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Recent content by MJB315

  1. MJB315

    Double 3-Sided Roof Diaphragm

    Mirroring the popcorn eating post - I think this is worthwhile and I'm enjoying following along. If nearly every system in a building structure is a spring, and springs that aren't stretched don't generate forces, then it's helpful to think through how the leeward diaphragm...
  2. MJB315

    Seismic Retrofit Argument

    Also, I'd like to pull on this thread a bit more too: Quote above: "I'm definitely not in favor of yearly assessments for buildings. If this is multiple choice and I have to pick one of your options then I'd choose the until it falls down one." New York State (which operates differently, for...
  3. MJB315

    Seismic Retrofit Argument

    So, I wouldn't "ah, shucks" this one. Three things: 1. AHJ Questions 2. Risk 3. Mitigation AHJ Questions If I was the AHJ, I'd ask you three questions (in the USA, based on IBC/ASCE approach): 1. Is the fourth floor classified as an "addition?" Yes, it's an extension or increase in floor...
  4. MJB315

    Who's Opinion Is it?

    Re: Observations, Assessments, and Recommendations. @BARetired: I hear what you're saying and I agree - if you are making a recommendation on a very narrow scope, it makes sense to just stick the observation, assessment, and recommendation all together in the same sentence. Copying your...
  5. MJB315

    Who's Opinion Is it?

    Re: "To Be" @lexpatrie - Ok, that makes sense to me as a writing style intended to provide a certain voice or as an exercise that encourages folks to dig deeper into what they really mean when choosing words and what to believe. I can see the time and place for it. If I fall back onto some...
  6. MJB315

    Who's Opinion Is it?

    We did but since grammar is on the table, let's dig in a bit further. Two questions: 1. Is the E-Prime methodology widely used in technical writing? 2. Could you (or anyone in the community) use it to improve the readability of my [admittedly fake] scenario above? Because in my years of being...
  7. MJB315

    Who's Opinion Is it?

    The use passive verbs in reports are to be shied away from. Shy away from using passive verbs in reports. "The structure was observed", "the site was visited", may seem more technical - but they just make reports chewy and harder to read. That's my opinion (and of those who beat me with a...
  8. MJB315

    Technical drawing reviewing too time consuming?

    I lost my fingerprints checking shop drawings. I now look back and realize how lucky I was. My first few years were spent on construction administration for commercial building projects. This was in the '00s, on the cusp of Bluebeam - but not quite. On one large, very multi-story steel...
  9. MJB315

    Baltimore Bridge collapse after ship collision

    Re: 2020s Baltimore Cleanup vs. Potential 1940s NYC Cleanup. How does our ability to cleanup a bridge collapse in a harbor compare now to the 1930s/1940s? I recall one of the reasons why Robert Moses' Brooklyn Battery Bridge was shot down in favor of a tunnel was the risk of a collapse...
  10. MJB315

    Baltimore Bridge collapse after ship collision

    Re: Musk Engineer Discussion. To me, the ultimate mark of someone who is deploying engineering expertise is the ability to generate a successful outcome. While generating a successful outcome in the technical realm depends on being able to deploy useful technical hard skills (engineering), it...
  11. MJB315

    Baltimore Bridge collapse after ship collision

    I just want to push back on this a bit. Elon Musk has been at the helm of - and in the weeds making design decisions at - premiere engineering organizations that are moving the state of the art forward across several industries. How is he not an engineer?
  12. MJB315

    Revisiting Structural Engineering as a Profession vs Trade (Reboot from 2019)

    So, as the person who helped drive this thread into the depressing, dark corner of the yard -- let me share a few [closing?] thoughts. I've slept on it for a few weeks, which helps. 1. The AI-Topic is inherently demotivating, therefore potentially harmful. I mean, look at what it did in this...
  13. MJB315

    Revisiting Structural Engineering as a Profession vs Trade (Reboot from 2019)

    Yeah, that podcast was a great listen - especially describing the fundamental insanity of the model that is underlaying the "amazing appearing" veneer. It reminds me of the distinction that we humans tend to deemphasize between intelligence and expertise. Intelligence - the ability to...
  14. MJB315

    Revisiting Structural Engineering as a Profession vs Trade (Reboot from 2019)

    Let's not forget the Spider Robots from Minority Report. Those could video record and laser scan a crawlspace pretty well too. https://youtu.be/901lYbPmqu4 No OSHA Confined Space Training or air monitoring required.
  15. MJB315

    Revisiting Structural Engineering as a Profession vs Trade (Reboot from 2019)

    I know -- and that's what spooks me too. Humans tend to be walking-talking mimicry-machines, and now we're fascinated by an even grander mimicry-machine... but the grander micmiry-machine is just mimicing us back to ourselves, so we can consult and mimic it, and (insert doom-loop-to-the-abyss...
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