Catena Consulting Engineers

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁🥧 We hope you have a safe and happy holiday with family and friends. May you find much to be grateful for this year!
Our office is closed today and tomorrow while we celebrate the holiday. See you on Nov. 27th!

Fiction! According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the San Andreas fault CANNOT create a big tsunami. Earthquakes that cause tsunamis occur on subduction zones (where fault slip causes vertical uplift of the sea floor). While part of the San Andreas fault is offshore, the motion is mostly horizontal, so it will not cause large vertical motions of the ocean floor. However, there are other faults offshore of California as well as underwater landslides triggered by strong shaking that can create local tsunamis that could be damaging.

Happy National STEM Day! Today is about inspiring students in the world of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. A fun way to celebrate STEM Day is to think about what originally inspired you to get involved in this industry. Was it a love for the built environment? Did you want to follow in one of your parent’s footsteps? Or do you simply like to work with numbers? Tell us in the comments! What were your inspirations for getting involved in STEM?

We hope you all had a Happy Halloween! Our team had a great time celebrating with their families.

We’re looking for structural engineers of all experience levels! If you are looking for a place that values connection where you can advance your learning and take on challenges, send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

This month marks the 5th year anniversary of the opening of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Knight Cancer Research Building, a facility dedicated to the mission of ending cancer as we know it. This is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is why it's so fitting the building looked pink at sunrise recently! . .
The OHSU Knight Cancer Research Building is a 320,000-square-foot, eight-story building housing open and flexible collaborative spaces for more than 600 researchers and administrators. The structural elements include composite steel designed for the upper two floors, post-tension slabs for the lower six floors and concrete shear walls with a drilled pier foundation system. Our team designed a 60-foot by 84-foot column-free space for the auditorium on level 1, as well as a full-story-high concrete transfer girder between levels 6 and 7, where programming allowed, and suspended the concrete column from level 2 upward, utilizing bonded post-tensioning.

SRG Partnership, Inc.
Andersen Construction
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.

Our own Jason Thompson will be presenting at the SEAO Lunch Meeting tomorrow. Come and learn more about OSU-Cascades' Edward J. Ray Hall and the design complexities of this Net Zero building.
Edward J. Ray Hall is a four-story, 50,000-sf laboratory and classroom building on OSU’s Cascades campus. It showcases best practices in mass timber design, featuring cross-laminated timber roof and floors, concrete shallow foundations, and glued-laminated timber beams and columns as well as a monumental stair of exposed mass plywood construction.
Click here to register for the presentation: https://www.seao.org/events/oct2023/edward-j-ray-hall

SRG Partnership, Inc.
Swinerton

Join us for an Industry Social later today (4-7pm) to celebrate the start of Sustainable Building Week! We will be hosting with Gensler Architecural Designer and Turner Construction Company - Portland at Loyal Legion.

We are proud to be working with them on the Western Oregon University Student Success Center in Monmouth, Oregon. This project includes the renovation of the old education building to create a welcoming and accessible campus center offering support resources, collaborative space and opportunities for celebration of traditionally underrepresented student identities. This project incorporates carbon reduction strategies and inclusive design solutions that foster a sense of belonging for students and staff.

Portland Sustainable Building Week

Industry Social Get to know local leaders championing sustainability in the AEC industry by joining us for happy hour.

Not only was Wednesday National Taco Day, but our team got together to learn more about and discuss our involvement on the Wilshire Grand Skylight project, presented by John McDonald.
This project involved the design of structural steel framing system for the skylight at the Wilshire Grand building in Los Angeles, California.

Did anyone else participate in National Taco Day?

Please help us give a warm welcome to Julie Liu! Julie joins catena after receiving her PhD in structural engineering from Oregon State University. She became an engineer because she loves getting to see behind the scenes of the built environment and working on projects that become part of the local community.
When she's not working, Julie enjoys cooking, hiking, and drawing. Fun fact: Julie can walk on her hands!

We're happy to have Julie on board and look forward to all she will accomplish!

Every year we participate in the worldwide Great ShakeOut earthquake drill. This year it is happening on October 19th. We encourage all of you to particpate, too - whether that's at home, at work, at school or anywhere else! Get your family, coworkers or friends to join you in practicing Drop, Cover & Hold On.
For more information about the drill, visit www.shakeout.org

Our next employee spotlight is another of our founding Principals, John McDonald.
Hometown: Houston, TX
Alma Mater: Vanderbilt University; Portland State University
When he isn’t working, John can be found maintaining and slowly improving a 1992 Suzuki Samurai. Growing up in the flatlands of east Texas, he is in near constant awe of the mountainous west. Within an hour of Portland, you can be deep in the forests, or on top of a snow-covered volcano and can find numerous waterfalls getting there. Within an hour of Houston...you're still in Houston!

National Preparedness Month is a great time to make sure you are prepped for an earthquake (and any other disasters that could affect you). Do you know how to prep your home or workspace in the event of an earthquake? FEMA.gov has information on how to prepare your property for an earthquake disaster. Below are some of the things you can do to protect yourself and your family. Check out the link below for more information.

How to Prep your Home/Workplace for an Earthquake:
1. Keep a clear path to exits.
2. Anchor/Relocate top-heavy or large objects.
3. Secure fixtures and electronics.
4. Secure water heaters.
5. Store flammable and toxic substances.
6. Brace suspended ceilings.
7. Latch your cabinets.
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/fema_protect-your-property_earthquakes.pdf

The Drive Golf Tournament hosted by Legacy Health is always a great time! We were proud sponsors and participants this year. Thanks to all who came out and supported a great cause!

We are proud to have been part of this project! Congrats to the team and to Canby High School students!

We hope you're enjoying the day off today with family and friends! Our office is closed for the holiday. We will be back in on Tuesday. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Our team recently visited the construction site of Portland State University's Vernier Science Center to witness the pouring of shotcrete. The project includes the renovation of this six-story, 90,000-sf science building to create a beacon for the science quad of Portland State’s campus.
The building will receive complete systems and façade upgrades to enhance energy efficiency, seismic strengthening to address better performance during seismic events, and a complete adjustment to the program to create state-of-the-art wet and dry lab classroom and collaborative spaces.

Bora Architecture & Interiors
Skanska USA

The renovation of this four-story, 60,000-square-foot classroom and science building will provide much-needed improvements, including addressing critical life, safety and seismic vulnerabilities; modernizing lab learning spaces; and eliminating deferred maintenance. Huestis Hall is the University of Oregon campus’s teaching and research hub for neuroscience, biology, and psychology.

TVA Architects
Lease Crutcher Lewis