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INSTRUCTOR: Alexander Newman, P.E., F.ASCE

COURSE LENGTH: 1.5 Hours

This webinar was co-sponsored by ASCE's Structural Engineering Institute and ASCE Continuing Education

Purpose and Background

Structural engineers rarely get involved in the design of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) building components, except for their supports. One aspect of designing equipment supports in buildings involves component bracing to resist seismic loading, as required by the building codes. This topic raises a number of practical challenges. How to design these supports? For what loading? Should the seismic bracing be shown on structural or MEP drawings? How detailed should the design be? In order to answer these and similar questions, a close coordination among the various project design disciplines is needed. The MEP engineers will often ask their structural colleagues for guidance, yet this specialized area of design is rarely taught in the engineering colleges. This webinar explores these and many other practical challenges involved in designing seismic bracing for mechanical and electrical building components. The presentation covers the relevant provisions of ASCE 7 and other authoritative publications dealing with seismic supports of MEP equipment. The main focus is on the practical application of these provisions and on the proven techniques and design details. The instructor offers guidance on the designs that have been successfully used in the past.

Learning Outcomes

• Become familiar with the design provisions of ASCE 7 and other authoritative publications dealing with seismic supports of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) building components
• Learn how to design seismic supports of MEP equipment

Seminar Benefits

• Study the practical methods of designing seismic supports for MEP building components
• Explore the proven design details for seismic bracing
• Work through a step-by-step design example

Intended Audience

Structural and civil engineers, architects, and building officials seeking to broaden their knowledge of seismic bracing for mechanical and electrical building components will benefit from this webinar.

Seminar Outline

• Some basics of seismic loading on mechanical and electrical building components
• The relevant provisions of ASCE 7 and other authoritative publications
• The design process
• Some common design details
• A step-by-step design example
• Conclusion