Structural + Civil Engineering – SOM

Architectural Record Spotlights SOM’s Sany iROOTECH Headquarters

F.LopezdeArenosa@som.com — Wed, 06 May 2026 10:27:26 +0000

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SOM and Atelier Peter Zumthor Complete David Geffen Galleries at LACMA

Ana.Cuadra@som.com — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 19:47:39 +0000

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Taiwan Power Nangang CR1

Admin — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:06:11 +0000

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Phu Quoc Convention Center, Arena, and Strategic Vision Plan

Admin — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 20:27:08 +0000

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Introducing Our 2025 Impact Report

Amy Dvorak — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:00:54 +0000

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Pin-Fuse Seismic Resilience Systems

David Vanderhoff — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:33:20 +0000

Decades of innovation in seismic-resilient structural design
SOM’s structural engineering team has developed a collection of innovative seismic protection systems to improve building safety and resilience during and after earthquakes. In 2002, SOM engineers began developing Pin-Fuse technology, a series of patented structural applications that redefine traditional steel-frame construction and seismic resilience. In conventional steel moment-resisting frame systems, the vertical columns and horizontal beams are connected by rigid connections to form a robust structural grid that resists lateral forces like wind and seismic through bending and rotation. While effective, typical steel moment frame connections are designed to yield under strong seismic forces and can permanently deform—necessitating expensive building repairs or even potential demolition after a major earthquake.
Pin-Fuse technology introduces elastic connections designed to prevent permanent deformations. These systems enhance occupant safety, preserve building integrity, and reduce the financial and structural impact of large-scale seismic events. The Pin-Fuse Joint: SOM’s foundational seismic technology
Inspired by the mechanics of human joints, SOM developed the Pin-Fuse Joint as the foundational innovation for improving seismic resilience in building design. These joints connect to columns in special horizontal moment connections. They incorporate a circular end connection, secured by slip-critical friction bolts that fasten the steel end plates. A steel pin in the center of the joint enables controlled rotation.
The Pin-Fuse Joint resists typical building movements—whether from occupant activity, moderate seismic loads, or lateral forces from wind—through friction between its end plates, preventing slipping against friction surfaces under normal conditions. During a significant earthquake, when forces exceed a critical threshold of slippage, each joint activates, dissipating energy by enabling controlled movement and rotation. This allows the building’s frame to flex and respond dynamically to seismic motion, resisting bending and shearing with motion controlled by friction in the joints. After the tremors subside, the steel frame and joints return to equilibrium, naturally realigning as the building tries to recenter, and restoring its structural integrity. In an extreme case following a major earthquake, each joint may require manual recalibration, by loosening some bolts, to bring moment connections back to their original form—ultimately re-centering the building’s entire structural frame and allowing occupants to safely return much sooner. Every component is designed to remain intact after a quake, eliminating the need for replacements and significantly reducing long-term maintenance costs compared to traditional lateral systems.
SOM’s Pin-Fuse Joint is available in steel and timber configurations, designed for efficient prefabrication, which can reduce field labor time. It also laid the foundation for the structural engineering team to develop other state-of-the-art seismic protection systems—including the Pin-Fuse Frame, Fuse Brace, and Link-Fuse—for new and existing buildings. Testing Pin-Fuse technology at a world-class research university
SOM collaborated with the University of Southern California to test the Pin-Fuse Moment Connection in a full-scale frame configuration. Friction plates clamped with bolts placed in a radial pattern around a single shear pin are used for moment resistance with a cyclic loading protocol per AISC 341, Appendix K, evaluating strength degradation and drift capacity. Prior to the full-scale tests, friction tests were conducted using the friction material within the joint to determine its coefficient of friction—a key value quantifying resistance to motion. This information is essential for seismic protection design, as the joint’s function relies on controlled friction. The coefficient of friction measured during testing enabled SOM to validate the design and predict when the joint will slip and activate, safeguarding the building during an earthquake. SOM is currently seeking prequalification of Pin-Fuse Moment Connection from Connection Prequalification Review Panel (CPRP) at American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) based on the successful completion of full-scale tests at USC. Once the connection is prequalified by the CPRP and included in AISC 358 standard, the specific steel moment connection can be used for seismic applications, without requiring separate qualification testing for each project. The prequalification will set the design, detailing, and quality criteria for these approved connections to ensure they perform as intended in special and intermediate steel moment frames. The Pin-Fuse Frame: an all-in-one seismic system
The patented Pin-Fuse Frame leverages SOM’s structural engineering expertise in seismic protection, advancing the next generation of resilient building systems. The all-in-one Pin-Fuse Frame structural system is designed for buildings in seismically active regions, integrating a sophisticated network of columns, beams, and plate assemblies that seamlessly connect structural elements. Special configurations incorporate a diagonal brace that enhances structural stability and reinforces the system’s seismic resilience.
The Pin-Fuse Frame utilizes specialized plate assemblies, securely fixed to columns and connected to beams and braces through four integrated Pin-Fuse Joints at each corner. The diagonal brace is divided into two segments, affixed to connection plates that accommodate slippage and movement. During a seismic event, the frame drifts laterally while the diagonal brace—when engaged—stretches back and forth, allowing the building to sway and ultimately re-center itself.

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Xiong’an Sinochem Headquarters

Admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:55:19 +0000

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Fast Company Spotlights Grimes Engineering Center

Ana.Cuadra@som.com — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:50:13 +0000

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Palm Jebel Ali Friday Mosque

Admin — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 18:45:34 +0000

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SOM Reveals Landmark Towers for Kazakhstan’s Alatau City

Ayesha Kapila — Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:57:24 +0000

The Alatau Iconic Complex and Gateway District is designed to support long-term growth and opportunity in the Almaty region through a resilient, site-specific, and transit-oriented approach.
Positioned within the new city of Alatau—a flagship project for Kazakhstan set to become a Central Asian international hub—the SOM-designed Iconic Complex and Gateway District will serve as the city’s economic and administrative nucleus.
Located along the Almaty-Qonaev highway, a key section of the Western Europe-Western China transport corridor, Alatau is planned to span 88,000 hectares across four districts. Strategically positioned to enhance regional connectivity, economic development, and innovation, the new city will link Almaty with Central Asia and beyond.
At the centre of this vision, SOM’s Iconic Complex forms a 276,800-square-meter vertical district defined by a pair of gateway towers. Integrating office, residential, hospitality, retail, and cultural programmes, the development establishes a dense, mixed-use urban core for the emerging city. Inspired by the surrounding Trans-Ili Alatau—a 350-kilometre range of valleys, glaciers, and stratified terrain—the design translates these local natural formations into architecture, creating a unique identity rooted in the Kazakh landscape.
Rising 272 meters, the primary tower will accommodate office space and premium residences, becoming the tallest structure in the Almaty region and southern Kazakhstan upon completion. An adjacent 80-metre tower with a luxury hotel and branded residences reinforces the district’s mixed-use intensity. Both buildings feature high-performance façades and integrated shading strategies to reduce solar gain, while central atria draw natural light deep into the floorplates and frame panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
At the base, a three-level podium of 58,000 square meters anchors the complex. Echoing the local foothills of the Alatau, it terraces toward the public realm, accommodating retail, cultural venues, and event spaces while fostering active pedestrian engagement.
The project draws on SOM’s global expertise in designing landmark tall buildings—including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, One World Trade Center in New York, and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai— towers that redefine skylines while advancing structural and environmental innovation. This experience informs both the design and engineering of the Iconic Complex, ensuring it becomes a defining symbol of Alatau City.
The region’s high seismic conditions drive the project’s integrated architectural and structural design. Structural resilience is embedded in the architecture, with seismically resilient framing and damping systems—proven in high-seismic regions such as Japan and Taiwan—that dissipate earthquake energy and ensure long-term safety and post-disaster functionality.
The surrounding Gateway District leverages SOM’s international planning expertise, prioritizing walkability, density, and multimodal transportation. Planned express rail and Light Rail Transit (LRT) corridors position the district as a regional transit hub, while green boulevards, shaded streets, and public plazas foster a human-scaled urban experience. The project also integrates advanced micromobility infrastructure, including provisions for Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, alongside pedestrian and transit networks, to ensure the city is connected at every scale.
The project is led by the Alatau City Development Group LLP alongside long-term investors and government partners supporting Alatau as a strategic national initiative. Once complete, the Iconic Complex and Gateway District will form a vertically integrated, mobility-oriented, and culturally attuned urban heart of Alatau, setting a new benchmark for city-making in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia.
About Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) is a global practice of architects, designers, engineers, and planners, responsible for some of the world’s most technically and environmentally advanced buildings and significant public spaces. The firm’s approach is highly collaborative, and its interdisciplinary team is engaged in a wide range of international projects, with creative studios based across the globe. The firm’s portfolio includes numerous innovative landmark towers, including the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, One World Trade Center in New York, and Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, as well as large-scale urban planning initiatives that integrate density, mobility, and sustainability—including the award-winning Sultan Haitham City in Muscat, Oman, and the recently unveiled masterplan for Bradfield City, Australia’s first new city in more than a century.

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