Posts Tagged structural engineering
Structural Engineering of Historic Buildings
Posted by Adam Wilson in General Engineering, Latest News on August 11th, 2008
The structural engineering of historic buildings is often focused on retrofitting these structures with life-saving alterations such as fire safety equipment and earthquake proof systems. Historic buildings are often built soundly, but due to the age of the building materials, the structure may be unstable or unsafe in the event of a fire or earthquake.
Most historic buildings are exempt from the newer federal building codes, but if the building owner wishes to change the use of the historic building, such as opening it up to public access or running a business from inside the historic building, certain building code requirements must be fulfilled. This most often results in calling in a structural engineer or architect to assist with the retrofitting or alteration of the historic building.
Structural Engineering of Historic Buildings: Energy Conservation
Some historic buildings require structural engineering expertise to aid in the conservation of energy. With today’s rising energy costs, energy conservation is a necessity for many building owners. This often involves placing insulating thermal paned glass over the historic glass of the buildings to help reduce heating and cooling costs.
The addition of awnings and shading devices can also help with energy conservation without altering the historic structure. Insulation is often added, and masonry walls can be coated with a waterproofing substance to further aid in energy conservation.
Structural Engineering of Historic Buildings: Seismic Retrofitting
Seismic retrofitting concentrates on preserving the structural integrity of the structure and reduce the likelihood of personal injuries should an earthquake occur. Seismic retrofitting also seeks to limit the amount of damage the historic building incurs during an earthquake.
Seismic retrofitting of a historic building may include bracing or tying parapets, chimneys, or ornamentation on the structure. It also involves reinforcing the emergency egress routes inside the building to help preserve life during an earthquake. Floor to wall framing may be enhanced and masonry walls often require addition support to limit the amount of damage from an earthquake.
Structural Engineering of Historic Buildings: Fire Safety Retrofitting
Fire safety retrofitting in historic buildings is a common occurrence. Retrofitting fire safety devices poses a unique problem for structural engineers. The fire safety systems must provide maximum protection in the event. Emergency exits are also examining and altered when necessary to provide a route of escape in the event of a fire. For a detailed government report about retrofitting of historical buildings for fire safety, view theThe General Services Administration “Fire Safety in Historic Buildings” Report Here.
The structural engineering of historic buildings is a delicate procedure that requires the skill and expertise of an experienced structural engineer and a team of consultants. The preservation of historic buildings is a specialty area and one of great interest to many citizens. For more information about the preservation of historic buildings, you can visit The National Park Service website.
State & Federal Building Codes
Posted by Adam Wilson in General Engineering on June 10th, 2008
More about State and Federal Building Codes
State and Federal Building codes are an important part of the construction process. For structural engineers, working knowledge of state and federal building codes is essential. Keeping on top of constant changes made to state and federal building codes can be challenging. Building codes vary from state to state. There are several websites available to help you keep up to date on federal and state building codes. Try these resources to help you stay on top of federal and state building codes.
Federal Building Code Resources
ANSI ( http://www.ansi.org/ ) - American National Standards Institute
ASTM ( http://www.astm.org/ ) - American Society for Testing and Materials
BOCA ( http://www.bocai.org/ )- Building Officials and Code Administrators, International
ICBO ( http://www.icbo.org/ ) - International Conference of Building Officials
ICC( http://www.intlcode.org/ ) - International Codes Council
NCSBCS ( http://www.ncsbcs.org/ ) - National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards, Inc.
SBCCI ( http://www.sbcci.org/ ) - Southern Building Code Congress, International
USACE ( http://www.usace.army.mil/inet/usace-docs/ ) - United States Army Corps of Engineers Publications Page
State Specific Resources for State Building Codes
This is not a complete listing of structural engineering associations for every state. If your state Is not listed below, an Internet search will bring up your state’s SEA website.
SEAOAL ( http://www.seaoal.com/ )- Structural Engineering Association of Alabama
SEAOA ( http://www.primenet.com/~seaoa ) - Structural Engineering Association of Arizona
SEAOSC ( http://www.seaint.org/seaosc/index.asp ) - Structural Engineering Association of Southern California
SEAOC ( http://www.seaoc.org/ ) - Structural Engineering Association of California
SEAONC ( http://www.seaonc.org/ ) - Structural Engineering Association of Northern California
SEAOCC ( http://www.seaint.org/seaocc1.htm ) - Structural Engineering Association of Central California
SEAOSD ( http://www.seaint.org/seaosd/seaosd1home.htm )- Structural Engineering Association of San Diego
SEAC ( http://www.seacolorado.com/ )- Structural Engineering Association of Colorado
SEAOH ( http://www.eng.hawaii.edu/~seaoh ) - Structural Engineering Association of Hawaii
SEAOI ( http://www.seaoi.org/ )- Structural Engineering Association of Illinois
SEAM ( http://www.seam.org/ ) - Structural Engineering Association of Maine
SENH ( http://www.senh.org/ ) - Structural Engineers of New Hampshire
SEANM - Structural Engineers Association of New Mexico
SEAONY - Structural Engineering Association of New York
SEAO - Structural Engineering Association of Oregon
SEAOT - Structural Engineering Association of Texas
SEAU - Structural Engineering Association of Utah
SEAW - Structural Engineering Association of Washington
Subscribing to a trade publication or state-sponsored newsletter for builders is also a great way to keep up with state and federal building codes. If you have any information on changes to any of these links or would like to have your own state listed please contact me at adam@strucalc.com
Structural Engineering Basics
Posted by Adam Wilson in General Engineering on April 14th, 2008
Many engineering students find themselves studying structural engineering basics, but this fundamental knowledge is useful for others as well. Backyard landscapers, anyone remodeling a room of their home and those building a new skyscraper all benefit from structural engineering basics. Structural engineering basics are evidenced in the great pyramids of Egypt and indications of knowledge of structural engineering can be found in earlier structures as well.
The Basics of Structural Engineering
Structural engineering is the study of how to design structures and non-structural elements that bear a load. Structural engineering seeks to determine the stability and longevity of a load-bearing item, and design building plans accordingly.
Structural engineering students study the physics of nature such as the effects of wind, water and snow on buildings, the effects of gravity and the effects of the weight of the structure itself. In addition to the physics affecting a structure, they also study the known longevity of materials and their impact on the environment, known as the life cycle assessment or LCA.
Structural Engineering Basics: Physics
The laws of physics that affect a structure are an important aspect of the building process. Miscalculate the stability of a structure and lives could be lost and property damage incurred. Structural engineering basics cover how common building materials such as steel, concrete and wood behave under pressure. These know behaviors are used in conjunction with special equations that predict how much weight a structural design can withstand while remaining structurally sound.
Structural engineers also plan for safety in the event of an earthquake, flood or other disruptive force. They design the structure to fail under these circumstances without endangering the occupants within or on the structures if possible.
Structural engineering also prepares students to inspect structures for unsafe conditions. Moisture, energy, heat, and the weight of the structure itself, in addition to the weight of the furniture and people inside the building, are all examined to help determine the safety of a structure.
Structural Engineering Basics: Life Cycle Assessment
Life cycle assessment plays an important role in structural engineering. Not only does life cycle assessment allow a builder to select the most environmentally friendly option in building materials, it also allows him to select an appropriate building material to increase the longevity of the structure in the given climate and environment.
Structural engineering basics are a wonder t behold at work. Suspension bridges, skyscrapers, and artistic buildings such as the Louvre in Paris are all terrific examples of the wonder and awe that structural engineers can evoke.
Structural Engineering
Posted by Adam Wilson in General Engineering on December 12th, 2007
Structural Engineering: the Basis for Residential Dwelling Construction
Structural engineering is a complex process that is vital to the construction of any residential dwelling. The knowledge base of the structural engineer aids in the calculation the values and measurements of the construction materials, their placement within the structure, and the types of materials selected for the project.
Calculating Values
Calculating the necessary measurements and properties of construction materials for a residential dwelling is a complex and time-consuming process.
For example, when calculating the necessary size of I beams in residential buildings, you must consider multiple factors:
- maximum bending moment of the beam
- maximum deflection of the beam at the center of the span
- width, length, and depth of the beam
- moment of inertia
- constant psi rating for the material the beam is comprised of
You must also consider the exterior dimensions of the home, the span if the beams and floor joists the dead and live loads for the structure, and the design style of the roof. If any interior walls will support the weight of the roof, this will affect the necessary I beam size throughout the residential dwelling.
Required calculations for determining the size of a residential steel beam include the allowable bending stress for structural steel, the moment of inertia, and the section modulus of the required beam.
A structural engineer generally performs these calculations. Certain computer software designed specifically for the calculation of
- beam design
- floor beam span
- rafter design
- header size and span
- floor joist load
- cantilever floor joist load
- residential I beam spans
are useful for quickly calculating these values.
Determining Building Materials
Steel and solid sawn wood are the traditional construction materials used in creating structures. Modern technology has resulted in the emergence of new composite materials and combinations of natural materials that improve the construction process, cost, weight, strength, and stability of a structure.
Solid sawn wood, structural composites, tube steel, solid steel, glulams (glued- laminated timbers), manufactured beams, and I joists are all used in differing combinations during the construction process.
Since each of these materials behaves differently under the stress of a load, calculating the required measurements and values for construction becomes even more complex. The physics behind the effects of weight, wind, water, temperature, and snow directly affect the construction process.
Residential dwelling construction requires a broad knowledge base, prior construction experience, and an understanding of the physics related to the construction materials and the forces that affect them.
Precision & Collaboration in Structure Construction
Posted by Adam Wilson in General Engineering on November 20th, 2007
Structural engineers have the task of helping an architect design a structure that will resist the forces of nature, remain stable and dissipate energy appropriately. This task is often made easier by the use of computer assisted design and special calculating programs. With today’s technology, nearly any design problem can be solved by a structural engineer.
These technological advances have resulted in amazing and unusual architectural designs that would not have been possible 50 years ago. Continuing advances in the field of structural engineering allow architects to continue to push the envelope for innovative building designs.
When constructing a basic design for any structure, the structural engineer and the architect must consider the affects the forces of nature have on a building. High winds, heavy rainfall and intense heat from the sun can all affect the stability of a building. In some cases, buildings are designed to withstand earthquakes, tsunamis and terrorist attacks.
These forces, along with the affects of gravity itself, all must by calculated using the laws of physics in order to create a stable structure strong enough to withstand the elements for many years. All public buildings must be built to withstand certain capacity loads that will be present once furniture, equipment and people are habiting the building. Public buildings must also be constructed in a way that limits the spread of fire and provides for emergency exits from every floor.
The strength of a structure is described as the ability of the individual structural elements to withstand the load that is applied. These structural elements comprise the structural system. The stability of a structure is the capability of a structural system to transmit the energy of various loads safely to the ground.
Strength and stability are the two key elements of any structure. If a flaw is calculated into the design of a building, strength and stability will be compromised and the structure may come crashing down. By properly spacing support beams, bracing angles and anchoring the structure to the earth, strength and stability are added.
Perfection during the construction period is equally as important as the design of a building. One miscalculated floor beam span, two missing anchor bolts or a single missing support beam can weaken the structure to failure. The construction crew must complete the building of the structure precisely, in accordance with the architect’s plans.
Cooperation of experienced individuals must take place from design to construction for a structure to remain stable and strong. This combined effort has resulted in some truly magnificent architectural creations around the world.
