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Critical Wind Mitigation for Mega-Tall Structures

Tuned Mass Damper Systems Deliver

In developed cities around the world, space on the ground is becoming scarce. The new trend is to build slender, “mega-tall” skyscrapers. These structures require special considerations to mitigate the effects of wind forces that develop against the building’s façade. Wind forces can cause significant sway or twist, particularly in the upper floors of the skyscraper, and wind-induced accelerations can cause motion sickness for many individuals inside these structures. …

Jul, 2016 By Ben Eder In Articles, Structural Performance Comments 0

Magnetic Flux Leakage for NDE

This article is a follow-up to one of the precast, prestressed thin slab parking garage structures described in Precast, Prestressed Thin Slabs in Parking Garage Structures, published in the January 2016 issue of STRUCTURE magazine. …

Jul, 2016 By D. Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., P.Eng, F.ASCE, F.SEI, A.NAFE, SECB, Al Ghorbanpoor, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE and Kevin Saldivar, E.I.T. In Articles, Structural Testing Comments 1

Repair of Corrosion Protection for Cables

In 2009, maintenance workers at Canada Place observed brown spots on several stay cables of its large fabric membrane roof. Based on this observation, Canada Place Corporation, the authority for maintaining the facility, launched an evaluation of the cables and the protective coating of the wires that make up the cables. …

Jul, 2016 By Paul A. Gossen, P.E., F. ASCE In Articles, Structural Rehabilitation Comments 0

Special Reinforced Concrete Shear Walls

Design and Detailing Requirements of ACI 318-14

The American Concrete Institute (ACI) published the Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-14) and Commentary (ACI 318R-14) in the Fall of 2014. ACI 318-14 has been adopted by reference into the 2015 International Building Code (IBC). There are very significant organizational as well as technical changes between ACI 318-11 and ACI 318-14. A two-part article on the changes was published in the April and May 2016 issues of STRUCTURE magazine. …

Jul, 2016 By S.K. Ghosh, Ph.D. In Articles, Code Updates Comments 1

Hybrid Masonry Connections and Through-Bolts, Part 2

In the May 2016 issue of STRUCTURE, Part 1 of this series addressed through-bolts in masonry walls. That article was based on hybrid masonry research funded by the National Science Foundation’s Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation Research (NEESR), but the information provided is useful to all designers of masonry construction where through-bolts are useful. …

Jul, 2016 By Gaur Johnson, Ph.D., S.E. and Ian Robertson, Ph.D., S.E. In Articles, Lessons Learned Comments 0

What is a 10d Common Nail? Part 1

After you finish the engineering on a project and it goes out the door, what happens to it? Who is responsible? How will it perform versus the engineering assumptions?

Over the years, the reality of what gets engineered versus what gets constructed has become more concerning. Performing site visits to observe construction configuration and specifics of the contractor’s interpretations of the permitted drawings has been, to say the least, enlightening. …

Jul, 2016 By Williston L. Warren, IV, S.E., SECB In Articles, Construction Issues Comments 1

An Error in Timoshenko’s Theory of Plates and Shells

The authors recently conducted a study into the elastic behaviour of thin (Kirchhoff) plates using commercial finite element (FE) software. In attempting to verify the FE solution, it was compared to results presented in Timoshenko’s text and a significant difference was observed. This article presents the work conducted to uncover the reason for this difference and reveals an error (probably typographical) in the text. The source of the error is identified and it is demonstrated how such errors might propagate into other texts on the subject of plates. The significance of the error to the practising engineer is also discussed. …

Jul, 2016 By Angus Ramsay, M.Eng, Ph.D. and Edward Maunder, MA, DIC, Ph.D. In Articles, Structural Practices Comments 0

Covington-Cincinnati Bridge

John A. Roebling Bridge

A bridge across the Ohio River connecting Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, was suggested in the 1820s. A charter for the bridge was granted in 1826 by the State of Kentucky and a second charter approved by Kentucky in 1840. Charles Ellet, Jr. (STRUCTURE, October 2006) submitted a plan for a wire cable suspension bridge in the same year. …

Jul, 2016 By Frank Griggs, Jr., Dist. M. ASCE, D. Eng., P.E., P.L.S. In Articles, Historic Structures Comments 0

How Effective Are Your Arc Spot Welds?

An effective diaphragm is an essential component of a structurally sound building. The diaphragm provides lateral stability for the columns and/or bearing walls, braces the compression edge of floor framing members, and distributes wind and seismic forces to elements of the vertical lateral force-resisting system. …

Jul, 2016 By Jeremy L. Achter, S.E., LEED AP In Articles, Engineer's Notebook Comments 0

The Women of QLIC

…and Why We Need More Women in Design and Construction

In August 2015, The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) finally recognized Nora Stanton Blatch Barney as an ASCE Fellow, 110 years after she graduated from Cornell with a Civil Engineering degree and 99 years after the ASCE Board of Directors turned down her application for membership (reference blogs.asce.org). …

Jul, 2016 By Victoria Arbitrio, P.E., SECB In Articles, Professional Issues Comments 0

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Review Category : Articles

Tuned Mass Damper Systems Deliver

Design and Detailing Requirements of ACI 318-14

John A. Roebling Bridge

…and Why We Need More Women in Design and Construction