University of Arizona College of Law Mock Courtroom Conversion

This CMAR delivery project includes renovating class labs for a large Mock Courtroom and Appellate Courtroom to improve the Trial Advocacy learning experience. The structural system includes adding reinforced concrete shear walls for lateral support and a new transfer girder to span between existing and new columns where columns are removed. The existing three-story steel-framed Law School (basement level with two above-grade stories) required renovation to provide a column-free space courtroom space. The renovated space was on level two and required the removal of an existing building column, which was also part of a moment frame system for the building. In order to remove the column at level two, a long-span transfer girder was used to support the upper stories of the building. The girder also assisted in the lateral load distribution for building lateral stability. This project required a comprehensive lateral load analysis to study the effects on building drift and stress redistribution. This structural innovation provided the column-free courtroom space, replicating actual courtroom conditions for the college.