17 Sep 2025

Spring House, 666 Front Street, Lahaina, Hawaiʻi: Historic American Buildings Surveys HI-676

Abstract: The US Congress codified the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), the nation’s most effective cultural resources legislation to date, mostly through establishing the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). The NHPA requires federal agencies to address their cultural resources, which are defined as any prehistoric or historic district, site, building, structure, or object. Section 110 of the NHPA requires federal agencies to inventory and evaluate their cultural resources, and Section 106 requires them to determine the effect of federal undertakings on those potentially eligible for the NRHP. Lahaina is located in the western part of Maui County, in Hawaiʻi. The Spring House, erected circa 1823, is currently scheduled for demolition due to its major fire damages. This report documents the building to the standards of the Historic American Buildings Survey and includes a historic context, architectural descriptions, photographs, and measured drawings. This report satisfies Sections 106 and 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended and will be used by FEMA to document the building before its demolition.

31 May 2024

Hydraulic Load Definitions for Use in Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) Analysis, Including Probabilistic Load Characterization, of 10 Hydraulic Steel Structures: Report Number 1

Abstract: In the past, allowable stress design (ASD) was used to design steel structures. The allowable stresses used were determined from previous practice, with limited understanding of the reliability and risk performance provided by the structure. Engineering methods based on Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) provide more accurate lifetime models of structures by providing risk-based load factors. Besides improved safety, cost savings can be provided through improved performance and, in some cases, by delaying rehabilitation. This research project develops LRFD-based engineering procedures for the evaluation and design of hydraulic steel structures (HSS). Hydraulic loads are a key element to the LRFD analysis. This report identifies the primary hydraulic loads and describes procedures that can be used to determine these hydraulic loads. Existing design guidance for HSS is described and presented in the individual chapters. The appendixes to the report provide examples of the procedures used to compute the hydrostatic, wave, and hydrodynamic loads. A new approach for determining wind-induced wave loads was developed. Design guidance for computing the hydrodynamic load was limited for many of the HSS. Additional research is recommended to improve capabilities for computing hydraulic loads. Details on these recommendations can be found in this report.