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Temporary Works, Permanent Impact: Construction Engineering Strategies at the UC Davis California Tower Project

Abstract:

The UC Davis Health California Tower is a 14-story, 900,000-square-foot hospital expansion rising on the Sacramento campus—an ambitious project unfolding in one of the most constrained and operationally sensitive environments in the region.  Now under construction, the work has demanded a series of complex, high-stakes temporary engineering solutions. These include a shored excavation constructed immediately adjacent to active surgery and emergency facilities, stabilization of a topped-out steel frame prior to installation of a Level 1 concrete diaphragm, and continuous protection of critical utility infrastructure serving the campus. This presentation will explore the role of Degenkolb’s construction engineering team in navigating these challenges, with a focus on how site constraints, ongoing hospital operations, and sequencing demands shaped our engineering strategies and risk management decisions.

Tim Nelson, S.E., LEED AP, Principal and Construction Engineering Practice Area Leader, Degenkolb Engineers

Tim Nelson is a Principal and Construction Engineering Practice Area Leader at Degenkolb Engineers.  Based in San Francisco, he is an expert in the construction engineering field, providing designs for steel erection engineering, building underpinning, excavation shoring, and crane supports.  His work emphasizes practical, field-informed solutions that support safe and efficient project delivery, and he is recognized for his leadership in advancing construction engineering within multidisciplinary project teams.  Tim is a licensed Structural Engineer in California and Washington and he sits on both the NASCC (Steel Conference) Planning Committee and the ASCE 37 “Design Loads on Structures During Construction” Standard Committee.

Schedule

In Person Schedule

Virtual Schedule

Note: Cancellations received after 5:00 PM on May 7, and individuals who register but do not attend, will be charged if attendance does not meet the restaurant guarantee.