Rick Abbott Email & Phone Number

Chisago City, Minnesota

ABBOTT CONSULTING FORENSICS & DESIGN LLC focuses on providing unbiased structural engineering services needed in the area of insurance claims and legal matters regarding damaged structures or structures not performing as intended. Services includes general consulting, desk reviews, inspections, evaluations, forensic analysis, expert testimony, appraisal representation, and designed repair plans.

Minnesota

Forensic structural investigations

Midwest

Forensic structural investigations including cause and extent of damages due to storm, flood, wind, hail, fire, snow and ice.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

I created an innovative, 3D-structural computer model to design the foundations and the lateral system for a multi-story Hospital. The computer modeling proved to be very efficient in reducing costs in the foundation design and resulted in a significant cost savings to the project. I designed and took full responsibilities for the development of plans for an addition to a 4-Story Post Tensioned building at the University of Minnesota.

Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

I provided structural engineering services for various projects acting as a lead Project Engineer. My responsibilities included working on a GSA 9-story mild steel reinforced concrete office building designed for LEED requirements, blast design, and progressive collapse design. I worked on various other projects including office buildings constructed of post-tensioned concrete, composite steel with steel braced frames, wood apartment buildings, and large warehouses in California. The most rewarding aspect of this employment was developing good working relationships with people on teams consisting of the owner, the project manager, architects, engineers, and superintends all working for the same goal. While At OPUS I studied on my own initiative to obtain my LEED-AP certification. OPUS experienced a significant slowdown had to lay off the majority of the design staff. While at OPUS I used my vacation time to go to Egypt with EMI to help local ministers design facilities to help the poor.

I provided structural engineering services for various projects of outstanding Architectural Design. I developed my skills at coming up with creative structural solutions to make architectural features a reality. I designed buildings composed of PRCC connections, concrete moment frames, and tilt-up construction. I facilities with clean rooms, and was involved with up-scale museum design. While at HGA I studied on my own initiative and time to obtain my California Structural Engineering License.

I was assigned one major project to complete through CD phase. I was the structural engineer of record in charge of developing the structural plans and calculations for the Crown Point High School in Crown Point, Indiana. After the project was complete, work flow slowed down.

I was asked to take over the structural engineering for the company. I was the only engineer employed by Schultz Design, and I was responsible for the design and development of all structural plans and specifications for a variety of projects. At the time of my employment there were 4 registered architects and 6 drafting personal. Approximately 90% of the work was done for one client, Kroger Stores in the Midwest. I learned AutoCAD and did some of my own drafting. I also completed a 17 million dollar Christian school addition and a 13 million dollar Presbyterian Church.

At Larson engineering I learned to design every day structures. I designed hotels, restaurants, schools theaters, industrial buildings, churches and various other types of structures. I designed with wood design, bar joists, concrete plank, steel and masonry.

The office in Richmond, Virginia provided engineering services for approximately 6 steel plate fabricators. It was here that I learned how to designed tanks and vessels according to API-650, API-620, AWWA, and ASME. We also inspected many existing plate structures so I learned the hazards of existing structures. I become familiar with confined space entry, chemical hazards, heights and harnesses. After transferring to the main office in Minneapolis, I became the main structural engineer to design an industrial laboratory facility for the containment of accidental explosions. We studied the shock waves, the gas pressures, the structural response, and the final design were based on TM-5-1500 “Structures To Resist the Effects of Accidental Explosions”. The analysis was dynamic and very interesting. The final design was efficient and my work and ingenuity resulted in a substantial cost savings to 3M.

Summer between U of MN and Cornell

I performed and reported load test on various products. I inspected masonry wall construction and inspected sprayed-on fireproofing material. This job was part of the University of MN Internship Program. Course credit was received after completing and submitting a written summary report. I experienced that some contractors will not build what is on the drawings for various reasons, and some may try to hide the problem if it costs money. I also experienced that some contractors will provide the extreme minimum required by the specifications regardless of what common sense requires.

I performed and reported soil field density testing and soil proctor testing. I performed and reported concrete field test including slump, air, and compressive strength. This job was part of the University of MN Internship Program. Course credit was received after completing and submitting a written summary report. I learned that some contactors may cheat and lie in business if it prospers them financially. I also learned that the building officials can be the design professional’s and public’s best friend with regards to safety and upholding minimum standards.

Masters Of Engineer (Civil), Structural

Lead the Civil Engineering Design Group Was asked to continue on with PHD studies - I declined

Bs Of Civil Engineering, Structural