Palmdale Office & Patio Project
Project Details
This project involves the structural analysis and design for a new professional office addition and outdoor patio dining area integrated into an existing commercial site. The comprehensive scope includes the engineering of the roof framing, lateral force-resisting systems, and a multi-component foundation assembly. The new construction consists of a 1,115 sq. ft. office expansion and a 1,304 sq. ft. patio. The structural assembly utilizes a timber framing system, featuring 14″ TJI® 360 roof joists spaced at 16″ on-center and 1-3/4″ x 14″ Parallam® PSL members. Lateral load resistance is achieved through light-frame wood shear walls sheathed with 15/32″ Structural-1 plywood, supported by Simpson Strong-Tie hold-downs (HDU4) and WSWH-AB1 anchor bolts with minimum 11″ embedment. The design process included a rigorous loading analysis covering dead, live, wind, and seismic loads, with seismic forces governing the design in both the North-South and East-West directions. The project was engineered in strict accordance with the International Building Code (IBC 2021), California Building Code (CBC 2022), ASCE 7-16, and NDS 2018 standards. The structures are designed to withstand a basic wind speed of 95 MPH and meet the requirements for Seismic Design Category E. The foundation system features reinforced concrete wall footings (WF1, WF2), pad footings (PF1), and combined footings (CF1), all designed to perform reliably under an allowable soil bearing pressure of 1,500 psf.
Role
Structural Engineer/Designer
Services Provided
The scope of services includes the preparation of comprehensive structural calculations and structural drawings for the proposed structure. Structural calculations shall include complete loading analyses for wind, seismic, dead, and live loads, in accordance with the applicable building codes and project site conditions. The work shall encompass the structural analysis and design of all structural elements, including foundations, columns, beams, shear walls, roof joists, connectors, and other related structural components necessary to support and transfer gravity and lateral loads. The analysis shall verify that all structural members and systems are capable of safely resisting design loads while maintaining a continuous and code-compliant load path from the roof framing down to the foundation system.
Structural drawings shall include a Foundation Plan identifying the layout and sizing of foundation elements, a Roof Framing Plan indicating the arrangement and sizing of roof structural members, and a Shear Wall Layout Plan defining the lateral force-resisting system. The drawing set will also include a Structural Building Section View to clearly illustrate vertical load paths and framing relationships. In addition, the structural documents shall include typical structural details, general structural notes, and specifications necessary to communicate the design intent and construction requirements, facilitating efficient plan review and accurate implementation during construction while ensuring compliance with applicable codes and engineering standards.