Matt Merrell

Senior Project Manager
Experience
Mr. Merrell brings a diverse background focused on new construction and resolving difficult construction issues. Mr. Merrell’s previous experience at HKS Structures includes years of structural design of new multi-story hospitals, parking garages, and professional sports facilities. Some of his notable projects include the structural design of the new ground-up Women’s Hospital in Baton Rouge, LA (5-story/497,000 sq. ft), the addition to the Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, NE (5-story/114,000 sq. ft), and the clubhouses and concession buildings at the LA Dodgers and Chicago White Sox Spring Training Complex in Glendale, AZ. Mr. Merrell has worked as a forensic engineer since 2009. His experience includes investigating and resolving challenging problems to structures related to fire, high winds, hail, soil movement, snow/ice, construction defects, vehicle impact, load reviews, collapses, explosions, and existing building structural modifications. His numerous investigations of these types of compromised structures frequently includes on-site field condition surveys, field testing, field identifying structural components, writing reports, structural analysis, and repair design. One such project was a 40,250 sq. ft industrial warehouse fire in Mesquite, TX where approximately a quarter of the roof steel joists/steel deck and sections of the concrete exterior wall panels were damaged by fire and had to replaced. Mr. Merrell performed on-site field investigation of the building, established the repair limits, designed new structural members, and designed details to connect new structural elements to existing remaining components.
Education

M.S. – Civil Engineering – Brigham Young University - 2007
B.S. – Civil Engineering – Brigham Young University – 2006

Licensure
Licensed Professional Engineer in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

Representative Experience

Personal representative experience may cover multiple employement engagements

Woman's Hospital

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Designed this completely new ground-up five-story 497,000 SQ FT hospital.

The design included gravity steel framing, shear walls at the stairwells/elevator shafts, and a driven pier foundation system.

Provided structural engineering support during the construction phase portion of the project including reviewing shop drawings and responding to challenging RFIs.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Woman's Hospital
Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Lakeside Hospital Wing Expansion

Omaha, Nebraska

This project included a new four-story 114,000 SQ FT hospital wing addition. The first level is used for parking with hospital space on the floors above. The design included an owner option for future vertical expansion.

The design included gravity steel framing, moment frame lateral system, and foundation system.

Provided structural engineering support during the construction phase portion of the project including reviewing shop drawings and responding to challenging RFIs.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Lakeside Hospital Wing Expansion
Omaha, Nebraska

Camelback Ranch - MLB

Phoenix, Arizona

The project was to build a completely new spring practice complex for the LA Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.

Performed the structural design for 12 support buildings, which included the clubhouses, at the complex. The construction of the buildings included concrete tilt-walls, steel joist roof framing, steel roof decks, and concrete foundations.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Camelback Ranch - MLB
Phoenix, Arizona

Carpet Tile Failure

After a tenant complained of carpet tiles coming undone, we were retained to figure out why. Our investigation included visible documentation of observed distress and moisture vapor transmission rate testing on the concrete slab. We determined that the slab had an abnormally high vapor transmission rate that caused reversion of the adhesives, resulting in loss of adhesion between the carpet tile and substrate. The moisture also caused physical damage to the carpet tile because concrete has a very high pH, and the leachate from moisture passing through the slab caused damage to the flooring. It was concluded that the carpet tile was apparently constructed without the required vapor barrier.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Carpet Tile Failure

Hurricane IDA Damage - Self Storage Complexes

Laplace, Louisana

Hurricane Ida Damage - TSA investigated three self-storage complexes comprising of over 30 buildings.

The investigation involved assessing complete loss buildings, major impact damage to metal roofs/walls, partially detached overhead doors, blown-out wall framing, and a detailed investigation of concealed smaller damages.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Hurricane IDA Damage - Self Storage Complexes
Laplace, Louisana

Office Park Campus - Hail Investigation

Shreveport, Louisiana

These commercial buildings were damaged by hail events from two different storms. TSA's detailed inspection and experience were used to distinguish damages from the two storms. The roof system consisted of PVC membranes with composition shingle mansards.

The investigation included an above-ceiling inspection to better document/understand the source of the water damage.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Office Park Campus - Hail Investigation
Shreveport, Louisiana

Ludowici Roofs - Hurricane Damage

New Orleans, Louisiana

This beautiful Ludowici Tile Roof on this massive home is a sight to see. However, Hurricane Ida winds caused detached tiles and partially concealed chatter damages.

Detail and experience matter during an inspection. Knowing susceptible locations is important. TSA uses its decades of experience and structural knowledge to investigate where others don’t.

Knowledge of current building code requirements, manufacturer's insulation recommendations, and structural properties of roofing materials need to be considered when making repair recommendations for a damaged roofing system.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Ludowici Roofs - Hurricane Damage
New Orleans, Louisiana

Warehouse Wind Damage and Repair Design

Haltom City, Texas

Wind Damage - TSA was hired to investigate the damaged warehouse caused by high wind speeds. The roof was blown off and multiple steel joists were damaged as a result.

An interior investigation was performed to determine the extent of the joist damage and provide repairs for the damaged joists.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Warehouse Wind Damage and Repair Design
Haltom City, Texas

Warehouse - Roof Blow Off

Dallas, Texas

During an extreme wind event, overhead dock doors blew in, allowing the building to pressurize causing steel roof decking to blow off the building. Steel roof joist framing experienced inelastic distress. Concrete tilt-wall panel damage occurred as building components were being pulled from the structure.

Our staff was quick to respond and provide engineering support so emergency shoring could be installed to brace the unstable structure. Once the building was made safe, our engineers performed a detailed structural condition survey to identify the structurally damaged members and establish the limits of the repair. TSA engineers designed the structural repairs and provided construction phase services while the repairs actually took place.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Warehouse - Roof Blow Off
Dallas, Texas

Hurricane Damage - Machine Shop

Harahan, Louisana

After Hurricane Ida, a machine shop was dealing with water intrusion issues at the metal roof membrane, putting their expensive machinery at risk.

TSA’s investigation included infrared technology and leak mapping of the water intrusion locations at the interior. This data helped identify distress of the building envelope during the exterior and roof inspection.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Hurricane Damage - Machine Shop
Harahan, Louisana

Auto Repair Shop - Roof Collapse

Arlington, Texas

A roof collapse can be a serious/expensive structural failure. The cause of the failure is often a very important part of the recovery process.

TSA's thorough on-site investigation showed evidence that the tenant made a very poor choice to cut the bottom chord of a roof joist to install his lift.

TSA work included the structural condition survey, field measuring/documenting the existing structure (no existing drawings were available), designing repairs, and providing construction phase engineering services.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Auto Repair Shop - Roof Collapse
Arlington, Texas

Auto Repair Shop - Fire Damage

Garland, Texas

Fire Damage - TSA was hired to investigate the extent of the damage to the business caused by the fire.

No structural plans were available so the existing structure members had to be field measured for identification purposes.

TSA determined the extent of the damaged zone of the steel joists, concrete wall, and steel deck.

Following the investigation, TSA provided repair designs and performed engineering construction phase services to fix the building.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Auto Repair Shop - Fire Damage
Garland, Texas

Poor Roof Drainage = Ponding Failure

Dallas, Texas

This roof collapse happened in a massive warehouse. TSA engineers field documented distress and established the parameters of the repair zone.

This unique structure was partially built with 3D space trusses.

Existing structural drawings were not available. Existing structural conditions had to be field measured and identified.

Following the investigation, TSA provided repair designs and performed engineering construction phase services to fix the building.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Poor Roof Drainage = Ponding Failure
Dallas, Texas

Industrial Warehouse Fire

Mequite, Texas

Industrial warehouse caused by equipment fire. Fire-damaged steel joists roof framing, steel deck, and concrete tilt wall panels.

TSA investigation determined the extent of the repair parameters.

A repair using steel beams instead of steel joists was also provided for the owner to help minimize downtime.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Industrial Warehouse Fire
Mequite, Texas

Farm – Derecho Damage

Cola, Iowa

Derecho Damage – Performed field investigation of over 15 structures at the farm. The investigation involved reviewing large roof sections blown down to small cracking of structural elements.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Farm – Derecho Damage
Cola, Iowa

BISD - Hurricane Damage

Brownsville, Texas

Hurricane Dolly – The project included investigating all of the school district’s campuses (over 60) for damages. Our detailed investigations included reviewing interiors, exteriors, and roofs.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
BISD - Hurricane Damage
Brownsville, Texas

Tornado Damage – Detach Mall Roof

Grapevine, Texas

A tornado took a portion of a mall roof off just a few weeks before Christmas. TSA investigated the damage and provided timely temporary structural repair designs to get the mall back up operating during its busiest time of the year and later provided the permanent structural repair designs.

 

The hole in the roof is the obvious damage that needed repairs, but it takes a trained eye who understands these structures to find the many other more discrete related damages that occurred throughout the building due to this storm.

Developer
Architect
Cost
Developer
Structured system
Foundation system
Tornado Damage – Detach Mall Roof
Grapevine, Texas
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