Experience of V+M’s Principal Engineer

Schaun Valdovinos, MS, PE, PEng is the founding principal and president of V+M Structural Design, Inc. With over 15 years of bridge engineering experience, Schaun has a passion for engineering solutions that are constructible, innovative and aesthetic. His expertise includes medium- and long-span arches, trusses, cable supported bridges, elevated railway guideway, and highway bridges.

Schaun has a keen understanding of structural dynamics and its application to seismic performance, wind effects, and pedestrian induced vibrations, and is experienced designing for loads from pedestrians, trucks and rail.

Selected project experience from Schaun’s portfolio is showcased below. If you have any questions or would like to know more about V+M’s capabilities, please reach out to us on our contact page.

Squamish Pedestrian Overpass
Squamish Pedestrian Overpass | Concept Design, Detailed Design, Construction Services
Technical Project Manager for the concept development and detailed design of the foundations for the 800-ft (240m) long Wing Tip Pedestrian Bridge, spanning over a forested valley in Mount Hope, WV. The signature structure includes a 15-ft (4.5m) wide main deck using native Appalachian Black Locust timber planks and 2.5-ft secondary walkways following along the main cables. Through the central portion of the bridge, the cables dip below the main deck to keep the bridge profile slender.
Wing Tip Bridge | Design Competition, Detailed Design, Construction Services
Project Manager and Design Lead for the design and construction supervision of the 700-ft (210m) long overpass with a 140-ft (42m) main span, carrying pedestrians and cyclists up and over three rail tracks in North Vancouver, BC. Aesthetic considerations were a key driver in developing the alignment and form of the bridge. Unique tree piers supporting the superstructure rest on shallow caisson foundations. A curved form was achieved through creative structural design which allowed the striking structure to be built within the specified budget.
Harbourside West Pedestrian Overpass | Concept Design, Detailed Design, Construction Services
Schaun held the role of Project Manager and Bridge Design Lead for conceptual design phase and final design of this landmark structure over the city's busiest intersection. As the key link in the rails-to-trails Cross Kirkland Corridor (CKC), the structurally expressive Totem Lake Connector will provide convenient, safe passage for pedestrians and cyclists over the roadways. Schaun led a strong public engagement process that included three open houses with additional online polling. The
Totem Lake Pedestrian Bridge | Concept Design and Detailed Design
Project Engineer working on the design phase of this 620-ft (185m) long pedestrian bridge for Tacoma Parks in Tacoma, WA. The bridge is unique as it is kinked in plan by 40-degrees at the central lookout platforms. Oversaw the development of the global model, load cases, and analysis. Developed the bridge form, including the faceted form of the overlook and columns, and devised an innovative connection between the columns and raised diaphragms to minimize seismic demands in the superstructure
Wilson Way (Pt. Defiance) Pedestrian Bridge | Concept Design and Detailed Design (through 60%)
Schaun authored the prescriptive reference concept for this new 200-ft (60m) signature pedestrian bridge that crosses Bow Trail at 24 Street in Calgary, AB as a part of the West LRT project. Developed design guidelines for the new bridge as part of the contract document, including specific aesthetic requirements for the structural articulation, trail system, and concealed traction power substation. Using SketchUp Pro, 3D renderings of the reference concept were created for use in the concept drawings and as material for the City during discussions with landowners.
24 Street Pedestrian Bridge | Prescriptive Reference Concept Design
Bridge Designer responsible for signature pedestrian bridge crossing over the Sea-to-Sky Highway in BC near the 2300-ft (700m) high Stawamus Chief granite cliff. Authored form and conducted detailed design of 125-ft (37m) signature footbridge consisting of a concrete deck suspended from inclined splayed arches. Great care was given to aesthetics, resulting in a striking form that gracefully crosses over the highway. Stockbridge-type dampers are installed internally within the arch pipes to mitigate wind vibration due to vortex shedding and their performance was verified through field testing of the completed structure.
Stawamus Chief Pedestrian Bridge | Concept Design, Detailed Design, Construction Services
Pedestrian Bridge Lead for the Sound Transit East Link LRT Project responsible for conceptual development and design development of this 985-ft (300m) long crossing of SR-520. The bridge will connect with the future Overlake Village Town Center, the future light rail station, and the 520 Bike Trail. The bridge consists of using a 2-span continuous undulating steel truss with roof and circular approach ramp with stairs. Careful coordination of disciplines enabled the bicycle cage and auxiliary equipment to be seamlessly integrated beneath the bridge and stairs.
Overlake Village Pedestrian Bridge | Prescriptive Reference Concept Design
Structural Lead for the reference concept development phase of the 2-mi (3.5km) elevated light rail extension south of Sea-Tac Airport. Responsible for overseeing the structural aspects of the project including development of post-tensioned concrete superstructure and crossheads, with reinforced concrete substructures. Aesthetics were an important consideration when conceiving the form of the viaduct. Oversaw the preparation of 50 structural drawings, technical memos, and design narrative as deliverables for the project.
South Link LRT Elevated Guideway Extension | Owner's Engineer, Preliminary Design and Reference Concept Design
Peer Reviewer for the proposed Mosquito Creek Marina connection of the Spirit Trail in North Vancouver, BC, which includes an active boat lift, gas line and other major utilities. The concept included widening of an existing spit to provide connection across Mosquito Creek and completed in 2018.
Mosquito Creek Marina Spirit Trail | Peer Review
Engineer or Record responsible for carrying out detailed design of the 200-ft (59m) network arch span across Shaganappi Trail roadway in Calgary, AB. The steel arch supports a 10-ft (3m) wide concrete deck using a crisscrossing pattern of hanger rods. Careful detailing was necessary to ensure appropriate interaction between the concrete deck and steelwork through the wide temperature variations experienced by Calgary’s cold and hot weather.
Shaganappi Trail Pedestrian Bridge | Detailed Design and Construction Services
Engineer of Record for the complete multi-span superstructure replacement of Miette, Fiddle, and Snaring River Bridges in Jasper, AB. The work included the design of prestressed girders, bearings, deck and barriers with design calculations, drawings, specifications, and engineers estimate. Three additional existing bridges were evaluated with a refined level of load rating, including 3D grillage models to capture the high degree of skew. The findings showed sufficient capacity for the increased live load demands from the CL-800 trucks.
Parks Canada Bridge Load Ratings | Load Rating Evaluation and Rehabilitation
Bridge Designer on the award-winning project responsible for bridge designs across difficult terrain along 10km of the Sea-to-Sky Highway in BC. Duties include overseeing detailed design of multi- and single-span downslope structures from inception through construction (determined load paths, seismic requirements, substructure locations/articulation, span configurations, girder types, capacity requirements, among other details) for several structures as a part of the project.
Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project | Highway Bridges and Retaining Walls: Concept Design, Detailed Design and Construction Services
Authored bridge form of the new 830-ft clear span arch bridge spanning the Ohio River. Led the 30% Design and continued role as Technical Reviewer during detailed design phase. (Image credit: COWI)
Wellsburg Bridge | Concept Design, Detailed Design (30%), Final Design Advisor/Reviewer
Assisted structural engineering group on seismic design of the award-winning Seattle Light Rail Project (D755) with 4-miles of elevated structure and signature elevated station. Created computer models of the precast segmental aerial guideway using LARSA to analyze forces in structural elements under earthquake and other loads. Responsible for the design of the reinforced concrete H-shaped columns and drilled shaft foundations.
Central Link LRT Elevated Guideway | Detailed Design
Project Manager responsible for the structural assessment and re-tuning of this single tower asymmetric cable-stayed bridge in Seattle, WA. Constructed in 1997, the bridge cables have become de-tuned from long-term effects of shrinkage, creep and relaxation. The slender steel towers support an asymmetric main span, which is supported on its end atop the existing building. Prestressed, precast concrete deck panels were used to create the deck.
Westlake Union Pedestrian Bridge - Cable Tuning | Structural Assessment and Cable Tuning
Project Engineer for this seismic retrofit study of this major river crossing in New Westminster, BC built in 1937 consisting of a long elevated viaduct comprised of haunched concrete girders supported on tapered square concrete columns founded on timber piles. Recommendations for the seismic retrofit schemes of the approach viaduct included fiberglass wrapping of the hollow columns and base isolation of the superstructure using spherical bearings. Oversaw Response Spectrum and Time History Analyses performed using SAP2000. Developed the methodology for defining non-linear lumped response of pile groups given parameters for individual piles.
Pattullo Bridge Seismic Retrofit Study | Seismic Evaluation and Bridge Rehabilitation
Project Manager and Design Lead for the design-build proposal of a new crossing over the Bow River located in the Town of Banff, AB. Using three slender, steel network arch spans to cross the river, a low-profile path was maintained. Each span was to be preassembled and lifted into position, with new HDPE water and sewer lines pulled through the lower chords.
Bow River Pedestrian Bridge | Conceptual Design for Design-Build Proposal
Project Engineer responsible for developing conceptual designs for this new 200-ft (60m) long, curved bridge across McKenzie Ave on the Galloping Goose Trail and Hwy 1 for the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in Saanich, BC. Concept drawings were created for various alternatives with an emphasis on aesthetics and constructability, which included a raised torsion box beam, clear span arch, extradosed, and trapezoidal box structure as part of Phase 1 of the Highway 1 interchange project.
Galloping Goose Trail Pedestrian Bridge at Mackenzie Ave | Conceptual Bridge Design