Working on a wastewater plant and I have required Type II cement. The contractor is asking for an alternate. I'm not comfortable requiring specific admixtures to achieve the same sulfate resistance with Type I/II or IL. There may be something in ACI 350, but I am not sure where to look. Any...
Working on a big manufacturing facility that will utilize tiltwalls as the gravity/lateral load system. We will be using a formliner. The architect is wanting to use a vertical pattern - 2 inches deep spaced at 4" oc +/-. The structural thickness will be 7 1/4" - total 9 1/4". My concern is...
I am working on a wastewater treatment plant and I currently have galvanized steel I-beams shown to support some of the grating and diamond checker plating covering a coarse screening structure. The environment will be corrosive, especially in this part of the plant. I have used galvanized...
I am working on a project that will require some moment connections. The architect is wanting to use pipes, but the horizontal framing is rectangular tubes. Anyone have experience creating fixed connections between pipe and tube?
We have been working on WWTP's (basically a bunch of giant concrete tanks) over the past couple of years, and I am beginning to question how I have detailed some of the concrete joints. I have been requiring PVC waterstops (chemical resistant) on the OUTSIDES of the reinforcing steel (water...
We have a project coming up for a developer in Arizona that will require a vehicular bridge. We have done many bridges in Texas, but no experience in Arizona. I have looked through their (ADOT) website in search of CAD standard drawings for bridges, and have not found much. Does anyone have...
Has anyone ever worked on a project involving shipping containers? I have a potential project that will involve stacking a series of these to create a building. There will be openings that are cut into the walls. I'm curious about how these are framed and if anyone has any other pitfalls to...
I'm working on a 2-story building project, and the architect is wanting to use an unconventional wall system. It is a combo 4-inch cmu, grout (2-inches) core, and brick. All would be tied together with wire ties. I don't like the idea, primarily because I'm unfamiliar with this kind of...
I've got a project where a big I-beam is required. I routinely try to frame secondary framing into the web of the primary I-beams to reduce the unbraced length of the beam. But I've got an issue where the depths are not close. A W27x84 and smaller "joists" - W16x26. I don't want to increase...
I am working on a spillway project for a pretty big dam. I am struggling with rationalizing some of the loads that will be present on the spillway channel bottom. The dam is clay (an "impervious" layer of soil covered by concrete slab), and I do not believe that we will have uplift due to...
Working on a project involving some new rail lines. There is an existing old wastewater line (60" diameter) about 15 feet below grade. The pipe is in questionable condition. The city (owner of the WW line) wants to avoid having any new loads translate down onto the pipe. I intend to design a...
I am looking for a reference (if there is one) that tabulates tongue and groove decking diaphragm shear strength. The 2x6 tongue and groove will sit on top of the framing with both underside of deck and the framing itself exposed. I hate to add plywood/OSB on top, but I may have to. Any help...
I will be starting design work on a project soon that will be built in Russia. It is for a plant - i.e. lots of steel access platforms, equipment support pads, etc. Any advice on which standards to buy (Russian - Gost)? I've seen a site where you can buy translated versions of the typical...
Working on a project (roof framing analysis) that references "Fenestra Roof Panels Type 4 1/2"D-18D-16 & D-16D-16". Does anyone have any information on these panels? There doesn't appear to be any supporting framing (span is 12'-2") and I am interested specifically in load tables. Any help...
I need to connect some new wood framing to an old hollow clay tile wall. Loads are small, but I still need some guidance on how to do this. I believe the existing framing sits in joist pockets. Does anyone have any experience connecting by drilling/epoxy or expansion anchors in these kinds of...
Working on a church project - open sanctuary will have a steel ridge beam supporting wood rafters. The ridge spans nearly 75 feet. The question came up about deflection. I had detailed the beam to have a camber in it to counter the dead load deflection. My concern is at the supporting walls...
I am working on a foundation for a high performance blower. The method I used to design this thing uses several graphs - one of which estimates "deflection" based on soil type (which is somewhat vague). Because of the high rpms of the blower and stringent vibration criteria, I need to found on...
If I spec a connection pattern for a metal roof deck, what does that mean for the connection between deck and framing parallel to deck flutes. The pattern covers the connection to perpendicular framing, but not sure how to handle parallel framing. Thinking that I need to spec that separately...
I looked at a building last week that has precast concrete panels for the building skin. They are not load bearing and are only nominally connected to the building at the roof line. The panels just sit on the footing - no connection. They were apparently used as a blast barrier of sorts and...
Don't want to get into theory...very specific question here. Have a metal building with purlins on top of main frames- presumably only minimally connected to the top flange of the main frame beams at about 4 feet oc. Thinking that the unbraced length for positive flexure (top flange in...
