Seaboldt Pens Article for Modern Steel Construction

Precis Director – Structural Engineering Doug F. Seaboldt, PE, penned a recent article for Modern Steel Construction magazine.

“Walk the Line,” published in the July 2026 print issue, describes an approach to designing suspended walkable ceilings to mitigate large deflections. Walkable ceilings are typically modular steel structures with sealed barriers that enable maintenance access to cleanrooms and other closed environments without the need to enter the controlled space.

“In a controlled environment, even a typical deflection – such as from a heavy snow event – could break the ceiling system seals, contaminating the room,” Doug writes. Designing the system appropriately becomes critical to the performance of the space.

His article covers the importance of rigorous analysis of both the parent building structural system and the walkable ceiling system, and he offers recommendations for successful ceiling system design.

Read the article.

Modern Steel Construction is the official publication of the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and is the only magazine in the United States devoted exclusively to the design and construction of steel-framed structures.