Structural Engineering

SUMMIT Structural produces engineering of concrete foundations in accordance with both the local governing codes and the American Concrete Institute's design guidelines, including ACI 318. SUMMIT Structural seeks to provide the best foundations design, tailored for the soil stratum below and answering for the service loads above. SUMMIT Structural maintains collaboration with some of the best engineers in arriving at economic foundation solutions that meet your design needs and answer for any challenging soil conditions in the area.

No matter where in the United States you choose to build your project, it inevitably must communicate with the ground. Depending on where you are, sometimes the ground can be your biggest adversary in making your construction project a reality. Building in places such as the difficult coastal areas of Texas, the alluvial plains of Louisiana, and the piedmont areas of northeastern Georgia and the Carolinas, many times foundations must be designed to penetrate layers of unsuitable soils at the surface levels and engage the suitable soils or rock layers deep below. In response to this, SUMMIT design foundations for residential, commercial and our full breadth of construction markets, implementing concrete caissons, timber piles, micro-piles, helical piers, steel “H” and pipe piles, and other technologies. Whatever soil challenges the foundation design must respond to, SUMMIT Structural provides the most engineering economic solutions available. We fully collaborate and consult with the geotechnical engineers of our company to arrive at solutions that guarantee excellent foundation performance in difficult situations.

Structural Steel framing has been the premiere material of choice for structural engineers and architects to accomplish multi-story, large-span, high-load construction for decades. SUMMIT structural engineers maintain full analysis and detailing capability for structural steel systems. When it comes to communication your steel fabricator, SUMMIT Structural will provide CAD files, technical support, and full collaboration with the fabrication shops producing the structural steel work. SUMMIT also maintains the capacity to work with suppliers of building components that work in concert with the major steel frame system. Examples of this would be stair assemblies, window and door frames, bar joist manufacturers, composite decking manufacturers and other wall and floor systems. SUMMIT will collaborate with these other parties to create thorough documentation, 3D modeling, and detailed plans to make your project a success.

Reinforced Concrete structural systems have been highly prevalent systems of choice for structural engineers and architects to accomplish multi-story, multi-span, high-load construction for decades. SUMMIT structural engineers maintain full analysis and detailing capability for structural concrete systems. We will work with you to obtain the most economical concrete solutions to fit your design needs and project parameters, while maintaining full code-compliance.

SUMMIT Structural's engineers maintain a broad knowledge of masonry design practice, having completed dozens of projects which included critical masonry assemblies such as fire walls, utility shafts, elevator shafts, stair wells, shear walls, basements, and exterior envelopes. We provide full analysis and design detailing of all reinforcing bars, grouting, and mortars in full code compliance with the local governing codes and the ACI 530, ASCE 6, and TMS 602.

SUMMIT is continually engaged in Timber Frame Systems design for residential and commercial structures. Along with using the latest software and modeling techniques, our engineers can design systems with conventional sawn members, engineered components such as Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL’s) and timber “I-joists”, and floor/roof truss systems. We also maintain full code compliance knowledge and design practice with regard to state mandated timber-framed braced-wall systems.

One of the most common structural systems in use for many years to accomplish large, clear-span spaces for manufacturing, aviation, religious assembly, sports venues, and industry has been the Pre-Engineered (or Pre-fabricated) Metal Building System. MBS are fabricated by many quality manufacturers throughout the USA. A building will be designed-to-order structurally, addressing all analysis and engineering from the anchor bolts up. SUMMIT structural engineers have been picking up where the MBS manufacturer leaves off for many years, working with geotechnical engineers and other soils consultants to design and provide a foundation system tailored to meet the service demands of the MBS above and the soils below. Having worked in the past with many of the leading MBS fabricators, SUMMIT Structural will coordinate with your selected MBS manufacturer to obtain data from their structural analysis and planning. Using this data, we arrive at the most cost-effective engineering design foundation for the building.

SUMMIT's team can provide complete retaining wall design services on a wide variety of walls, including segmental block, CMU, Cast-in-place, gabion and soldier pile walls. Our work includes full design services and AutoCAD drawings and specifications for use on the proposed. Our design capabilities, coupled with our testing and certification services offer great value to our clientele.

SUMMIT provides structural inspections for home owners, home buyers and home builders. Our staff can provide foundation, rough and final framing walk-throughs, as well as diagnose and provide cost-effective solutions for structural issues, adjustments, and framing errors. SUMMIT also specializes in providing and implementing quality assurance/control programs for national and local home builders.

“Home Improvement”, upgrades, and the modification of existing structures has become a yearly, multi-million dollar industry in the Carolinas alone. SUMMIT engineers can provide the logic, plans, calculations and documentation to both analyze and permit the changes to a structure. SUMMIT also provides similar consulting to contractors and owners whose homes and buildings have experienced fire, smoke, wind, structural stress, or soils settlement damage; providing solutions to restore a structure to its proper function and reliable state.

The engineers of SUMMIT know that many times “a picture is worth a thousand words.” We maintain the full capacity to render your project in 3D to provide the needed understanding. Using today’s latest software applications, we can animate “walk-throughs” of the project, see the project from all sides, and provide videos from every angle. SUMMIT engineers maintain excellent public speaking and presentation skills for any approvals from municipal review boards and public entity groups. We will develop the instruments to “make your case” for your project, and we are equipped to represent you at any events.

Commercial real estate is a large investment and often can harbor unforeseen issues. SUMMIT provides both property and structural condition assessments. So whether you are looking at future investments or rehabilitating a current one, SUMMIT can evaluate your investment’s structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems for any present or future cost you may incur. In the real estate industry, Property Condition Assessments are often accompanied by Phase I Environmental studies. SUMMIT has the ability to provide “turn-key” adjudications of a proposed property purchase; providing not only PCA’s, but also environmental Phase I’s from our Environmental Engineering group.