Efficiency and economy of structures are important parts of structural engineering. This is not a new idea. Many remarkable bridges and buildings have been built under strict financial constraints. …
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. …
It wasn’t so long ago that a concrete block would not care to show its face in polite society.” This proclamation formed the lead of an extensive article, “Behold the Lowly Concrete Block,” in the March 1956 issue of the architectural journal, House and Home. The celebratory article argued that concrete block was “one of the most glamorous and flexible building materials at our command.” …
A bridge had been proposed at Wheeling for many years to connect the eastern and western portions of the National Road across the Ohio River. The legislatures of Virginia and Ohio incorporated the Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company in 1816 and authorized them to erect a bridge. The company, in 1836, built a wooden covered bridge from the west end of Zane’s Island to the Ohio shore. …
Are you being asked to participate in a fast-tracked project? Do you want to get the best results? There are success factors that have been proven on many projects, large and small, including some “mega” projects, across industries from healthcare to retail. …
Arup was an Outstanding Award Winner for the Hy-Fi project in the 2015 NCSEA Annual Excellence in Structural Engineering awards program (Category – Other Structures).
In January 2014, David Benjamin of The Living approached us to ask if Arup would be interested in supporting their entry into the MoMA Young Architects Program competition. The only information? They had an “unusual” idea. …
Who are we to the Public? Do they know or care about what we do? Sadly, the public doesn’t know who we are or what we do. Structural engineers have allowed our clients (architects) to define the meaning of “buildings” and thus have grabbed credit for our work for the past 100 years. An architect represents every project, with no space/room for the technical accomplishments that make those projects happen. …
Imagine that, one day, you and some of your friends decide to go out and play a game of softball. You don’t have enough players, so you go to the local park and find a friendly group and ask them if they’d like to play. They have never played before, but you assure them it’s a lot of fun. After a cursory explanation, they agree and you take the field to start the game. …
In 2013, the American Concrete Institute (ACI) published the first U.S. code requirements specifically for the repair of reinforced concrete, Code Requirements for Evaluation, Repair and Rehabilitation of Concrete Buildings (ACI 562-13), having recognized the need for consistent practices and longer-lasting concrete structures. …
This is the first of a two-part article on repairing aging, normally reinforced, concrete garage structures existing in aggressive weather environments. The first article is from the perspective of the engineer and the second article from that of the contractor. While the topic is the same, and the articles are complementary, they are not intended to be a point-counterpoint. …