It is All Happening in May

Have you noticed how many observance and awareness days, weeks and months related to the architecture/engineering/construction (A/E/C) industry happen in May? If so, you are not imagining it. A wide variety of interest groups hold awareness campaigns in the month of May. The observance calendar of the National Safety Council, which is not A/E/C-specific, shows …

From the Files: Lebanon City Hall Underpinning

Last week, Lebanon Opera House, the nonprofit arts and culture organization that operates the performing arts venue of the same name, kicked off its celebration of the theater’s centennial with a grand reopening following a multi-million dollar renovation project. The project featured modernized searing, an expanded lobby and improved artist-support spaces, along with an interior …

Structural Engineering Considerations of Renovating a Timber Frame Building

Many buildings constructed in the nineteenth century and earlier are timber-frame structures. Builders used plentiful old-growth timber and adapted European construction methods to the new world. While the behavior of timber braced frames are fairly complex, these buildings were built without the aid of structural engineering calculations and design standards. To ensure that the building …

The Year In Review: 2022

For the office of Richard J. Driscoll, Consulting Engineer (RJDCE), 2022 represented continuity, maintaining the steady pace and diversity of projects of 2021, but also saw modest progress on strategic objectives. The Year in Review As RJDCE was completing projects from late 2021, the 2022 construction season started quickly. The schedule coordination difficulties that have …

Soil and Rock Anchors for Resisting Lateral Loads in Buildings

Soil and rock anchors, sometimes collectively referred to as ground anchors, are tension elements consisting of a tendon composed of prestressing strands or a reinforcing steel bar that is grouted in a borehole. Ground anchors derive resistance to load through the bond strength between the grout, the tendon and the soil or rock in which …

Construction Beyond Boundaries

With high property values and space at a premium, construction in cities and urban suburbs usually involves redeveloping or expanding the built-up area of a previously occupied lot or collection of lots in an established neighborhood. To maximize the utilization of land, projects are often designed such that the built-up area, including buildings, accessory structures, …

Contract Project Assistant Wanted

Richard J. Driscoll, Consulting Engineer (RJDCE), a diverse structural and foundation engineering and construction risk management practice in Lebanon, New Hampshire, is seeking an independent contractor to serve as a project assistant or entry-level engineer on a project-by-project basis. The immediate need is for someone to accompany an experienced engineer to observe, measure and document …