While using resources from other countries can be convenient, it’s important to support local economies and strengthen communities. When engineering firms make the effort to use US-sourced products, use local contractors, and support local infrastructure, they’re improving their community. 

Conversely, outsourcing work as much as possible can be a way to cut down on costs, but quality can suffer, the length of time a project can take extends, there isn’t as much job growth, and the local economy suffers.

Here, we will go into further detail about why it is important for engineering firms to support local economies.

The Impact Of Supporting Local Economies

When engineering firms use products manufactured offshore and offshore workers for a project, the local economy suffers. Rather than the money spent staying local and being used to strengthen the local economy, it goes to other countries. By supporting manufacturers and workers within your country, engineering firms are able to help create a stronger community and directly contribute to economic growth. 

This economic growth is especially crucial in regards to manufacturing, as it is the main engine of innovation in the United States. Offshoring can result in job displacement and redirection of job growth. When engineering firms support USA-based manufacturing companies and subcontractors in the state they are doing work in, this creates more job opportunities for US residents. Manufacturing jobs spur new jobs in related industries, which helps to build and sustain the economy. 

Enhance Environmental Sustainability

Through using locally-sourced resources, the environment benefits through decreased transportation emissions. This reduces the environmental footprint of a project. Less transportation means less pollution, habitat loss, and congestion. Using locally-sourced materials and products produces less waste, eliminates unnecessary transportation, and thus, improves air quality and reduces air pollution. 

Ensure Standards Are Met

By using local products and services, engineering firms can reduce project costs and ensure that standards are met, without so much frustration about what you’re looking for. The quality of locally-sourced manufactured products can often be better than outsourced products. Americans are best at engineering and designing products and systems that work for American needs. 

Keeping manufacturing in the US prevents offshore manufacturers from having too much leeway in the process, which can result in products not meeting the standards they’re supposed to. Supporting US-based companies not only improves the economy, but helps with quality control.

Save Time

There is a lot of fine-tuning and adjustments involved in engineering, and trying to communicate ideas with people on the other side of the world can be time-consuming. US-based companies understand American regulations and the time-zone differences across the country are less significant, making it significantly more time- and cost-effective to work with US-based companies. 

VIE Supports Utah With Our Work

VIE Engineers strives to support US workers in each aspect of what we do when possible. From using US-sourced manufactured bracing products to using local subcontractors when needed, we care about supporting our country and state. All engineering is done locally in Utah by Utah-licensed engineers, who have been incorporated in Utah for 18+ years. 

We support the infrastructure in Utah with the government projects we have completed and other projects, as with non-structural seismic bracing design for the Salt Lake City International Airport, the Utah North Capitol Building, the University of Utah, Utah State University, Utah Valley University, and much, much more. We work with Connectors For Construction in order to provide turnkey solutions to your seismic bracing needs. 

To learn more about the projects we have completed in Utah or how we support USA workers in our engineering services, please don’t hesitate to contact us today. 

Airports are important components of transportation systems and economies. As such, seismic safety for airports cannot be overstated. In seismically hazardous areas, airport infrastructures undergo meticulous planning and work in order to be as prepared as possible. Downtime following a seismic event can be decreased with appropriate measures, while the life safety of the infrastructure is improved.

Here is an overview of crucial seismic concerns an airport may face, the impacts earthquakes can have on an airport, and how seismic risk can be mitigated.

Seismic Concerns For Airports

There are many seismic concerns airports face, from soil liquefaction under runways to structural and nonstructural damage. Knowledge, management, and mitigation of risk are key to minimizing potential damage, maintaining functionality, and resuming operations sooner than later after seismic events. 

Following earthquakes of significant magnitudes, the soil can liquify and settle, which can result in runways cracking. This can cause them to be unusable for aircraft. Structures may sustain damage and collapse. Nonstructural systems may fall down without appropriate bracing, resulting in more extensive and expensive damage. 

Loss of airport functionality would not only impact the local economy and transportation, but can have national and international implications, as well. 

How Earthquakes Can Affect Airports

The consequences of a seismic event would depend on what part of the infrastructure is affected. When an earthquake strikes, airports evacuate terminals and close down until it is deemed safe to reopen and resume operations. While airplanes in flight are not physically impacted by earthquake activity, air traffic can be dependent on what happens on earth. When an earthquake happens, flights can be delayed, canceled, or redirected. 

Depending on the magnitude of the earthquake and how prepared the structures are, the airport may experience no damage, maintaining full operationality. It may maintain life safety while having experienced moderate damage with no collapse. In the worst case scenario, it may be a total loss, with complete collapse. Significant damage can result from unrestrained MEP systems, beyond loss of system functionality.

Airports in seismic zones must take appropriate measures to meet seismic codes. With proper preparation, potential damage in the event of an earthquake can be mitigated. This helps maintain functionality and reduces the downtime following a seismic event. 

Implementing Seismic Safety For Airports

Earthquake risk assessment is necessary for any airport in seismically hazardous areas. With proper risk assessment, appropriate measures can be taken to implement appropriate safety measures for airports. This extends from runways construction to the materials used in construction of terminals to seismic bracing of nonstructural systems, such as the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems. 

Structural engineers of record (SEOR) and mechanical and electrical design engineers work together to meet performance delegations on a project. With coordination between the SEOR, MEP design firm, and bracing design firms, performance specifications can be met, even in congested areas of facilities. 

Improve Seismic Safety For Airports With VIE

VIE provides innovative seismic solutions to help clients mitigate hazards in their facilities. Among the hundreds of clients VIE has done work for over the past 40+ years are aircraft facilities. VIE is very familiar with the challenges such highly congested areas can present for nonstructural bracing, and is here to offer effective solutions to improve the seismic safety of airports. Our solutions have been tested by seismic events with success. 

VIE has been continuously doing work for the $4.5 billion Salt Lake City International Airport Terminal Replacement Project since 2019. The first phase of VIE’s work was put to the test when a 5.7 earthquake struck the Salt Lake City area in March 2020. The airport experienced minimal downtime in general, and no downtime for these non structural systems. To learn more about our work on the Salt Lake City International Airport, head over to our project page here: Seismic Bracing for the Salt Lake City International Airport.

To learn more about VIE’s seismic engineering services, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.