Ionic Structures and Design LLC

05/08/2026

After 15 months without a vacation, the intensity was feeling overwhelming... Then I read a recent article in one of my structural magazines.

The structural engineering profession is full of stressors. Whether life safety, deadlines or cost/budget concerns, there is never an absence of stress. Even the best engineers have their challenges; they either have tools to manage the stress or they likely hide their struggles. Per a 2016 Center f...

05/08/2026

On Vacation the week of 5/11/2026 to 5/15/2026

05/06/2026

Scratching my head a bit today:
I recently evaluated a structure (110+ y.o.) and determined it had great bones and should be a good candidate for re-use. It was torn down 😔
A different building that was (110+ y.o.) was in very poor and dangerous condition is being reused as a public space. 😟
Sometimes, even structures don't make sense. 🤔

Send a message to learn more

11/29/2025

UPDATE - New home found :-)

Looking to part ways with this reliable plotter/scanner/printer. Ricoh RW240, less than 90k feet. Message me if interested

09/10/2025

Structural Question of the Day:
Can I turn my existing pole barn into a residence?
Answer:
Probably not. Why? The existing structure was likely not built in accordance with the structural standards required for residential properties. Most specifically, the structure may lack proper thermal and frost protection. This is difficult and costly to amend after the structure is built.

06/10/2025

This does NOT help the construction industry. Tell the President and your representatives that the tariffs imposed on Steel and Aluminum will add additional barriers to American growth in construction. This will cost Americans in the form of jobs and economic growth.

05/20/2025

I may be guilty of having more mascots than employees 😍

05/16/2025

The first failure is something that has created growing concern for me as an engineer. Attaching precast wall panels to a roof deck or bar joist is a very weak connection. I encourage all engineers to discontinue this practice and always use a steel beam as a perimeter element. Bar joists lack sufficient wind uplift capacity and this type of failure was likely responsible for the deaths of individuals at an Amazon warehouse a few years ago.

05/13/2025

Rule #1 of being a structural engineer.... Never think you have "seen it all" because there is always something (or someone) who can give you something new to examine.
This is a steel column that was hit by a vehicle last week when the driver missed the curve in the road. The driver was lucky that the bolts which connected the column to the concrete were badly corroded and sheared off allowing the column to break away at the base.

03/31/2025

A FUN project! Ionic loves designing structures that bring joy and entertainment to families! Looking forward to seeing it completed this spring for a summer full of thrills.