×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings

Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings

Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings

(OP)
The IBC, Chapter 34, requires the use of design criteria applicable at the time of erection for the alteration and repair of existing buildings.  However, the Department of Defense (UFC 1-200-01) deletes this chapter and replaces it with ASCE 11 "Guidelines for Structural Condition Assessment of Existing Buildings" which leaves the determination of design loads up to the engineer (paragraph 2.3.3.1).  What are the implications of using current code criteria to evaluate existing structures?

RE: Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings

What I have found in the past, is the wind speed has been upped, and, the bracing systems, if originally optimized, get significantly overstressed.

RE: Structural Evaluation of Existing Buildings

A few thoughts to consider:

1.  Similar topics have been discussed in these forums, you might look at some of those discussions.

2.  ASCE has a seminar called "Condition Assessment of Existing Structures" that I found very well done.  They discuss concrete, steel and timber assessment with both destructive and non-distructive testing methods.

3.  While the selection of allowable stresses, whether based on the original codes or today's updated codes is important, I think equally important is the condition assessement of the building as it exists.  Was it well maintained?  What is its' loading history?  Has it survived major load changes - wind, snow and overload situations?  Can you reasonably apply the total allowable stress or should it be reduced by a larger factor of safety due to the reduced capacity of the existing building?  

4.  Will a change in use reduce or increase the loads on the structure?

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources