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Strengthening of Reinforced Concrete Structures

Coordination and Quality Control for the Use of FRP Composites

Since its introduction to the commercial construction industry in the 1980s, the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) systems to strengthen/retrofit reinforced concrete and other structures has increased dramatically from a few early experimental projects to currently being the material of choice for many renovation projects. FRP strengthening techniques have gained popularity due to the ease of installation (particularly in occupied spaces), minimal impacts on structural appearance and geometry, cost-effectiveness, and other benefits. The development of codes and standards for externally bonded FRP systems is ongoing in Europe, Japan, Canada, and the United States. For the United States, the publications and standards regarding FRP design procedures for reinforced concrete remain limited to guidelines such as the American Concrete Institute’s ACI 440.2R, Guide for the Design and Construction of Externally Bonded FRP Systems for Strengthening Concrete Structures. These have not been included in the enforceable building codes. This leaves the design and quality assurance processes for FRP strengthening scope up to the consultant teams and local jurisdictions for individual projects.

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Sep, 2021 By Ammar Motorwala, P.E and J. Brent Stephens, P.E. In Structural Renovation Comments 0

Large Anchor Grout Pockets for Foundations

A Review of Design Considerations

Grout pockets are man-made holes in concrete structures (pre-installed before concrete placement or drilled after concrete placement) to allow the installation of anchors. The main benefit of using grout pockets is to allow equipment or structures to be installed after the concrete placement, providing more construction/installation schedule flexibility. In many non-modular projects, the equipment/machinery packages are typically completed and arrive at the construction site after most of the civil works at the site (including foundations) are completed. The grout pockets also provide extra installation tolerances and eliminate the risk of cast-in-place anchor movement during a foundation placement.

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Sep, 2021 By Silky Wong, Ph.D., S.E., P.E., CEng MICE and Widianto, Ph.D., P.E., M.ASCE In Structural Design Comments 1

Rigid and Non-Rigid Base Plate Assumptions

Use of CBFEM for Validation

Have you ever stopped for a second and thought, “do we ever validate our rigid plate assumption when designing anchorage to concrete?” The answer is simple. There is no analytical method for validation and, because the design codes mandate it, the design engineer abides by it as it is a Building and Safety (Plan check) requirement. This article demonstrates how Component Based Finite Element Modeling (CBFEM) can validate any base plate behavior, rigid or non-rigid. So, regardless of what base plate assumption you make as a design professional, now you can get validation.

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Sep, 2021 By Arif Shahdin In Structural Analysis Comments 1

The Point Ellice Bridge Failure

The Point Ellice Bridge crossed the Upper Harbor from Victoria, British Columbia, to Esquimalt. The first wooden pile bridge at the site was built in 1861 and was replaced in 1872. This was replaced by an iron bridge built in 1885 by the San Francisco Bridge Company for regular carriage, wagon, and pedestrian traffic. It was turned over to the City of Victoria by the Provincial Government in 1891. Engineering News described the bridge:

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Sep, 2021 By Frank Griggs, Jr., Dist. M. ASCE, D. Eng., P.E., P.L.S. In Historic Structures Comments 1

Wood-Framed Residential Construction

Member and Connection Design Considerations

As architects, owners, and contractors continue to push the limits of wood-framed residential construction, manufacturers have responded by providing an increased number of specialized wood and connector products. However, in addition to specialized wood products, these same complex residential projects increasingly rely on reinforced concrete and structural steel to achieve the intended design, frequently necessitating custom connections. This article reviews the various wood products available today for framing floors and roofs and discusses connection considerations to wood, steel, and reinforced concrete.

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Sep, 2021 By Becky Havel, S.E., Rose McClure, S.E., P.E. and Matthew H. Johnson, P.E. In Structural Connections Comments 0

Test-Based Available Strengths for Aluminum Structures

Part 1

This is Part 1 of a two-part series. This installment summarizes two methods of determining available strengths from testing of aluminum structures, presents equations, and includes selected plots of calculated safety factors. The next part will discuss and compare the results from the two methods.

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Sep, 2021 By James LaBelle, P.E., Doc.E. In Building Blocks Comments 0

Preschool Engineering Books

Why? Why? Why? Every preschooler’s favorite question. Annoying at times but important for building a knowledge foundation of how the world works – also key to how engineers, including structural engineers, approach new challenges and advance the profession. Rather than shutting down these questions, encourage problem-solving and creative thinking. Just as books for the youngest readers presented in Part 1 of this series of reviews introduced the language of engineering, several books aimed at preschool- to early elementary-aged children start to introduce engineering principles and approaches.

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Sep, 2021 By Linda Kaplan, P.E. In InFocus Comments 0

Does Building Taller with Wood Make Sense?

For centuries, structural engineers have been intrigued by the unique allure of designing buildings that rise higher, span longer, and assemble materials in new and counterintuitive ways. One of the current frontiers is building taller with wood. The introduction of cross-laminated timber has accelerated this pursuit, most notably in Europe and North America. While pushing the envelope is a noble objective, doing so just to secure bragging rights misses the mark. Just as the structural engineering community asks if it makes sense to build ever taller with concrete and steel, the same question can apply to tall wood towers.

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Sep, 2021 By Paul A. Fast, P.Eng., Struct. Eng., P.E., FIStructE, IngKH In InSights Comments 1

The High Cost of Poor Leadership

As an executive coach, I am often brought into organizations to help leaders develop critical leadership and management skills – notably “soft skills” that may have been lacking in the past but were not necessarily a derailer. Often, these leaders have strong technical expertise (i.e., engineering, finance, sales, law, etc.) and are promoted based on their technical capability and performance, not their leadership ability or potential. A recent study showed that the costs of such inefficient promotion decisions are often high (https://bit.ly/3iAKnOZ).

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Sep, 2021 By Rebecca Zucker In Business Practices Comments 0

Building Design Collaborator or Implementing Technician?

On April 29, 2021, I attended a virtual meeting of SEAoNY’s President’s Breakfast Roundtable: Engineering Post-Pandemic. In my assigned break-out room, I listened to the attendees talk about the push for “sustainability” and, to achieve this goal, “optimization” of structural framing. This article discusses the evolution of engineering over the past decades and notes the consequences of misunderstanding “optimization.” It reiterates my observation that a lack of 3-D structural framing systems resulted in damage to many structures during the 1994 Northridge earthquake. These structures were pulled apart in the same manner as they were designed – that is, as a collection of two-dimensional vertical and horizontal planes of framing.

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Sep, 2021 By Julie Mark Cohen, Ph.D., P.E., SECB In Structural Forum Comments 0

Current Issue	Resource Guide

Review Category : Articles

Coordination and Quality Control for the Use of FRP Composites

A Review of Design Considerations

Use of CBFEM for Validation

Member and Connection Design Considerations

Part 1