Questions tagged [building-design]
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99
questions
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1answer
61 views
What were these two objects from the top of a tall building in the 1920s used for?
I saw this in a movie from the 1920s, set in the USA. ("Safety Last".)
At the top of a tall building, there are two strange objects which I believe I've seen before but never could figure ...
2
votes
1answer
61 views
Why does the IRC think ceiling joists are weaker than floor joists?
According to the IRC, a 1200S162-68 cold-formed steel C-section can hold 40psf total load at an almost 22' span when used as a floor joist, but can only hold 25psf total load at a 21' span when used ...
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2answers
37 views
Waterlogged multistorey apartment
I fraction invested in a real estate project several years back. Mid way through the construction, after about 12 floors, the building contractor filed for bankruptcy. An asset reconstruction company ...
0
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4answers
52 views
Would a larger building more safely or smoothly ride the seismic waves of an earthquake?
If larger ships are less affected by ocean waves, and tend to ride smoothly through them, would that same principle influence the survivability of a larger building when weathering the seismic waves ...
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0answers
12 views
Component Additive Method for fire ratings: (why) are cement backer units not rated?
IBC 722.6, along with Harmathy's Ten Rules (written down in AWC DCA4, among other places), provide a method, known as the Component Additive Method, for computing the fire ratings of light-frame wood ...
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2answers
105 views
What is the purpose of these "safety" ledges on this Asian skyscraper?
While watching a video of a crazy person jumping around on buildings in some Asian country in a death-defying manner, I noticed these odd "safety" ledges outside, with nothing preventing you ...
1
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1answer
66 views
What is this sticky outy bit called?
We have a bit of wall sticking out of a flat wall
____
__________| |_______________
I have always called it the sticky outy bit of the wall and ...
2
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0answers
54 views
What would happen if the air conditioning failed in a skyscraper for an extended period?
I'm writing some fiction which involves the AC in a modern glass curtain skyscraper (50-80 floors?) in an American city failing for a period of weeks, maybe even for up to two months.
Could anybody ...
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2answers
86 views
What type of engineer/profession specialize in the design and building of residential homes/houses? [closed]
Peace and blessings beloved. I come from a family of tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, welders, carpenters, painters, etc) but never took a real interest in learning about said trades (or anything ...
1
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1answer
48 views
Lintel construction technique in UK in 80s using blockwork
An issue has been raised when replacing windows that the blockwork inner leaf is missing a lintel.
The hollow blocks have been in-filled with concrete which makes me believe that this is a ‘cast-it-...
0
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1answer
42 views
How do extra building levels affect the foundation design apart for the extra load?
I have been talking to some structural engineers trying to find one to design foundations for my contemplated bespoke building based on hi-cube 40-ft shipping containers. The initial concept is just ...
0
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1answer
49 views
Is this alternate grounding practice practically implementable?
While grounding power sockets in modular prefabricated steel buildings (see Light Gauge Steel Frame Technology), can we just connect the ground wire to the steel frame of the building itself? as the ...
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0answers
38 views
Is there a miniture atmospheric water vapor condenser?
I am looking to add a condenser for a plant preserving container. The plants need water and I was wondering if I can have a passive method to condense atmospheric moisture to water. My container is ...
3
votes
1answer
130 views
Gas kitchen stove in skyscrapers
I have watched a property tour around an apartment in the Steinway Tower (NY) on YouTube and I noticed one detail that bugs me, namely gas stoves.
In Poland it is very uncommon for new blocks of flats ...
1
vote
1answer
288 views
How to calculate the square footage of a duplex building
In a college project, I was instructed to design the floor plans and the conduit layout of a duplex building. It was instructed that the duplex is 2500 square feet. No other instruction was provided. ...
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2answers
556 views
Are these horizontal timbers removable in an attic/loft?
There are 3 horizontal lengths of timber stretching across the centre-level of my attic/loft space and are attached at either end to the rafters with a single nail. I can wobble them by hand and they ...
2
votes
2answers
84 views
How to make an Idol always strictly face the rising Sun?
I recently came to know that the Sun rises on a different place in the horizon everyday : https://astronomy.stackexchange.com/q/39670/14624 To me the change in the direction of Sun rise seems ...
1
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1answer
61 views
Low slope roofing
I’m having trouble finding resources that explain/describe type of low slope roof for cold weather. Is single ply or metal standing seam or BUR better if we are considering all cold weather related ...
2
votes
2answers
59 views
How is electrical building code defined and applied to new constructions?
A new home (completed in early 2020) in San Jose California does not have GFCI outlets in all the bathrooms. I thought this was a requirement (according to https://www.redwoodcity.org/home/...
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1answer
99 views
Why don't buildings in South Asia have basements?
I see that buildings in the developed part of the world have basements. Why?
But, I never see basements in most buildings in South Asia. Why?
2
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0answers
14 views
Sun light illumination on a lower floor vs high building closely
there is an investor that wants to build very close to our building. In case we agree, the buildings will stand like on the pictures below, 3 meters apart from each other. I tried to draw them in ...
0
votes
1answer
38 views
Climate control in data centers
I'm a student currently working on a market research project on the HVACR industry, and I'm having trouble nailing down a simple answer to these questions (it may be there are no simple answers, as so ...
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3answers
125 views
can ceramic be used as a building material?
From what I read, concrete has much lower compressive strength than ceramics. So why aren't we using ceramics to build? Is it because ceramic failure is difficult to predict? Because it's hard to ...
14
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8answers
9k views
What are those large poles for that are always in front of US stand-alone store buildings?
Screenshot of a video where they are featured in the background:
They appear to have no electronics built in, such as an electric charge station, or a parking ticket dispenser or something like that....
2
votes
4answers
462 views
When an elevator has two buttons next to it, ^ and v, what do they actually mean?
Both as a kid and as an adult, I've encountered elevators lined up next to each other, or single ones, which have two buttons on each floor (outside of the elevator):
...
2
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0answers
15 views
Increase in target emission rate (TER) when using a air source heat pump (ASHP) in standard assessment procedure (SAP) calculation
I am running a SAP calculation on a proposed building which will be utilising a 8.5 kW ASHP for space and water heating. I am also running a comparative analysis against a mains gas boiler to show the ...
1
vote
1answer
246 views
Is it safe to slightly cut the edge of RCC column for passage of pipe in bathroom?
The RCC column was cut in my absence due to passage of pipe for bathroom fittings. The thickness is about 1.5 in. Will it hamper the stability of structure?
1
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2answers
92 views
What is the strongest way to fasten 8020 extrusions in this arrangement?
I am making a project using 10mm aluminum extrusions. I am trying to connect all three extrusions like the picture below shows and I am going to make my own bracket (in red) out of aluminum since the ...
2
votes
1answer
54 views
Are the design load values in this floor determination table (span chart) inclusive or exclusive of the given floor weight (inherent dead load)?
So, I have been doing research into the use of Insulated Composite Concrete Forms (ICCFs) for small-scale construction, and that has led me to looking at the Rastra ICCF system, as it has been in ...
1
vote
2answers
1k views
Buildings sinking into the ground
My friend has proposed that the buildings in the images below have been sinking into the ground over time and that they're not planned with basements.
He thinks that the bottom of the building was ...
3
votes
2answers
148 views
Why rectangular windows are so common?
Most of the windows in our rooms are mostly rectangular.
Why don't we chose any other shape like circle, triangle or trapezium? Does it affects airflow through room? Is the reason is that they look ...
0
votes
3answers
71 views
Maximum spans in multi-level building
Is it possible to build a building with 3 levels, with the 2nd and 3rd levels having areas with clear spans (no columns) of 130 ft length and 85 feet width? There can be columns outside of this clear ...
2
votes
2answers
247 views
Concrete Slab Deformation
The concrete slab (?) supporting the swimming pool (≈ 10 x 10m x 1m) of my building has clearly a 'belly':
I'm not sure whether this was built this way or evolved over time, however, my best guess is ...
0
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2answers
72 views
How deep do you have to check for problems underneath a building site?
When you're putting up a new building, you have to check the soil underneath for stability. How deep do you typically have to check? What's the extent of your "due diligence" when ensuring that a ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
Difference between ACI Code and Eurocode in Stiffness modifiers?
According to the ACI Code stiffness modifiers (modifiers used to reduce the moment of inertia) are used for each structural elements for example 0.7 for columns and 0.35 for beams...
For those who ...
0
votes
0answers
302 views
Seismic Design Changes between ASCE and UBC Code?
what is the difference between the seismic design between ASCE and UBC code?
from load combinations to loads applied to the history between the sudden shift or change in the code. and which one of the ...
0
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1answer
1k views
What is the Difference between ASCE and IBC Code?
What is the fundamental difference between the ASCE Code and IBC Code and what is the objective of each one?
Thank you in Advance.
0
votes
1answer
107 views
Slab Stiffness Modifiers applied in Vertical Elements design but not in Slab design?
Why in the design of vertical elements (columns and walls) for a structure against lateral loads (such as seismic and wind) we use a slab (or shell) with a stiffness modifiers (such as 0.25 according ...
0
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1answer
140 views
Drop Panel Design Above Columns?
How to design a drop panel at a column in case the column above is rotated or not aligned to the below column (see image below), the code that i am using is the ACI Code if any reference for the ...
1
vote
1answer
5k views
At what level is the Grade Beam most effective at pile cap level or at Slab-on-grade level?
The primary two functions of a Grade/Tie Beam in spread footing and/or pile caps foundation system is to support the Slab-On-Grade (S.O.G) and/or to take the moment from eccentric footing (or moment ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Do concealed door closers exacerbate wear on a door's hinges?
Not being of an engineering background, I was first inclined to think that a door closer would reduce horizontal load on all hinges and not contribute any support in the vertical dimension.
However, ...
2
votes
2answers
133 views
Can a crisscrossed metallic skeleton resist earthquakes for buildings?
To follow up with my previous question on the seismic design of buildings, I would like to ask if it makes sense to support buildings with strong thick 'crisscrossed' metallic frames.
I have the ...
2
votes
2answers
73 views
Can a horizontal foundation safeguard against earthquakes?
I have not taken any course in civil engineering. What I was taught was that a broad base would prevent something from toppling. So it makes me wondering instead of nailing the foundation of a ...
1
vote
1answer
905 views
Is it OK for a 2 story house not have a column or pillar
sorry for my english. I was looking to buy a house. I saw some in my hometown, which is very affordable.
but on a picture of the house they are selling I found on the net troubled me.
no pillar/column,...
1
vote
1answer
347 views
Adhesion of Super Glue (containing ethyl cyanoacrylate) and PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) film
Would it be considered safe to use super glue, which contains ethyl cyanoacrylate, to attach a PVDF film to a metal alloy?
It says super glue is not recommended for polyethylene or polypropylene. ...
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votes
1answer
57 views
Software for automatic building floorplan calculation / drawing (packing problem)
An apartment yield analysis is a set of draft drawings in which the optimum residential apartment layout and resultant yield is calculated for a given building site, taking into account development ...
0
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3answers
123 views
Could pre-stressed graphene be used to reinforce granite block construction?
I am curious whether this will become an option, especially for longer lasting structures. Could pre-stressed graphene or another high tensile strength material by used to reinforce granite block ...
0
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0answers
47 views
Possible improved approaches to 6mx3m moment-resisting frame with eccentricity+torsion, in advance of detailed engineer discussion
I'm putting a steel frame in, to "open plan" the rear of a brick cavity-wall terrace house in the UK, which will then have a single storey extension added behind it.
I have already retained a ...
0
votes
2answers
123 views
Activating lights using a motion sensor?
I was wondering how I would configure some sort of setup to get lights like this turn on a timer once activated by a motion sensor. I want them to turn on for about 15 seconds and then turn off once ...
0
votes
1answer
208 views
Optimal plumbing layout for 3 storey building?
I'm trying to design a plumbing system for a school project, and I want to verify that my initial piping layout from water source to outlets is logical before I start making calculations and programs ...
