Walker Structural Engineering

Always happy to support our local Little League! Thanks for the shout‑out — let’s go team! ⚾

⚾️ ✨Thank you Walker Structural Engineering for supporting Little League in our community by sponsoring a team. On behalf of the Dodgers Majors team, thank you! You help make Bend North Little League possible. 🙏⚾️

Structural stability of fire walls under fire conditions can be a tricky - but essential - aspect of fire wall design.

When a fire wall is load-bearing, it has to be designed to withstand the loads imposed by fire-compromised framing. This can make it tricky to design and detail. One alternative to this is to design a cantilevered, non-bearing, free-standing fire wall, where the primary roof framing on each side runs parallel to the wall.

This approach allows for two crucial provisions:

1. If the primary framing on either side of the wall is compromised by fire, it will not adversely load the fire wall and compromise its stability.
2. Allows for the primary framing to fall freely on either side of the wall and for the fire wall to remain to protect the framing on the non-fire compromised space on the other side.

On a recent project, our team used a non-bearing, free-standing CMU Cantilevered fire wall with self-supporting steel framing on both sides of the wall. Since this project is phased, the CMU fire wall will temporarily be an exterior wall and therefore must be braced to the structure until the adjacent building is constructed.

Our solution: temporary steel brackets that stabilize the wall until the adjacent structure is complete - allowing it to then stand freely and comply with two crucial provisions of this type of fire wall design.

It’s exciting to see Walker Structural Engineering represented on so many projects throughout the community over the years. We’re grateful to collaborate with such talented partners and contribute to the growth happening all around us.

This year, we’re celebrating 22 years of Walker Structural Engineering. We’re incredibly proud of the team we’ve built and what we’ve accomplished together — and especially proud to support and strengthen our community, one building at a time.

Thank you to the Bend community for all of the support over the years - cheers to many more!

Unique Project Spotlight -

Our team got to handle some fun engineering challenges on the newly updated Miller's Landing Park! This project stands out from our typical building work - featuring a new kayak launch ramp, ADA accessible ramp, and a large shade structure right along the Deschutes River.

Some differences in this project were designing and detailing concrete ramps and stairs with hydrostatic pressure considerations, as well as developing a removable attachment system for the kayak "roller bunks" (wheel-like assemblies that help launch kayaks smoothly into the water).

The construction phase was equally as interesting to our engineers as they got a chance to see the use of a cofferdam system that held the river water back while it pumped out water prior to pouring concrete. A super cool example of structural engineering adapting to its environment!