SEU Speaker Inspires program in 2015 as a way to “pay it forward”, enabling our speakers to designate a charity/organization of their choice for SEU to make a donation to help improve our world.