Northeastern University wanted to construct a cold spray laboratory for metal and plastics coating and repair at Kostas Research Institute. They needed to know if the existing structure could accommodate the new facility. SGH evaluated the...
In 1954, the Monsanto Chemical Company provided funding to Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Plastics Research Laboratory to develop a futuristic house made of plastics. One goal was to demonstrate that a modular, cost-effective, and...
With limited guidance in existing design standards, the culvert manufacturer was struggling to efficiently design headwalls for their metal culverts skewed relative to the road. SGH implemented a design procedure allowing them to quickly analyze...
In the mid-1990s, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supported a joint effort of the Applied Technology Council (ATC), American Society of Civil Engineers, and Building Seismic Safety Council to develop seismic retrofit design...
During winter seasons, St. Paul’s School struggled to maintain daily temperatures with overnight mechanical setbacks in their 1936 schoolhouse. Window air leakage leading to occupant thermal discomfort drove St. Paul’s to replace...
With more than 100,000 people crossing daily, San Ysidro is one of the busiest Land Port of Entries. This project reconfigures the port to reduce northbound wait times and improve U.S. Customs and Border Protection services. The new...
Contact between dissimilar metals can lead to accelerated deterioration due to galvanic corrosion. Standard sample Galvanic Series charts (e.g., ASTM G82) provide general guidelines for compatibility. However, most of these charts are...
The high speed train industry relies on relatively lightweight equipment to conserve energy and to minimize the effects on infrastructure and rolling stock design. Recent crashworthiness recommendations presented by the Federal Railroad...
Over ten years, SGH researched innovative uses of High Strength Low Alloy Vanadium (HSLA-V) steels in a variety of structural applications under the Vanadium Technology Program, an initiative sponsored by the U.S. ARL in conjunction with VPRA....
Train collisions involving locomotives can result in serious damage and occupant injury due to the larger size and stiffness of the locomotive. In an effort to improve safety for rail passengers and operators, the Volpe National Transportation...
The new signature, steel arch bridge for I-74 over the Mississippi River is connected to the abutments by high-strength, post-tensioned anchorage bars. To achieve a design 100-yr service life for the anchorage bars in an exposed condition, a...
This paper presents findings from a research project on the development of a numerical framework to predict the collapse load of a wharf supported by corroded piles under gravitational loads. Data from a detailed marine investigation performed in...
Slab design and preparation is critical to a project’s success and requires close attention to both structural and waterproofing concerns during the design process. It is important to understand how different types of concrete slabs are applied to help project teams design and construct the right type of slab for long-term performance.
Phil Moser and Tony Khoury recently published an article in Civil + Structural Engineer magazine that discusses new testing and research of the interlayer shear strength of asphalt concrete pavement (ACP) and waterproofing membrane systems.
Abstract: This paper summarizes research performed to evaluate the impact of handrail profile dimensions on graspability. It reports on research performed to determine the forces that stairway users exert on handrails when they fall, tests...
Early in the 1980's, manufacturers started to respond to the market desires for a Class A fire-rated steep sloped roofing intensified by fire storms in California where the conventional cedar wood shake roofs were often blamed for the high...
Abstract: DOTs are interested in developing guidelines for use of large diameter corrugated HDPE pipe buried under roadways with shallow fill, but this application has not been studied extensively. A pooled fund study consisting of full-scale...
Waterproofing membranes help to prevent corrosion, but can also reduce the shear strength at the interface between pavement and the underlying concrete structure.
In a recent interview, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) Senior Principal Rasko Ojdrovic gave an overview of his experience with pipelines and discussed some challenges of this work.