Gwenyth R. Searer

Experience

Gwenyth Searer works on projects involving various structural materials, including steel, concrete, timber, masonry, and aluminum. She specializes in building code development and has significant experience evaluating facade access issues and existing claddings, as well as peer review of new claddings.

Ms. Searer also has particular expertise in earthquake engineering. Her experience includes the investigation of earthquake-damaged structures after several major earthquakes, including Loma Prieta, Northridge, Turkey, Nisqually (Seattle), Tōhoku (Japan), and Napa. She has performed linear and nonlinear seismic analyses of concrete shear wall buildings, concrete and steel moment-frame buildings, steel braced frame buildings, unreinforced masonry structures, and wood structures.

REPRESENTATIVE PROJECTS

Earthquake Engineering

• Aloha Stadium - Honolulu, HI: Seismic, wind, and gravity-load strengthening of steel-framed stadium structure
• Investigation of damage from several major earthquakes, including Loma Prieta, Northridge, Nisqually (Seattle), Tōhoku (Japan), and Napa
• U.S. Department of State: Seismic assessments of more than 350 structures worldwide
• Yosemite Rangers’ Club - Yosemite, CA: Seismic strengthening of a National Historic Landmark

 

Facade Access

• One World Trade Center - New York, NY: Investigation of alleged design defects in three building maintenance units
• Phillip Burton Federal Building - San Francisco, CA: Design and testing of new facade access system
• Santa Ana Federal Building - CA: Design and testing of new facade access system
• One Bush Street - San Francisco, CA: Assessment of existing facade access system and design/testing of new system
• Mahana Towers - Lahaina, Maui, HI: Design and testing of new facade access system
• 600 California - San Francisco, CA: Design of improvements to existing facade access system
• 50 Fremont Street - San Francisco, CA: Investigation of distressed building maintenance unit

 

Facade Assessment

• One America Plaza - San Diego, CA: Structural and architectural reclad design for “crown” of building
• 10th Street Garage - Olympia, WA:  Investigation of glass cladding distress
• 888 O’Farrell - San Francisco, CA: Aluminum panel rain screen reclad design for twin fourteen-story towers

Failure and Damage Investigation

• Superbay Aircraft Hangar - San Francisco, CA: Investigation of failure in horizontal lifeline
• Clancy Hotel - San Francisco, CA: Investigation of tile cladding failure
• Solus Facility - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA: Investigation of structural damage from explosion
• Water Reclamation Plant - Palmdale, CA:  Investigation of fracturing reinforcing steel

 

Fire Damage Investigation

• I-5 Tunnel - Los Angeles, CA: Assessment of fire damage to a concrete tunnel
• I-710/SR-91 Interchange - Los Angeles, CA: Assessment of fire damage to concrete overpass
• 760 South Vail Avenue - Montebello, CA: Investigation of fire damage to precast concrete walls

 

Peer Review

• Spring Condominiums - Austin, TX: Structural design review of forty-two-story, concrete high-rise tower
• Temple Lofts - Long Beach, CA: Structural design review of two five-story concrete residential towers

 

Structural Analysis

• Alexander Dam - Kauai, HI: Design of replacement spillway
• Harmon Tower - Las Vegas, NV: Assessment of structural design
• Prince Kuhio Parking Garage - Honolulu, HI: Design of new vehicle barriers

Professional Affiliations

American Institute of Steel Construction
American Society of  Civil Engineers
Structural Engineers Association of California
Structural Engineers Association of Northern California

Registrations

Civil Engineer in CA, NV, OR, and WA
Professional Engineer in NY
Structural Engineer in AZ, CA, HI, NV, OR, and WA

Education

University of Delaware
Bachelor of Science, Civil Engineering, 1992

Cornell University
Master of Science, Civil Engineering, 1994