What: Dennis Poon, managing principal; Paul Lew, principal; Carol Post, principal; Brian Volpe, senior associate; John Peronto, project engineer; and Edward Peck, senior associate of Thornton Tomasetti, the international engineering firm with practices in building structure, building skin and building performance, are featured speakers at the 2010 North American Steel Construction Conference (NASCC). The engineers will present the following topics at the conference:

• Structural Analysis and Design Challenges of the Shanghai Center, to be presented by Dennis Poon and coauthored by Dr. Ling-en Hsiao, Yi Zhu, Steve Zuo and Guoyong Fu, discusses the structural system, analysis and design challenges of this 632-meter tall building.

• Unique Complexities of the Shanghai Center Curtain Wall Support System, to be presented by Paul Lew and coauthored by Dennis Poon, Yi Zhu, Billy Tse and Vineet Jain, looks at a supertall tower’s singular structural system of ring pipes, held off from the inner cylindrical building by radial spokes.

• A study on the University of Chicago Medical School New Hospital Pavilion, Carol Post will discuss Thornton Tomasetti’s approach to establishing and maintaining relationships with the client for over five years and for remaining" fiscally whole/solvent" as the project nears completion.

• Connection Design Scope and Shared Structural BIM Models: Now What? – Brian Volpe joins a roundtable discussion on the future of BIM. Two case studies will be presented (a large ballpark and a smaller commercial building) that extensively utilized BIM followed by an open discussion of where the industry is headed and what needs to be done to get there.

• John Peronto will moderate “Behavior and Design of Composite Column Systems: Recent Research and New Provisions” and present to the SEI Tall Buildings Committee an overview of work conducted with the committee chair, Ahmad Abdelrazaq of Samsung, on performance-based wind design for the ASCE Design Guideline.

• Edward Peck will present a paper on ETFE systems in a session entitled Organic and Natural Forms in Building Design. The session is moderated by J. Paul Hobelmann of Weidlinger Associates. The paper draws the connection between certain aspects of ETFE systems and concepts of biomimicry.

The NASCC is a premier education event aimed at providing structural engineers, steel fabricators, erectors, and detailers with practical information and the latest design and construction techniques. In addition to more than 85 technical sessions, the conference features a trade show with nearly 200 exhibitors showing a vast range of products, from fabrication equipment to the latest in structural engineering software. Attendees will learn the latest techniques, see the most innovative products and network with leaders in the industry.

When: Wednesday, May 12 – Saturday, May 15, 2010

Where: Gaylord Palms Convention Center, 6000 West Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee, FL 34746

Who: Dennis Poon, managing principal; Paul Lew, principal; Carol Post, principal; Brian Volpe, senior associate; John Peronto, project engineer; and Edward Peck, senior associate.

About Thornton Tomasetti (www.ThorntonTomasetti.com)
Thornton Tomasetti provides engineering services to clients worldwide on buildings of all sizes and complexity. From the tallest buildings and the longest spans, to innovative building systems and materials, the firm is committed to creating the best solutions through its technical ingenuity, pursuit of excellence, and responsiveness to client needs. Our work is in three practice areas: Building Structures, Building Skin and Building Performance. Founded in 1956 as Lev Zetlin & Associates, today Thornton Tomasetti is a 550-person organization of engineers and architects collaborating from offices across the United States and in Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, Moscow, and the Middle East.

Contact
Great Ink Communications – 212.741.2977
Roxanne Donovan/Eric Gerard/Marieka Baily

Thornton Tomasetti – 917.661.7800
James M. Kent, JKent@ThorntonTomasetti.com