Project Snapshot
The Customer
Based in the United States, the firm is led by a licensed Professional Engineer with expertise in structural systems. As the business continued to grow and attract new projects, increasing workloads began to exceed the engineering bandwidth available internally.
One active assignment involved a multi-story residential and mixed-use timber structure that required dedicated engineering hours for structural calculations and detailed drafting. The project called for rigorous structural analysis, clear load-path documentation, coordinated structural drawings, and compliance with applicable code and architect-engineer coordination requirements.
The Challenge
Growing project demand created the need for dependable external engineering resources that could integrate into an active workflow and support changing workload requirements.
Limited internal bandwidth
Workload was growing faster than available internal resources, making scalable engineering support necessary.
Complex structural requirements
The wood building required gravity and lateral load analysis, member and connection sizing, floor system design, and detailed structural documentation.
Varied architectural inputs
Engineering work needed to proceed from hand-drafted sketches, architectural PDFs, and Revit files, requiring multiple input formats to be converted into structured workstreams.
Production-ready documentation
Structural calculations and drawing sets needed to be prepared for Professional Engineer review and for permit and construction use.
Changing resource demand
Support requirements varied with project phases and deliverable timelines, creating the need to scale resources according to project demand.
First offshore engineering engagement
The firm had not previously worked with an offshore engineering services provider, making technical capability and operational reliability important to the engagement.
The Solutions
A dedicated structural engineering team was deployed under the firm’s technical direction and Professional Engineer oversight. The engagement followed a flexible hourly-rate model.
Streamlined architectural intake
The team worked directly from hand sketches, architectural PDFs, and Revit files without requiring additional reformatting or rework.
Detailed structural calculations
Engineers performed gravity load calculations, lateral load analysis, beam, column, and connection sizing, and floor system design in accordance with ASCE 7, NDS, and IBC requirements.
Structured calculation workflows
RISA supported structural analysis, while Mathcad, ClearCalcs, and spreadsheets were used for connection design and related calculations. Calculation packages were organized and delivered as PDFs for Professional Engineer review and stamp.
Complete structural drawing production
Drawing sets were produced in PDF and DWG formats, including foundation plans, framing plans, roof plans, shear wall plans, connection details, foundation details, floor and roof framing details, sections, and general notes.
Coordinated review process
Bluebeam was used for markup coordination and drawing review, supporting communication between the engineering team and the firm’s office.
Responsive project collaboration
The team responded to evolving design inputs, architectural revisions, and scope clarifications throughout the engagement.
Scalable hourly support
The engagement model allowed resources to be aligned with project phases and deliverable timelines without requiring additional full-time staffing.
The Result
The engagement supported delivery of the wood building project while increasing the engineering resources available to the firm.
- A complete suite of structural calculation packages and structural drawing sets was produced for the project.
- Active engineering support continued for more than seven months.
- Working directly from sketches and architectural files reduced administrative overhead and allowed productive work to begin without additional input preparation.
- The firm was able to take on and advance a technically demanding wood building project without the cost and commitment of additional full-time staff.
- The hourly engagement model allowed resources to be aligned with project phases and deliverable requirements.
- Continued monthly engagement developed into an active long-term engineering partnership.
Need additional structural engineering support for an active or upcoming project?
Access engineering resources for analysis, drafting, and coordinated documentation while maintaining flexibility across changing project requirements.
Contact Us →