Addressing Complexity in an Aircraft Hangar Lateral Load Resisting System

In answer to the growing demand for more commercial and defense aircraft, larger-scale maintenance hangar construction is on the rise. These projects are characterized by unobstructed service bays that span hundreds of feet, posing a structural challenge for which architects often specify a cantilevered steel frame.

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The building community has rediscovered the oldest building material – wood! Over the past decade, Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) has gained momentum in the U.S., with over 500 projects currently in design or constructed to date. It is rare for a new building material like CLT to come along so quickly and become an integral part of the structural engineer’s toolbox. CLT has many advantages, including sustainability, speed of construction, strength, and beauty – all of which are the driving forces behind the doubling quantity of projects each year (www.woodworks.org, https://bit.ly/3wQCt8D). In addition, the desire to design sustainable and economic structures has many investors, designers, and builders captivated with CLT and wondering how they can find creative ways to integrate this material into their next project.

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Soil-structure interaction (SSI) can make a substantial difference in how buildings behave during earthquake shaking and how they should be designed. Yet, there is relatively little implementation of SSI effects by practicing structural engineers. Provisions are available in ASCE/SEI 7-16, Minimum Design Loads and Other Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures, and in ASCE/SEI 41-17, Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings, that can be used to address SSI. However, they can be hard to follow, and limited guidance is available. To help engineers, FEMA has funded a project managed by the Applied Technology Council (ATC) and identified as ATC-144, which is nearing completion. The output from this effort includes the development of a design guide of examples, entitled FEMA P-2091, A Practical Guide to Soil-Structure Interaction. …

The Steel Joist Institute (SJI) defines a Joist Girder as “…a primary structural load-carrying member with an open web system designed as a simple span supporting equally spaced concentrated loads of a floor or roof system acting at the panel points of the member and utilizing hot-rolled or cold-formed steel.” …

For the practicing structural engineer, deciphering the wind provisions of ASCE 7 is an ever-present challenge.  However, some would argue that the real challenge is addressing commonly encountered situations which are not directly addressed in the code. …

A Nontraditional Approach to Rebuilding the Nation’s Bridge Infrastructure

It is no secret the U.S. infrastructure needs an overhaul. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2017 Infrastructure Report Card gives the nation’s infrastructure an overall grade of D+. …

Key Differences and Practical Applications for Cement and Gypsum Underlayments

Have you ever been asked to provide an underlayment recommendation to level, resurface, or fill space over a structural element? This article can provide a framework for developing appropriate options. …

Per 2015 WFCM and 2015 SDPWS

In this article, a wood frame shear wall is analyzed and compared per American Wood Council’s 2015 Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM) and 2015 Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS). The difference between the segmented and perforated shear wall design approach and an overview of various hold-down design methods is discussed. Designers will likely find that the 2015 WFCM contains time-saving features for calculation of loads and design of shear walls and other building systems and components within the scope of the document. …