Building design structural elements

The second major element of design is the collection of manufacturing alternatives because If we cannot make the object, then the design is virtually useless. We might seemingly have a nice idea for a structure, but if nobody can build the structure, then the idea is a waste of time. 

The problem must be simplified considerably to permit solution in the context of this book. Suppose an equilateral triangle is subjected to some loads in the vertical direction as in Figure 7-22. A load P of 100 lb (445 N) is applied to the top joint, and that load can go in either the downward or upward direction (in the diagram, not in space ). This truss must take its reversible load with, say, a factor of safety of two against whatever event would cause it to fail. What material, size, and weight of truss element would you select to satisfy the design requirements that include building the structure for the lowest cost ... 

Precast walls are used for two reasons to reduce the cost of the building through decreased field labor, and to shorten the schedule by constructing the walls and foundations simultaneously, The largest drawback for the use of precast structural elements is the design and detailing of connections. As in seismic design, special attention to ductility must be used. 

Several methods are used to determine peak loads for the static design of the foundation. Such methods may be determined from the blast pressure applied to the building, the bending or shear capacities of supported structural elements, or dynamic reactions of supported elements. In this example, maximum loads from each of the components directly supported by the foundation are used,... 

Today, building envelopes and structural elements have to take on a variety of central functions. They determine the energy consumption and fundamentally dominate the overall impression of a building from a design perspective. In terms of the functional and architectural requirements of the building envelopes, ETFE-foils offer interesting application possibilities. 

Regardless of the architectural style, aU styles combine elements and principles of design. These elements and principles include form, texture, rhythm, balance, proportion, and unity. Form is the principle of design that is described by lines and geometric shapes. The form of a structure is often dictated by its function. Texture refers to the roughness or smoothness, including reflective properties, of a material or building. 

For buildings and elements of building structures, current design practice for explosion and blast is to use the quasi-static approach to dynamic response of the structure adopted in the CIA document Process Plant Hazard and Control Building Design , This is, in turn, based on ASCE Manual 42 Design of Structures to Resist Nuclear Weapon Effects . 

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