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Design SMRF with Confidence — Don't Just Trust the Software.

THE SPECIAL MOMENT RESISTING FRAME MASTERCLASS

DETAIL EARTHQUAKE-RESILIENT STRUCTURES WITH CONFIDENCE

Learn to Manually Calculate the Critical Seismic Checks

Structural software gives you passing D/C ratios... but it doesn't tell you if your plastic hinges will actually form properly, or if your beam-column joint will survive a Magnitude 7 earthquake.

Join us for this comprehensive Masterclass and master the most rigorous seismic frame system in the structural engineering code.

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Why Do Moment Frames Fail During Earthquakes?

Because "Black Box" Software Doesn't See Real-World Seismic Joints.

Post-earthquake forensics tell a scary story. Buildings in High-Seismic Zones rarely collapse because the sections weren’t “strong” enough. They collapse because the frame was too brittle to handle the inelastic demands of a major event.

A weak column yielding before the beam. A joint completely shattering from uncalculated shear forces. A geometric proportion that doomed the design before the first calculation was even made.

These aren’t calculation errors—these are detailing disasters where confinement failed and ductility was lost.

The "Software Reliance" Trap:

Many engineers blindly accept software outputs without manually verifying the “Probable Moment” (Mpr) or the capacity-based shear required by the code.

The "More Rebar is Better" Myth:

Adding more longitudinal steel to a beam isn’t always safer. In SMRF design, an over-reinforced beam can force your column to fail first—creating a brittle “soft-story” mechanism that causes instant collapse.

The Knowledge Gap:

Universities teach you basic concrete design. They rarely teach you the grueling, step-by-step checks required to pass a Special Moment Resisting Frame peer review in high seismic zones.

Don't let a missing manual check be the reason your structure fails.

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The One Skill That Prevents Collapses and Save Millions

Calculations alone won’t save a building during an earthquake—ductility will. This Masterclass is the solution for:

Structural Engineers

You’ve modeled the structure, but can you defend the physics behind it? Move beyond standard analysis. Learn to manually verify Probable Moments, Strong-Column checks, and Joint Shear capacities by hand. Master the advanced capacity-based design principles that separate elite structural engineers from the rest.

Site Engineers

Understand the strict SMRF detailing rules—like 135-degree seismic hooks, plastic hinge (2H) zones, and strict lap splice limits—so you know exactly what to inspect before the concrete is poured. Stop the rework loop.

Fresh Grads

Bridge the gap between "Board Exam Theory" and advanced real-world seismic design. This is the specific skill gap that separates entry-level graduates from highly paid structural engineers.

Contractors

The structural plans are complex, but can you defend your installation to the inspector? Gain a bulletproof understanding of SMRF seismic detailing. Lead your steel man with absolute clarity, minimize installation errors, and pass strict structural inspections on the first walkthrough.

Project Managers

Bridge the gap between your design team, the contractor, and the site inspectors. Master the essential principles of Special Moment Resisting Frames. Speak the language of both the structural engineer and the construction crew with absolute confidence, ensuring smooth handoffs, faster inspections, and total alignment across all stakeholders.

REBAR ENGINEER/ STRUCTURAL DETAILER

Move beyond standard gravity structures—master the ultimate test of rebar detailing. SMRF projects have the most complex rebar configurations in structural engineering. This masterclass gives you the practical blueprint to accurately detail seismic hoops, staggered splices, and heavy joint reinforcement, making you the most valuable detailer on the team.

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Master the Code: The 5-Module Curriculum

We go beyond automated software reports. You will master the “Why” and “How” behind every strong-column check, joint shear calculation, and seismic hook required by code.

Module 01 The Rules of Engagement (Code Requirements)

Stop relying on black-box assumptions for seismic frames. We will decode the exact code parameters, material boundaries, and geometric constraints required by ACI 318 and NSCP 2015 to make your frame legally compliant before calculations even begin.

SMRF vs. IMRF vs. OMRF: Understand the severe design implications of Seismic Zone 4 and exactly when Special Moment Frames are legally mandated.
Material Boundaries: The critical engineering reasons why concrete (f'c) and steel (fy) strength limits exist in high-seismic design.
The "Probable" Concept (Mpr): A deep dive into plastic behavior and why we intentionally stress reinforcement to 1.25fy.
Geometric Dealbreakers: The strict minimum beam widths, column dimensions, and span ratios you must follow to avoid immediate rejection at peer review.

Module 02 Beam Ductility & Shear Design

Stop guessing your rebar configurations and spacing. You will learn the exact mechanics of beam ductility and how to manually calculate capacity-based shear design using probable moments.

Longitudinal Reinforcement: Calculate the exact tension-compression balance and strict code limits for As,min and As,max.
The "Hinge" Zone: Locate exactly where the plastic hinge forms and how to define the critical 2H length.
Capacity-Based Shear (Vp): Step-by-step manual calculation of design shear forces combining gravity and earthquake effects.
Stirrup Spacing Workshop: Master the exact code rules for detailing hoop spacing inside the plastic hinge zone versus the middle span.

Module 03 The "Strong Column - Weak Beam" Verification

Stop letting your frame’s critical “defenders” fail peer review due to hidden code factors. You will master the strong-column/weak-beam philosophy and learn how to account for slab reinforcement when calculating real-world column capacities.

The 6/5 Rule Deep Dive: Breaking down the strict ∑Mnc ≥ 1.2 ∑Mnb equation.
The Hidden Enemy (Slab Contribution): How to calculate the Effective Flange Width and add the slab rebar to your beam capacity (the #1 reason SMRF designs fail peer review).
Axial Load Interactions: Choosing the correct Pu (Axial Force) that gives the lowest, most critical column capacity.
Workshop: Step-by-step Strong-Column/Weak-Beam manual calculation.

Module 04 The Joint Shear Check. The most Critical Calculation

Master the most critical pass/fail calculation in high-seismic design. You will map the massive “push-pull” forces inside the beam-column connection and learn exactly how to fix a failing joint when adding extra stirrups isn’t enough.

Free Body Diagram: Mapping the brutal "Push-Pull" forces inside the beam-column joint.
Shear Strength (Vn): Calculating concrete capacity based on confinement (𝛾 factors).
The Pass/Fail Check: Comparing your Demand vs. Capacity accurately.
What to do when it FAILS: Real-world engineering strategies to fix a failing joint (Hint: Just increasing stirrups won’t help!).

Module 05 Detailing & Constructability. Turning Numbers Into Drawings

Translate your calculations into clean, buildable structural drawings that contractors can actually execute on-site. You will master the exact rules for seismic hooks, mandatory lap splice “no-fly zones,” and practical rebar layouts to eliminate detailing congestion.

Seismic Hooks: 135-degree hooks vs. 90-degree hooks. Why and Where are they required?
Splice Locations: Mapping out the strict "No-Fly Zones" for lap splices in an SMRF system.
Hoop Configuration: Crossties, diamond ties, and how to detail them so the contractor's vibrator can actually fit (Ensuring contractor-friendly detailing without violating code).

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Here Is Everything You Get When You Enroll

Access to Recorded Webinar (1 Year)

Master Special Moment Resisting Frame at your own pace with 1 Year of full access to the recorded training video, designed to support your continued professional growth.

SMRF Checklist (1 Year)

Ensure strict seismic code compliance from the drafting board to the job site with a quick-reference guide designed to prevent structural peer-review rejections and costly field errors.

Access to Webinar's Presentation (1 Year)

Receive the full access, high-resolution slide deck to serve as your permanent "on-the-job" reference manual—so you never have to rely on memory for critical details.

MEET YOUR SPEAKER

Engr. Abner B. Garcia Jr.

Principal Structural Engineer & Founder of Abstructural Engineering Consultancy

With over a decade of experience in the structural engineering industry, Engr. Abs has designed complex systems under strict seismic demands. He realized early on that the biggest breakdown in structural engineering isn’t a lack of software accuracy, but a failure to master capacity-based design. Too many engineers can output an structural model, but struggle to manually verify strong-columns or clear joint shear design check.

Engr. Abs created this masterclass to bridge that gap. He is on a mission to move engineers past automated calculations and equip them with the precise, ACI and NSCP skills needed to command high-seismic design with absolute certainty.

STUDENT RESULTS

What Our Alumni Are Saying

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5-Star Average from Past Alumni

Don't Let Bad Detailing Compromise Your Structure

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