At Walker, we care about promoting a barrier-free environment for individuals with disabilities. Accessibility is important to us, not only because it helps disabled individuals, but it enables a property to thrive from more potential business. We have evaluated multifamily housing, commercial development, schools, medical facilities, and outdoor recreation facilities. We provide the client with a reliable and knowledgeable team who specialize in accessibility surveys and construction observations. Accessibility consulting services include:

• Conducting assessments of existing facilities to determine compliance with accessibility standards
• Peer review of architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and civil drawings to identify accessibility issues before construction
• Consulting during construction with designers and contractors in regards to ADAFHAA/UFAS compliance
• Conducting presentations on accessibility requirements and recommendations for the designated type of project
• Periodic inspections during construction to determine compliance with the project documents and ADA/FHAA/UFAS requirements

Walker’s five- and ten-year asset management plans are tailored to meet the needs of facility managers, developers and owners, including institutional owners, with multiple buildings or parking structures. The plan’s main objective is to provide owners with an effective planning and budget management tool to maximize available funds for maintenance and repair. The plan includes baseline evaluation of existing condition, subsequent periodic repair and restoration, recommendations, opinion of probable cost, and an update of maintenance components based on remaining service life.

Fire Analysis and Passive Fire Protection (PFP) Optimization

Walker has performed fire integrity analysis of platforms, buildings, and tunnels. Our fire and cryogenic analysis services include:

• Structural response under fire and cryogenic threats
• Passive Fire Protection (PFP) optimization
• Fire integrity analysis at global and component level
• Fire integrity analysis to onshore and offshore facilities
• Fire integrity analysis to liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities
• Fire integrity analysis to nuclear facilities
• Fire integrity analysis to pipe, pipe supports, vessels and tanks

Impact and Drop Object Analysis

Walker has evaluated the effects of impact to numerous metal buildings and concrete structures by aircraft, dropped objects, and projectiles generated during explosion. The finite element models of the structures and projectiles are created and evaluate the penetration velocities and the integrity of the structure. Our impact analysis services include:

• Aircraft impact to nuclear structures and general infrastructure
• Missile impact analysis
• Dropped object analysis
• Accidental and intentional vessel impacts
• Ship impact analysis
• Collision analysis
• Fragment impact analysis (blind flanges, valves, debris, etc.)
• Helicopter collision analysis
• Evaluation and development of energy absorbent elements for impact loads
• Soil behavior under impact loads

Modeling and Advanced Analysis

Walker provides high-quality advanced analysis services to solve complex problems related to materials and structures. Walker utilizes its advanced analysis capabilities to evaluate and design the structures, repair designs, optimization, and root cause analysis. Our modeling and simulation capabilities include:

• Stress Analysis: ABAQUS, LS-DYNA, ANSYS, DIANA
• Structural Analysis: SAP2000, STAAD Pro, USFOS
• Modeling: SolidWorks, Femap, SpaceClaim

Seismic and High Wind Analysis and Strengthening

Walker has assisted several clients in evaluating and strengthening buildings, nuclear structures, and non-building structures under seismic and extreme wind loads. Our seismic analysis services include:

• Seismic assessment of structures
• Seismic evaluation of onshore and offshore structures
• Seismic evaluation of water and wastewater facilities including dams, spillways, tanks, vaults, pumps, and equipment
• Evaluation of base isolation systems
• Structural evaluations per California accidental release prevention (CalARP)
• Seismic assessment of buried pipelines and structures
• Seismic fault crossing analysis for pipelines
• Performance-based evaluations and designs
• Soil-structure interaction (SSI) in seismic assessments
• Engineering inspections to find the seismic vulnerabilities
• Seismic retrofit evaluations and designs

Our wind analysis services include:

• Structural assessments under wind loads
• Vortex induced vibration (VIV) evaluation and mitigation
• Wind assessments to solar panels
• Evaluation of existing structures integrity for hurricanes or typhoons
• Nonlinear wind response-history analysis
• Wind load analysis to equipment, tanks, towers, and bridges

Walker has designed several new blast-resistant control rooms/operator shelters/multi-story structures and their supporting foundations throughout the world, both onshore and offshore. Our team has also performed the evaluation and retrofit design for several existing buildings/structures for blast loads

Our explosion investigation and blast engineering services include:

• Blast-resistant design of new structures
• Retrofit and upgrades to existing structures under blast load
• Blast Resistant Modular (BRM) buildings analysis and design
• Blast wall analysis and design
• Blast evaluations to equipment and pipes
• Blast analysis and design of foundations and anchorage systems
• Blast door analysis and design
• Blast analysis and design to window frames and glazing
• Blast analysis and design of TNT test cells

Walker has in-house diagnostic testing capabilities to verify sources of distress or structural integrity within a structure and facilitates a greater understanding of the structural system behavior under simulated conditions. Walker also provides short- to long-term behavior monitoring to ascertain ongoing problems. Diagnostic testing capabilities include:

• Load testing to verify structural integrity
• Air and water infiltrations testing of exterior wall elements
• Crack width monitoring
• Water testing for leakage at building components (plazas, roofs, expansion joints, etc.)
• Measurements of structural movements and/or settlement

Aimed at building owners, developers and investors who wish to gain an understanding of a facility’s condition prior to a potential real estate or financial transaction, the survey outlines the overall condition of the facility. It identifies any immediate or near-term remediation required and provides a range of probable repair costs. Reports are often used by clients during transaction negotiations or financing and are required to be completed with a compressed timeframe.

Walker designs new installations and performs assessments, annual inspections, and load test certification of permanent fall protection and façade access equipment including davits, davit bases, and fall protection anchors.

Learn more about Walker’s fall protection and façade access equipment services.

Walker has evaluated and designed required repairs for several foundation types, including ring wall foundations, machine foundations, retaining walls, slab on grade, shallow and deep foundations. Walker is also experienced in designing new foundations.

Industrial Rope Access is an access method which allows qualified engineers and architects at Walker to safely access and work at elevated or difficult-to-reach areas.

Learn how you can save time and money with Walker’s rope access surveys.

Walker’s professional staff will assess the current condition of the facility, conduct appropriate material and non-destructive testing, identify potentially hazardous conditions, determine not only the extent of the deterioration but more importantly its root cause. Repairs are prioritized, alternatives for remedial actions are presented, and accompanied by a detailed opinion of probable costs. Walker’s engineers and architects work closely with clients to arrive at an implementable course of action.

Walker has provided attorneys, insurance companies, building owners, and design firms with a wide range of litigation support services. Services include forensic investigations, assessment, testing, as well as structural analysis, and design of buildings and other structures to determine their current condition and provide technically correct solutions to the root cause of non-performance. Our senior specialists are available to provide expert witness testimony, deposition services and mediation/trial support.

Walker regularly prepares maintenance programs for new and rehabilitated facilities. Maintenance programs are developed to assure proper and timely actions to minimize premature failure of building components and systems. Facility maintenance must be performed at regular intervals to be cost-effective. Our maintenance plans include task schedules for all building components, such as floors, roofs, stair/elevators, occupied space, lighting, plumbing and support equipment. Included in all recommended maintenance plans is an opinion of probable cost.

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) systems are important components of a building, and we can provide design and assessments of these systems to help clients assess aspects for maintenance and optimization.  Walker can provide services to help with this which include but is not limited to the following:

• MEP Design and Construction Administration (CA)
• MEP Construction Observations
• ASHRAE Level I, II, & III Energy Audits
• International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) Compliance Reports
• Architectural and MEP Commissioning (Cx) and Retro-Commissioning (RCx)
• LEED Consulting
• MEP Equipment Life Cycle Cost Analysis
• Indoor Air Quality Testing and Assessments
• HVAC Consulting
• Mechanical Equipment Condition Assessment
• Building Energy Performance Assessment
• Vertical Transportation Evaluation and Consulting
• Fire/Life Safety System Evaluation and Consulting
• Plumbing System Evaluation and Consulting
• Ultrasonic Pipe Thickness Testing

Walker utilizes Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) using non-destructive test methods to provide crucial information on a structure without causing damage to the facility. The information gathered is critical in pinpointing root causes of concern or deterioration, and aids in the development of targeted and cost-effective remedial actions. Some of Walker’s NDE capabilities include:

• Electronic Leak Detection
• Infrared Thermography
• Ultra-sonic Testing
• Ground-Penetrating Radar
• Impact Echo
• Half-cell potential testing
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Monitoring

Walker has helped develop industry guidelines for both evaluation, repair and/or design modifications to post-tensioned structures. To determine the existing condition of post-tensioning, the following techniques are utilized:

• Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
• Exploratory openings
• Visual examination
• Pry bar and screw driver testing

Once the condition and operation of the post-tensioning system has been determined, Walker will design practical remedial actions to correct the deficiencies.

Walker has developed specialized, focused and practical repair designs that will increase the performance and extend the structural service life of the facility. We are familiar with different buildings, construction materials, façade and window systems, roof and plaza construction, bridges, and stadiums. Our detailed construction and bidding documents, coupled with on-site monitoring, reduce potential change orders and verify that repair objectives are met.

Buildings and infrastructure may, over time, deteriorate and exhibit distress from loss of the load-carrying capacities. Walker has the resources and experience to identify possible sources and areas of deterioration, quantify deficiencies, and design remedial actions to restore and strengthen the deficient components. Our specialists have successfully and cost-effectively designed strengthening methods using carbon fiber, external post-tensioning, steel plate bonding and structural section enlargements. We have also been called upon by clients that are configuring their facilities, changing users, or strengthening for higher seismic loads.

Walker has in-house expertise to ensure that system or renovation upgrades for ADA, seismic, lighting, parking access control equipment, and signage meet local and Federal codes. Additionally, Walker keeps abreast of the latest in energy efficient products, materials and designs.