D&K’s Robert Durfee presented Code Provisions for Covered Bridges at SEAM’s seminar on IBC changes.

On May 23, the Structural Engineers Association of Maine (SEAM), hosted a seminar: 2015 and Beyond – International Building Code Changes. The event took place in Saco and featured seven panelists discussing various topics related to the changing building codes. Maine is transitioning from the 2009 to the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) and the seminar was focused on the most dramatic code changes and future code changes impacting structural engineering in the state.

DuBois & King’s Robert H. Durfee, PE, SECB, a nationally recognized expert in covered bridge repair and restoration, presented Code Provisions for Covered Bridges. Code review for covered bridges presents interesting challenges, as the glory years of covered bridge construction were prior to established building codes, and currently there is no specific code for covered bridges. Most covered bridges are considered historic structures and repair and restoration strategies need to: retain the historic fabric, repair first and then replace, and additions need to be reversible.

Robert Durfee works out of the firm’s Laconia, New Hampshire office. Bob can be reached at rdurfee@dubois-king.com.

D&K engineers pictured in the firm’s new Brandon office. Pictured left to right, Jon Ashley, PE, Jeremy Rathbun, PE, and Charles Johnston, EI.

D&K has opened a new office in Brandon. The 25 Union Street location provides a base of operations for firm engineers living on the western side of the Green Mountains and the location will better serve clients along the Route 7 corridor. D&K’s Jon Ashley, PE, is providing leadership for the Brandon office. Jon is a Senior Civil/Environmental Engineer with 23 years of professional experience. Jon’s professional experience includes municipal water and sewer, site development, brownfield and hazardous site remediation. Jon is a resident of nearby Whiting and brings significant knowledge of the area, having served municipal clients in the region for decades.

“We are very excited to join the Brandon and greater Addison and Rutland Counties community,” says DuBois & King’s President Jeff Tucker.  “Our new Brandon office will enable the firm to better serve our clients in the area, match local expertise with area needs, as well as save some wear and tear on our staff that currently commute from the area. The advancement in technology has brought project teams together while working in different locations. We are looking forward to better integrating ourselves into the community and the additional engineering resources will expand options for municipalities in the region. This is a win-win for our clients and the firm.”

Winning projects entered into the annual ACEC-VT Engineering Excellence Awards competition were announced at the Engineers Week Banquet at the Double Tree in South Burlington on February 26. DuBois & King was recognized for the Rutland Southern Vermont Regional Airport Runway Safety Area Improvement Project. Working with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans), D&K was brought into the project specifically to meet aggressive funding and construction deadlines for compliance with regulations for runway safety areas. D&K designed the safety improvements, secured federal, state, and local permitting, solicited contractor bids, and completed the FAA application for the $10M project within 8 months (6 months actual design).

The design incorporated a non-standard, first-in-Vermont technique to overcome site constraints in order to comply with FAA regulations. The safety area of Runway 01 was constrained by a steep embankment, Class III wetlands, and a town road, posing a design challenge to extending the length of the runway. Because of insufficient space for standard runway safety area improvements, the design included a 55-foot, two-tier retaining wall (designed by a subconsultant) to extend the runway enough to accept an Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS), a bed of engineered, high-energy absorbing materials that will crush under the weight of aircraft, safely arresting overrunning planes. This first implementation of an EMAS in the state allowed a 40% reduction in the length of the RSA. D&K received a Merit Award for the project.