Services

Structural Engineering

Structural engineering is crucial for ensuring the integrity and safety of the infrastructure that surrounds daily life. PND’s expert structural engineers provide comprehensive design services for bridges, buildings, and a variety of marine facilities.

Our designs, which account for severe environments, are the right choice for any client, with multiple structural system options.

We work with architects, industrial designers, planners, and local government clients to create designs that adhere to national standards. With many of PND’s projects occurring in remote and harsh locations, we emphasize shop fabrication over field fabrication to minimize in-field construction time and to greater control the product outcome. Our routine observations of the structure ensure compliance to maintain the safety and structure of our designs.

Qualified Experts

Structural engineers on staff provide experience and innovative design solutions.

Extreme is Routine

Severe environmental conditions are considered for each unique design and locale.

Controlled Construction Factors

More shop fabrication means less in-field construction under extreme conditions.

Buildings

A safe, stable, and durable building relies on solid structural engineering design. PND’s structural engineers, experienced in providing structural, civil, and construction administration services for a variety of buildings and structures, use proven materials such as structural and light-gauge steel, timber, reinforced concrete, masonry, and aluminum. Our robust systems endure harsh conditions, especially in the remote areas of Alaska, and our design experience has covered designs ranging from industrial buildings to homes, schools, recreation facilities, and hospitals.

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Bridges

Connecting one point to another is rarely straightforward. PND’s array of award-winning bridge designs are built for some of the harshest conditions imaginable. Our bridge engineers have designed cable-stayed, arch, plate girder, box girder, orthotropic, pre-stressed and post-tensioned concrete, trusses, and specialty bridges including movable and floating bridges. We often design bridges for a wide variety of soils to withstand permafrost, extreme cold/tides, ice, and severe earthquakes. Whether traversing waterways for highways, pedestrians, railroads, or pipelines, our bridges are designed by PND personnel certified through Federal Highway Administration National Bridge Inspection Standards.

moose run bridge replacement

Waterfront

Waterfront structures are exposed to a greater amount of corrosion, force, and impact. PND’s waterfront engineering team designs structures for a vast array of industries, built specifically for their environment, addressing these weather extremes. Our expert designs include bulkheads, dolphins, floats, docks, fender systems, boat launches, and breakwaters. We design effective foundation systems amid various soil conditions, and our patented designs have been developed and maintained to reduce project cost and increase project efficiency.

aj dock dolphins

Assessments & Inspections

Identifying and assessing the structural condition are all part of keeping structures compliant and safe. PND regularly performs condition assessments on various structures, including buildings, bridges, and waterfront structures, to identify structural inadequacies before they become major issues—entering accessible spaces, removing finishes, and assessing the structural condition. Our assessments help owners prioritize repairs, identify upgrades, or update structures to modern codes. These assessments are regularly used as documentation to apply for grants or garner community support for repairs and upgrades.

condition assess friday harbor uw labs j.olson

Demolition & Temporary Structures

A full or partial structural demolition requires careful and comprehensive planning to uncover every possible challenge. PND’s wealth of experience in providing permitting and structural engineering services is always paired with environmental regulation compliance, contributing to safe and effective redevelopment. Our projects have included the removal of thousands of square feet of timber dock and creosote-treated pile, as well as steel piles. We also have extensive experience in designing temporary structures, ensuring structural and personnel safety.

ketchikan berths i&ii dock demo

Decades-Long Client Relationships Start With A Solution

us department commerce

NOAA Fairweather Homeport Recapitalization | Ketchikan, AK

“PND was a pleasure to work with. Their knowledge in marine construction was exceptional. They provided a team that performed well and were always available to discuss topics and questions about the project.”

Timothy Calohan, PE
|
Deputy Director, Infrastructure, U.S. Department of Commerce

FAQs

To learn more about PND’s structural engineering work, read our frequently asked questions.

PND designs a wide range of structures for waterfront use such as docks, piers, wharves, marinas, bulkheads, and terminals. Upland structures include civic buildings, commercial facilities, educational institutions, healthcare facilities, industrial sites, multifamily housing, and recreational centers.

Our designs use materials such as structural and light-gauge steel, timber, reinforced concrete, masonry, and aluminum to ensure robust and reliable structures.

PND designs various types of bridges, including cable-stayed, arch, plate girder, box girder, orthotropic, pre-stressed and post-tensioned concrete, trusses, and specialty bridges such as movable and floating bridges.

Our waterfront structures are designed to withstand intense seismic loads, vessel impact, current and wave force, ice impact, corrosion, and any other anticipated extreme event that may affect the integrity of the structure.

Our condition assessments identify structural inadequacies in buildings, bridges, and waterfront structures, helping owners prioritize repairs, identify upgrades, and update structures to modern codes.

We enter accessible spaces, remove finishes, and assess the structural members’ condition, providing Tier I and Tier II analyses in accordance with ASCE 41 standards.

We offer full or partial structural demolition services, including permitting, environmental regulation compliance, and safe removal of steel piles and structures such as timber docks with creosote-treated piles.

Yes. Our assessments provide detailed documentation that owners can use to apply for grants or garner community support for necessary repairs and upgrades.

Contact Us

Discuss your project needs with our structural engineering experts and get a personalized plan.