Quality Of Work

The firm’s design quality control is practiced continuously with direct senior engineering involvement on every project. We strive to maintain a high quality of design, coordination and construction management through the direct, continuous involvement of experienced structural engineers for the duration of all of our projects. This philosophy is different from other organizations that prefer to compartmentalize different stages of design and construction. But the firm strongly believes in providing continuity in key personnel throughout a project’s design and construction to allow more coordinated design and construction, maintaining working relationships with key design and construction team members, and instilling a sense of project ownership and pride. Project documents for each job are also independently reviewed at various key stages to insure conformance to quality standards.

Building Information Modeling

The conception and execution of structural system designs utilize the latest computer applications for optimal coordination with other disciplines. Martin Chock & Carden, through the Martin Associates Group, was an early adopter of 3D and 4D modelling and implementation during construction, and remains at the cutting edge. We utilize AutoDesk AutoCAD and Revit Structural (as well as Rhino and CATIA). 3D modeling allows us to explore every detail of a design by expediting the analysis, testing and modifications early in the design process.

Unique Staff Resources

We have a talented group of especially qualified staff with leading edge engineering expertise in our Hawaii office. An even more diverse range of staff resources is available through the Martin Associates Group, Inc., with over 300 personnel, for greater capacity of servicing larger projects with tight schedules.

Facility Evaluations

As structural engineers, we have performed hundreds of site surveys, structural evaluations and analyses of a range of building types, including hurricane shelters and essential facilities. As examples; we collected information from site surveys to create a database of all buildings on University of Hawaii campuses; we have evaluated Hawaii County critical facilities and Maui County Critical Facilities, and; after the Kiholo Bay earthquake we surveyed dozens of single wall residences on the Big Island, and then developed seismic retrofit techniques that are applicable statewide.

Cost Control & Value Engineering

Value engineering is implemented from the initiation of conceptual design and is practiced throughout the development of the construction documents to provide a constructible and economical project meeting the demands of the end users. This is achieved through a comprehensive understanding of design codes, standards, and associated performance objectives associated with natural hazards, and by key participation in the local code development process. This insight enables implementing efficient structures, while meeting or exceeding appropriate structural safety standards. We are also quite familiar with fast track projects with tight budget constraints. We can also provide a more detailed structural quantity monitoring processes, where appropriate in order to track structural construction costs and independently evaluate contractor bids.

Sustainable Design

A structural engineer’s role in sustainable design is less easy to quantify than that of a mechanical engineer for example, where there are quantifiable energy models to measure comparative performance, or some other disciplines. However, as the energy required in building construction, repairs, future demolition and other construction activities is great percentage of the building’s life cycle energy demand, the design role is no less critical. Martin Chock & Carden’s role in sustainable design is primarily driven through the use of materials, though the life cycle of those materials and the structures created from them. There are several aspects to this:

Value engineering to reduce the quantity of structural materials; using less is the best way to minimize environmental impacts. This is achieved through an extensive understanding and efficient implementation of the building code requirements, while meeting or exceeding necessary safety standards.
Use of locally available, locally manufactured, and locally extracted or recycled resources where possible.
Design to reduce construction waste. For example, in the use of factory pre-fabricated products.
The extensive knowledge of the impacts of corrosion and the judicious use of materials to improve the long term performance of a building.
Attention to structural details at building enclosures to maximize the thermal efficiency of the structural system.

Structural Engineering

Planning & Design of New Buildings

Renovation, Repair & Retrofitting of Buildings

Structural Evaluations & Investigations

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tsunamis & Climate Change

Blast Resistant Design

We cover all aspects
of Structural Engineering.

These services include studies of structural systems for master planning and conceptual design, preliminary design for budgeting, development of complete construction documents and BIM models, and general onsite observation of structural work during construction.

The Hawaii Martin, Chock & Carden office has been in business for over 50 years, and has been involved in the design of the large proportion of Hawaii’s building heritage. This provides a unique history and institutional knowledge of existing buildings and local site conditions. Martin, Chock & Carden has a proven track record of designing large high-quality projects compatible with Pacific construction techniques and economic factors that influence use of structural materials.

Planning & Design of New Buildings

Renovation, Repair & Retrofitting of Buildings

Structural Evaluations & Investigations

Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tsunamis & Climate Change

Blast Resistant Design

QUALITY OF
WORK

BUILDING INFORMATION
MODELING