User Note: While great efforts have been taken to provide accurate and complete information on the pages of CPEP, please be aware that the information contained herewith is considered a work-in-progress for this thesis project. Modifications and changes related to the original building designs and construction methodologies for this senior thesis project are solely the interpretation of Keenan Yohe. Changes and discrepancies in no way imply that the original design contained errors or was flawed. Differing assumptions, code references, requirements, and methodologies have been incorporated into this thesis project; therefore, investigation results may vary from the original design.

DEPTH STUDY

Because of the high-tech laboratory equipment inside The Forensic Medical Center, vibration issues are very important in the design of the structural system. Concrete is a logical choice, but there are few design guidelines for vibrations in concrete. The proposed thesis will include an investigation of a composite steel floor system that can be more easily designed for vibrations, along with steel columns and a steel braced frame lateral system.

As with almost any construction project, budget and schedule are crucial to The Forensic Medical Center. As part of a breadth study, the proposed thesis will analyze the effects of a steel structural system on the overall cost, schedule, and constructability of the project, compared to the existing concrete system.