Nation's first tsunami vertical evaluation structure.
Ocosta Elementary School, Tsunami Vertical Evacuation Building, Westport, WA
Degenkolb Engineers designed the structural system for the Ocosta Elementary School and tsunami vertical evacuation refuge. The evacuation structure is the first of it’s kind in the US. The roof of the school gymnasium is a designated safe refuge and it has a capacity for over 1,000 people. Performance-based design methodologies were implemented to ensure that the structure would be able to resist a Cascadia earthquake while having sufficient capacity to resist subsequent tsunami inundation forces. Degenkolb worked closely with the University of Washington-based inundation modeling team to develop key design parameters, resulting in a safe refuge which is 55 feet above sea level and 28 feet above grade. The building features reinforced concrete stair towers and concrete-encased columns to protect against impact forces, drilled piles to resist scouring and liquefaction, and contains measures to prevent progressive collapse due to extreme impact loads.
Project Stats
Client
TCF Architecture,
Square Footage
35,000
Construction Cost
$13M
Completion Date
2016
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Staff on the Project
Cale Ash
Group Director Principal
I have climbed three of the five volcanoes in Washington.
David Sommer
Associate Principal
I am a professional musician and I play piano at church, weddings, ...
Cale Ash
Group Director, Principal
Seattle
- (206) 340-8102
- cash@degenkolb.com
Education
M.S., Structural Engineering, University of Illinois, 2003
B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, 2001
Registration
CA, Structural Engineer, License No. 5305
CA, Civil Engineer, License No. 68913
WA, Civil Engineer, License No. 44835
Little Known Fact
I have climbed three of the five volcanoes in Washington: Mount Baker (10,781 ft), Mount Adams (12,276 ft), and Mount Rainier (14,411 ft). Still on the list: Mount St. Helens (8365 ft) and Glacier Peak (10,541 ft).
Why did you go into Earthquake Engineering?
During graduate school I travelled to Taipei, Taiwan as part of a reconnaissance trip after the 1999 Chi Chi earthquake. Observing the damage firsthand led me to focus my career on reducing the impact of future earthquakes.
Question of the Day
What hobby would you go into if time and money weren’t an issue?
I would definitely get into private aviation and have a small plane to travel up and down the West Coast with my family. There are so many beautiful areas to explore and what better way to see them than from the sky!
David Sommer
Associate Principal
Seattle
- (206) 340-8114
- dsommer@degenkolb.com
Education
B.S., Civil Engineering (BSCE), Seattle University, 2007
M.S., Civil Engineering (MSCE), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2010
Registration
WA, Structural Engineer, License No. 55185
WA, Professional Engineer, License No. 55185
CA, Civil Engineer, License No. 79475
IL, Structural Engineer, License No. 081.007830
Why did you go into Engineering?
I always wanted a job that used what I was best at: math, science, problem solving, etc. I searched through many types of jobs in high school and couldn’t find where I felt like I fit until I drove past a construction site and it clicked. From that moment on I wanted to be a structural engineer, and I never wavered.
Little known fact
I am a professional musician and I play piano at church, weddings, funerals, and special events.
Question of the Day
What hobby would you go into if time and money weren’t an issue?
Cooking
Kyle Steuck
Principal
Seattle
- (206) 340-8108
- ksteuck@degenkolb.com
Education
M.S., Civil Engineering, University of Washington, 2007
B.S., Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 2004
Registration
CA, Structural Engineer, License No. 5965
CA, Civil Engineer, License No. 76269
WA, Structural Engineer, License No. 48423
Why did you go into structural engineering?
Problem solving has always been a good fit for me, and in school I loved working in a field where we can touch the materials that we’re working with. Being entrusted with solving problems in the buildings where people live and work and run their businesses is a privilege.
Little Known Fact
I got to ride my bike alongside Robin Williams for a short stretch. He was funnier than I could ever hope to be, and it turns out he could ride faster too.
Question of the Day
What’s your favorite way to get to work?
By bike – especially on a Tuesday night in the summer passing by Lake Union.
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