Retaining walls are one of the most common structures under construction today. Some consultants (one or two man operations) can make a decent living doing nothing but retaining walls. All contractors know the typical drill regarding backfilling requirements, and if they don't they are not...
All the Hawaiian islands are sinking, and sea levels are rising. If the current level is less than the 1935 data with respect to MSL, doesn't the current data indicate that it is sinking? We are losing anywhere from 4 to 12 inches of shoreline per year (depending on the location). About a third...
If you want the foundation design done properly, you really should engage a local structural engineer. Even if you are erecting the same exact PEMB at 20 different locations all within an hour's drive of each other, each location can have vastly different foundation designs due to the varying...
I am sure that you have, but have you verified the requirements for seismic analysis with your state DOT? I am sure you have but I am just kindly reminding you just in case you haven't, because in my state that part of the AASHTO has been superceded and an appropriate seismic analysis is...
I would not consider a control joint to be a crack. I would consider it to be an edge, and would calculate appropriate edge distance or follow anchor manufacturer's edge distance recommendations to ensure proper anchorage. Other than that, I always consider concrete cracked, even in new design...
Thanks for the quick reply Ron. At first I didn't know what the heck you were talking about (I was looking in ASCE 7-02) but now that I'm looking at ASCE 7-05, I get it! I should have clarified that in my neck of the woods the applicable code is still IBC 03/ASCE 7-02, but I think I will use the...
The only provision for open structures for Method 2 (components & cladding, h<60')in the ASCE 7 is Eq. 6-25 which appears to be valid for only wind loads acting perpendicular to the surface (walls). Figure 6-5 gives GCpi values for open (and closed and partially enclosed) buildings, but nowhere...
After reading your second post, I see you say the standoffs are randomly "screwed" while your first post refers to relying on "nails" for pullout values. If I understand correctly you are actually asking if it is okay to randomly
"screw" anchors into plywood and rely on the withdrawal values of...
I don't have any problems with nailing directly into plywood sheathing or using NDS nail withdrawal values, but I do have a problem with the actual nail withdrawal values themselves. If you nail directly into plywood sheathing without any regard for trusses or framing members below, then in the...
COE,
In my first post, I said you should ask your geotech to clarify if the factored load bearing capacity is strength or extreme event. Let me correct myself. It is probably strength level. Extreme event is usually governed by seismic events, and for "buried structures" which culverts are...
COE,
If the "impact" load you are referring to is actually the "dynamic load allowance" aka "IM" in the Service Level load combinations in CH. 3 of the AASHTO LRFD, then yes, you do have to account for it in foundation and bearing design. Please see table Sec. 3.6.2 for explanation of dynamic...
You are designing a culvert and you reference HL-93 loads, so I am assuming this design is governed by the AASHTO LRFD code. For AASHTO LRFD projects, geotechnical engineers give "service," "strength," and "extreme event" limit parameters. Service is unfactored, strength is factored, and extreme...
