We have a qualification in our Native Soil Specification requiring, "Sum of plasticity index when tested in accordance with ASTM D4318 and the percent of material by weight passing a Number 200 sieve shall not exceed 23 when tested in accordance with ASTM C136." It's been in there forever. We...
See https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/target-building-partially-collapses-due-to-slipping-hillside/vi-BB1imxJ1?ocid=socialshare&pc=U531&cvid=743b74e8e38e4578af09bd090a21ceec&ei=46
Looks like another segmental retaining wall issue.
See https://fortune.com/2023/09/11/maine-lighthouse-bridge-collapse-doubling-point-11-injured/
Looks like a pretty rickety bridge, overloaded due to some festival. There's better pictures in other articles.
I don't think this has been mentioned on this forum yet, but NCEES is intending that the SE go to 21 hours (from 16) and $1400 (from $1000). See https://www.structuremag.org/?p=21592.
Luckily, my testing days are over. But I need to have replacements for me when I leave. And believe me, someday...
How many of you size angles, rectangular HSS, etc. based on the theory that equal leg angles or equal size (square) HSS are easier to CAD and reduce confusion in the field?
I'm doing some steel design and thinking about how often equal leg angles, square tubes or round tubes ae my go-to design...
I'm a little surprised that no one has posted this. I know that there's no tornado structural design criteria required except for hardened shelters, but that doesn't mean that 100's of people should die or be injured in one building. Was this an engineering failure, a procedural failure or just...
Question for Florida Registrants:
How do I get the Required Advanced Building Course recognized? I've tried the FBPE Email portal (never works, bounces back), I've tried directly Emailing (who knows where that went?) and, so far, nothing. I took the course a month ago, and have been trying ever...
Our specifications prohibit the use of aluminum in non shrink grout. As far as I can tell, none of the major manufacturers use it and they're very clear in their data sheets that aluminum is not contained in their grout.
My question is: Was there a time when aluminum was commonly used in non...
I have a difficult shoring issue (deep, close to residences, etc.) and would like a comparison of different options. We usually don't dictate shoring and won't here either, as it is means and methods, but if we have a preferred system, maybe we can steer the contractor toward it.
If there a...
I don't think I missed a thread, but if one is already started, I apologize.
I had occasion to spend a day in Panama City, FL and do limited damage evaluation (one facility) after Hurricane Michael. I am not an expert, but I did get to do the same after Hurricane Irma in the Florida Keys, so I...
See Safeway Roof Collapse.
No one has determined yet the order of problems, but early reporting said the roof collapsed first, possibly due to ponding, which caused the fire. Note that this is in Phoenix, where there's very little foliage to clog roof drains. Of course, it only rains every year...
I have a Seminar paper from many, many years ago on cladding attachments. The author recommended a system called SlotLok Fasteners. They're wedge shaped and allow for the cladding to be adjusted within a triangular slot. I got as far as the right state (Connecticut) and area code (203) using...
We (me and my group) have been busting tail on designs for the last year. A lot of our work is going into construction simultaneously. So I'm proposing we hire a person just to check shop drawings. This is for several reasons, like lowering our costs (having a cheaper specialist rather than an...
I've been one of the more bitter NCEES participants when they changed their record keeping system. It seemed to be poorly explained, poorly thought out and poorly implemented system.
Well, a few weeks ago I got a postcard from NCEES (basically, the most information I've got from them in years)...
As I remember these guys VE'd one of our portions of the project to such an extent that we bailed on it. Lord only knows what they'll find when they uncover the pipe.
Paraphrasing: "There's never budget to do it right, but there's always budget to do it over."...
See Link. I've been following this since Christmas Eve. It must be very slow moving as the latest news is fours days old.
What amazes me is that the same pipeline had a washout about a dozen years ago. You would think that whatever problem it had it would of been fixed for its entire length...
