For the last 3-4 years I've been taking on very high-end residential structural design and I like the projects for the most part. Decent sized jobs so there's less admin work to do, relatively low-stress structures, and the fees can be good. It probably makes up 15% of my revenue (I'm a 1-person...
A friend asked me to look at his home, currently under construction by a builder. One of those pick-your-floorplan type neighborhoods.
He showed me these photos of a steel beam supported by a single 2x6 stud in the basement (walkout basement). The other end of the beam is in a pocket in the...
Hey all,
I'm trying to get a rough size for a guide rail support post for an elevator. I don't have elevator info yet. Floor to floor is 26 feet so I'm concerned with meeting the tight deflection limits for a long span.
I don't need to fully size the support posts yet. I just want to work out...
I'm wondering if the sign structure below is worthy of getting a geotechnical report or if presumptive values in the code (US) are good enough.
I guess it's more of a "what will the plan reviewer say" type question, because from a design standpoint I can just make it work with the low...
I'm reviewing a set of PT shop drawings for a building I designed. It has a handful of transfer beams with considerable PT in each (unbonded).
The detailer added a few "extra" strands in each beam just in case there is a stressing issue with some of the strands. I have no problem with this...
I found a few threads on this but nothing that exactly answered my question. I'm reviewing a design for a CMU building with an untopped precast plank roof.
See the sketch below for a representative diagram.
I often see documents (like the PCI manual) talk about using friction in the joints...
I have a two-way PT slab project currently under construction. The [genius] contractors decided to core a hole through 4 tendons in a 16-tendon band.
No visible damage to the slab.
After further investigation, it turns out that only 2 of the 4 were cut all the way through. The other 2 tendons...
I’m having an issue with an 80 year old wood bowstring truss. 100’ span. I had the wood graded as select structural. There are about 20 of these identical trusses in the building. See photo below.
I’m analyzing them for existing and new loads and have a problem with the top chord being...
I'm wondering how engineers typically handle crossing ramp/column interactions in solid slab/PT parking garages.
Attached is a 3D pdf showing the condition I'm talking about and some generic sketches below.
Architects seem to want to do it as shown in the attached PDF where one slab goes to...
I sent this diagram to an architect to illustrate my concerns about a detail they proposed for an embedded guardrail post on the exposed rooftop amenity space of a concrete building I'm designing.
The diagram is somewhat to scale. Just wondering if anyone thinks my concerns are valid or if...
I'm doing an example problem from the NCEES SE practice exam book. It is a steel beam with two SCBF brace connections below at it's mid-span. No braces above. They are asking what the max vertical earthquake load in the beam is from the braces.
When lateral loads to the frame are induced, one...
I am proposing on a single story industrial project that will have 80' tall unbraced steel columns. The roof structure will be metal deck supported by joists and joist girders on 50' bays. Top of roof will be approximately 80' above top of slab. No mezzanines.
I want to get a sense of what...
I'm working on a project where the architect wants to use an acoustical roof deck with a factory installed cover plate (see the attached detail).
I'm having trouble contacting the manufacturer and I need to know, how will this get attached to the structure? The cover plate is in the way for...
I have a new project that falls into Seismic Design Category D. It's an exterior (non enclosed) stair addition to an existing four-story wood framed building (from the 1960's). They are demolishing the fire escape and adding this usable stair instead (so it is a primary exit stair). In the US...
I'm working on a project that includes a new dive platform for two springboards. Similar to the lower platform on the left and right of the large platform in this photo (http://goo.gl/Ttglx3) but with two columns instead of one. Also attached is a sketch of the platform (http://goo.gl/2NLbCS)...
Hi all, I'm designing an HSS member that has closely spaced 4' outriggers along one side of its 21' span (fixed ends). No other loads. I want to determine the deflection by figuring out the rotation of the section. I'm using AISC Design Guide 9 an the graphs in the appendix and assuming a...
