Southside Aquatic Center
Norfolk, VA Role: Lead Structural Engineer
Opposing monoslope roofs create a butterfly-like aesthetic and feature cantilevered edges carefully designed to maintain a minimalist planar aesthetic. Long-span built-up steel trusses span across the 50-yard indoor pool. Because of the corrosive environment created by the pool chemicals, the framing plan was configured to eliminate the need for steel bar joists over the pool. Bar joists would have presented numerous crevices that would have to be monitored for corrosion over the life of the structure and are comprised of relatively thin steel components and minimal welds which can quickly deteriorate in a corrosive environment.
My solution was to use steel deck spanning approximately 12 feet between the steel trusses, which were detailed to minimize catchment of condensation. This framing system also provides a cleaner aesthetic over the pool, and gives more visual impact to the surrounding full-height curtain walls and high ribbon windows. Moment-resisting frames were utilized throughout the facility to eliminate the need for diagonal bracing. Large underground tanks serving the pool were designed for hydrostatic buoyant forces.
[Project completed during my tenure with MMM Design Group, Norfolk, VA]
Kings Fork High School
Suffolk, VA Role: Structural Analysis Lead
This sprawling high school includes roughly 270,000 SF of usable space and utilizes a combination of load-bearing masonry walls and structural steel columns to support bar joist and steel beam floor and roof framing. Portions of the school were designed to a higher importance factor to serve as a community hurricane shelter. Curved masonry and curved steel framing were used in portions of the building to create its unique aesthetic. Deep longspan steel joists were used to frame the gymnasium roof.
This was one of my earliest design projects during my first year of practice. I served under the lead structural engineer, but personally performed most of the major design calculations. Over the next few years, I designed six more very similar schools and school additions with increasing responsibility.
[Project completed during my tenure with Stroud, Pence & Associates, Ltd., Virginia Beach, VA]
Blair Middle School
Norfolk, VA Role: Lead Structural Engineer
This combination renovation/addition added approximately 122,000 SF to this historic middle school located in the Ghent Historic District. The main entry stairs received a new concrete support structure that was designed to maintain the precise historic configuration of the original stairs. Similarly, the facade on the original building was replaced and supported by a refurbished structure designed to maintain the original character.
The new four-story addition is framed with composite steel floor framing to maintain the floor-to-floor spacing of the original building. Moment-resisting steel frames form the lateral load resisting system, and the addition is supported on augercast grout piles to address the poor soils. The cafeteria/gymnasium addition is a high single-story structure framed with load-bearing masonry, bar joists and steel beams and supported by spread footings.
[This project was completed during my tenure with Stroud, Pence & Associates, Ltd., Virginia Beach, VA]
Hampton Circuit Court
Hampton, VA Role: Lead Structural Engineer
This steel-framed courthouse features a decorative colonnade at the main entrance and a partial green roof both for sustainability and to enhance views from the third floor offices. The third floor framing spans 46 feet across the courtrooms and the building originally featured a 75-foot tall glass tower crowned with a cupola. The tower was fully designed but was later value engineered out of the project.
Moment-resisting frames were used throughout the building to maintain an open and flexible floor plan. The floors were framed with composite steel framing to achieve minimum floor depths and maximum flexibility for future mechanical systems. The poor soils beneath the building were addressed with an auger cast grout pile foundation.
[Project completed during my tenure with MMM Design Group, Norfolk, VA]
Norfolk State University Stair Tower
Norfolk, VA Role: Lead Structural Engineer & SER
It was important to maximize the transparency of this light rail access structure which is partially enclosed by storefront and a roof while otherwise open for ventilation. Located in a hurricane-prone region, standing 4 stories tall with a slender base, and featuring a partially enclosed top story, this structure is subjected to significant racking forces due to wind loads.
Since moment-resisting frames would have required relatively thick members, it was decided to use a minimalist X-bracing system instead comprised of tension rods anchored to the columns by clevises in the transverse direction. The stair stringers were designed to carry the lateral loads in the longitudinal direction to eliminate the need for any other bracing in that direction.
[Project completed during my tenure with MMM Design Group, Norfolk, VA]
