Our Pharmaceutical client needed to add new air handling units to support their existing packaging line upgrade project. The new AHU’s were located above the existing production building roof. Dynamic Engineering Design was responsible for the structural steel design of the new platform structure as well as the steel integrity of the existing building columns and footings. The existing building system was analyzed to determine the allowable capacity for both steel design and footing design. New columns were spliced onto the existing columns and extended up through the roof membrane to a point where the new steel structure could be located. Special care was taken to ensure that the existing column foundations could handle the new platform and equipment loads. A third party testing agency was used to determine the allowable capacity of the existing foundation system. They induced an applied load and then monitored column settlement. The foundations were found to be within an acceptable range.
