I'm working on the design of a residential structure and am referencing IRC 2015 for design and sizing of joists, rafters, headers, etc.
Currently, I'm sizing headers and I've got two or three locations where I'm falling a bit short of finding a workable solution using dimensional lumber (e.g...
I'm in the process of designing a new house that will be built in Southern Maine. Winters here can be pretty long and cold. Generally speaking, code requirements in this area specify setting frost walls about 4' below grade.
The house will be set on 8' foundation walls to provide a full...
This may seem like an off-the-wall question but I'm going to ask in hopes of getting a few opinions.
Long story short I have a project that involves modifying an existing embankment slope that was constructed over very soft clay (Su values in the 100-150 psf range). The embankment modification...
Does anyone have a good resource for this? I'm looking for a listing of the most commonly-available angle iron sizes, and the maximum length they're typically available in
Thanks
I'm working on a bridge rehabilitation project that includes painting several riveted built-up steel girders. In several locations the girders exhibit areas of moderate to heavy pack/impacted rust. I've been researching various methods for how to best address these areas and thought I'd check...
A contractor friend of mine has asked me to evaluate a conceptual roof framing idea he’s come up with for a single family residential home he’ll be building in Vermont. Most of the roof framing will be very conventional, but one portion of the home will include a cathedral ceiling that spans the...
Hello all,
I have a small favor to ask and am hoping someone here may be able to help me out...
I'm planning to construct a three sided enclosure around my home oil furnace. I've reviewed the clearance requirements from the installation manual, but I'd like to try to reduce them. In the manual...
When completing a 'typical' highway overpass design I've always been of the school of thought that complete and thorough design calculations are necessary and prudent. In other words, my design calculations closely resemble the scope and complexity of those shown in FHWA's two LRFD bridge design...
I've been tasked with designing a pair of stub abutments on spread footings for a highway bridge. I've developed a foundation design based on AASHTO's LRFD criteria that seems to make sense to me, but I'm looking for a quick sanity check.
Whenever I've looked at an abutment standard detail, or...
Is there a quick method for setting the orientation and length for splayed wingwalls on cantilever or stub abutments?
I've always been taught to draw the proposed grading contours and to lay the wingwalls out using that method. However, this is time consuming for preliminary design. Are there...
Not sure this is quite the right forum, but I'll give it a shot...
I’m looking for some quick “gut check” type rules-of-thumb for estimating engineering design effort on projects. I recognize that a proposed fee needs to be based on the estimated effort to complete a given scope of work, but...
Hi All,
When it comes to structural steel shop drawing reviews I've always been told that an engineer's review only needs to be sufficient to confirm that the drawings are in compliance with contract drawings.
Given this, what is typically checked to confirm compliance? Are there checklists...
I'm a highway bridge engineer by trade and have been tasked with an assignment that includes the design of a relatively small (60' span) pedestrian/bicycle bridge. We'll soon be starting preliminary design and I'm seeking some good references on cost-effective design for trail bridges. My...
Hi All,
I'm not sure if this is quite the right forum for this question, but I don't know where else it belongs so I'll give posting it here a shot...
My office manager has asked me to develop a marketing plan for a persepective new client (a small DOT). I've done a fair bit of marketing with...
Can anyone provide generally accepted anticipated rates of corrosion for uncoated steel exposed to the elements? I realize the rates of corrosion will vary based on a myriad of environmental criteria, but are there some basic ranges of corrosion rates that can be provided?
Thanks,
Tim
I've got a question regarding compact section criteria as outlined in the AISC Steel Design Manual, 9th edition.
Table B5.1 - "Limiting Width-Thickness Rations for Compression Elements" lists limiting width-thickness ratios for compact and non-compact sections based on an elements...
Does anyone have any guidance or input on ways to reduce substructure costs on local road and minor bridges designed with LRFD? What tricks have you used in the past? What exceptions in the code have you used to your advantage? Do any state DOT's out there provide guidance in their bridge design...
Does anyone know if the old AISC publication "Moments, Shears and Reactions for Continuous Highway Bridges" is available online electronically? AISC's website says it's out of print...
Hi,
Does anyone have some good online references for old dry laid granite bridge abutments? Specifically I’m looking for typical construction techniques and recommended approaches for inspection, assessment and load rating.
Thanks,
Tim
Hi All,
Does anyone have any thoughts on the frost susceptibility of pile supported foundations? Specifically, I'm dealing with an H-pile supported bridge abutment. Our state agency states that the depth of cover for frost protection shall be applied to both spread footings as well as pile...
