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Structural Design
Retrofit, Repair
and Rehabilitation | Peer
Review | Progressive Collapse | Construction Management
Performance-Based Structural Design
Our unique capabilities entail designing structures to
meet client-specific performance goals and objectives, balancing
long-term serviceability against initial construction costs.
Through first-hand investigation of thousands of failure
events around the world, and direct participation in the
formulation of the building codes and design standards, our
engineers develop unique, cost-effective and practical performance-based
solutions for new design and renovations to meet client-specific
requirements. This extensive and unique experience is particularly
important to our clients because it provides our engineers
with the ability to look beyond the building codes and provide
cost-effective and practical solutions to meet each client’s
and project’s specific structural performance goals
and objectives.
Performance-Based Hospital Analysis Using
the Nonlinear Static Pushover Methodology
Retrofit, Repair and Rehabilitation
ABS Consulting has successfully upgraded or designed hundreds
of structures and equipment, ranging from small un-reinforced
masonry buildings to 40-story, steel-frame high rises. We
have upgraded historical buildings that are on the National
Register and applied innovative seismic retrofit techniques,
such as base-isolation and energy-dissipating systems. With
our extensive retrofit experience, we are able to develop
rehabilitation programs that allow buildings to remain in
use during construction, and preserve the existing architectural
finishes and details when necessary. We have prepared seismic
design and evaluation criteria for use by major corporations
and government agencies, including the United States Department
of Energy.
ABS Consulting, Structural Risk Engineering has
completed a wide variety of design projects, ranging in scale
from structural concept and schematic studies, to full design
and construction projects. ABS Consulting has consulted on
a wide variety of new buildings, facilities and other structures,
along with renovations, repairs and retrofit designs (for
earthquake and wind forces) for all types of facilities.
Peer Review
ABS Consulting is an industry leader in structural and
seismic engineering and is particularly known throughout
the world for its practical, reliable and cost-effective
solutions to structural and seismic analysis, and repair
and retrofit problems. In addition, ABS Consulting has extensive
experience in the design of all types of structural systems
for buildings, equipment and lifeline systems. ABS Consulting
staff are experts on a wide variety of structures: concrete
and steel frame, concrete shear wall, pre-stressed and post
tensioned concrete, masonry, and timber. Buildings include
historic and landmark facilities for both public and private
sector clients.
As active participants in the structural engineering research
community, principal engineers play critical roles in the
development of the latest structural design codes. As a result,
ABS Consulting is very familiar with all code requirements.
These include the California Building Code, Uniform Building
Code, Applied Technology Council (ATC) Documents, State of
California Proposition 122 Seismic Evaluation Criteria, International
Building Code, ASCE 7, and the latest FEMA guidelines.
In addition, ABS Consulting provides services in anti-terrorist
and progressive collapse. ABS Consulting engineers utilize
analysis tools and technology experts necessary to confidently
complete client assignments.
Along with a proven track record in facility design, the
ABS Consulting team has performed a number of comprehensive
and similar design reviews for several State agencies including
DSA, OSHPD, and CDC. Structural/seismic plan reviews and
plan-checks have included reviews of seismic and structural
systems for newly-designed essential facilities, as well
as repairs, alterations, expansions, modernizations, and
modifications of existing essential facilities. All of these
assignments entailed interpretation and implementation of
applicable CCR Title 24 criteria.
Progressive Collapse
Progressive collapse, the failure mechanism for the Alfred
P. Murrah Federal Building following the Oklahoma City bombing,
occurs when a primary structural element fails. This results
in the collapse of adjoining structural elements, which in
turn causes additional failure and collapse.
Progressive collapse failures are easily identified by
resulting damage that is very disproportionate to the original
cause. For example, weaknesses inherent in a building
structure not designed for say, blast loading, result in
considerably more damage and collapse than otherwise. If
blast loading had been considered in the original design
of a building, the potential for progressive collapse might
have been prevented.
ABS Consulting has completed numerous progressive collapse
evaluations for various clients, including the U.S. Federal
General Services Administration (GSA), for buildings such
as the Regional Office Building, Central Office Building,
and Lafayette Building in Washington, D.C., the Metzenbaum
Courthouse in Cleveland, the Kansas City Courthouse, and
the Minton Capehart Building in Indianapolis.
These evaluations resulted in the development of selected
structural retrofits utilizing the Progressive Collapse
Analysis and Design Guidelines for New Federal Office Buildings
and Major Modernization Projects. These guidelines specify
requirements for the analysis, the load combinations to be
utilized, as well as the acceptance criteria by which to
judge the vulnerability of the structures. It is a standard
used in the field of progressive collapse analysis, which
coupled with our years of engineering knowledge and experience
with various types of extreme structural loadings (such as
earthquake and blast), allows us to provide our customers
with the latest state-of-the-art, yet practical and cost
effective solutions to minimize or prevent such catastrophic
building failures.
Construction Management
Experience ranges from coordinating and supervising the
preparation of construction bid documents through complete
project management and construction field management responsibilities
on behalf of the owner. This group provides:
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Project management of planning and design tasks
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Coordination and supervision of preparation of construction
documents
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Preparation of engineering cost estimates
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Preparation of construction phasing plans
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Preparation of construction bid packages
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Evaluation of general contractor bids and recommendation
of general contractors
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Project controls during the construction phase include
daily inspections, reviewing and resolving requests
for information (RFIs), change orders (COs) and shop
drawings, and reviewing and approving contractor Applications
for Payment
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Public funding requirement verification
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Project close-out activities involving resolution
of punch-lists and approval of final payments to contractors
The Program and Construction Management Group brings a unique perspective to
providing program and construction management services. The entire staff consists
of licensed engineers who have substantial design experience, and have spent
significant time in the field managing construction activities.
For more information, contact:
Darrell Barker
Vice President and Business Unit Manager
1-210-495-5195 | dbarker@absconsulting.com |
